The Testing Times

Robotic exoskeleton technology has been with us for almost sixty years but the most recent advances in its composites base could see it being an integral part of missions to Mars in the 2030’s. A more detailed technical analysis of the composites engineering utilised in the development of the exoskeleton can be found by listening to an Inform webinar, produced via IOM3, via  https://vimeo.com/563847105/6cdf28dbdf To many of us the term exoskeleton is reserved for the realms of science fiction or conjures up images of body armour clad superheroes such as Iron Man or even Batman. Although the vast majority of these have sprung from the fertile imaginations  of artists and writers, the equally fertile lobes within the scientific community are turning this science fiction into science fact. An exoskeleton is a rigid structure that wraps around the body and is often used to assist joint movement. This ‘exosuit’ try ’ s to act like an artificial muscle, aiding the wearers’  mus...

The Tinius Olsen Sales Team are spread all over the world, from the USA to China and almost everywhere else in between. George Jackson is an excellent case in point.    George is originally from Gloucestershire, where he spent a lot of his time playing rugby! He started at under 8’s and progressed all the way though the age groups to play for Thornbury RFC, with the highlight playing a cup final at the memorial stadium in Bristol – the old home of Bristol Rugby.    He also represented Bristol combination U20’s and his County at U20 level playing on major rugby grounds such as Gloucester’s  impressive ground, Kingsholm and the REC in Bath.   “I don’t get much chance to play these days, with my role here at Tinius Olsen taking priority. There’s also the Covid situation but never say never. If I never pick up a rugby ball again I have a huge number of great memories to look back on,” said George.    Starting his career in engineering with a Renisha...

Tinius Olsen are delighted to be supplying one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of electrical terminals and earthing products, as part of their significant company investment in 2020. Total Connections 2009 have made this investment to expand their in-house testing facility as a part of their overall product development strategy. Based in Calne, Wiltshire, they supply some of the largest organisations in the UK including Airbus (specifically A350), McLaren for non-production motorsport cars and BAE Systems for military applications. Other customers include Jaguar Cars, the London Underground and the Royal Navy.  They have also supplied products to the NHS Temporary Nightingale and Field hospitals in the fight against the current Covid 19 pandemic.  “Total Connections 2009 Ltd have made a significant investment in new machinery in 2020, mainly to automate our manufacturing processes and increase our overall offering,” said Director of Engineering, Ross Davies.  “A...

To improve usability we have extended the range of insulation grips to include a screw based closing mechanism. This gives the ability to close the grip like a vice and so you are relying on the mechanical advantage provided by the screw rather than by the lever, this can offer more control of the sample alignment and help prevent a jaw break... There are interchangable teeth, depending on requirements.

A range of faces make the 123-001 Textile Grip an adaptable and very useful attachment. Textiles can be a very hard materials to test, they can be very strong in tension, and unless ripped, near impossible to break… it can hold large amounts of energy and can break with a bang! The grips that hold fabric tend to be hydraulic and have special grip arrangements because of this property. There are 3 types of face of the jaws. Plain, Hatched and Grab each have a specific set of materials that they can be used with, each with singular benefits. The 123-001 holds the sample between two 250mm wide faces, these come together with a clamping force and the test can then be performed. If you're interested in this or other Textile testing, please contact Sylvia Hillier or go here: http://www.testingtextiles.com/