Here is a quick checklist that can help avoid questionable results due to slippage of the specimens in your tensile tester:
Use the Grips for the purpose they were designed for. üKnow your fibre type! Its characteristics will affect what grips you need to use, gauge length and pressure that will be required to perform the test. üMake sure the maximum load capacity of the grip is suitable for the specimens to be tested. üEnsure the jaw faces are suitable for the forces that are going to be applied during the test.
Note Rubber faces will degrade quickly at higher loads.
üThe faces should not be too aggressive for the type of specimen such that it causes premature failure. üMake sure the specimen is centrally mounted and fully inserted into the grip faces. üCorrect maintenance of the grips whether they are manual, pneumatic or hydraulic. üIf in doubt ask your supplier for advice.
General Maintenance üCheck all fastenings are secure and in good order no loose or wobbly parts. üCheck they are moving freely / lubricated also free of loose fibres and any debris.
Manual grips üDo not over tighten them. üMake sure all catches lock securely.
Pneumatic grips üEnsure the compressed air supply is clean and dry; that means regularly emptying the relief valve to drain off any moisture regularly. üAdjusting the pressure to be appropriate in order to prevent jaw breaks but not exceeding the maximum operating pressure. üIf you suspect air leaks get them checked/serviced.
Hydraulic grips üCheck your fluid levels. üLook for any signs of a leak. üNote pressure level required to give a good break and apply this consistently for each specimen.
Jaw faces (applicable to all grip types) üCheck the faces for wear and tear before you fit them into your grips. üAgain you need to use the correct faces for the product you are testing. üPlease use the locating pins provided with the grips. üReplace the rubber faces when they show signs of wear; badly worn or uneven faces can lead to slippage, premature failure of specimens and incorrect test results. üClean off any off any residual lubricants/ finishes’ that may have built up during testing of some specimens.
Yarn / cord testing using bollard grips üCheck the cord path is not worn or damaged and free of any residual build up from the yarn or cord. üSet up the gauge length from nip point to nip point. üSurfaces of clamp faces can become polished and cause slippage. üAggressive faces or too much pressure will cause jaw breaks.
Nose pieces üMake sure they are tightened correctly but again not over tightened, which may lead to twisting of the load cell and permanent damage of the load cell. üKnow the rating of your grips and don’t assume the nose piece size dictates the load capacity.
Compression - Puncture Testing üCheck probes for damage and/or signs of wear as this will influence the way the probe penetrates the fabric under test and affect your results. üAfter attaching the probe to the nose piece check for alignment to the lower clamping unit to ensure the probe passes through the aperture freely. üCheck the fabric in the lower clamping unit is clamped evenly with sufficient pressure to prevent slippage during testing.
Today’s technology in ropes, cables, fishing nets, lifting and support straps is increasingly advanced, straps made from super strong polyethylene fibre deliver a tensile strength which can be up to 15 times stronger than an equivalent steel on a weight for weight basis.Such polyethylene based technologies float on water, are resistant to moisture, UV light, chemicals and are altogether strong and durable. Additionally the yarn technology has applications in sporting products, the medical industry and bullet resistant body armour and clothing.
Like all materials the strength and performance of the yarns and or finished products such as ropes, straps etc must be tested and quantified. The solution is a Tinius Olsen materials testing system based on a Tinius Olsen Horizon materials test and analysis platform working with a capable test specimen gripping system to ensure zero slippage of the specimen during the test while ensuring no premature break due to excessive clamping force, and a video extensometer capable of accurate measurement of strain (capable of being classified ASTM E83 B1 and ISO 9531 0.5) through specimen failure, however violent the break.
3 mouse clicks and the tensile test is done, results automatically analysed for Pass\Failure against user defined limits, stored for use by a LIMs system and available in a user specific format, be it printed, PDF or other.
Real time video of the test specimen performance is live during the test and immediately available post test for reanalysis not just for visual inspection but for new calculations in terms of new gauge lengths and strain analysis.
Complete proven tensile systems are available from Tinius Olsen, additionally specimen grips and video extensometry are available from Tinius Olsen compatible with most global branded testing machines from USA, Germany, Japan and China.
In the lead-up to the holiday season in Luxemburg, toy safety was the subject of a lot of media attention.Luxembourg does a lot of importing from the Far East then re-exports these goods throughout Europe,so it is vital that the items are safe. ILNAS is the Luxembourg governmental department for standardisation, somewhat similar to ASTM or BSI, and are responsible for making sure all products coming in the country meet Luxembourg (European) regulations. ILNAS have a laboratory that does Market Surveillance and testing and they recently bought one of our machines to check that toys conform to EN 71 Part 1 for tensile and compression strength; this is part of a whole range of tests that are required to be performed on these toys. This laboratory and their work was featured in newspapers and on tv. Click here to preview the tv news report.
