Advanced Analyses and Support

employees

number of publications in 2024

number of projects

+100

customers

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, the ability to characterize, test as well as validate materials and components under realistic conditions is more critical than ever. Across sectors such as aerospace, energy, electronics, automotive and life sciences, organizations must indeed meet stringent standards for quality, compliance and performance..

Mission

The Advanced Analyses and Support unit serves as a cross-functional platform that drives scientific discovery, technological innovation and industrial performance. By combining recognized multidisciplinary expertise with state-of-the-art instrumentation, it provides high-value services in advanced material characterization, functional testing and technical support.

The unit acts as a strategic enabler of innovation. Through centralized access to high-performance infrastructure and specialized expertise, it helps reduce the time, cost and uncertainty associated with advanced material investigations. It also fosters collaboration among research teams, industrial partners, and public institutions, serving as a technical backbone for innovation ecosystems.

Objectives

The mission of AdvAnS is to accelerate innovation, reduce technological risks and enable scientific excellence by offering integrated expertise in three complementary areas:

Advanced Characterization: delivering in-depth understanding of material structure and properties through high-resolution, multi-scale analysis.
Functional Testing: assessing the mechanical, electrical and environmental performance of materials and products under real-world conditions.
Technical Support and Maintenance: ensuring optimal performance and uptime of critical research equipment through expert servicing and user assistance.

These activities are carried out by an interdisciplinary team of engineers, scientists and technicians, dedicated to precision, responsiveness and collaboration.

Scope of expertise

At the core of the unit is a comprehensive characterization capability that supports activities ranging from exploratory research to industrial quality control. It is equipped with an extensive portfolio of cutting-edge analytical instruments, operated by experts in environmental and materials science, chemistry, physics and engineering.

The unit offers both standardized protocols and customized investigations for a wide variety of materials, including metals, polymers, ceramics, composites and biological samples.

In addition to characterization the unit provides functional testing services that simulate real-life operating conditions of materials and components. These services ensure that new products are fit-for-purpose, durable and safe before entering the market.

Mechanical testing

A broad range of mechanical evaluations determines critical parameters such as strength, elasticity, hardness, fatigue resistance and fracture toughness.

Aging and endurance testing

Accelerated aging and lifetime testing are conducted under controlled environmental conditions to predict long-term performance and durability.

These tests are essential for evaluating product lifecycle, failure modes and compliance with international standards, particularly in high-reliability sectors such as aerospace and energy.

A key strength of the unit is its dedicated technical support team, composed of experienced technicians who ensure the ongoing maintenance and prompt repair of all laboratory equipment. This support infrastructure safeguards equipment longevity, data integrity and user confidence.

Technicians in the unit:

Provide preventive and corrective maintenance on all instruments
Troubleshoot technical issues rapidly to minimize downtime
Assist researchers with technical laboratory work

By fostering a culture of proactive maintenance and responsive support, the unit ensures efficient operations, minimal disruption and maximum reliability for scientific teams.