The Testing Times

As mentioned before, we do a wide range of platens (two parallel plates that are used to compress the test specimen...) Often the sample is uneven or has protruding features, the fixed platens are less effectual in this instance. In cases like this, self aligning platens distribute the load across the sample by increasing the contact area. (The arrows show movement...)

It's really nice to be able to show you some pictures of the finished products, rather than renderings. The attachments, once checked, go straight to the customer... (so we don't often get time for pictures). This test is for Bituminous Materials, like tar -or- polymer modified asphalt (depending on you professional inclinations). The ASTM Standard calls for a very precise procedure that includes warming and filling a 3oz. pot with the sample and lowering a semi-sphere into it. This is then extracted and the forces required measured... It's quite a demanding test for the equipment as the sample material is quite, well, sticky... so we've made the parts that would come in contact with the sample out of stainless steel, this should allow the parts to be cleaned without having to worry about affecting any surface finish.

This attachment consists of a bath and holder to test the tension applied to a section of artificial skin. The sample is tiny, only 0.508 mm in section. The sensitivity of the system allows for small samples to be tested. Testing Artificial Skin has some unique requirements, the sample needs to be kept moist, in this case there is a simple saline bath. The sample is lowered into the bath and then can be tested...

This attachment simply pulls nails and staples from wood, as you could imagine it is very important to know and understand the way in which fixings behave in wood. As wood is a natural substance each plank is different from the next, and it is the job of BS EN 1382:1999 to ensure that fixings (nails and staples in this case) that are a known quantity behave the same way in different kinds of wood (nails and staples are produced on mass and so are quantifiable). There are two attachments, one for nails and one for staples. It can hold a variety of nails and staples due to the taper on the attachments. The lower component holds the wood, it is common with ASTM D1037 & D1761 Standards which are similar wood tests.

We've been thinking, there are lots of great resources and information regarding testing machines and attachments, but we don't want to put them all on here. It might get a little cluttered... Our colleagues at Tinius Olsen have put together a good list of resources on the Tinius Olsen Homepage. The direct link to the list can be found here

830-001 ASTM D2519-02 Electrical Insulating Varnish The ASTM standards (sometimes) give accurate and very precise instructions on how a specific test should be performed. This is an example of one of these tests, the parts and method are explicitly layed out within the standard document. This attachment uses a 3 point bend applied to a coil to test the strength of Electrical Insulating Varnish. The coil, made from various metals, are wrapped tightly around an anvil. The anvil is then removed and the coil placed in the varnish solution. The coated coil is then placed in this 3-point bend and then tested. This is then used to show the properties of the varnish when applied to the metal. As this test uses the appropriate materials in an accurate situation it should produce good results.

W e often come across the problem of testing the strength of fixing methods like adhesives. But how do you test the finished product once the product is produced? Increasingly credit and debit cards have small microchips on them. These are generically called 'Smart Cards' as they contain a great deal of information on the 'chip. To test the strength of these cards, in particular the bonding strength, this attachment has been developed. It is adjustable so that the 'chip can be tested wherever it is placed on the card. There is a retaining arm that is used to hold the card in place, this has a roller on the bottom that allows quick changes. There is a specific routine that allows the chip to be pushed through and the force required is measured...