Testing/Quality Control
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Brookfield test cell

Viscosity 101

Many factors need to be considered when devising meaningful viscosity tests for adhesives and sealants.
Robert McGregor David Moonay Ph.D.
Most people in the adhesives and sealants industry are aware of viscosity and realize that it characterizes the way a material will flow. More technically speaking, viscosity refers to a material's resistance to flow; it can be measured in various ways, depending on the application.
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PSTC trace evidence laboratory

Adhesive Tapes as Trace Evidence

When adhesive tape is found as evidence at a crime scene, it is the forensic scientist’s job to match it to its source with little or no knowledge of tape construction.
John Johnston

The criminal element has discovered the thousands of uses for adhesive tape, and it is being found more and more often as trace evidence at crime scenes. By far the most common tape found as evidence in two out of three cases involving adhesive tape is duct tape. 


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Adhering to Difficult Substrates with Silicone Adhesives

Substrates with reactive groups available for bonding make chemical bonding easier to achieve, while substrates with nothing to react to make adhesion difficult.
Adhesive technology is equal parts chemistry and "black magic." The sheer number of available substrates makes it nearly impossible to test each adhesive on every type. However, by conducting tests on a selection of novel, or difficult-to-adhere-to, substrates, we can make inferences that may help narrow the choice of adhesives.
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building sealant standards

U.S. Sealant Standards in Building Construction

Sealants must be applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions, which generally correspond with industry guides and practices.
Edward Clutter

Standards are an important aspect of your business. If you manufacture, purchase, or use sealants or if you supply raw materials for sealants, your company relies on standards every day. R&D uses test methods and specifications to characterize, compare and develop products. Marketing and Sales use these same standards to advertise and promote products. When materials or sealants are purchased, they must comply with specifications.


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pipe insulation

Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive Testing

Testing pressure-sensitive adhesives under standard conditions of temperature and relative humidity is always a preferred means to compare data from lab to lab and from lot to lot, but it is sometimes necessary to evaluate the performance of an adhesive under conditions that it would encounter in the field.
Many adhesives exhibit different properties when subjected to variations in temperature. Some of these adhesives are thermoplastic. They soften when heated and become more brittle when cooled. [In the case of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs), the nature of the bond is nearly always thermoplastic.] If for the sake of this discussion we limit our testing to tack, peel and shear, we can develop a series of observations that can be applied to most testing situations.
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Raised-Hands

ISO 9000:2000 - The New Quality Standard

ISO 9000 has been revised—but the new standard, called ISO 9000:2000, is a radical revision and the industry has questions.

In view of the impact of this revision and the costs it will entail, organizations understandably have many questions and concerns. Do we have to register to the new standard? How long is our current certification good for? Why the change? What’s the difference between the old ISO and the new ISO? How will it change the way we run our business? Who will benefit from the new standard? Who will be hurt? Will it be more difficult to implement the new ISO than the old ISO?


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