| Equipment or Capability |
Model No. |
Description |
| Automated Universal Testing Machine (UTM) |
Monsanto T-500 |
Determines mechanical strength properties:
• 3-point bend: (ASTM D-790)
• Compression: (ASTM D-695)
• Shear: (ASTM D-732) |
| Dilatometer |
Unitherm 109 (Anter) |
Measures the length change of a sample as the material undergoes
temperature change between –150 °C and 500 °C.
This yields an accurate characterization of the material’s
coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). By holding the temperature
constant and changing humidity, this instrument can also determine
the coefficient of moisture expansion (CME). |
| Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA) |
TA Instruments Q800 |
Quantitatively measures a material’s response under
load while varying temperature, thereby determining temperature-dependent
strength characteristics. A variety of deformation modes are
available, including tension, compression, and cantilever (bending).
|
| Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectrometer |
Nicolet™ 4700 |
Characterizes infrared spectra of materials for chemical
analysis. As with conventional infrared (IR) spectroscopy, chemical
bonds are identified by their vibrational resonance frequencies;
however, FTIR analysis employs an interferometer to generate
an interferogram, allowing all frequencies to be collected at
once. |
| Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) |
TA Instruments Q100 |
Determines the heat flow into or out of a sample as it is
exposed to a controlled thermal profile. Provides both qualitative
and quantitative information about material transitions, such
as glass transition, crystallization, curing, melting, and decomposition.
Modulated DSC is an added feature on this instrument that enables
the separate measurement of reversing and non-reversing heat-flow
signals by overlaying a sinusoidal temperature oscillation on
a traditional linear ramp. |
| Four-Point Probe Electrical Conductivity Analyzer |
Lucas Labs Pro4 |
Measures sheet and bulk resistivity of semiconductors, as
well as other thin films and wafer materials, with an accuracy
of ±1% (ASTM F84). A PC running Pro4 software controls
a Keithley 2400 SourceMeter®, which steps through a number
of current settings to find the ideal current for each sample.
|
| Interferometer |
AK100 |
Quantitatively characterizes the figure of an optical surface. |
| Ultrapycnometer |
Quantachrome Instruments’ Ultrapycnometer™ 1000 |
Determines the density of solid objects and powders by employing
Archimedes' principle of fluid displacement and Boyle's law
to measure the volume of the sample material. The displaced
fluid is an inert gas, enabling characterization of porous materials.
Accepts samples up to 135 cm3
volume. |
| Universal Testing Machine |
Quasar 50 Dual Column Tensile/ Compression Tester |
Performs mechanical strength testing with 50 kN capacity.
The apparatus meets or exceeds UNI-EN-ISO 7500/1 and ASTM E4
standards and is equipped with specimen-mounting provisions
for tensile, compression, three-point bend, and four-point bend
tests. The apparatus is optionally equipped with an environmental
chamber. |
| Potentiostat/ Galvanostat/ Zero Resistance Ammeter |
Reference 600™ |
Supports analyzes including physical electrochemistry, corrosion
measurement, and development of batteries, paints, coatings,
nanotechnology, and sensors. It has a rise time of less than
250 nanoseconds, enabling measurement of impedances as high
as 1012
Ohms at 1 MHz with less than 2% error. |
| Rheometer |
TA Instruments AR 2000 |
Characterizes rheological properties of a wide variety of
materials, ranging from oils and coatings to polymers and adhesives. |
| Spectrometer |
Ocean Optics SD2000 |
Used in conjunction with a fiber-coupled optics system enabling
a variety of optical characterizations, including transmittance,
reflectance, and optical density. |
| Interferometric Surface Mapping Microscope |
MicroXAM (ADE Phase Shift) |
Provides quantitative characterization of surface topography
with sub-nanometer resolution. |
| Thermal Properties Analyzer |
Anter Quickline-30 |
Measures thermophysical properties according to ASTM D5930. |
| Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) |
TA Instruments Q500 |
Measures mass loss of a material as a function of temperature.
This characterization is useful for studying evaporation, oxidation,
and thermal stability. |
| UV/Vis Spectrometer |
Agilent 8453 |
Measures light absorption in the ultraviolet and visible
wavelength ranges. Used in the optical characterization of materials
within those wavelengths and offers a spectral range of 190
– 1100 nm with a greater than 2 nm resolution and <
±0.2 nm wavelength accuracy. |
| Glove Box |
Labconco Protector Controlled Atmosphere |
Provides a sealed enclosure containing an inert internal
atmosphere in which materials are handled through gloves sealed
to ports in the enclosure walls. Allows for moisture and oxygen-
sensitive inorganic, organic, organo-metallic, and biochemical
experimentation to be conducted under tightly controlled environmental
conditions. |
| Autoclave |
Mini-Bonder I |
Designed to apply vacuum (or pressure) and heat in a controlled
environment with a T-bolt door. Control of these parameters
during the cure of a composite provides void content reduction
and the ability to tailor properties of the final composite.
