Facilities by Sic'em Researchers

Sic'em




Sic’em has 12,000 sq. ft. of lab and office space with an additional 7,000 sq. ft. coming online through the 2023 calendar year at the BRIC (Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative). The BRIC is a 330,000-square-foot facility optimized for both research and advanced prototypinghas with shared space for industry collaborations, workforce training, symposia and community events. The Sic'em group has dedicated space for materials synthesis, manufacturing, testing and chararacterization, NDE/NDI facilities, high-resolution imaging. Sic'em hosts Baylor's MTAC (Materials Testing and Characterization) facility, an ISO 17025 accrediated test laboratory.

North-Star X3000

JEOL-6610LV SEM

Imaging


  • North Star Imaging X3000 Micro-focus CT System
  • JEOL JSM Scanning Electron Microscope with 5,000 N tensile stage with an EDAX installed EDS system
  • Keyence VR-3200 – high resolution 3D, non-contact, surface measurements
  • Olympus BX-FM microscope with motorized x-y-z stage and 3D controller
  • Custom 300 gallon, 3 ft x 4 ft x 6 ft NDT Immersion System with multiple digitizers
  • Three Focus PX phased array ultrasonic inspection stations with 1 – 25 MHz single element and 128 channel phased array capability both in and out of tank inspection
  • Three custom C-Scan immersion systems, 5 - 25 MHz, 1/800th mm x-y-z resolution, 0.01o resolution in rotation stage
  • Two 160 MHz US-Ultratek EUT3160 4 and 8 channel pulsar/receivers, one with tone-burst capabilities for air-coupled ultrasound
  • Custom C-Scan portable immersion system, 5 - 25 MHz, integrated within a UR5e 6-axis robotic armature
  • Two MZ7 Microzoom 10x-1000x far-focus microscopes, 10 MP video imaging
  • Dino-Lite Polarizing portable microscopes (two at 20x-220x and one at 600x-900x)
  • Two handheld FLIR imaging systems, FLIR E95 high resolution and calibrated and smart-phone ready FLIR One Pro

Thermal Analysis


  • TA Instruments Discovery DMA 850 – Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer
  • TA Instruments DMA Q800 – Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer
  • TA Instruments Discovery TGA 850 - Thermogravimetric Analyzer
  • TA Instruments TGA Q50 – Thermogravametric Analyzer
  • TA Instruments Discovery Modulated DSC 250 – Differential Scanning Calorimeter
  • TA Instruments M/DSC Q20 – Differential Scanning Calorimeter
  • TA Instruments Discovery Modulated TMA 450 – Thermomechanical Analyzer
  • TA Instruments Q400 TMA – Thermomechanical Analyzer
  • Thermo-scientific Nicolet IS50 FTIR
  • TA Instruments Electroforce 5500 fatigue load frame
  • Thermo Scientific MARS40 Rheometer
  • Malvern Bohlin Gemini II Rheometer
  • Film Sense FS-1 multi-wavelength ellipsometer
  • Tinius Olsen Meltflow Indexer – MP600
TA Instruments - TGA

Thermo Fisher Mars 40 Rheometer
Structural Testing

High-cycle fatigue station

Structural Testing


  • Instron 3328A 22,000 lbf load capacity test frame with laser extensometer
  • Instron CEAST 9050 Charpy and Izod Impact Tester
  • Instron drop tower
  • Instron fatigue testframe
  • Test Resources 1,000 lbf load frame with 2 lb, 200 lb and 1000 lb load cells
  • Test Resources 810LE Tensile Stage – 15 kN static, 8.5 kN dynamic @ 15Hz with 550 degF furnace
  • Desktop Instron with 10lb and 450lb cells
  • MTS Qtest/100, 100kN tensile test load frame
  • Trillion DIC

Materials Fabrication and Processing


  • Custom Large Area Manufacturing deposition system for capable of 25 lb/hour deposition rates and pelletized carbon fiber reinforced composites with a 4’ x 4’ by 3’ build area and heated platen
  • K‐Lab Magnetron sputter system for Thin Film Electronic/Flexible Polymers
  • Multiple vacuum pump systems (VARTM) for fabricating laminated composites
  • Nine standard fume hoods (2 – 48” width, 2 – 60” width, 1 – 72” width), one highly acidic fume hood with ultrafine (SWNT scale) particle filtration, and one glove box mounted to the fume hood exhaust
  • Brabender drive with single screw extruder and 60 mL mixer
  • Ross mixing unit
  • DSM X‐Plore Injection molding machine
  • Essentium HSE-180-HT industrial 3D printer with a 690 x 500 x 600 mm build volume
  • Multiple Ultimaker 3D printers
  • Form Labs 2 and Form Labs 3+ SLA UV curable resin printer with curing chambers
  • Grizzly G0796 knee mill with DRO with a build volume of 12” x 29” x 16”
  • Two compression molding programmable 60-ton hot press, 12" x 12" and 15" x 15" platens
  • X-Carve
  • Water-jet cutter
  • Wet band-saw
Fully Equipped Machine Shop

Composite Fabrication Facility

Large Area Additive Manufacturing System
Environmental Conditional Chambers

Buehler Polisher

Compostie Acid Digestion Testing Station

Sample Preparation and Measurement Devices


  • Blue M LO‐225 Programmable Oven –Interior Dims. 24” x 20” x 30”
  • Thermo‐fisher oven – Interior Dims. 18" x 16" x 24"
  • Carbolitebarrel furnace 3” diameter x 10” cylindrical zone capable of 1400 K with a programmable controller
  • Programmable box furnace is capable of 2000 degC‐ Interior Dims. 12” x 10” x 8”
  • Plasma Etch PE50‐HF
  • Buehler EcoMet Grinder‐Polisher and Buehler IsoMet Low Speed Saw
  • JEOL Smart Coater
  • Multiple National Instruments Data Acquisition cards and chassis
  • Agilent Oscilloscopes and Programmable Power Supplies
  • Four 5 cu. Ft. environmental chambers (35 degF to 120 degF and 0.5% RH to 95% RH)
  • One 5 cu ft hot‐wet environmental chamber (ambient to 175 degF 80% RH to 98%RH)
  • Graphtec GL820 (200 channels) and GL200 (10 channels) data loggers
  • Ametek NIST tracible thermal calibration block
  • Multiple National Instruments DAQ Chassis for data collection
  • Agilent Oscilloscopes (1 GHz) with function generators
  • Agilent high‐precision (nV) multimeter
  • Agilent AC‐DC high‐resolution low noise power supplies