Abstract: Disclosed is a material testing system that includes a fixture, a frame, a load sensor, a displacement sensor and a computer system coupled to the material testing system. The computer system includes one or more processors, one or more memory devices coupled to the one or more processors, one or more computer readable storage devices coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the one or more storage devices contain program code executable by the one or more processors via the one or more memory devices to implement a method for detecting a change in a material testing sequence. A computer program product that implements a method for detecting a change in a material test sequence, and methods for detecting a change in a material test sequence or fatigue test is further disclosed.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for fixture identification in test systems. A method for fixture identification in a test system may include capturing image data representative of a first fixture of the test system with an imaging device. The method may further include transmitting the image data representative of the first fixture from the imaging device to a processor running an image recognition application. The method may also include identifying the first fixture based on the image data with the processor running the image recognition application.

Abstract: Described is a calorimeter that includes a thermal column, a sample container, a reference container, a thermal shield, a diffusion-bonded block and a thermal plate. One or more heat flux sensors are disposed between the thermal column and the sample container and between the thermal column and the reference container. The thermal shield is in thermal communication with the thermal column and is separated from and substantially encloses the sample container, reference container and thermal column. The diffusion-bonded block includes a first metallic layer having a first thermal conductivity, a second metallic layer having a second thermal conductivity and a third metallic layer having a third thermal conductivity. The second thermal conductivity is different from the first and third thermal conductivities. The first metallic layer is in thermal communication with the base of the thermal column and the third metallic layer is in thermal communication with the thermal plate.

Abstract: A rheological system includes a sample chamber, a compressed air system configured to provide compressed air to pressurize the sample chamber, and a rotor configured for rheological measurement of a material with variable volume, the rotor including an elongated shaft extending to a measurement portion having a widened geometry relative to the elongated shaft. The rotor is dimensioned such that a compression ratio of at least 5 to 1 is achievable while maintaining material cover of the sample over the entirety of the measurement portion of the rotor, the compression ratio being defined by a decompressed volume of a sample when the sample chamber is not pressurized to a compressed volume of the sample when the sample chamber is pressurized. Methods of taking rheological measurements with such a rotor are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a material testing system that includes an output shaft configured to be moved by operation of a motor, the output shaft coupleable to a test specimen such that movement of the output shaft imparts a mechanical force on the test specimen. The material testing system includes a haptic feedback system configured to provide an operator of the material testing system haptic feedback related to a position or state of the output shaft relative to the test specimen during setup. Methods of testing using haptic feedback are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for applying mechanical stimulation to a biologic sample includes a first biologic sample chamber having a biologic sample holder therein, a support structure for holding the first biologic sample chamber, and a first actuator that can supply a mechanical load to a biologic sample held by the biologic sample holder. The actuator is configured to move into a first position proximate to the chamber in which the actuator can transmit the load to the biologic sample via a first transmission path that includes the biologic sample holder. A controller is configured to automatically move the first actuator into the first position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a platen to be used with a sample tray of an automatic sampler. According to an aspect, the platen includes both electrically conductive and reflective areas that can be used to calibrate the sample tray. According to another aspect, calibration of the sample tray can be performed in all three dimensions. According to another aspect, the platen is used to calibrate the sample tray, including its height and the location of its wells. The platen may include electrically-responsive (i.e., conductive) and optically-responsive (i.e., reflective) areas that can be sensed by electrical sensors and optical sensors in order to compute the coordinates of representative wells.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automatic sampler device. According to one aspect, the automatic sampler includes a cell having a sample platform and a reference platform; a sample tray; and a sample arm. The sample tray has wells into which sample pans and reference pans are inserted. The geometry of the automatic sampler device permits the sample platform, the reference platform, and the wells in the sample tray to be accessed by the sample arm along a common arc. According to another aspect, the automatic sampler device includes a sample tray with wells, a sample arm, and a gripper device. The gripper device has gripping fingers. The gripping fingers open or close in a manner that tends to center objects grasped by the gripper device. According to another aspect, the automatic sampler device includes a sample tray with wells, a sample arm, and a gripper device. The sample arm has an optical sensor and an electrical sensor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a technique for performing calibration of an automatic sampler device. According to an aspect, the automatic sampler device includes a cell with a sample platform and a reference platform; a sample arm; a sample tray, and a platen. The sample tray includes wells into which pans are inserted. The platen may include conductive and/or reflective areas for calibration. The sample arm has an electronic sensor and an optical sensor. The electrical sensor and the optical sensor are used to calibrate the positions of one or more of: the sample platform, the reference platform, and a well. According to another aspect, autocalibration is optimized by adjusting autocalibration results with a set of stored offset coefficients. The offset coefficients are generated by performing a manual calibration. The difference between the results of the manual calibration and an autocalibration are stored as offset coefficients.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a technique for performing calibration of an automatic sampler device. According to an aspect, the automatic sampler device includes a cell with a sample platform and a reference platform; a sample arm; a sample tray, and a platen. The sample tray includes wells into which pans are inserted. The platen may include conductive and/or reflective areas for calibration. The sample arm has an electronic sensor and an optical sensor. The electrical sensor and the optical sensor are used to calibrate the positions of one or more of: the sample platform, the reference platform, and a well. According to another aspect, autocalibration is optimized by adjusting autocalibration results with a set of stored offset coefficients. The offset coefficients are generated by performing a manual calibration. The difference between the results of the manual calibration and an autocalibration are stored as offset coefficients.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gripper device. According to one aspect, the gripper device includes fingers with grasping ends. The gripper device includes a mechanism to cause the grasping ends to open and close. When the mechanism is engaged, the grasping ends open and close to define a circumference. According to another aspect, the gripper device includes fingers, an upper flat member, and a lower flat member. The fingers have grasping ends. The fingers are inserted into the upper flat member and lower flat member. When the upper flat member is rotated relative to the lower flat member, the grasping ends of the fingers open and close. According to another aspect, a gripper assembly has a gripper device with fingers and a rotating member. The gripper assembly also has a motor and mechanism for rotating the rotating member. The gripper device opens or closes the grasping ends in response to the rotation of the rotating member.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sample tray to be used by an automatic sampler having a sample arm. According to an aspect, the sample tray includes wells that can be accessed by a sample arm along a common arc of rotation, without moving the sample arm in and out. According to another aspect, the sample tray has several concentric rows of wells for holding sample pans and reference pans. Each row of wells lies along an inner circumference of the sample tray. The rows are placed so that when the sample tray is rotated, every well can be located on a common arc of rotation relative to a sample arm. According to another aspect, a well in a sample tray is configured with a pan receiving area and finger receiving areas. Gripper fingers can be extended into the finger receiving areas to access pans of different sizes.

