A Symyx® automated pull-off adhesion system is used to determine the adhesive strength of coatings to the substrate and adhesive strength of an epoxy to a coating surface (“pseudo-barnacle” adhesion).
Agilent Technologies’ 5500 Atomic Force Microscope is a high-resolution imaging and measurement tool capable of imaging a sample’s 3-dimensional topography with atomic resolution. Advanced imaging modes including Lateral Force Microscopy (LFM), Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM), and Phase Imaging allow for the study of various material properties. Both atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy can be performed using this instrument. “A number of advantages over other technologies make AFM a favorite with researchers.
An automated dry film thickness measurement station has been developed by NDSU to measure the thickness of coatings deposited onto our array panels. The system is outfitted with a Fischerscope MMSTM system with measurement probes for both aluminum and steel substrates. The thickness data is automatically up loaded to a central database and is accessible through a web portal. This system is valuable in the long-term study of self-polishing ablative coatings since the same measurement points can be consistently read from day to day and month to month.
Automated Balance
A Bohdan Automated Balance is used to automatically weigh arrays of vials. It can be used to verify dispense accuracy of automated dispensing systems as well as weigh vials before and after solvent evaporation to determine polymerization conversion and other tasks.
Typically, “ball bonding” applications are associated with thermocompression (T/C) and thermosonic (T/S) joining methods. T/C utilizes pressure and temperature from about 150 degrees C (for most common applications) to create an intermetallic bond. T/S, on the other hand, adds ultrasonic energy from the previous process. With both methods, however, a “free air ball” is being created by a spark from an “electronic flame off” or EFO underneath the capillary before bonding takes place.
A Bohdan Automated Balance is used to automatically weigh arrays of vials. It can be used to verify dispense accuracy of automated dispensing systems as well as weigh vials before and after solvent evaporation to determine polymerization conversion and other tasks.
