Plastics Testing: Consider the High Automation Potential for Your Testing Lab
When addressing the topic of automation, many people think of industrial robots or fully automated handling systems. With intelligent wizard functions or semi-automation, testing processes for plastics and polymers can be optimized, users are relieved of monotonous tasks and operating errors can be prevented. At the same time, these functions establish the perfect scenario for a switch to full automation.
Modern testing software – the foundation for every automation system
Intelligent assistant functions in testXpert ensure reliable and efficient testing from the start: from pre-configured test programs (available for more than 800 local and international standards) and configurable test environments—for example, with sensor recognition and a wide range of safety functions—all the way to comprehensive plausibility checks. Starting with its basic version, testXpert offers many features that speed up your testing processes by up to 30 percent and minimize operational and data input errors.
Specimen grips and extensometers
The use of automated specimen grips and extensometers offers three clear benefits: automated gripping (specimen grip) as well as automated attachment and specimen mark recognition (extensometer) speed up test tasks by up to 50 percent when compared to manual specimen grips—such as screw grips— or clip-on extensometers.
The second benefit: an increase in repeatability. Automated functions reduce operator influences to a minimum. Specimens are gripped with identical accuracy. Extensometers are always identically attached—for example, makroXtens—or the specimen marking is always identically recognized—e.g., videoXtens.
Last but not least, the decisive advantage in terms of future investment viability: with the use of automated specimen grips / extensometers, conversion to a fully automated system is possible at any time. The basic requirement for integration of a smart robot or handling system is the use of automated individual components.
Full automation
Due to the advance of collaborative robots, also known as cobots, or the ongoing development of simple handling systems, full automation becomes a viable option starting with specimen series as low as approximately 25 specimens/day. In industrialized countries this type of investment pays for itself in as quickly as two years. Such a retrofit can be implemented on static testing machines (tensile,compression or flexure tests) as well as pendulum impact testers. In addition, multiple testing machines and test types can be integrated in an automation project. In addition to the purely economic consideration, there are two more advantages: user influence on the test results is reduced to a great extent, and laboratory personnel can be deployed for other higher skilled tasks.
