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?
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.
The capability to prepare test specimens accurately, efficiently and safely is critical to insuring 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.
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.
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.
Compatible with Windows Operating Systems, MAP4 is used to run tests on the Vantage Series of Universal Testing Machines. The software platform is intuitive and offers clean, easy-to-use menus. Real-time graphical results are displayed during testing and can be customized to show a variety of information.
The Thwing-Albert JDC Precision Sample Cutter is widely recognized as the preferred sample preparation tool for tensile testing of thin sheeted materials due to the cutting accuracy. So, how did the JDC win that reputation? Lots of attention to detail for the blades and a strict quality control process.
Blocking is the unwanted adhesion between layers of plastic film. Results reflect the ability of a material to adhere to itself when pulled apart. ASTM D3354 specifications are used to program MAP4 materials testing software to run the blocking test. The results demonstrate the degree of blocking that exists as a result of factors including film processing, storage, temperature and pressure.
Cuts made to prepare a sample for tensile testing are critical to the accuracy and quality of the results. Preparing a sample without jagged edges or nicks is vital to ensure accurate tensile results. Those imperfections will affect the ability to provide consistent tensile results for the physical properties of the specimen.
