TESTING GETS MANUFACTURERS OUT OF A STICKY SITUATION
13 May 2003 - Lloyd Instruments

Anyone wishing to test the bond strength of adhesives would benefit from advanced test equipment and control software to increase productivity and result accuracy. Test equipment must also be easy to use between different operators. Recognising such needs, Lloyd Instruments’ latest range of "LR", "Plus" and "EZ" test machines are ideal for testing adhesives from initial design to finished stages.

The Lloyd Instruments’ universal test equipment covers force ranges up to 300kN. In addition, the company's powerful NEXYGEN MT test equipment control software comes with a vast test library to meet international manufacturing standards. Features on the latest upgraded version include strict multi-level user security and audit trails for complete traceability of data, video capture and playback, and extended instrument interfaces.

Typical tests for checking adhesives include tension, compression and peel tests (for example 90° and 180° peel adhesion), release force tests, loop tack measurements and dynamic shear. Environment chambers can also be included for checking product behaviour under real life conditions.

One UK adhesive manufacturer is presently using a 5kN Lloyd Instruments’ test machine to check the peel strength of latex based adhesives used in the self seal envelope industry. With an environment chamber also attached they can also confirm the bond strength of self adhesive drum labels for customers in cold climates. Other tests include checking the 'crush' resistance of cardboard tubes (used in cling film, kitchen foil and paper towels packaging) to establish minimum adhesive quantities for tube construction. According to a company spokesman, the set-up is increasing efficiency and generating data to greater levels of detail for accelerated product development.

Other typical applications include testing the fatigue properties of structural adhesives in tensile shear (BS EN ISO 9665:1995), adhesives for leather and footwear (BS EN 522:1998), adhesives for tiles (BS EN 12003:1998), the unwinding forces of self adhesive tapes (BS EN 12026:1997), peel tests for flexible bonded to rigid samples (BS EN 28510-1 to 2:1993) and 90° and 180° peel strength tests on credit card laminates (ISO/IEC 10373 (Identification Cards – Test Methods).

http://www.lloyd-instruments.co.uk

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  • For May 2003
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