DMA Testing - Dynamic Mechanical Analysis
The experts at Smithers have a wealth of experience conducting dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of rubber or polymeric materials and products at our rubber and plastic testing labs.
Meet the Engineer: Amanda Cool
Amanda Cool is a project engineer focusing on dynamic mechanical analysis testing in the Smithers physical testing lab in Akron, Ohio.
How long have you been with Smithers?
I started at Smithers in 2015 and have worked in a few of our laboratories. I spent my first three years in our physical and chemical testing labs and did a lot of microscopy work during that time. I was a quality specialist at our GMP analytical services lab, which supports the medical device industry. I transitioned to my current role in 2020.What keeps you busy every day?
I’m responsible for all of dynamic mechanical analysis in our physical testing lab here in Akron. I do a lot of work with tire treads especially, assessing viscoelastic properties and glass transition temperatures.How does your work support our clients?
It depends on what the client is looking for. If they need a third-party testing lab to help with a industry or OEM specification that includes DMA, we can do that. If they’re in the product development phase and they want to test out a new material or compound, we can help design a custom testing program to meet their needs.When it comes to tire clients, I provide the DMA testing data they need to better analyze the composition of their tread and how it will perform. DMA data helps our clients predict rolling resistance, wet traction, dry traction, snow traction, and other key tire performance metrics. This information helps them engineer their tire designs to meet or exceed the demanding requirements of OEM vehicle specifications.
In any case, our clients can always count on us for accurate, unbiased data, delivered on time, with outstanding customer service. This is a universal Smithers promise.
Who are your clients?
Most of our DMA clients are tire companies of all kinds. I’ve worked with passenger car tires, light truck tires, performance tires, OTR tires, you name it. Smithers has nearly 100 years of experience in the tire industry, so it’s really rewarding to play a role in that legacy.We’ve also supported foam, medical tubing, and various rubber product manufacturers with DMA testing. Each product or application presents different material performance criteria, which makes each evaluation somewhat unique.