Originally Published MPMN November 2002

SPOTLIGHT

Spotlight on Testing Equipment and Services

Leak tester

A leak tester is suitable for use with catheters, plastic bags, and other fluid-transfer devices. According to the company, the LeakTest 0051 provides short test-cycle times without sacrificing accuracy. In flexible production environments, the unit can run up to nine user-configured programs simultaneously. The tester can be integrated into production systems, offers Ethernet communication capabilities, and enhances user-friendliness through its graphical display of the test filling curve. Samsomatic Ltd., 45759 Helm St., Plymouth, MI 48170.

Ultraviolet light

A powerful UV flood lamp can be used to identify fluorescent penetrant and magnetic particles. The UV-400 Super Flood comes with a 400-W metal halide bulb that provides a steady-state intensity of 6500 µW/cm² measured at 15 in. from the lamp's center. It can irradiate an area as large as 24 x 10 in. The unit emits no harmful UV-B radiation and weighs 36 lb. Spectronics Corp., 956 Brush Hollow Rd., Dept. 1271, Westbury, NY 11590.

Pentium-based leak tester

A Pentium-based production leak tester runs all types of pressure and flow tests with short cycle times. A typical test time for many disposable medical devices is 0.3 seconds. Testing speed on the Pantera 9000 is achieved by using the latest processors, nonconventional pneumatic circuit designs, high-speed signal scanning, and custom test-control software. The tester comes in benchtop, laptop, and industrial computer versions. Adar Corp., Test Faster Div., 4238B N. Arlington Heights Rd., #250, Arlington Heights, IL 60004.

Airborne particle counter

A particle counter is suitable for sampling multiple locations because of its cordless operation and long battery life. The P3610 stores data for up to 1000 sample locations. It measures six size ranges down to 0.3 µm, at a 1-cfm flow rate. Particles are measured in three concentration modes—per cubic meter, per liter, and per cubic foot. The unit performs ISO 14644 and Federal Standard 209E calculations, and is computer programmable. Optional sensors are available for monitoring temperature, relative humidity, differential pressure, and air velocity. Biotest Diagnostics Corp., 66 Ford Rd., Ste. 131, Denville, NJ 08934.

Tensile testing

Benchtop universal testing machines are suitable for performing tensile tests on a wide variety of materials, especially plastics. The S-series units can be linked with Windows-based software for control, data acquisition, analysis, and reporting. All come backed by the company's complete after-sale package, which includes calibration and maintenance services. Tinius Olsen, Easton Rd., Willow Grove, PA 19090-0429.

Handheld optometer

An optometer features a pulse energy mode; its compact size enables on-site measurement of flashing or modulated light sources. The P-9710-2 measures the pulse energy of single and multiple pulsed events less than 1 milliseconds in length. Independent of signal magnitude, the system bandwidth is 0.166 Hz to 300 MHz within the unit's current-measurement range of 0.1 pA to 2 mA. The unit has an adjustable sample time and continuous offset of the pretrigger light level, as well as computation of luminous effective intensity based on the Schmidt-Clausen method. Gigahertz-Optik Inc., 5 Perry Way, Newburyport, MA 01950-4009.

Test system

A system provides maximum testing flexibility in a compact frame. It is suitable for use with materials such as paper, film, nonwovens, textiles, adhesives, and packaging. All electronics on the EJA Advantage are integrated into the frame, and no external control boxes or additional PC interfaces are required. A serial interface connects the unit to a standard PC. Features include one-touch zero, automatic calibration, and remote pneumatic-grip control. The product's software enables it to do basic testing, data transfer, and analysis. Thwing-Albert Instrument Co., 10960 Dutton Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19154.

Test laboratory

An independent test laboratory specializes in chemical, electrical, environmental, mechanical, and metallographic analysis. The facility also offers material identification and characterization, training and consultation, and detailed failure analysis. The laboratory is certified by auditing bodies including the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation, the International Electrotechnical Commission, and Underwriters Laboratories. Trace Laboratories-East, 5 N. Park Dr., Hunt Valley, MD 21030.

Voice-actuated tensile tester

A system features voice actuation for hands-free tensile testing. Voice command recognition on the ESL Test II replaces pip cords and handheld keypads for remote command input into a point-and-click graphical user interface. The operator can control the tester, place data marks during a test, and save and plot results by speaking into the wireless remote headset. The unit performs tensile, compression, and peel tests. Electro Standard Laboratories, 36 Western Industrial Dr., Cranston, RI 02921.

Copyright ©2002 Medical Product Manufacturing News