Testing Equipment

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Madison, WI) has introduced an FT-IR spectrometer that offers and affordable and compact solution for product assurance testing. The Nicolet iS5 is said to deliver comparable performance to full-size spectrometers.

Whether it's 24-hour/high-throughput operation, mid-level throughput, or cost-effective, stand-alone, low-throughput, manual testing, three new extrusion plastometers from Zwick Roell (Ulm, Germany) offer operator-friendly options for measuring melt flow rate (MFR) and melt volume rate (MVR).

Turn-key "Smash" modular inspection systems from ISRA Surface Vision GmbH (Herten, Germany) incorporate new intelligent tools to scan the surfaces of plastic web products quickly and effectively, providing the capability to detect various surface defects. Plastic film, foils, printed flexible packaging, labels, RFID cells, and even flexible solar cells and organic photovoltaics can be monitored using the systems

Wetting tests and measurements of uncoated or coated plastic surfaces can be accomplished with one hand using the MobileDrop testing unit from Krüss GmbH (Hamburg, Germany).

Offering the ability to measure a variety of light sources accurately and with ease, a next-generation chroma meter takes into account greater adoption of LED and OLED lighting. The CL-200A Chroma Meter from Konica Minolta Sensing Americas Inc. (KMSA; Ramsey, NJ) is the successor to the CL-200 Chroma Meter.

Injection molded components with textured surface finishes can be checked for defects, classified, and their surface texture assessed during the manufacturing process with a new vision software package for inspecting the surface of materials from Cognex Corp. (Natick, MA).

Coordinate measuring can be carried out quicker with the latest development from Carl Zeiss (Maple Grove, MN). Its Contura G2 coordinate measuring machine (CMM) line now comes with dynamic navigator technology that delivers a considerable improvement to scanning speed without sacrificing measuring accuracy.

Portable gloss meters now come equipped with Bluetooth for transmission of measurements on the go. The micro-gloss family from BYK-Gardner (Columbia, MD) also feature improved continuous and difference modes and transfer data with a USB cable interface or wireless with Bluetooth. An automatic check of the calibration standard ensures long-term, stable calibration. The measurement range is up to 2000 gloss units. Data is also temperature stable, and Easy-link software is provided for direct data transfer to Excel.

The latest spectrophotometer from Konica Minolta Sensing Americas Inc. (Ramsey, NJ) enables basic color control of granules and samples without the need for a personal computer. The CM-5 can display everything, including numeric data, spectral graphs, and colorimetric plots. The unit integrates a sliding body panel to expose a large transmittance chamber capable of measuring plates up to 60 mm thick. The sliding body panel design, with no sides, allows for the measurement of an object with no length limitation.

High-precision inspection of part dimensions has never been easier than with the IM-6000 Series visual system, according to its maker Keyence Corp. of America (Woodcliff Lake, NJ). The IM-6000 eliminates the need for optical comparators, x-y stages for part positioning, CNC measuring devices, and measuring and stereomicroscopes. Innovative Pattern Registration and Pattern Search functions provide simplified place-and-press measurement operation.