This unit is capable of 552 psig and 537 °C and can accommodate
a 33 cm × 33 cm × 91 cm part. |
| Twin Screw Extruder with Pelletizer |
Thermo Electron Corporation model Prism TSE 16 TC |
Used to formulate and compound thermoplastic materials and
develop custom, scalable material processing methods. Equipped
with a modular 25:1 L/D barrel capable of custom configurations
and production rates from 1 to 5 kg/hr. Includes touch screen
controls and real-time data collection of process parameters
including temperature, pressure, and torque. Enables scale-up
of processes to larger production volumes. Bench-mounted sheet
system accessory allows flat panel or prepreg production, fed
directly from the extruder. |
| Filament Winder |
McClean Anderson WSH Super Hornet |
Used for composite part development and prototyping. It uses
4-axis computer-controlled motion to create complex composite
structures of nearly any configuration. |
| Computer-aided Design |
CATIA® V5 |
Creates detailed, high-quality (Class A) surface parts for
high-end design applications and ensures accurate communication
between computer-aided design (CAD) programs. |
| Heat Press |
Mobile Chemical |
Provides the means for controlled heating and force application.
The press is capable of reaching temperatures in excess of 200
°C and forces up to 25 tons. |
| Six-Position Motor-Drive Filter Wheel |
Thorlabs Model FW102 |
Supports automated optical applications including color CCD
photography, fluorescence microscopy, and photometry. |
| Finite Element Analysis |
ALGOR® (FEMPRO included)
|
Models and analyzes composites, structures, and mechanical
assemblies and to optimize their design. Enables a broad array
of analyses including linear and nonlinear stress, multiple-body
contact, and interactions. |
| Humidity Chamber |
Blue M model
#FR-251B-MP |
Programs to achieve relative humidity values from 10 to 95%
and temperatures from 0 °F to 200 °F. Chamber interior
dimensions are 25"×20"×20", nearly
5.8 cubic feet. |
| Composite Fabrication Processes |
n/a |
Addresses the entire spectrum of composite development, from
laboratory-scale feasibility to fabrication of full-scale structures.
Includes custom hand lay-up, open and closed molds, vacuum-assisted
resin transfer molding (VARTM), and vacuum infusion processing
(VIP) as well as entirely new techniques. |
| Impregnator |
Pro-Set Model 892-60 |
Designed for custom and small-lot production of composites.
Adjustable dams in the resin bath and on the nip rollers allow
for a range of fabric widths and weights. |
| Injection Molder |
Di-Acro |
Assists in characterizing a material’s ability to be
extruded and molded. |
| Enhanced Walk-In Oven |
Wisconsin Oven Corporation EWN |
Has a chamber volume of 11.9 m3
(2.1 m wide × 3.0 m deep × 1.8 m tall) and a maximum
temperature of 260 ºC. Its high-volume, low-velocity air
flow provides uniform temperature distribution. |
| High-Sensitivity Digital Camera |
DVC-710 |
Uses a Sony 1/2" interlaced interline CCD sensor to
produce a 768 x 484 array of 10-bit data. Has a particularly
high quantum efficiency (QE) in the visible and near infrared
spectrum |
| Planetary Mixer |
Premier Mill Corp. |
Has two vertical mixing blades which enhance the mixture’s
homogeneity. The planetary mixer allows for large batches to
be mixed, up to 11 liters. |
| Continuous Processor |
Readco |
Two-inch continuous processor is a twin shaft, co-rotating
mixer designed to mix one or more dry materials with one or
more liquid materials on a continuous basis, producing a homogeneous
product at the discharge end of the unit. |
| Rotational Molding |
n/a |
Manufactures cylindrical composite structures. Rotomolding
improves on conventional processes by applying a different approach
to mold design, dynamic loading, and heat transfer to accommodate
a wider variety of component configurations, materials, and
cure processes. |
| Sputter Coater |
SEM Coating Unit E5100 |
Applies a metallic coating to non-conducting specimens, typically
for standard scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging. Can
apply fine-grain sputter coatings of 2 nm to 7 nm. |
| Thermal Cycle Chamber |
Cincinnati Sub-Zero Products |
Provides the means for controlled thermal cycling in a temperature
range from –40 °C to +250 °C. |
| Rapid 3-D Prototyper |
ZPrinter® 310 Plus |
Creates physical models from digital data using a three-dimensional
printing process. Deposits of binder are printed on layers of
powder that vary from 0.003 in. to 0.007 in. Each printed layer
represents one cross-section of the digital part. |
| Kiln |
SYBRON/Thermolyne 2000 Furnace |
Measures 4"×4"×9" with a temperature
range of ambient to 1200 °C. |
| Custom Ovens |
n/a |
Various ovens with capacity from 1' to over 20' in length.
All ovens are equipped with programmable profiles and have data
logging. CRG has the capability to build custom ovens to meet
customers’ specific requirements. |
