Resin Equivalency

At Cambridge Polymer Group we often help clients resolve questions based on comparisons between material lots, good/bad product comparisons, and changes in manufacturing processes or inputs.

Lot to Lot Comparisons – What’s changed?

Is a new lot of raw material not performing as well as previous lots (even though the Certificate of Analysis says that it hasn’t changed)? It may be that the critical information is not captured in the manufacturer’s CoA, or which is not currently evaluated as part of the material’s acceptance criteria. Cambridge Polymer Group will work with you to better understand the differences between material lots and whether additional manufacturing or processing controls need to be implemented to correct for the observed lot-to-lot variability.

Good/Bad Comparisons – What’s gone wrong?

Is a new lot of finished product not meeting its performance specifications? Have you made a change (knowingly or unknowingly) in your manufacturing process, and need to understand the root cause for why the new product is “bad” while the old product was “good”?

CPG scientists will work with you to understand the nature of the lot-dependent or process-dependent differences and what underlying material properties and processing steps are likely to be the root cause of the inconsistency. Our scientists can propose analytical tests to identify and confirm the problem and work with you to design and evaluate a corrective action to mitigate such problems in the future

Polymer Resin Equivalency – Can I substitute resin X for Y?

Are you looking to change polymer resin suppliers (who are typically tight-lipped about their  formulations) but are worried about how this will impact the functional properties of your finished product? CPG will work with you to understand the critical functional properties of your finished product in its end-use environment. We can evaluate candidate resins against your existing material solution and compare the materials across a variety of dimensions most appropriate for your application, such as:

• Processability (e.g. melt flow index, melt rheology, injectability)
• Extractables and Leachables
• Residual Solvents
• Additive Package Comparison (e.g. antioxidants, gamma sterilizers); commonly by HPLC
• Molecular Weight Analysis
• Mechanical Properties
• Thermal Properties
• Stability (e.g. through accelerated aging)

Contact Cambridge Polymer Group to see how some of the capabilities described here may fit into your current or upcoming project work.