BTG Labs Blog

In the diverse and ever-growing world of medical devices, particularly those involving polymeric tubing, it is always crucial, and not always easy, to test and definitively ...

Partnering with Plastics Technology, BTG Labs held a webinar about a topic that’s attracting a lot of attention.

What do both of these statements about surface adhesion have in common? “We need to measure surface quality of the teeth on a gear to make sure the coating stays on.”  “We need to ...

Adhesion failure in manufacturing is an opportunity in disguise for exceptional business growth...if you do the work to understand the why behind your failures. Say what?

Real-time data. New industry buzzword? Or a new generation of process and quality control?

When it comes to preparing raw materials for adhesion in manufacturing, optimizing the level of surface preparation is directly related to achieving the highest quality final ...

 Image above: Medical catheters used with a custom fixture

 The BTG Labs team dressed in their holiday best to celebrate another successful year   During this holiday season, BTG Labs reflects on another great year. In 2017, the team grew ...

Last week, BTG Labs exhibited and presented at the largest composites show and conference: CAMX 2017. Despite a set-back due to Hurricane Irma, causing the date to be rescheduled ...

BTG Labs will exhibit at CAMX 2017, The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo, which will run December 11-14 in Orlando, FL. BTG Labs will host booth N17. Visit our booth for ...

Manufacturing a product to withstand the environmental stresses of wind, rain, and sediment is challenging enough. But, when you add saltwater and wave action to the mix, the ...

In some industries--including film and flexible packaging--dyne is the primary language. BTG Labs’ Surface Analyst uses water contact angle measurements as a fast easy, objective, ...

Of all the challenges manufacturers face, creating and optimizing critical surface processes for various materials can be very difficult. Traits such as location, size, shape, and ...

In 2014, a large manufacturer of automotive exteriors and interiors encountered a problem consistently adhering paint to their dashboards due to an inappropriate use of their ...

Watch BTG Labs’ latest video and learn how to gain total surface quality control with surface preparation with the push of a button. This video offers a way to better understand ...

Watch the latest BTG Labs’ video showing the Surface Analyst’s revolutionary method for optimizing critical surface processes in manufacturing. This video demonstrates how the ...

The competitive nature of the automotive industry requires manufacturers to engineer the ideal product; failures, no matter how small, are unacceptable and can bring heavy ...

BTG Labs presented yet another successful webinar. Hosted by Composites World, and presented by Dr. Giles Dillingham, “Development and Control of Surface Treatments for Adhesive ...

BTG Labs is excited to present a new paper at the ASNT (American Soceity for Nondestructive Testing) Annual Conference 2017. Taking place in Nashville, Tennessee October 30 to ...

Join BTG Labs for another webinar presented by Chief Scientist Dr. Giles Dillingham. Tune in Tuesday, October 17 at 2 pm ET for this highly anticipated seminar. Hosted by ...

Last week, SAMPE hosted a one-day technical conference, the High Desert Chapter, to provide an opportunity for composites manufacturers to touch base before the next full length ...

Check out BTG Labs’ recent article published in Converting Quarterly’s Q3 issue. The official publication and technical journal of International Metallizers, Coaters, and ...

Image above: BTG Labs Sales Engineer, Derrick Merrell enjoying a game of Jenga at Pack Expo 2017.   Last week, BTG Labs traveled to Las Vegas for the largest and most ...

Performing any kind of inspection on small parts can be difficult. When measuring for surface cleanliness, accessing small parts can be even more challenging, especially when ...

Parts washers play an integral role in manufacturing, especially on machined parts and bonding surfaces. Prior to coating, sealing, painting, and welding, parts washers help ...

BTG Labs Lead Sales Engineer Lucas Dillingham will present “What Manufacturers Need to Measure When Controlling Surfaces for Adhesion” at AMI’s Polymer Testing & Analysis 2017 ...

BTG Lab's recently held another successful webinar. Hosted by Products Finishing and presented by Dr. Giles Dillingham, the webinar emphasized the importance of monitoring ...

