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Quality & Certification

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Once received at our finishing centers, the unfinished DIAM corks are inspected using a random sampling method to ensure that no damage or contamination has occurred during shipment. In order to insure absolute certainty of the integrity of every DIAM closure, once branded and coated to our customers’ specifications, DIAM corks are subjected to another round of quality controls as follows:
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OUTGOING SAMPLING

A sample of 30 corks is collected and sent to our internal lab from every coating run. Outgoing analysis is performed on every coating run. A holdback sample of the shipment is retained in the lab for a minimum of 12 months. The following tests are completed prior to every shipment:
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    MOISTURE ANALYSIS

    The moisture content of coated corks is measured at the rate of five corks per coating run. The analysis is performed by piercing the bodies of the corks with a Moisture Register Products DC-2011 moisture meter. Tolerances are 6 percent +/- 2 but the target range is 4.5 percent to 6.5 percent.
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    EXTRACTION

    Four corks per coating run are tested for extraction. Corks are inserted into bottles, allowed to sit for one hour, and then extracted. The force required to extract the corks is expressed in kgf.
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    DUST TEST

    Analysis for dust is performed on nine corks for every coating run. Nine corks are placed in three 250 ml Erlenmeyer flasks (three corks per flask) with 100 ml of a 10 percent isopropyl solution. The flasks are agitated for 15 minutes using an orbital shaker. The solution is filtered, and the filter is dried. Results are qualitative and are expressed as clean, faint, moderate, or heavy. Any run that has a moderate or heavy result will be re-worked and re-tested.
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    CAPILLARY

    Four corks per coating run are placed on end in a Petri dish. Red wine is added to the dish at the height of about 5 mm. The corks are checked the following day for wicking. A line at the height of the wine is a passing result. Wicking, and a failing result, is identified as wine migration up the side of the cork.
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