Accelerating stress cracking in PEEK

[prdave00]

I have a PEEK part that is machined with intermittent stress relief heat treatment cycles per the suppliers reccomendations. This component is joined to another in the field using a thread cutting screw where a secondary stress relief cycle is not feasible. Anyone know of a way to accelerate the initiation and propagation of stress cracking to root out any problems? I've heard soaking the part in Dichloromethane prior to fastening a test part and aging a test part at a temperature slightly above the annealing temp after fastening. Any other thoughts?

 

[btrueblood]

Thermal cycling?

 

[Richar24]

If the part is clear and unfilled, you can view the part by placing it between 2 polorizing filters ( You can purchase polerized plastic sheet, Get the linear polorized ones) to see how it works you can use 2 camera lens polorizers.Put a light source behind the farthest polorizer. Rotate one of the polorizers to see the befringment. Higher stresses darker blue to black.

Test is non destructive.

Will not work if the part is opaque