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Hanatek Variable Force Precision Thickness Gauge (FT3-V)

Hanatek Variable Force Precision Thickness Gauge (FT3-V)

  • Variable force thickness measurement by manual addition of weight
  • Example configurations include ISO 534 / TAPPI T411 (paper and board ), ASTM D6988 (film, standard & low pressure)
  • 0.1µm resolution, 0.4µm accuracy
  • User programmable dwell time and measuring speed

Industries and Applications

Categories: ,

Description

Why is thickness measured?

Accurate and repeatable thickness measurements can improve product quality whilst controlling the costs associated with raw material usage.

The thickness of a material can directly impact the value of many other parameters including:

  • Strength
  • Stiffness
  • Puncture resistance
  • WVTR
  • CO2
  • O2
  • Haze
  • Opacity
  • Direct Costs
    • Raw materials, especially speciality polymers
  • Indirect Costs
    • Rework/Recycling/Replacement cost – Spoiled package content

Why is film thickness important?

Plastic films are often used to encapsulate, protect and preserve products that are sold to consumers or industry. The film is used as a two way barrier to stop product leaking out and also external contaminants migrating in.

How is thickness measured?

Physical test parameters can be factory configured according to international standards or customer requirements. The accuracy of thickness measurement is determined by several key operating factors.

Parameters affecting the accuracy of thickness measurement

Momentum and Profile of Measurement Probe

Measurement probes are factory configured according to the test standard required.

Measurement Pressure

Additional weights are added to vary the pressure according to requirements from standards.

Measurement Dwell Time

Dwell time can be varied according to application requirements

Comparison of thickness measurement techniques

Applications

  • Textiles
  • Flooring
  • Geomembrane
  • Tissue Paper
  • Non Woven
  • Carton Board
  • Paper
  • Plastic Film
  • Adhesive Tape
  • Flexible Packaging

Other Applications Include

  • Laminated Packaging
  • Foil Packaging
  • Barcode Labels

Test Types

Standard Test

Full statistical analysis of up to 500 readings. Maximum, minimum, mean and standard deviation.

This option is for measuring sample sets using pre-defined up and down times as well as the speed of the measurement head.

Batch Test

This option puts the instrument into comparative test mode. This test is used to measure the relative thickness of two materials. Two batches of readings are taken; the average thickness difference between the two values is displayed. Calculates the thickness difference between two measurement sets, used to assess the thickness of coating, adhesives or sample batches.

Standard Tare Test

Automatically tares the instrument before each test using user defined conditions. When this option is selected, the instrument is automatically TARED before each sample set is measured. This option virtually eliminates thermo-electronic drift and thermo-mechanical errors from measurement.

Pass/Fail Test

Enter the target material thickness and the allowed percentage tolerance. If the target thickness is not known, the material can be measured and assigned as the ‘master’. Subsequent measurements this can be made against this reference material.

Sheet Count Test

This test mode will count sheets or layers of sample as well as showing the total thickness of a stack of samples. A master count of user selectable size is measured as a reference. This value is stored and subsequent measurements will be compared to this master reading. A pass/fail option is available to reject any reading out of the desired tolerance.

Benefits of using the Hanatek FT3

  • Repeatability of better than 0.4 μm
  • 0.01 μm resolution on the FT3-U version
  • Measure in micron, millimeter or thou
  • User programmable number of readings, dwell time and down speed
  • Constant contact pressure, configured to ISO and ASTM standards

Results

This flexible instrument can be configured for quality or research use. All operations and test methods have comprehensive graphical on-screen help.

Print All Samples

This option allows all measured values in a test to be output to the Hanatek printer/ RS232 port.

Reporting and Data Transfer

Measurements made using the FT3 thickness gauge can be exported to Microsoft Excel/.csv via interface software* .

All measured and calculated parameters are transferred along with the date/time stamp, instrument serial number and calibration date.

*sample Microsoft Excel sheets available on request.

Available Configurations

Each standard of compliance specifies a different pressure which is calculated by the force applied to the sample through a measuring head of a given diameter.

FT3-U: Ultra High Precision Instrument

Fixed pressure configured to meet a single test standard or specification.

  • Enhanced resolution of 0.01 μm for applications requiring ultra high precision
  • Factory configured measurement mass between 50g and 500g available
  • Measurement Head: 25.5mm radius domed
  • Custom radius domed heads available on request

 

ISO 4593 standard of compliance, fixed pressure

FT3V-LAB: Laboratory Instrument*

Test pressure is varied by adding extra weights to the instrument platform or changing the size of the measurement head.

  • Two external weights and one additional measuring head included to achieve compliance to multiple standards or customer specifications
  • Achieve compliance to multiple standards

*Note: This product is suitable for use by test and calibration laboratories as full re- calibration is required between measurement head changes

Multiple standards and applications

FT3-V: Variable Instrument*

Test pressure is varied by adding external weights to the instrument platform. Factory configured measurement head size. One external weight is included to achieve compliance to a second measurement standard or assess material compressibility.

  • Additional external weights can be applied to increase measurement pressure up to 4kg total
  • Variable force by manual addition of weight

*Note: The standards must be able to utilise the same size measuring head

Thickness of paper and card board ISO 534 & TAPPI T411

FT3: Standard Instrument

Fixed pressure, factory configured to meet a single test standard or specification of your choice.

  • Repeatability of better than 0.4 μm
  • 0.1 μm resolution
  • User programmable number of readings, dwell time and down speed

 

Thickness of plastic film ASTM 6988; ISO 4593/BS2782

Accessories

UKAS traceable calibration certificate

Traceable 2000 μm and 500 μm checking gauges

Weights

Measurement heads

Result printer

Foot switch

Data transfer software

Standards of compliance

Specifications

Free extended warranty

Free extended 2 year warranty: Requires registration at www.rhopointinstruments.com/help-services/forms-feedback/instrument-registration/ within 28 days of purchase. Without registration, 1 year standard warranty applies.

Calibration and service

Fast and economic service via our global network of accredited calibration and service centres. Please visit www.rhopointinstruments.com/help-services/calibration-servicing/ for detailed information.

Downloads

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