Independent Testing Laboratory Services

Sampling

Sampling is the single most important and critical step in providing accurate results for any material. Raw materials are sampled in commerce to validate the agreed price and conformance with contractual and acceptance specifications.

For many materials, composition and quality can vary over the range of the entire quantity due to particle size, shape segregation and production cycles. Any bias inflicted upon the sample during its initial collection will be apparent in any subsequent testing results. Obtaining an unbiased sample of reasonable mass to represent an entire lot presents many problems and emphasizes the necessity for employing experienced personnel and standardized sampling procedures. For the obtained results to be meaningful and relative, the sample must be collected systematically by experienced and knowledgeable personnel according to strict procedures and in such a manner that it is completely representative of the entire consignment.

McCreath Laboratories is unique in the fact that we have dedicated sampling arms with experienced personnel specifically trained in the use of the industry-accepted ISO and ASTM standards and have the specialized equipment to strictly comply with those standards. Site-specific sampling plans are designed for each job that locates the best available sampling points and systematically collects numerous increments so that all variations in the material are sufficiently represented. Detailed records of all sampling data are compiled and recorded to validate the accuracy of the collected samples.

Preparing the collected sample for testing is as critical as the collection of the sample itself. For the results of subsequent testing to be accurate, the sample must also be prepared according to specific industry-standard methods. This involves using the appropriate equipment to ensure the sample maintains unbiased representation to the original lot during all reduction and division processes, resulting in the final sample submitted to the laboratory.

Our facilities enable us to prepare all the materials that are submitted to us. Preparation departments are staffed with experienced and supervised personnel specifically trained in preparing various materials according to the applicable standards and using the most modern and compliant preparation equipment available. Extensive care is taken to segregate the preparation of different raw materials to prevent inadvertent cross-contamination. Additional sample reserves are created and retained on-site at our facilities in environmentally controlled areas to assist in further validation, disputes, or client-specific requirements.

We also are equipped with fully modern mobile preparation vehicles that serve as an on-site platform for our sampling operations. Each vehicle has self-contained material reduction equipment, manual material dividers, platform scales, and packaging materials. Gross samples collected can often be reduced and divided on-site, maintaining sample moisture integrity, reducing subsequent preparation time at our laboratory facilities and returning excess material to the site of original sampling, reducing disposal costs and saving the client valuable material loss.

At McCreath Laboratories, we understand that our testing quality can only be representative of the quality of the collected sample. Accurate results start with the precision of the sample collected. Our team of knowledgeable and qualified professionals take extra care in ensuring that all materials are sampled and prepared according to exact standards. This ensures all subsequent testing of the material is truly representative, assuring the client a high degree of confidence in the final results.

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