Rheology testing systems and methods for operating the same

A rheology system comprising:

• a rheometer comprising a lower plate and an upper plate;
• a manipulator comprising an arm;
• a loading end effector, wherein:
• the loading end effector comprises an arm engagement member coupled to one or more film engagement members;
• the arm engagement member comprises a member that can be selectively coupled to and removed from the arm;
• and
• the one or more film engagement members comprise suction cups fluidly coupled to a pump and configured such that vacuum pressure from the pump causes the specimen to be drawn against the one or more film engagement members;
• a cleaning end effector;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the rheometer and the manipulator, the controller comprising a processor and a computer readable and executable instruction set, which when executed, causes the processor to:
• direct the manipulator to couple the loading end effector to the arm;
• direct the manipulator to engage a specimen with the loading end effector;
• direct the manipulator to position the specimen on the lower plate of the rheometer;
• direct the upper plate to engage the specimen between the upper plate and the lower plate;
• direct the manipulator to couple the cleaning end effector to the arm;
• and
• direct the manipulator to engage the lower plate with the cleaning end effector.