be driven through the fill funnel. If bridging (or clogging)of the material
occurs in the fill funnel, slide the fill funnel off to one side (without lifting).
Pack the material in the barrel directly with the packing rod. Move the fill
funnel back into place. The remaining material should drop down into the
barrel. Repeat with the remainder of the material.
Bubbles are in your sample charge if a snapping/popping sound is heard as the
extrudate is forced through the orifice. If bubbles appear in the extrudate use
less material between packing. If bubbles continue, the sample may not be
sufficiently dry.
Place the plunger into the barrel and position the plunger arm directly over the
slot on the indexer cover. Seat the guide bushing down into the barrel if it as not
already fallen into place. The guide bushing should be moving freely on the
plunger. Place the weight on the plunger rod.
Flag Post
Run Area
Guide Bushing
One Inch Flag
Galaxy I Cut Away View
(Piston bushing not shown)
Electric Eye
Plunger for Method B and Method A/B Measurements
(without digital encoder module)
Inserting the Timing Flag
Insert the plastic flag down into the slot on the top right side of the indexer then
slide the flag onto the plunger arm through the flag hole. Make sure that the flag
does not touch the sides of the flag slot. Twist the plunger as needed to get it to
line up with the flag slot and slide the flag on the arm until it is in a vertical
position. Immediately press
RUN. RUN
must be pressed as quickly after
loading as possible to be compliant with the ASTM 1238 specification.
Pressing
RUN
also starts the internal computer program running. This program
will start an internal timer and will attempt to print initial test information to a
printer or PC if the devices are available. The start of the flag time should begin
between 6 and 8 minutes after the test starts or the test does not follow ASTM
protocol. Wait for the melt time clock to count down from 360 seconds.
When melt time is over a flag timer appears set at 0.000. When the front edge of
the black flag passes the optical eye the timer starts. If the sample extruded so
quickly that it has already hit the front of the flag prior to the melt time passing
one must either:
Add more material
Series 4000 Melt Indexer Operation Manual
Method "A/B" Run
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