Materials Testing Facility
The Materials Testing Facility is a full-service facility specializing in mechanical material testing for failure analysis and accelerated wear/aging, micro hardness testing, and color analysis. Our equipment and expertise renders us particularly advantageous for dental research, but we are able to easily generalize our capabilities for other disciplines.
You are encouraged to work directly with our staff for your materials analysis needs. We are also available to visit you on site to collect samples and additional information, if required.
Who We Serve
The Materials Testing Facility offers services for:
- UB Students
- UB Faculty
- Researchers at Other Academic Institutions
- Government
- Industry
Technical Capabilities
- Static Mechanical Testing
- Loads of up to 100 [N], 500 [N], 1,000 [N], and 10,000 [N]
- Cyclic Mechanical Loading
- Loads of up to 8 [Kg] and 10,000 [N]
- Chewing Simulation
- Loads of up to 8 [Kg]
- Micro Hardness Testing
- Knoop and Vickers
- Micro Shear Testing
- Finite Element Analysis of Static Mechanical Systems
- Digital Scan Metrology and Manipulation
- Visible Spectrum Colorimetry (reflection)
- Qualitative and Quantitative Techniques
- Small Scale Thermocycling
- Small Scale Laser Welding
- Blue Light Controlled Bonding Room
- pH Testing
- Toothbrush Wear Simulation
- Material Sectioning
- Material Grinding/Polishing
- Basic Wet Chemistry Capabilities
- Basic Optical Microscopy
- Radio Frequency Glow Discharge Cleaning
- Small Autoclave
Services
- Research Study Design and Guidance
- Routine testing of materials for quality control and assurance
- Failure analysis
- Product research, development and testing
- Consultation for analysis strategy
- Facility orientation
- On-site technical assistance
- Remote technical consultation
Rates
Payments can be made through Interdepartmental invoice, check, or revenue transfer.
| University at Buffalo Faculty | Rate |
|---|---|
| Lab Usage | $60.00/hr |
| Lab Assistance | $45.00/hr |
| Chewing Simulation | $0.0006/cycle |
| Thermocycling | $0.077/cycle |
| Consumables are project specific charges | TBD |
| Industry Clients and External University Clients | Rate |
|---|---|
| Lab Usage | $200.00/hr |
| Lab Assistance | $200.00/hr |
| Chewing Simulation | $0.0013/cycle |
| Thermocycling | $0.1948/cycle |
| Administration Rate (SOP review, Billing) | $99.00/hr |
| Consumables are project specific charges | TBD |
Acknowledgements
To demonstrate the importance of this facility to research at UB and aid in the procurement of future equipment and the maintenance of current equipment, we ask users to please acknowledge the Materials Testing Facility in your publications, and to inform the facility director at the time of publication. Thank you for your help.
Hours of Operation
Monday-Friday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
*Users are strongly encouraged to schedule an appointment.*
***Starting June 2, 2025, the Materials Testing Facility will be scheduling and billing through iLabs.***
