UNRIVALLED LOCAL TECHNICAL SUPPORT ADDS VALUE TO AUSTRALIAN POLYETHYLENE
Qenos has unrivalled capability to support the Australian plastics industry – the cornerstone to this capability is the Qenos Technical Centre located in Altona, Victoria. As a key supplier of polyethylene (PE) in Australia, Qenos understands the importance of having high quality PE suitable for the diverse applications of the Australian plastics industry. The Qenos Technical Centre has the latest facilities for polymer/analytical testing, physical testing and process/performance testing.
With personnel of long standing and dedicated materials science experience, Qenos truly understands polyethylene - from polymer synthesis to the amazing array of finished PE products and processes – Qenos can expertly test and assess the properties, performance and function of PE. Qenos personnel proactively work together with customers to design, develop, manufacture, process and evaluate products with an optimum balance of properties. They also understand all aspects of plastic products manufacture and collaborate with customers to optimise and enhance the performance of Qenos materials for customers processing equipment.
The Qenos Technical Centre has independently recognised Quality Management Systems which ensure the integrity and quality of the testing conducted. These are: AS/NZS ISO 9001 accreditation; NATA accreditation for specific Chemical & Mechanical Tests; and AS ISO/IEC 17025 Compliance – Testing & Calibration Laboratory Requirements.
These standards provide the foundation of a well-established quality philosophy and an extensive list of specifically accredited tests. As a result of this local technical capability, Qenos provides exceptional products and service to the Australian Plastics industry.
The Qenos Technical Centre not only tests the polymer, but it can also test products under manufacturing conditions using the processing equipment that plastics businesses use. There are 14 plastics processing lines, most are commercial or semi-commercial size and which cover a wide variety of processes. These lines include: injection moulding, blow moulding, rotational moulding, twin screw & single screw compounding extruders, tape line, pipe extrusion line, single layer blown film lines and a compression moulding press. Using the processing equipment available, the Qenos Technical Centre can evaluate PE products under conditions similar to those at customers’ plastics businesses around Australia.
The Physical Testing laboratory has extensive capabilities to ensure the polymer and products meet the exacting standards needed during production and throughout the life of the product. The main tests performed include: Flow properties by Melt Indexer or Capillary Rheometer; Mechanical properties – Tensile, Yield, Elongation, Modulus, Crush ; Long term creep ; Impact testing – Izod, Charpy, Instrumented, ARM, Drop Dart ; Abrasion resistance – DIN, Taber ; Optical properties ; Surface Properties ; Pressure Resistance ; and Environmental Resistance & Weathering.
The Analytical Testing laboratory performs a wide range of analytical procedures to identify polymers and characterise polymer additives. These include: Polymer Identification – DSC, FTIR, NIR, FTIR microscope; Microscopy & Product Defect Analysis ; Quantification of Polymer Additives – GC, HPLC, TGA & UV ; and Thermal Properties. The Qenos Technical Centre not only characterises PE, but can assist customers to identify other polymers and additives to ensure correct composition and quality.
The Qenos Technical Centre undertakes sophisticated and specialised testing for specific PE product groups. Two important examples are pipe and rotomould testing. Long term performance testing ensures that the specialised PE grades are ‘fit-for-purpose’ in long term uses, and the Qenos Technical Centre is externally accredited by NATA to ensure the independence and integrity of this testing. Qenos holds a SAI Global Type Test Licence for its Black Pipe Grades to AS/NZS 4131 and a SAI Global Type Test License for Roto Mould Grades to AS/NZS 4766.
The Qenos Technical Centre Process Laboratory is home to one of the largest Hydrostatic Pipe Testing facilities in Australia consisting of 14 baths with up to 27 stations per bath. This is a specialised facility for pressure performance assessment on pipes produced from Qenos pipe grade polyethylene. Similarly roto-moulding grades are tested for processing and weatherability. The Accelerated Weatherometer unit is also a vital part of performance testing for rotomoulding grades – providing confidence that PE tanks made from Qenos resin will perform in the field for a long, long time.
With outstanding experience, amazing equipment and a passion for excellence, the Qenos Technical Centre is an important feature of Qenos PE for the Australian plastics industry - servicing customers now and into the future.