(+353) 61 237759
University of Limerick, Bernal Institute, Limerick, V94 T9PX
Advanced Manufacturing
Materials insight and analytical support for manufacturing innovation
Attlas supports advanced manufacturing companies with materials characterisation, surface analysis, contamination investigation, failure analysis and research project development through the Bernal Institute, University of Limerick.
Modern manufacturing depends on material performance, process consistency, supplier reliability, surface quality and product integrity. When a material, coating, component or process does not behave as expected, companies need fast access to technical insight that can support better decisions.
Attlas helps companies understand what is happening in their materials, surfaces, components and production processes and connects that understanding with advanced analytical instrumentation, dedicated instrument scientists and academic expertise.
Supporting manufacturing problem-solving and product development
Advanced manufacturing companies often need to investigate technical issues that sit between materials, process conditions, product design and performance. These questions may arise during product development, production scale-up, quality investigation, supplier change, process optimisation or failure analysis.
Attlas can support companies working across:
- precision manufacturing;
- medical device manufacturing;
- electronics and sensor manufacturing;
- polymer and composite processing;
- metal and surface treatment processes;
- additive manufacturing materials;
- coatings and thin films;
- advanced packaging and component assembly;
- clean manufacturing environments;
- circular and sustainable manufacturing;
- product development and prototyping;
- materials and process innovation.
Our role is to help companies move from a technical issue to an analytical pathway, and from analytical data to informed technical decisions.
Understanding materials, surfaces and process-related issues
Manufacturing challenges are often caused by small changes that are difficult to identify without advanced analysis. A surface may be contaminated. A coating may have changed. A polymer may have degraded. A supplier material may differ from specification. A residue, particle or defect may be affecting product performance.
Attlas helps companies answer questions such as:
- What is this unknown residue, deposit or contaminant?
- Has the material changed after processing, cleaning, sterilisation or storage?
- Why has adhesion, coating performance or surface behaviour changed?
- Are two suppliers, batches or process routes materially different?
- What is the elemental or chemical composition of a defect or particle?
- What does the surface, coating or interface look like beneath the top layer?
- Is a material crystalline, amorphous or changing phase?
- What is the thermal behaviour or degradation profile of the material?
- Can a failure, crack, delamination or defect be linked to material structure?
- Could this technical issue become a consultancy, training or research project?
Contamination and residue analysis
Identifying unknown materials, residues, deposits, particles or foreign matter that may affect product quality, reliability or manufacturing performance.
Relevant to:
- surface contamination;
- organic residues;
- inorganic particles;
- cleaning residues;
- handling contamination;
- production line deposits;
- packaging-related contamination;
- supplier-related foreign material;
- cleanroom or process contamination.
Supplier, batch and process comparison
Supporting companies where a material, component or process has changed and the impact needs to be understood.
Relevant to:
- supplier change assessment;
- batch-to-batch variation;
- incoming material comparison;
- process route comparison;
- prototype comparison;
- raw material verification;
- manufacturing scale-up;
- process optimisation.
Product development and prototyping
Supporting R&D teams during material selection, prototype evaluation, technical troubleshooting and product improvement.
Relevant to:
- early-stage development;
- material screening;
- prototype comparison;
- surface modification;
- coating development;
- process validation support;
- technical feasibility;
- new product introduction;
- manufacturing innovation.
Relevant analytical capabilities
Attlas can help identify the most appropriate technique or combination of techniques based on the sample, process and technical question.
Relevant techniques for advanced manufacturing may include:
- XPS for surface chemistry, oxidation, coatings and contamination analysis;
- SEM/EDX for morphology, surface features and elemental composition;
- SEM-FIB for cross-sectioning coatings, interfaces, defects and internal structures;
- TEM/STEM for nanoscale imaging, particle analysis and advanced material investigation;
- FTIR for organic identification, polymer analysis and residue screening;
- Raman for non-destructive molecular fingerprinting, phase identification and material mapping;
- ToF-SIMS for ultra-sensitive surface chemical analysis, molecular fragments and depth profiling;
- AFM for surface topography, roughness and nanoscale surface measurement;
- Confocal microscopy for high-resolution 3D imaging and surface profiling;
- DSC/TGA for polymer, thermal and material behaviour;
- XRD for crystalline phases, powders and structural material changes;
- Solid-State NMR for detailed chemical and structural analysis of solid materials, polymers, powders and complex formulations;
- Nanoindentation for hardness, stiffness, coating performance and local mechanical properties.
Where a single technique is not enough, Attlas can combine methods to build a clearer picture of the material, surface, structure, contaminant or failure mechanism.
Failure and defect investigation
Helping companies understand why a component, coating, material or product has failed or is not performing as expected.
Relevant to:
- cracking;
- delamination;
- coating failure;
- surface damage;
- material degradation;
- discolouration;
- unexpected wear;
- particle contamination;
- manufacturing defects;
- process-related changes;
- component performance issues.
Surface, coating and interface analysis
Understanding the chemistry, morphology and structure of surfaces, coatings, thin films and interfaces.
Relevant to:
- surface treatments;
- functional coatings;
- thin films;
- bonding and adhesion;
- oxidation;
- passivation;
- cleaning effects;
- process-induced surface changes;
- multilayer materials;
- coating thickness and uniformity.
Polymer, metal and composite manufacturing support
Providing analytical insight into the materials used in advanced manufacturing processes.
Relevant to:
- polymer components;
- metal surfaces;
- coatings;
- adhesives;
- films;
- composites;
- powders;
- additive manufacturing feedstocks;
- fibre-reinforced materials;
- advanced engineered materials.
Supporting additive and advanced materials manufacturing
Attlas can also support companies working with additive manufacturing, powder-based processes, advanced coatings, engineered surfaces and complex material systems.
This may include analysis of:
- metal powders;
- polymer powders;
- printed parts;
- surface roughness;
- porosity and defects;
- phase composition;
- thermal behaviour;
- post-processing effects;
- coatings and surface treatments;
- recycled or reused feedstocks.
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