Re-launched under the Anton Paar brand, the RKA 5 uses a ’Ring & Ball’ method to determine material softening point.
The softening point of a material is a useful and important parameter for grading and is used with many common materials such as bitumen, waxes, adhesives, sealants and mastics.
When developing and formulating new products, knowledge of the temperature at which a material flows is important as it can affect the application of a material such as a hot melt adhesive, aid processing of an asphalt or cause in-service failure during high ambient temperatures.
The RKA 5 is an automatic instrument in which a disc of sample, supporting a steel ball, is heated at a controlled rate.
The temperature at which the ball (enveloped in the sample) falls is taken as the softening point.
Further features of the tester include multi-point temperature calibration, reliable and accurate Pt100 sensor and temperature rate chart during operation.
The RKA 5 also uses a laser scanner system for detection of the falling ball. The reliable detection system covers the entire width of the liquid bath, reducing erroneous results.
The RKA 5 meets the requirements of ASTM D 36, EN 1427, IP 58, JIS K2207, ASTM E 28 and EN 13179.
In accordance with EN 1871-F and DIN 1996-15, it can be used for the wilhemi test - the recognised standard for road marking materials.
