Key Highlights:
- ZwickRoell introduces its Aflow extrusion plastometer which intelligently controls the entire preheating and measuring phase and sets the correct parameters in accordance with the specifications of ISO 1133 or ASTM D1238.
- With the latest edition of the ASTM D1238 test standard, the Aflow force-controlled flow tester can now be used for all three standards to determine MFR and MVR rates.
- The force-controlled flow tester Aflow detects the filling level in the channel and measures early in the preheating phase the order of magnitude of the MVR of the polymer to be expected.
ZwickRoell
With the latest edition of the ASTM D1238 test standard, the Aflow force-controlled flow tester can now be used for all three standards to determine MFR and MVR rates. The automatic test sequence increases the reproducibility of the results.
With the automatic test sequence, the Aflow extrusion plastometer intelligently controls the entire preheating and measuring phase and sets the correct parameters in accordance with the specifications of ISO 1133 or ASTM D1238.
The decisive factor for the result of a flow test is the choice of the right parameters. These include the amount of material added, test weight, preheating position and test temperature. The Aflow flow plastometer from ZwickRoell (Ulm, Germany) offers an elegant solution here: The automatic test sequence intelligently controls the entire preheating and measuring phase and sets the right parameters in accordance with the standards of ISO 1133 or ASTM D1238.
The latest edition of ASTM D1238 now also allows – like ISO 1133-1 and ISO 1133-2 – the use of force-controlled melt flow rate testers to determine MFR (melt flow rate) and MVR (melt volume rate) values. The Aflow can therefore now be used for all three standards. The test sequence can be automated over a wide MVR range, making the test more reproducible.
The force-controlled flow tester Aflow detects the filling level in the channel and measures early in the preheating phase the order of magnitude of the MVR of the polymer to be expected. Based on this information, the device continuously calculates the best standard-compliant trigger position from which the piston must move freely under test load in order to reach the target window at the start of the test. Shortly before the target window is reached, the Aflow decides over which piston travel the measurement will take place.
Users benefit from reliable test results and time savings: The automatic selection of parameters and the automatic test sequence reduce the user influence, which can sometimes lead to errors and distort the test results.