WCA September 2008

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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2008 46
Guide to temperature
measurement
Cropico has published an illustrated guide on temperature
measurement, explaining some of the common causes of
error and how to avoid them.
The A5, full-colour ‘Guide to Temperature Measurement’
explains what temperature is and the definition of heat.
There’s a practical and easy-to-follow explanation of
the three common temperature scales: Fahrenheit,
Celsius and Kelvin. Section titles include ‘The International
Practical Temperature Scale,’ ‘Temperature Measurement,’
‘Thermocouples’ (including explanations of the various
types of thermocouples and choosing a thermocouple)
and ‘Thermistors’.
The guide features a series of resistance and thermocouple
tables for user ease of reference, while a convenient
glossary of terms provides an explanation of terms relating
to temperature measurement; these include ANSI
(American National Standards Institute), IPRT (Industrial
Platinum Resistance Thermometer) and SPRT (Standard
Platinum Resistance Thermometer).
Copies of the guide are available from Cropico customer
services or via the Cropico website.
Cropico – UK Fax: +44 191 586 0227
Email : Website :
Precision springs are used in electro-mechanical
assemblies for the automotive, defence and aerospace
industries, as well as in sports and leisure activities.
Depending on the application, random samples are tested
after manufacture or in some cases 100% testing is
necessary.
At wire 2008 Zwick exhibited a compression-spring tester
for highly accurate measurement of precision springs from
1 to 2,500 N. It has extremely good overall measurement
technology characteristics, surpassing even the
requirements of Standard EN 7500.
The compression-spring tester is used with the zwicki
single-column materials-testing machine in conjunction
with testControl electronics. The device possesses
extreme vertical and lateral stiffness and comes already
equipped with a precision load-cell. Overload protection
prevents damage to the load cell in the event of block
force being reached.
Precision guides allow only vertical movement of the
compression platens. The extremely stiff and patented
load cell is insensitive to transverse forces and ensures
that measuring errors due to elasticity under load or
eccentric forces are reduced to a minimum.
The instrument is designed for indirect spring length
measurement, and this offers a very high level of accuracy
as the already minimal axial deformation can be
electronically compensated in real time.
Direct measurement is an option and is recommended for
high-precision testing of very small springs.
Zwick GmbH & Co KG – Germany
Fax: +49 07305 10200
Email: Website:
Zwick spring-testing machine m m
Latest tester can be
spring loaded