What Is Elmendorf Tear?

The Elmendorf tear test is a standardized method for measuring the tearing strength of flexible plastic films, paper, textiles and nonwovens once an original tear has been made — called the propagation of tear. It provides a quantitative measure of the force required to propagate a single tear through the material.

Thwing-Albert Instrument Company is a leading manufacturer of testing machines and instrumentation in the US with more than 120 years of experience. We offer a wide range of Elmendorf tear testing equipment and our design established the now worldwide industry standards for tear strength measurements.

What Is the Purpose of the Tear Test?

The purpose of the tear test, otherwise known as tear strength, is for:

• Tear resistance of materials: The test helps select the most suitable materials for specific applications by assessing their tear resistance. 
• Quality control: It ensures consistency in material properties and performance across production batches. 
• Product development: The test provides data for designing and developing materials that meet desired tear strength requirements. 
• Durability: It evaluates materials’ durability and tear resistance under conditions such as handling, transportation and use. 

How Does a Tear Strength Tester Work?

An Elmendorf Tear Tester uses a pendulum of a known mass and sufficient capacity to tear a material once an initial cut is made. A sample is secured in the fixed and movable clamps. The pendulum is released from a fixed height and tears a specimen to measure the loss of kinetic energy during the tearing of the specimen. The result provides insight into a material’s toughness and how well it resists tearing after a cut is made.

Mechanical Elmendorf vs. Electronic ProTear

The Mechanical Elmendorf has the same pendulum configuration as the electronic Elmendorf ProTear tester without the electronic components. The mechanical tear testers’ capacity range is 400 to 12,800 grams to measure Elmendorf tear strength — you can obtain the results by a pointer on a scale of zero to 100%. 

The electronic Elmendorf ProTear tester incorporates an optical encoder to more accurately track pendulum movement during the tear for higher accuracy. This tester has added capacity on the lower range for 200 grams. Test data is immediately displayed on the touch screen and the firmware provides means to view statistical data from a measurement series.

The Heavy Duty Electronic ProTear model uses the same measurement principle but is designed for material that has greater tear strength such as heavy weight textiles and roofing materials. This unit offers a minimum capacity of 6400 grams and can be increased to a maximum capacity of 25,600 grams.

Upgrade Your Quality Control With Thwing-Albert

Thwing-Albert is the original manufacturer and designer of Elmendorf tear testers, so you can trust that we build our tear testers to industry standards and they have undergone rigorous testing and validation processes. Request a quote and pave the way for superior product durability and customer satisfaction.