Quality Testing and Control

Quality control testing is necessary whenever there is real uncertainty about the behavior of a material or product: during development phases, when changing supplier or batch, following production incidents, or in response to market claims. In these scenarios, relying solely on technical specifications or prior experience is not enough to guarantee the real performance of the product.

At Infinitia, we have resolved cases where a product complied on paper but failed in use: from unforeseen chemical incompatibilities between materials to premature degradation under environmental conditions not accounted for in the initial validation. Having an external technical partner makes it possible to detect these deviations before they become a problem, reducing technical risk and providing the experimental basis needed for well-founded decisions. If you have doubts about whether your case requires testing, get in touch with no obligation.

The absence of experimental validation usually leads to undetected defects that surface in later stages of the product life cycle, when the cost of resolving them is significantly higher. In-service failures, claims, reprocessing, or product recalls are common scenarios when technical decisions are made without experimental data.

Without the support of an external technical partner, decisions about materials, processes, or suppliers are based on assumptions or documentary information that does not always reflect the real behavior of the supplied batch. We have seen this pattern in projects such as the evaluation of materials to reduce corrosion in chemical reactors, where the lack of prior characterization had led to systematic in-service failures. The cost associated with reprocessing, warranties, or line stoppages is usually far higher than the cost of preventive analysis.

The selection of tests depends on four fundamental variables: the type of material and its function in the product, the real conditions of use and service requirements, the nature of the technical problem to be solved, and the level of information available at that time. There is no standard set of tests valid for every case.

As a general guide:

Composition and microstructure characterization: necessary when the material is unknown or compliance needs to be validated.

Mechanical testing: tension, hardness, fatigue, or impact when there are dynamic loads or stresses.

Environmental testing: aging, temperature, humidity, or chemical exposure.

Physicochemical analysis: identification of composition, impurities, or compatibility between materials.

At Infinitia, we always begin with a technical diagnosis of the problem to define a testing strategy aimed at the real objective, avoiding unnecessary analysis and prioritizing the techniques most representative of the specific case.

Standardized tests follow procedures established by bodies such as ISO, ASTM, UNE, or EN, making it possible to compare results under standardized conditions and facilitating compliance validation or benchmarking between materials. They are useful when the product must meet a specific standard or when comparability with third-party results is required.

Custom tests are specifically designed to reproduce real conditions of use or critical scenarios not covered by any existing standard. At Infinitia, we frequently develop this type of study when a failure only reproduces under specific combinations of temperature, load, and chemical exposure, or when standard tests fail to capture the variables that truly determine the in-service behavior of the product. You can see this approach applied in our comparative testing of technologies to eliminate industrial odors, where the real problem had no standard regulatory coverage.

An inspection makes it possible to verify visible aspects or check technical documentation, but it does not explain the internal behavior of the material or identify the source of the problems. It is a useful control tool, but technically limited when the failure has microstructural, chemical, or mechanical causes that cannot be detected with the naked eye.

Having an external technical partner makes it possible to analyze properties, validate hypotheses, and understand why failures occur. At Infinitia, we combine techniques such as fractography and microscopy testing with physicochemical analysis and mechanical testing to turn quality control into a data-driven decision tool, rather than one based on subjective interpretations. When the case requires it, results are formalized as a technical report with technical-legal validity.

Yes. Reproducing failures under controlled conditions is possible through tests designed to simulate real operation: mechanical load, temperature, humidity, exposure to chemical agents, use cycles, or combinations of several factors simultaneously. This approach makes it possible to validate root-cause hypotheses on an experimental basis before making corrective decisions.

At Infinitia, we regularly apply this methodology within our forensic engineering services, reproducing the failure scenario under controlled conditions to confirm its origin and verify the real effectiveness of proposed solutions. A specific example is the analysis of gases released by thermal degradation of plastics, where controlled reproduction of the failure was key to identifying the real degradation mechanism. This is especially relevant in recurring or intermittent failures, where acting without solid data usually leads to fixes that do not eliminate the root problem.

Testing makes it possible to identify deviations and risks in the early stages of development or production, preventing problems from escalating to mass production or reaching the market, where the economic impact is exponentially greater. Detecting an incorrect material or a process deviation before transformation eliminates scrap costs, rework, warranties, and line stoppages.

Working with an external technical partner also makes it possible to optimize material selection and make purchasing decisions on an experimental basis. At Infinitia, we have applied this approach in projects such as the accelerated corrosion test to optimize laser marking on industrial materials, where experimental validation made it possible to make process decisions without the need for costly production trials. It is also the approach we applied in the approval of a new steel supplier to optimize costs, where experimental evidence replaces documentary trust.

The cost depends on three factors: the type and number of analytical techniques required, the volume and nature of the samples, and the scope of the study (from a one-off test to a complete study covering characterization, durability, and root-cause analysis). A basic composition analysis is not comparable to an accelerated aging study involving multiple techniques, combined environmental conditions, and a technical report.

At Infinitia, we always scale the service to the real technical objective: we prioritize the techniques most representative of the problem, avoid unnecessary testing, and optimize the cost-value ratio for the client. If you would like an estimate tailored to your case, contact us and we will send you a technical-economic proposal.

Typical timelines range from 1 to 4 weeks depending on the technical complexity of the study: basic composition or physical property characterizations fall at the shorter end, while durability studies, accelerated aging, or testing involving multiple variables tend toward the longer end.

For situations with an urgent impact on production, Infinitia offers an expedited quotation option that delivers results within 24-72 hours of receiving the sample. In both cases, precisely defining the scope from the outset is key to optimizing timelines without compromising the technical quality of the report. If your case cannot wait, mention it in your contact request and we will handle it as a priority.

Because technical specifications and certificates of conformity do not guarantee the real behavior of a material under the specific conditions of use of the product. Factors such as the transformation process, interaction with other materials in the assembly, environmental service conditions, or variations within the acceptable range of the specification itself can produce behavior very different from what is expected.

At Infinitia, we have resolved numerous cases of this type through comparative analysis between supplier samples and reference materials, combining comparative characterization with behavior testing under conditions of use. Having an independent external technical partner makes it possible to detect real differences that are not visible in the documentation and to make decisions based on experimental evidence, not just documentation.

When a problem recurs after a correction has been applied, it is usually because the solution addressed the visible effect rather than the root cause. Without experimental validation confirming the real origin of the failure, it is common to apply measures that temporarily mitigate the problem without eliminating it.

At Infinitia, we address this situation through a root-cause diagnosis of failure based on experimental evidence, systematically ruling out hypotheses until the real failure mechanism is identified. Only from that knowledge is it possible to apply truly effective solutions and validate, also through testing, that the implemented correction resolves the problem under representative conditions.

The technical validity of results depends on four factors: correct definition of the test protocol, representativeness of the samples relative to the real problem, traceability of the equipment and methodologies used, and appropriate interpretation of the data in its technical context. Data without context does not support decision-making.

At Infinitia, tests are designed and carried out by specialized engineers with cross-sector experience, and results are formalized in detailed technical reports that support informed action. When a case involves a technical dispute, a supplier claim, or legal proceedings, we have the capability to produce failure mode studies with the methodological rigor needed for use in legal or arbitration settings.