Keywords
Citation
Bean, J. (2000), "Monitoring resin viscosity", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 29 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt.2000.12929aaa.002
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2000, MCB UP Limited
Monitoring resin viscosity
Keywords Measurement, Viscosity
The French company, Prodemat, has developed a new system that monitors the viscosity and temperature of materials as they undergo the change from liquid to solid state. This caught our eye in that to our knowledge it is the first viscometer of this type.
A typical application for the system, called "Trombomat", is measuring the reactivity of thermoset resins. It can be used in research and development, production or quality control.
Many materials transform from a liquid to solid state in manufacturing processes, such as unsaturated polyester, vinyl ester, adhesives, varnishes, polyurethanes and epoxies. The kinetics of this transformation directly influence the length of the process, as well as the nature of the final product, so monitoring can be vital.
Trombomat follows the progress of a solid object as it moves within the material being monitored. The force required to move the object provides a picture of the environmental viscosity. It measures the entire solidification process of the material and a thermocouple simultaneously measures temperature. The evolution of the process is recorded continuously on a PC.