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US 2003/0188585 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for performing dynamic mechanical analyses
AssigneeMettler-Toledo AG
InventorsUlrich Esser, Thomas Hutter
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AssigneeMettler-Toledo AG
InventorsUlrich Esser, Thomas Hutter
Estimating the term…
In a dynamic mechanical analysis, a test specimen (2) is coupled to an excitation device (4) by means of a holder device (3). The excitation device (4) applies an excitation force comprised of a static pre-tensioning force component and a time-variable force component to the test specimen, and a deformation of the test specimen (2) is measured by means of one or more displacement sensors (5). The method includes a test phase with the steps: applying the excitation force to the test specimen; while said excitation force is in effect, determining at least one decision parameter, said decision parameter being indicative of a degree of slack in said coupling of the test specimen; comparing said decision parameter to at least one reference value; based on said comparison, determining whether or not the test specimen is coupled to the excitation device in a completely slack-free state, so that physical values derived from said measurements of the deformation will not be subject to errors caused by an insufficient amount of said pre-tensioning force component.
A method of performing a dynamic mechanical analysis, wherein a test specimen is coupled to an excitation device by means of a holder device, wherein the excitation device applies an excitation force comprised of a static pre-tensioning force component and a time-variable force component to the test specimen, and wherein a deformation of the test specimen is measured by means of at least one displacement sensor, the method comprising a test phase with the steps:
An apparatus for performing a dynamic mechanical analysis on a test specimen, comprising a controller device for controlling the analysis, an excitation device operable to apply to the test specimen an excitation force comprised of a static pre-tensioning force component and a time-variable force component, a holder device for coupling the test specimen to the excitation device, and at least one displacement sensor operable to perform deformation measurements on the test specimen, wherein while said excitation force is being applied, the controller device determines at least one decision parameter, said decision parameter being indicative of a degree of slack in said coupling of the test specimen, wherein the controller compares said decision parameter to at least one given reference value and wherein said comparison provides an indication of whether or not the test specimen is coupled to the excitation device in a completely slack-free state, so that physical values derived from said deformation measurements will not be subject to errors caused by an insufficient amount of said pre-tensioning force component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.