Tom McLean’s distinctive voice can often be heard throughout the halls of BTG Labs. I sat down with President and Chief Growth Officer of BTG Labs to learn more about the man ...

  Next week, BTG Labs will exhibit and present at SPE ACCE (Society of Plastics Engineers Automotive Composites Conference and Exhibition) the world’s leading automotive ...

Challenges often arise when verifying critical surface processes on the factory floor when measuring hard to reach areas and varying angles. The Surface Analyst conquers those ...

Join BTG Labs August 29 at 2pm EDT for the webinar “How to Establish Quantitative Control of Cleaning Processes” hosted by Products Finishing, presented by Chief Scientist Dr. ...

BTG Labs is pleased to announce the online shop is now live.  You can now easily find and order your Surface Analyst™ accessories. Items include replacement Fluid Cartridges, ...

Contrary to popular belief, print isn’t dead: at least not printed packaging, an industry growing to a worth of $8 billion of the $20 billion global print market. The printed ...

Nestled in the tall pines of the Jemez Mountains lies the Los Alamos National Laboratory. This center of scientific excellence, brings together some of the top minds in the world ...

Teflon is a household name that commonly invokes images of eggs sizzling on a skillet, spatulas flipping pancakes, or rice steaming in a pan. But, there is much more to this ...

In the BTG Labs’ Materials and Processing laboratory, magic happens. Or, at least it seems that way. In the BTG Lab our specialists see the unseen. They reveal the invisible. ...

BTG Labs’ Surface Analyst is more than just a fast, easy, accurate, hand-held, non-destructive, objective surface cleanliness gauge. It encompasses features to personalize your ...

Dr. Carlos Barrios, a colleague of mine from 3M St. Paul, asked over dinner at the last meeting of the Adhesion Society if I would like to take part in teaching a week-long course ...

Thanks to advancements in powertrain manufacturing, sealing processes have improved assembly efficiency. Formed-in-place gaskets (FIPG) are replacing traditional mechanical ...

Plastics manufacturers are all too familiar with the challenges of bonding thermoplastics. Last week, BTG Labs successfully hosted a webinar with Plastics Technology to discuss ...

SAMPE is the “Society of Advancement of Materials and Process Engineering,” and annually they host a conference and exhibit hall where Scientists and Engineers gather to learn ...

Every plastics manufacturer knows that bonding low energy thermoplastics can be challenging. In the upcoming webinar hosted by Plastics Technology, BTG Labs’ Chief Scientist Dr. ...

In the fast-paced automotive industry, manufacturers are constantly working to engineer stronger and more innovative vehicles. Emissions regulations call for more light weight, ...

Last week, BTG Labs exhibited and presented at ANTEC 2017. We were pleased to connect and exchange intelligence with leaders in the plastics industry. Our booth featured the ...

Manufacturers often encounter a similar puzzle, when cleaning invisible contaminants from a surface, how do you know when the surface is clean; how clean is clean enough? This is ...

Top aerospace manufactures recruit state-of-the-art equipment to ensure precision and perfection. One thing the best of the best have in common: the Surface Analyst. BTG Labs ...

There’s nothing like arriving at the course on a fresh spring morning. The sun is low, casting long shadows across the green mounds, foggy rays bring hints of warmth, a fresh, ...

What is known as The Plastics Technology Conference, ANTEC (Annual Technical Conference) 2017 brings together diverse members of the plastics industry from around the world. ...

Roosevelt University, a liberal arts college in the Loop of downtown Chicago perfectly contrasts antiquated and contemporary architecture. Roosevelt’s first venue, constructed in ...

 Image above: In 1987, Giles earned his PhD and moved to Midland, Michigan to begin laboratory work at Dow Chemical.   The office of Giles Dillingham is unique, eclectic, and full ...

BTG Labs is gearing up for Earth Day; after all, we proudly manufacture an instrument that is valuable in a variety of industries from aerospace, automotive, packaging, and even ...

