Chemical analysis uncovers hidden elastomer blends
She has solved many cases to date, like this one: A competitor’s gasket inexplicably failed in use. When it arrived at the KLINGER Kempchen lab, a chemical analysis proved it to consist of a blend of three different elastomers. A classic case of deception, as the gasket’s data sheet declared it to be pure EPDM. “Luckily, this did not result in any personal injury,” says Kirsten. “Our material tests quickly revealed that most of the elastomers used were not resistant to the contact medium for which the gasket was used. And we were able to prove it beyond doubt.”
The trained chemical lab assistant often puts on her detective’s hat at KLINGER Kempchen to solve tricky cases involving unknown materials. Her tasks range from routine incoming goods analyses and material testing to the preparation of chemical composition reports for the quality assurance of KLINGER Kempchen products. When she joined the laboratory in 2008, gaskets were uncharted territory for her: “Back then, I didn’t even realize how many of them we encounter all the time. But you quickly start going through life only seeing expansion joints, flange connections and gaskets everywhere. And, of course, you always look whether they might be from KLINGER,” she says with a smirk.
“Don’t let people tell you otherwise”
Curiosity and an analytical mind have accompanied Kirsten from an early age. An inquisitive child, she already went to school at the age of five, and the present of a chemistry set left a big impression on her. Her father also had a big influence on her choice of career: “He always supported me in gaining practical experience. He showed me how to drill holes in tiles, how to screw, saw and weld, and so on, and took away any insecurity. His words stayed with me: ‘You can do whatever you want, also as a girl. Don’t let people tell you otherwise! ’,” says Kirsten. Always wanting to learn more, she soon lost interest in school. Finishing it at the age of 15, she began training as a lab technician and has never looked back.
From night shifts to motorbike maintenance: mastering every tool
This is also owed to the fact that she was able to assert herself as a woman and never had hurdles put in her way. On the contrary, it gave her the opportunity to impress with her wide-ranging skills: “At my previous employer, I occasionally worked 24-hour shifts with on-call duty. Sometimes I had to go into the factory in the dead of night, in full gear and lugging a tool bag, to get machines up and running again. The men were impressed to see me using leverage,” says Kirsten. Her passion for all things technical also comes in handy in maintaining her motorbike.
CSI-style detective work in the laboratory
Laboratory work, on the other hand, requires a more measured approach. Identifying an unknown material for colleagues from Sales or customers entails a search for clues reminiscent of an episode of CSI. Kirsten’s arsenal of investigative tools includes thermal analysis, density and hardness tests and more – and, not least, her wealth of experience: “For more complex issues, we sometimes consult other labs with additional testing equipment. You can’t have everything in your own lab; there’s just not enough space. But you build up a good network over the years,” says Kirsten.
Material analysis methods: thermal testing, density, hardness and more
The laboratory and engineering team also provides support with quality testing, selection of suitable materials, flange design and calculation. “This also lets us contribute to making the world a little safer,” says Kirsten. At KLINGER Kempchen, she has all kinds of fascinating equipment at her disposal; tools that can at times seem like alchemy to the uninitiated. Kirsten employs these to determine materials’ resistance to chemicals, melting point, decomposition temperature and other characteristics. From the results, she draws conclusions about the materials’ properties and suitability for a particular application. A digital microscope helps her determine failure causes, for example by analyzing combustion residues on a compound, or the reason for the failure of a material. Long-term oxidation tests in component trials provide more certainty regarding a material’s durability. “No two days are the same in our lab. The work is really exciting, even after years of working here,” says Kirsten.
Passing on a passion for science to students
She is also happy to infect school and student interns with her passion for chemistry and materials science, who gain new insights into the challenging topic in her lab. “I feel that science is often sadly neglected in schools. I see the spark I can ignite in youngsters when I show them interesting chemical experiments. Chemistry is a fascinating subject that you can try yourself, see, smell – and sometimes even hear. Because sometimes we let it go ‘bang’ in the lab.”
