SimpliMet 1000
A SimpliMet 1000 is an automatic mounting press that is designed to improve productivity and easy use. It’s affordable (cheap) and durable, its safe hydraulic pressure requires no air. SimpliMet 1000 are manufactured by BUEHLER ATW Company located in are Japan, China, Canada, France, Germany, and Britain. A SimpliMet 1000 press is a basic press that is used in a variety of ways. It is used to mount specimens with thermosetting resins such as Phenolics, EpoMet, ProbeMet, KonductoMet, and Diallyl Phthalate. Its mold cylinders are designed to mount specimen as either single or in a duplex. Its mechanically mated heat/cooling system maximize heat transfer to enable fast cycle times (Saba, 2011).
The machine has a hot compression mounting to minimize shrinkage, protect the edges and surface defects during preparation. The compression mounting provides a convenient size and shape and enables the information of the specimen to be marked on the backside to keep the record (Institute of Materials, Great Britain),
Equipment in the machine includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), high-resolution display, membrane control panel, backlit lighting, language selection panel, feedback buttons, a buzzer, diagnostic system, and molded cabinet. The LCD has a user-friendly control panel. The machine has a user selectable pressure, temperature, heating/cooling time, mount sizes, and unit of measurement options and capabilities. The programmed languages are English, French, German, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean and Chinese. The last settings retained programmability enables a fast start-up and sample consistency, particularly with several operators and mounting media. The machine is designed to work with 84-264 volts AC, at 50-60Hz, Single Phase power. A 24 volt DC voltage is used to control internal components.
Buehler Phoenix 4000
Buehler Phoenix 4000 is a high quality, high-speed polisher is an ideal grinder for grinding and polishing needs. The machine works well with any item such as aluminum, chrome, or jewelry. The machine is designed to for use with 8-inch and 10-inch platens. The brand, Buehler is sold in USA, Canada, and Mexico. It’s a 12-inch aluminum platen Pneumatic/electrically driven head. It’s a platen speed of 50 – 600 revolutions per minute and head speed of 150 revolutions per minute. Buehler phoenix 4000 machine has a digital touch control pad. The machine consumes an AC power at 230 volts, three phase power at 50/60 Hertz frequency. The machine is sleek grinder-polisher ensures a rugged and quiet operation. The machine is small and affordable to any middle-class person. The machine features a heavy duty mineral cast base for long-lasting operation even under harsh conditions of service.
The Buehler Phoenix 4000 can be upgraded to semi-automatic operation by addition of vector power head. A vector power head enables the machine to prepare samples by single or centrally applied pneumatic loading. For multitasking, that is, multiple preparations of samples, the power head is interfaced by Primet modular dispensing system or the Primet modular dispensing satellite.
The Buehler Phoenix 4000 is an ideal machine for laboratory and quality assurance departments with sample preparation requirements. As the requirements for the development of samples increase, the production capacity of the machine can be extended by a simple addition of the vector power head and the Primet dispenser to create an integrated system suitable for higher sample throughout. The Buehler Phoenix 4000 is rugged and versatile. It is a sound equipment investment at present and in future.
Struers Accutom -50
An Struers Accutom¬50 is a precision grinding as well as a cut-off machine that is used for thin sectioning of material like metals, electronic components, composites, sintered carbides, minerals, reinforced materials and bio-materials (American Ceramic Society, 2009). The machine is sleek such that it has a couple of seamless features: positioning accuracy of 5 micrometers; a preset, constant feed speed; adjustable force limit; a variable cut-off wheel speed of up to 3000 revolutions per minute. it has menu control and digital read out, sample rotation, oscillation; built-in cut-off wheel list; recirculation cooling unit; enclosed cutting chamber with safety switch; and a database with user-defined cutting methods.
The Struers Accutom¬50 is based on a well-tested technology of Accutom-5. In precision cutting, sample positioning within five micrometer is combined with a constant feed speed and sample rotation. The addition of automatic serial cutting and precision grinding capabilities coupled with superb wheel speeds makes the Struers Accutom¬50 a universal tool in precision manufacturing of the samples. The working of the machine involves the use of step motors to regulate and control the movement of the sample in the x- and y-directions to enable precise positioning. The high resolution of the step motor allows the machine to position the sample with superb precision.
The feed speed is pre-set and controlled between 0.005 and 3 mm/sec. The broad range allows even the delicate materials to be sectioned. The display shows the preset and actual speeds of the machine. The force limit is set to three different levels, that is, low, medium and high to protect the thin cutoff wheels and fragile samples (Acosta, 2016). Power supply to the machine ranges from 120 volts at 5.7 Amperes to 240 volts at 2.7 Amperes at 50/60 Hertz. The Struers Accutom¬50 is manufactured in the USA, Europe, and Asia.
References
Acosta, M. (2016). Strain mechanisms in lead-free ferroelectrics for actuators.
American Ceramic Society. (2009). Progress in thermal barrier coatings. Hoboken, N.J., Wiley. Available at: http://www.123library.org/book_details/?id=22349.[Retrieved on 20th April 20, 2016]
Saba, N. (2011). Untersuchung der plastischen formgebung unter einfluss örtlich und zeitlich veränderlicher temperatur- und spannungszustände. Kassel, Hessen [Germany], Kassel University Press. Available at: http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=3319900. [Retrieved at 20th April 20, 2016]
