Yalova University Laboratory Provides Services to Industrial Cities

At the Research and Application Center of Yalova University's Central Research Laboratory, located near the industrial cities of Istanbul, Kocaeli and Bursa, tests are being conducted that deliver effective results in many fields, from wear, impact, tensile and hardness analyses of polymer and metal materials to flammability measurements. Rector Prof. Dr. Suat Cebeci: "We provide support to advanced, strong companies worldwide in areas such as analysis and testing. We have developed our university and laboratory to international standards and there is very serious demand in this regard. We are striving to meet these demands." Yalova University's Central Research Laboratory Research and Application Center, in line with requests from industrial establishments and scientists, conducts modern tests and delivers results in a short timeframe, providing convenience for faculty members, researchers and companies. Established in 2012 on the university campus, the center, with its equipment, facilities and personnel, plays important roles in the work of many industrial establishments and academics across various fields. The research and application center, which serves many universities, especially in the Marmara Region, consists of mechanical, thermal analysis, microscopic imaging, polymer processing, fuel analysis, environmental analysis, chromatography and spectroscopy laboratories.

Analyses are being carried out in laboratories

In the mechanical laboratory, wear, impact, tensile and hardness analyses of polymer and metal materials are conducted. The Thermal Analysis Laboratory serves the fields of polymers, polymer blends, elastomers, composites, water and environment, pharmaceuticals and food by determining thermal properties using different methods. In the microscopic imaging laboratory, materials such as polymer, ceramic, metal and plant are examined, and information about chemical compositions is obtained. In the polymer processing laboratory, research and product development work is being carried out on process condition optimization relating to polymer material shaping processes, determination of polymer-additive formulations, preparation of polymer blends and preparation of polymer-based composite materials. At the same time, using injection equipment with appropriate molds, all types of plastic parts required by the sector can be produced serially. In other laboratories, flammability tests and analyses of samples of gasoline, diesel, fuel-oil, biodiesel fuel and waste oil are carried out.

Laboratories have been developed to international standards

Noting that the unit has become a structure serving both the university and the surrounding community, Cebeci shared the following information: "When an analysis or test is requested by companies or academics, the entire process can be tracked digitally by the analysis owners. Information related to the analysis process is transmitted instantly to the mobile phone of the person requesting the analysis, and when the analysis is completed, notification is sent via SMS. We have established a modern system in our center and we intend to develop it further. Other universities also have existing laboratories, but our center has more advantages in terms of operations. We have made this very practical in terms of functionality and we have developed such capability that we provide services that are rarely offered in other universities. In this way, we have developed our center with the aim of producing advanced-level services through more integrated work with the business world and through university, industry and public cooperation working at faster speed. Noting that they are located in a position that is convenient in terms of transportation and cooperation, Cebeci stated: "We provide support to advanced, strong companies worldwide in areas such as analysis and testing. We have developed our university and laboratory to international standards and there is very serious demand in this regard. We are striving to meet these demands."

Analysis security is ensured through a "unique coding system"

Research and Application Center Director Prof. Dr. Gökhan Temel emphasized that one of their greatest advantages is that they can complete samples delivered to them within 48 hours at the latest. Noting other standout advantages of the center, Temel remarked as follows: "Thanks to the automation system we have integrated into our analysis system, we uniquely code the samples sent by our customers, academics from our university or other universities. After the samples are coded, they are entered into the automation system and sent to the designated personnel who will conduct the analysis using only the sample code. We complete our analyses rapidly within the timeframes we have committed to within the framework of analysis security and send the results through the automation system to the analysis owners. Through this institutional work we have done, as the companies we work with recommend us to other companies, we have begun to provide services on a wider scale. In our center, analyses such as injection molding, mechanical and impact tests, determination of plastic material types, advanced microscopic imaging and determination of thermal properties of materials are carried out. We have also been providing services to well-known brands throughout Turkey and the world in recent months. Raw material suppliers, the recycling sector, companies working in the field of materials engineering and academics at universities prefer the analyses at our center." Temel noted that the plastic injection molding equipment in their laboratories is also an important factor in their preference. Prof. Dr. Temel stated: "Thanks to this equipment, we can shape and produce plastic raw material samples here for testing from establishments that do not have this equipment. At the same time, researchers and students from other universities or our own university can produce test parts using their own raw materials on our equipment here for analysis."  

YALOVA (AA) - SITKI YILDIZ