  BTG Labs will present new data on monitoring laser cleaning with Surface Analyst at ALAC (Advanced Laser Applications Conference) 2017. Taking place in Novi, Michigan from May ...

Manufacturers are all too familiar with the challenges of getting a bond to stick and hold. The success of a bond relies on the surface created prior to that bond, so, monitoring ...

Image above by Cincinnati Reds via Cincinnati Business Courier    It’s Opening Day in Cincinnati, Ohio! Now this isn’t just any season opener, Opening Day in Cincinnati is an ...

This week, BTG Labs will travel to Hayward, California to attend Plasmatreat’s Open House and Surface TechDays. As a partner of BTG Labs, Plasmatreat recruits the Surface Analyst ...

Manufacturers working with metal and worrying about metal performance are all too familiar with the obstacles that come along with coating, painting, bonding, printing, or sealing ...

The Aerodef Manufacturing conference was held last week in Ft. Worth Texas. This event is a smaller regional manufacturing show focusing on aerospace and defense industries. The ...

It’s the first day of spring. Depending on where you live, this could mean opening the windows, planting seeds, rolling out the motorcycle, and waiting for Opening Day. Here at ...

This week, BTG Labs will attend the CMH-17 PMC Coordination Meeting in conjunction with ASTM D-30 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The purpose of this gathering is to present and ...

BTG Labs' Chief Scientist Dr. Giles Dillingham recently presented at the 40th annual meeting of the Adhesion Society. An elected Fellow of the Adhesion Society, Dr. Dillingham has ...

Food packaging and print industries often face the obstacle of adhering to low energy substrates such as polypropylene. Measuring the surface’s cleanliness prior to bonding or ...

The utilization of composites increases daily in manufacturing as more ways in which to use this advanced material are discovered. Composite is a smart material that provides a ...

Flame treatment is a surface treatment process used to chemically modify a surface for better adhesion. This process is typically used on low energy surfaces that can be difficult ...

The water break test is a common way to test for surface cleanliness. It allows the user to test for the presence of hydrophobic contaminants, which can be detrimental to ...

AeroDef Manufacturing 2017  is the pivotal event for world leaders of the aerospace and defense manufacturing industry. BTG Labs is excited to exhibit, speak, and teach a course ...

BTG Labs excitedly anticipates Plasmatreat's Open House and Surface TechDays. Held March 30 & 31 in Hayward, California. The 2-day event brings together leaders in the ...

 BTG Labs is proud to have the Surface Analyst featured on the cover of the January/February issue of SAMPE Journal (Society for the Advancement of Material and Process ...

Broadening the Abilities of the Surface Analyst The Surface Analyst™ has the unique ability to measure on almost any surface: vertical, horizontal, smooth, rough, mirrored and in ...

Smarter Surface Processes For over a decade, manufacturers and suppliers have spoken the language of dyne when dealing with surface preparation and treatment verification. Because ...

A Meeting of the Adhesion Society Annually, scientists, engineers, manufacturers, and students professionally concerned with the science and technology of adhesion, gather for a ...

The New BTG Labs 2016 was a big year for BTG Labs. The year brought new members and growth, to improvements on the Surface Analyst and a new company look. The BTG Labs team ...

A Frequently Asked Question BTG Labs Decided to Answer When measuring and quantifying surface energy, a common question arises: "Does roughness impact contact angle measurements ...

BTG Labs recently hosted another successful webinar through Composites World Magazine. The webinar, presented by BTG Labs' CEO and Chief Scientist Dr. Giles Dillingham, entitled ...

Lab Capabilities The history of BTG Labs is rooted in adhesion research. Originally a development lab, BTG Labs specialized in plasma polymerized coatings. The engineers worked ...

1. Does surface roughness affect the measurement? Can you measure on curved parts? Because the Surface Analyst uses patented Ballistic Deposition to deposit liquid drops, the user ...

Surface Preparation in Manufacturing In manufacturing there exist critical surface preparation process requirements to ensure products are safe and reliable. There are some legacy ...

