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NIR spectroscopy in the polymer industry: The ideal tool for QC and product screening – Part 1

May 3, 2021

Article

This article is Part 1 of a series.

Undoubtedly, there is a trend nowadays towards stricter quality assurance and quality control in production processes, such as in the polymer industry. At the same time, this trend is accompanied by a stronger focus on cost-saving and time-efficient methods so that performing more testing will not automatically result in higher costs. 

Major driving factors for companies to voluntarily implement more testing and quality practices include: 

  • Cost pressure. Testing can reveal out-of-specification products, allowing production to be stopped in plenty of time, eliminating excess manufacturing costs.
  • Increased competition. Quality practices provide a competitive edge and can be used as a marketing tool to raise brand value.
  • Scarcity of resources. Qualified staff are difficult to find; therefore, checks that can be carried out by non-specialists are invaluable.

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is an analytical method that addresses the above drivers and is particularly suited for making quality control more efficient and cost-effective as shown in this article. A short overview of NIRS is presented, followed by application examples for the quality control of polymers, concluding with indications and examples regarding how polymer producing and processing companies can benefit from the utilization of NIRS.