A Peel tester machine is an excellent way to measure the adhesive strength of materials that are bonded together by implementing a certain amount of force. These instruments are extensively used in metrology and the automobile sector to determine the suitability of certain materials for certain applications.
Adhesives, glues, laminates, packaging materials, etc are the frequent materials that are tested with a peel tester, also known as an adhesive strength tester. A single machine can test and monitor the various aspects including adhesive, peel strength, seal strength, and bond strength.
When a certain amount of peeling/tearing force is exerted on a sample material, by tearing it apart, it breaks after a specific force. This force is measured as a breaking force to break the bond between two materials to analyze their suitability.
What are the Components of Peel Tester Machine
The two jaws or grippers are an important component of the adhesive strength tester that is responsible for exerting peeling force by sliding in opposite directions. In general, a peel testing machine has the following components:
Gripping Fixtures: As discussed above, the gripping fixtures are the most important part of the whole mechanism. These are clamps that hold the testing specimen at both ends. The design of clamps could vary depending on the material being tested.
Load Cell: it is a sensor that measures the exerted or peeling force by the clamps on the specimen. The load cells are connected to the measuring devices that monitor the data including the force exerted on the specimen.
Crosshead: The crosshead is a moving part of the peel tester machine driven by the motor. It is like a slider that moves in opposite directions to implement the peeling force.
Control Panel: It is the brain of the whole mechanism. This panel is used to enter parameters like crosshead speed, peeling force, angle, etc to successfully run the test. Once the test is successfully done, it also displays the results.
Climate Chambers: These aren’t necessarily part of the adhesive tester but they allow the test to be conducted in varying temperatures and humidities.
Security Features: Some of these features might consist of stop buttons for emergencies that let the operator terminate the test whenever necessary, or limit knobs which cease the testing if the applied force reaches a predetermined point.
How Does a Peel Tester Work?
A peel testing machine could be a great choice to test the strength of packaging materials like tape, adhesive, paper, etc that can tear after exerting a specific force. For the purpose of assessing the adhesive bond’s strength, peel testing entails mechanically separating one glued substance from another.
To test a material or specimen (paper, plastic, laminate, etc), place it between the two jaws or clamps that hold it tightly. Once the specimen is clamped properly, enter the required force, speed, angle, etc data with the help of the control panel.
The peeling and tensile force start working by sliding the crosshead in different directions. The exerting force stops implementing when it reaches the threshold force and speed. It should be noted that the peeling test, measures the adhesive force while the tearing force, measures the tensile force. In both cases, the slider or crosshead plays an important role in exerting these forces with the assistance of grippers.
In either case, the results are displayed on the control panel. The results tell the material’s ability to withstand a certain amount of force and how much it is suitable for certain applications. The engineers and manufacturers can make improvements accordingly in the tested material.
Applications of Peel Tester Machine
The peeling machine has a wide range of applications notably in packaging, manufacturing, and metrology sectors. This majorly tests the two characteristics of various materials; peel strength and adhesive strength in the following industries:
- Packaging Industry
- Electronics Industry
- Automotive/Automobile Industry
- Aerospace Industry
- Medical Devices and Pharmaceuticals
- Construction Industry
- Consumer Products
- Adhesive Industry
Conclusion
The Peel tester machine is a versatile instrument for various industries to ensure the material’s suitability for a specific application. Industries can measure tearing strength, peeling strength, and other frictional properties of materials like glue, paper, plastic, rubber, etc. These testers come with the additional functionality of a climate chamber that can make it useful for variable temperature and humidity.
