Testing the strength of wood and timber while constructing roofing timbers, door frames, windows and furniture is highly significant for assessing the capability of final designs in order to handle stress and strain during routine use. Testing at different stages of production not only ensures product safety, but also allows customers to address quality assurance issues and comply with internationally agreed standards.
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Figure 1. The LS100KPlus testing machine
Lloyd Instruments offers a suite of universal testing machines and control software to determine the strength properties of wood and timber while in production. The company also supplies a variety of grips and fixtures, and manufactures special sample grips to test wood and timber in close cooperation with engineers in Germany.
Lloyd Instruments’ Testing Machines
Lloyd Instruments provides an extensive range of testing machines, from the 1kN LS1 modular single column test machine up to the 100kN LS100KPlus twin column test machine. Besides offering an extensive library for extended machine control, the NEXYGENPlus materials testing software provides flexible SPC analysis, full data audit trails and report configuration.
Lloyd Instruments’ test machines are used by the wood industry to determine the flexural and tensile strength of timber samples, shear strength of laminates, three-point flexure (bend) strength of joints, and bond strength of adhesives in composites and plywood, in accordance with European Standards such as EN9240, EN19, EN11 and EN10 of manufacture.
The same testing machine can be used for testing other materials, including tacks, panel pins, foams, cushion springs, webbing materials, binding tape, and upholstery fabrics, by simply changing the sample grip. This reduces costs associated with production line, research, quality control and training programs.
LS100KPlus Material Tester
The LS100KPlus testing machine (Figure 1) is user friendly and delivers high performance. The flexible testing machine is suitable for testing applications up to 100kN. As a result, it can perform both routine quality control testing as well as complex multi-stage tests. It employs high accuracy interchangeable XLC Series load cells for compression, cycling and tension through zero force measurements.
Side loading of test specimens is prevented with a crosshead guidance system in the high stiffness frame.
Key Features of LS100KPlus Material Tester
The following are the key features of the LS100KPlus testing machine:
- Bench mounted model
- Easily configurable, operable and maintainable
- Employs high accuracy interchangeable XLC load cells (0.5% of reading)
- Load measuring system surpasses the specifications of all known international standards
- Speed range is up to 50kN: 0.001- 254mm/min (0.00004 to 10in/min), and 50kN to 100kN: 0.001- 101.6mm/min (0.00004 to 4in/min)
- Crosshead travel is 824mm (32.4in)
- Data sampling rate is 8kHz
- Ten programmable test set-ups
- Stores up to 600 test results
- Flash memory upgradeable
- Working width between the columns 404mm (16in)
- Multilingual and multi-unit display options as standard feature
- Full PC integration with the NEXYGENPlus material test and data analysis software
Applications of LS100KPlus Material Tester
The LS100KPlus Material Tester can be used to conduct a variety of tests, including:
- Packaging testing
- Construction materials testing
- Automotive testing
- Wood testing
- Rubber testing
- Electronic testing
- Cosmetic testing
- Pharma testing
LS1 Material Tester
The LS1 Material Tester (Figure 2) is ideal for materials testing applications of up to 1kN capacity. The affordable yet high-precision system becomes a robust materials testing system when used in conjunction with Lloyd Instruments’ comprehensive range of fixtures, grips, software and extensometers based on the specific requirements of testing applications. Very large samples can be tested on test frames installed below the material testing machine base, thanks to the unique 'Pogo' design.
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Figure 2. The LS1 Material Tester
Key Features of LS1 Material Tester
The key features of the LS1 Material Tester are listed below:
- Easily to configure, run and maintain
- High mechanical stiffness
- Large working area - 180mm throat to test large samples
- Load measuring system is beyond the prerequisites of all known international standards
- High load accuracy 0.5% down to 1% of load cell value
- Wide speed range 0.01-2032mm/min
- Standard crosshead travel 500mm
- Improved, intuitive user-configurable test functionality (NEXYGENPlus software)
- More machine control options
- Option to have greater crosshead travel with extended machine versions and travel up to 800mm
- Ten programable test set-ups
- Upgradeable flash memory
- Data sampling rate is 8kHz
- Saves up to 600 test results
- Multilingual and multi-unit display options
- High-resolution backlit LCD display with intuitive operator interface
- Optional elevated and low temperature testing capability
- Full PC integration with the NEXYGENPlus material test and data analysis software
Applications of LS1 Material Tester
Many different types of tests can be performed on the LS1 Material Tester, including:
- Packaging testing
- Construction materials testing
- Automotive testing
- Wood testing
- Rubber testing
- Electronic testing
- Cosmetic testing
- Pharma testing
NEXYGENPlus Material Test and Data Analysis Software
The heart of the Lloyd Instruments Plus Series materials testing system is the NEXYGENPlus multi-lingual materials testing software (Figure 3). With this flexible and user-friendly software, operators can easily monitor and control all features of the testing machines from a single front end. This leads to rapid, reliable, and robust testing and data analysis for flexural, relaxation, creep, tearing, peeling, compression and tensile test applications.
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Figure 3. The NEXYGENPlus multi-lingual materials testing software
The NEXYGENPlus software allows users to choose from the comprehensive library of pre-defined test configurations in accordance with international standards to perform a routine or an advanced multi-stage test. The software also has full automation capability for automatic testing, still picture and video capture capability and a robust security and audit trail module to achieve 100% traceability.
About Lloyd Instruments Ltd.
Lloyd Instruments designs, manufactures and is a recognized world supplier of universal materials testing machines and polymer test equipment. Also suppliers of the Chatillon® range of force gauges and force measurement instruments.
Lloyd Instruments test machines and material testing software are designed to determine the physical and mechanical properties of raw materials, components and structures, as well as the performance of finished goods. Our instruments are used in diverse industries including plastics, packaging, medical devices, pharmaceutical, electronic components, textiles, metals, composites, paper, building materials and much more for applications in production testing, quality control, laboratory testing, research and in universities.
Lloyd Instruments year's of experience in designing and producing materials testing machines is complemented by it’s dedication to provide its customers with expert applications expertise and comprehensive technical support, service and training options. Lloyd Instruments has sales office and distributors in most countries and is also an ISO 9001:2000 registered company including ISO TickIT registration for its materials testing software. The company is part of AMETEK, Inc., a global US manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Lloyd Instruments Ltd.
For more information on this source, please visit Lloyd Instruments Ltd.