SDL Atlas is targeting its innovative, new tabletop PnuBurst unit to customers who want the convenience of a preprogrammed unit for basic burst testing but don’t need the extended range of the company’s popular AutoBurst model.Both the PnuBurst and AutoBurst, the company’s premier burst tester, are built and certified to global safety and testing standards. Both deliver consistent and accurate testing for woven and non-woven textiles, paper, paperboard and films.Introduced as a cost-saving option, the PnuBurst design features a pneumatically operated diaphragm, a color touch-screen controller preprogrammed for major test protocols and automatic bell size and clamp ring detection. The PnuBurst offers convenient out-of-the-box operation, enabling laboratories to conduct burst tests up to 1500kPa (15bar, 217psi.) Its USB port, data cable and onboard software allow users to save and analyze test data as they see fit – or streamline their tasks by simply viewing and recording results brightly displayedon the PnuBurst’s colorful instrument control screen.For users requiring an extended test range, the SDL Atlas AutoBurst offers labs a fully automatic but traditional hydraulic technique with up to 6000kPa (60bar, 870psi) operation – performance superior to that of competitive models. The AutoBurst is ideal for testing paper, apparel fabrics, technical textiles and other materials where reliable burst strength measurements are critical. In addition to a full selection of test bells, the SDL Atlas units measure distensions up to 70mm – key for accurate testing of elastic fabrics.
A new test method for measuring the moisture handling properties of performance fabrics for active wear and other apparel has earned approval from the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) after a lengthy review. The SDL Atlas Moisture Management Tester (MMT) plays a key role in the new protocol.Recent studies have revealed that for most active wear purchasers, the comfort of their apparel’s fabric is closely linked to its ability to handle moisture such as perspiration. Researchers have been seeking to develop a means for objectively measuring and documenting comfort levels and moisture handling. The newly adopted AATCC TM 195 test method and MMT from SDL Atlas promise a step forward.The AATCC approval process is important for new technology. On any proposed test method, every objection and negative are carefully considered by committee members. Complete agreement is required before a method can advance to publication. Copies of AATCC TM 195 may be ordered from www.aatcc.org.More than 40 of the desk-top MMT units are currently used by laboratories in Asia, Europe and the Americas, said Robert Lattie, Director, Product Management at SDL Atlas. The unit dynamically measures liquid transfer behaviour in knitted, woven and non-woven textile fabrics using upper and lower concentric moisture sensors. It generates six key indexes and a quantifiable one-way moisture movement index value.
This new dynamic unit can demonstrate the ability of a fabric to improve apparel comfort. The MMT is recognized and used for both R&D and quality control by a growing number of sportswear and performance fabric manufacturers serving this critically important segment.
Sylvia Hillier our Textile Testing Expert attended the ISO TC 38 meetings in September located in Beijing, China. The ISO meetings are held every two years and bring together members of the working groups, sub-committees, ending in the plenary meeting of ISO TC38.
The meetings were very successful and of significant importance this year for the UK as for many years of holding the Chair & Secretariat of ISO TC38, it has now been handed over to China & Japan Standards Organization Bodies as a joint venture.
The meetings was attended by key members of the committees from across the globe, and included Bob Lattie of SDL Atlas, who represented the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and Sylvia Hillier of Tinius Olsen, who was part of the UK delegation from the British Standards Institute. Both Tinius Olsen and SDL Atlas have taken an active role in International Standardisation for many years along with many other companies within the global Textile Industry.
Tinius Olsen’s new Horizon software will allow you to make more of your test results than just basic figures. Horizon software fuels your business productivity by enabling confident decision making on product development, quality, performance and improvement using graphical evidence and result calculations. And most importantly, it fits with your system.Horizon software will not only have far more functionality and capability than its predecessors including Test Navigator, QMat, EP600, Impact and HDV, but the software also allows you to run a test and gain results in just 4 clicks of a mouse! If there are any operational questions, there are clear and concise step-by-step tutorials included. Horizon software will be supplied as standard with an expanding library of internationally accepted standardised test methods, including ASTM, EN, DIN, BS, ISO, CN standard test methods, procedures, calculations and report formats for test types such as tension, shear, compression, flexure, puncture and burst, tear, peel, melt flow, Charpy and Izod impact, friction, stiffness, deflection temperature under load, Vicat penetration, and torsion. If this is not enough, Horizon allows you to simply take an existing test method and use it as a template to create a method which is specifically adapted for your testing needs, using your own, or your customers’, result calculations and reporting formats.Horizon software will have the ability to run across the entire Tinius Olsen product range, and more, allowing;
Control and operation of multiple machines and measuring devices;
Data collection from passive measuring instruments
Consolidation of test data into reports from one PC, multiple PC’s and across a network.
Presentation of data in an array of standard formats including ERP compatible.
Compatible with current Microsoft operating system platforms, Horizon software will not only offer online support, but you can also get help from our manned help-desk, where we have trained testing software specialists to assist and support with operator training.Most importantly two key parameters prevail, Ease of use and Value for money.
Feed Entries 
Today’s technology in ropes, cables, fishing nets, lifting and support straps is increasingly advanced, straps made from super strong polyethylene fibre deliver a tensile strength which can be up to 15 times stronger than an equivalent steel on a weight for weight basis.
In the lead-up to the holiday season in Luxemburg, toy safety was the subject of a lot of media attention.
SDL Atlas is targeting its innovative, new tabletop PnuBurst unit to customers who want the convenience of a preprogrammed unit for basic burst testing but don’t need the extended range of the company’s popular 
A new test method for measuring the moisture handling properties of performance fabrics for active wear and other apparel has earned approval from the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) after a lengthy review. The SDL Atlas Moisture Management Tester (MMT) plays a key role in the new protocol.
Sylvia Hillier