The Latest in Medical Device Manufacturing BTG Labs will host a booth at the Generis American Medical Device Summit 2016. The event, taking place at The Westin Lombard Yorktown ...

The Importance of Understanding and Controlling the Bond Surface BTG Labs will host their second webinar with Composites World. The webinar, "Understanding and Controlling the ...

Ongoing Advancements in the Field of Composite Materials  BTG Labs maintains an important connection to  CMH-17, the Composite Materials Handbook. BTG Labs recently attended a ...

BTG Labs Collaborates with Abaris to Present Webinar Giles Dillingham of BTG Labs recently  presented a webinar with Louis Dorworth of Abaris. Hosted by Composites World Magazine, ...

Obtaining Quality and Consistency with the Surface Analyst   BTG Labs' Surface Analyst™ uses a micro-liter of highly purified water to quantifiably measure contact angle. This ...

Image above: BMW i8 with a body constructed with carbon fiber composite, aluminium and special plastic.   Building a More Fuel-Efficient Automobile The pursuit to produce a more ...

 With the exciting release and testing of the F-35 Lightning II, BTG Labs swells with pride over its involvement in the development of this remarkable aircraft. The F-35 Lightning ...

Water Contact Angle as a Quantitative Measurement of Surface Energy BTG Lab's Surface Analyst™ uses contact angle of highly purified water ballistically deposited on a material to ...

Evolution of Aircraft Manufacturing: Moving Towards a Lighter Material In the early 2000s, the U.S. Airforce recruited BTG Labs to aid in the development of bonding technologies ...

The Importance of Surface Cleanliness BTG Labs' Surface Analyst™ is a fast, easy, accurate, nondestructive, handheld device. It uses contact angle to measure the cleanliness level ...

Elemental Threats to Circuit Boards Today, the range of when and where we use electronics broadens constantly. Consequently, electronics encounter threats such as water, extreme ...

Symbiosis: BTG Labs and Vapormatt BTG Labs looks forward to co-hosting a booth with Vapormatt at The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX) 2016. The expo will take place ...

Surface Requirements of Aluminum Castings Automotive manufacturers widely utilize aluminum castings as the most successful way to create aluminum parts. However, this process can ...

AMI Medical Tubing 2016  BTG Labs will host a booth and present at the Applied Marked Information (AMI) Medical Tubing Conference September 13-14, 2016. The event will take place ...

Surface Cleanliness Gauge Comparison As part of its development, BTG Lab's Surface Analyst™ has undergone countless studies to demonstrate its effectiveness as a surface ...

SAMPE: Leading Advanced Materials and Processes Conference

BTG Labs will be attending the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) AMS Aerospace Organization Coatings Committee (AMS G-8)’s annual meeting May 3-5. Dr. Giles Dillingham and ...

Polymers are some of the most common base materials used in automotive parts. Polypropelenes, Polyolefins, and ABS plastics are used in dashboards, door panels, bumper fascias, ...

Image above: The Surface Analyst uses Ballistic Deposition to deposit water on diverse surfaces to measure contact angle.   Fluid Deposition Style of Contact Angle Measurements ...

 Automotive manufacturers who bond, seal, coat, paint, or print now have a reliable way to verify the cleanliness of their surface.

Controlling Surface Condition in FIPG Application Increasingly, FIPG processes are replacing traditional gaskets for a variety of automotive applications such as air filters, oil ...

Handheld Solution for Verifying Surface Cleanliness The Surface Analyst™ is an innovative handheld solution for use in the lab and on the factory floor. It reduces waste, rework, ...

A Deep History in Materials Science President and Chief Scientist of BTG Labs, Dr. Giles Dillingham's fascination by the connections between the invisible (the molecular structure ...

When Polymer Surfaces are Not Easily Accessible A recent collaboration between BTG Labs and 3M scientists demonstrates that the Surface Analyst™ can provide receding contact ...

The New BTG Labs Welcome to the new BTGLabs.com, the online home of the Surface Analyst™.  You’ve known us as Brighton Technologies, but like the scientists we are, we’re always ...