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SURGE OF INTEREST FOR ITS OWN-INVENTED SCANNING VIBRATING NEEDLE CUREMETER
28 March 2005 - Rapra Technology Limited
| Inventor Bryan Willoughby notes that 'the instrument's use is always evolving. Materials-based niches as diverse as cast elastomers, PU foam systems, thermosets, unsaturated polyesters, silicone and liquid rubber, epoxies, polysulphides, PVC plastisols...all of these chemicaly reactive polymer sectors,' says Willoughby, 'are now using the SVNC in different ways; producing all sorts of high abrasion products such as golf balls, automotive, aeropspace and defence industry components and all manner of adhesives and sealants.' |
Rapra Technology, Europe's leading polymer research and test house, reports a surge of interest for its own-invented Scanning Vibrating Needle Curemeter whose principal use is in monitoring the cure of foam and liquid polymers, right through from the liquid to the solid phase in liquid curing systems for polymers, paints and resins. Inventor Bryan Willoughby notes that 'the instrument's use is always evolving. Materials-based niches as diverse as cast elastomers, PU foam systems, thermosets, unsaturated polyesters, silicone and liquid rubber, epoxies, polysulphides, PVC plastisols...all of these chemicaly reactive polymer sectors,' says Willoughby, 'are now using the SVNC in different ways; producing all sorts of high abrasion products such as golf balls, automotive, aeropspace and defence industry components and all manner of adhesives and sealants.' Historically, formulators and materials producers in these areas have been the principal purchasers and users of the SVNC to help determine grades of material composition. Now, however, in a trend led in the USA, customers and materials processors are also using the SVNC to check the quality and composition of the material being supplied to them. It is a quality control method that has paid off. 'Thanks to this technology,' says Willoughby, 'small companies are no longer being intimidated by big suppliers. Through this technology they are able to demonstrate batch variation in their materials supply, are able to screen their incoming material and are becoming increasingly competent at being able to specify, mix and match the materials that they actually need for their products and processes, rather than accept what is written on the supplied specification sheet. No material is entirely adequate or standard for everyone. The SVNC gives processors the power to determine more exactly how their materials should perform.' When one UK customer used the SVNC online in this way it paid for itself in a month, via the return of faulty material to the supplier that would, without incoming measurement, otherwise have been written off as scrap from so-called 'faulty' processing. Willoughby notes that traditional rule of thumb QC methods 'such as sticking a cocktail stick into curing polymer' are no longer becoming acceptable in the industry or in today's business environments. 'Issues of product quality and product liability mean that the industry has got to do much better than that,' he says. And though capable of far more sensitive measurement (and data capture and archiving) than a hand-held cocktail stick, the SVNC curemeter has been made to an extremely robust design. 'The final test of the worth of the SVNC is that it is more versatile than any other competing instrument,' says Willoughby. 'It has even been used to monitor and determine the setting of the concrete in plastics.' Disposable carbon needles and removeable sample holders ensure ease of operation.
http://www.rapra.net
About: Rapra Technology Limited
Rapra Technology is Europe’s leading independent plastics and rubber consultancy. Rapra provides comprehensive consultancy, technology and information services for the polymer industry and industries using plastics and rubber in any component, product or production process.
Company Statistics: Formerly the Rubber and Plastics Research Association (RAPRA)
Established 1919
5,000 clients worldwide per annum
2,000 technical projects each year
World class Information Centre
2 sites in the UK
130 staff Working for industry. Rapra provides specialist plastics and rubber technical, information and commercial services for the polymer industry and end-user industries including the automotive, construction, electrical, medical, offshore, packaging and polyurethane sectors. Rapra has a unique mix of on-site expertise and facilities enabling the application of an integrated approach to problem solving. Its capabilities lie in the skills and experience of its people, many of whom are recognised as leading experts in their field. Clients can commission individual services,specialist consultancy or participate in multi-client research projects, funded by EC and UK government and/or industry, to progress research and development of polymer technology and applications. Testing, analysis and calibration services. Rapra’s physical testing, analytical and chemical laboratories are UKAS accredited to provide UKAS certification and test to a range of national and international standards. Numerous physical tests assess material properties such as abrasion, fatigue, impact and stress and their performance in products in particular conditions. Rapra’s analytical and chemical laboratories undertake materials identification and characterisation etc. using a range of advanced chromatographic, spectroscopic and thermal techniques. Information services. Rapra’s technical facilities are complemented by an extensive polymer Information Centre. The Polymer Library is the world’s most comprehensive plastics and rubber information database in the public domain. Available either in hardcopy, on CD-ROM or via the internet, it contains over 850,000 references which are updated every two weeks. Rapra produces a range of publications including Journals, Industrial Analysis Reports, Review Reports and global Directories, detailed in a Publications Catalogue. Technology services. Rapra’s plastics and rubber technical services can prevent, identify or solve problems and improve on or ensure continuing quality. Supported by comprehensive testing, analysis and information facilities, technologists can tackle most polymer related projects. Whilst details of specialist services are available, the following represents Rapra’s core technical expertise: Materials selection & application support
Product design & development
Manufacturing process development
Prototyping & small scale production
Engineering & tooling
Fault & failure diagnosis
Testing & Analysis
Conferences
Rapra brings together leading academics and industrialists in an annual programme of national and international conferences. Renowned for their quality coverage of polymer topics, Rapra conferences are of interest to polymer processors and industry-wide users. Technology Training Courses
Rapra runs an extensive programme of short technology-based training courses covering materials, product design, processing techniques and environmental considerations. Recognised by the Institute of Materials Continuing Professional Development scheme, they aim to enhance in-house skills, help in identifying problems and to recognise potential opportunities. |
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