Testing Tips

I need new testing equipment. Where should I start?

The testing instrumentation that you use in your R&D laboratories and quality control departments is integral in product develop and ongoing quality assessment programs. We know that this is often a capital investment. Careful consideration needs to be undertaken when the time comes to adding capability or upgrade legacy instrumentation.

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Testing Tips

Don’t let your testing fall behind.

Don’t let your testing fall behind. Unforeseen delays are impacting many industries due to a variety of factors. Sometimes it may be labor, sometimes parts, sometimes raw materials. Whatever the cause, it is important to be prepared for the future.

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Testing Tips

Get a better GRIP on Testing.

Learn about some tips for the selection of grips and fixtures for use when testing with a Universal Materials Tester like the VantageNX or the QC-3A. This is one of the most important accessories because your samples need to stay in place during a test in order to be valid along with keeping your quality lab safe.

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Testing Tips

Take a Deeper Look at Peel and Seal Testing.

The terms peel and seal strength are sometimes used interchangeably when describing a material’s adhesion properties and the appropriate test methods to accurately test and measure this property. In reality, these terms are distinctly different when it comes to materials testing. Specific testing protocols should be followed to ensure accurate and comparable data.

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Testing Tips

The Hidden Costs of Delayed Maintenance

Are your laboratory instruments providing you with the accurate measurement data you require? If your company hasn’t had a Preventive Maintenance Inspection (PMI) performed on your instruments recently then the answer may be no. Why take the risk?

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Testing Tips

Lab Review Complimentary from Thwing-Albert

Testing laboratories are constantly working to improve product quality. Thwing-Albert Instrument Company can help provide a single-source solution for updating and maintaining the testing machines used daily to verify that materials are meeting industry standards including ISO, ASTM, TAPPI and many others.

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Testing Tips

Sample Preparation: A critical aspect to successful testing.

The capability to prepare test specimens accurately, efficiently and safely is critical to ensuring reliable and repeatable test results. Inadequate sample preparation can lead to additional retesting and higher costs while improper tools can endanger operator safety. The selection of the optimal sample cutter depends on a few key factors.

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Testing Tips

Loop Tack Test for Pressure Sensitive Adhesives

The loop tack test measures the contact tack of an adhesive tape that has been formed into a loop. The fixture meets the requirements for ASTM D6195, FINAT FTM 9 and PSTC 16.   When used with the Vantage NX Universal Tensile Tester, a pair of grips hold the sample and the fixture during the test. 

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Testing Tips

Putting a Value to Softness with the VantageNX.

The quest for softness of an end user product can be quite subjective. However, when paired with MAP4 software, the VantageNX Universal Testing Machine can be used to calculate an objective softness value. Compression/softness results of high loft nonwovens can be evaluated to measure a combination of factors including sample loft, thickness, compressibility and structural softness. The test measures the material from the compression phase all the way through the relaxation phase of the material.

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