Abstract: A liquid nitrogen cooling assembly incorporating a liquid detector which feeds back to control the nitrogen supply is disclosed. A pressure-controlled nitrogen source (e.g., a dewar) feeds liquid nitrogen to a heat exchanger mounted to a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) cell. The DSC cell is cooled as liquid nitrogen in the heat exchanger contacting the cell is vaporized into nitrogen gas. The exhaust (nitrogen gas and, occasionally, nitrogen liquid) is fed to a liquid detection/evaporator assembly. If liquid nitrogen is detected in the exhaust by the liquid detection/evaporator assembly, an indication is fed back using a liquid detection feedback loop to a pressure control device. The pressure control device reduces the amount of pressure on the nitrogen source in order to eliminate liquid in the exhaust. When there is liquid in the exhaust, the liquid detection/evaporator assembly also collects and vaporizes the exhaust liquid so that it can be properly vented to atmosphere in gas form.

Abstract: A modulated differential scanning calorimeter (MDSC) and a method for practicing MDSC that uses two separate temperature difference signals—the difference between the temperatures of the sample and reference positions and the difference between the temperatures of the sample position and a base position. This approach accounts for heat flows associated with the sample and reference pans, and for the difference in sample and pan heating rates to provide more accurate heat flow measurement and improve resolution. It also greatly reduces or eliminates the frequency dependence of the heat capacity calibration factor, which allows for the use of shorter modulation periods. Shorter modulation periods allow the use of higher underlying heating rates, allowing users to decrease the duration of their MDSC experiments.

Abstract: A method for calculating sample heat flow in a differential scanning calorimeter. A preferred embodiment of the invention calculates the heat flow to the sample while accounting for the effect of heat storage in the sample pans and the difference in heating rate between sample and reference. Accounting for heat flow associated with the pans and the difference between sample and reference heating rates gives a more accurate sample heat flow measurement and improves resolution, which is the ability to separate closely spaced thermal events in the heat flow result.