The special edition at hand contains all nine episodes of a series of articles written by us, which appeared in the magazine \u201cDICHT!\u201d over a period of almost three years. The range of test methods presented here claims neither completeness nor a comprehensive \u201cin-depth\u201d approach to the respective test methods. Rather, this publication is intended to give the practitioner a quick and easily understandable insight into important test methods and to generate interest in more. In addition to the articles already published, there is also a newly edited short materials science for NBR and information on the range of services offered by our laboratory.