Automated Testing of Elastomers
Covestro in Leverkusen, Germany is a worldwide leading provider of high-tech polymer materials. Products and application solutions developed at this location can be found in many areas of everyday life. To expand its testing capabilities in the area of tensile and tear growth tests, Covestro is operating a new automated testing system from ZwickRoell.
Automated testing system for tensile and tear growth tests
Basic tests performed in the production of elastomers include tensile and tear growth tests. They not only provide important material characteristic values for research and development, but are also essential for quality assurance purposes. Consequently, the number of tests performed is quite large, making automation an interesting option.
Since 2004, Covestro has been successfully using an automated testing system from ZwickRoell. The new system based on a Z010 AllroundLine materials testing machine with a high test area significantly expands the testing capacity. The testing machine is equipped with a 10 kN load cell, symmetrically closing pneumatic grips, and the multiXtens universal extensometer, which makes it the optimal solution for tests on elastomer specimens. The robotic testing system roboTest L assumes handling of the three different shape specimens. The feeding system has access to 200 specimens via a specimen table, and processes them autonomously within 10 to 12 hours of operation. The specimens are stored individually on carriers in sets of 50, and are made available either directly at the testing system or in the specimen preparation area.
While the autoEdition3 automation software assumes control, the testXpert III testing software ensures reliable test results and transmits the data to the in-house network.
