Typical adhesive tests include 90 degree peel adhesion, loop tack measurements, tension, compression, shear at ambient temperature, and unwind force
Stable Micro Systems has incorporated a library of international standards for measuring adhesion into its Exponent software. Using an automated set-up facility, the system tests according to Afera, Finat, and PSTC approved methods among others, facilitating analysis at the click of a button.
This allows manufacturers to increase the productivity, accuracy and reliability of testing in the pharmaceutical, adhesives, food and other manufacturing industries.
Designed for use with the TA.XTplus and TA.HDplus texture analysers, the Exponent software incorporates a pre-written macro to automate data analysis, as well as a spreadsheet for results display.
This allows user-friendly and speedy testing.
Further features recently added to the software include strict multi-level user security and audit trails for complete traceability of data, video playback and acoustic envelope detection.
Typical adhesive tests, which can be carried out using the texture analysers at forces up to 750kg, include 90 degree peel adhesion, loop tack measurements, tension, compression, shear at ambient temperature, and unwind force.
Users can also determine the elongation and tensile strength of adhesive tapes and the release force from backing material and surfaces.
Stable Micro Systems offers tests customised to manufacturers' requirements, such as varying angle peel fixtures for testing adhesive bandages and multi-hole adhesive indexing systems.
By fitting temperature cabinets or peltier plate systems, it is also possible to test adhesives at controlled temperatures.
This is essential for testing tapes used in hot or cold environments, such as in the medical, automotive, construction and aerospace industries.
In the pharmaceutical industry, for example, when assessing transdermal patch adhesion, the testing temperature needs to simulate that of skin. Queen's University Belfast recently used Stable Micro Systems's TA.XTplus texture analyser to test mucoadhesion/bioadhesion.
The instrumentation provided a numerical description of the consistency of cystic fibrosis sputum, allowing the accurate assessment of disease progression and effectiveness of clinical therapy.
Jo Smewing, applications manager at Stable Micro Systems, said: "Incorporating the international standard adhesive testing methods into our software means we are able to provide quick, objective and repeatable adhesives testing - ensuring manufacturers optimise product performance."
