Category: Product

Most of us tear into our food without thinking about the packaging that comes with it. However, there are numerous tests that each manufacturer uses to make sure your food arrives perfectly prepared. Everything from a potato chip bag to a soda cap that twists off with the right amount of pressure goes through different testing protocols.

Here are a few of the common food package tests used throughout the industry:

• Bottle cap torque and pressure testing: These tests help you figure out how much pressure is necessary to twist the cap off a bottle, so people don’t have to apply too much or too little effort and end up getting hurt or making a mess. You can use a torsion drive with a linear axis to test tightening and loosening torques.
• Top load testing: Stacked cartons and other products that are on top of each other can lead to an unsafe environment. A top load force test will help you keep your products and your store safe.
• Burst testing for food packaging: A burst test adds internal pressure to a package until the seal “bursts” open. This can help you determine the strength and durability of your food, beverages and packaging, such as potato chip bags and more.
• Crush testing for food products: A crush or compression test helps you figure out the ripeness, durability and readiness for consumption of any food, beverage and more. It’s one of the most common tests for food. You perform it by placing a sample of the food on a flat surface while lowering a compression plate onto the sample.
• Packaging testing: There are several packaging tests that you can perform before a food or beverage is ready for consumption. Function tests on the entire package often include tearing off opening tabs, opening and closing lids, tearing off carrying handles and more to ensure the package is durable.
• Physical hazard testing: Both children and adults can encounter risk factors even with food and beverages. Physical hazard testing helps you identify any problems with a product by accurately simulating the human body.

Products for Food and Beverage Testing

You need testing instruments that will hold up to repeated food and beverage tests. Cooper Instruments & Systems has everything you need — including load cells from 0-10 grams to 0-3 million pounds, plus test stands, scales, force gauges and more. We also distribute Mark-10 products for all different types of force and torque measurement applications. We’ve been involved in the food and beverage industry for years, and we understand what you need to succeed.

In addition to our own products and the other manufacturers we work with, we’re serious about getting you the products you require. If you don’t see what you want, give us a call and we can try to find it. We also modify existing products so they fit your specifications. View our catalog of products online and then call us or fill out our contact form for our help or more information about modifying products for your needs.

We all want to know that the cars we’re driving are safe and have gone through a rigorous testing process. All cars go through various tests before being sold to the general public, from crash to cold weather tests. Rest assured that every component of a car, from the seat belt to the muffler, meets every testing standard.

Here are a few of the ways that automakers test cars:

• Crash tests: If you search online for your car’s make and model, you’ll most likely find a video of its crash test. These tests use dummies or even cadavers to see how a crash will impact drivers and passengers. This makes sure all the car’s crumple zones work as expected.
• Electric car tests: Electric cars are a relatively new addition to the car market. While they save on gas, some are nervous about the lack of noise that accompanies these cars. As a result, car manufacturers are testing adding artificial sounds to electric vehicles so pedestrians and other drivers can hear them coming.
• Durability tests: When you purchase a car, it’s fair to want to know how long it will last before you need to buy a new one. Long-term durability tests could mean driving a car 24 hours a day, every day, on a test track for over a month. It might also feature opening and closing a door thousands of times a day.
• Dynamometer tests: These tests look at the performance and durability of a vehicle. They can be applied to a transmission, transaxles, rear axles, half shafts and more. It’s a great way for automakers to test engines before a car lands in the hands of a consumer.
• Cold weather tests: You want to know that your vehicle will operate just as efficiently in cold weather as it does on a spring day. For these tests, engineers drive cars through slush pits, freeze the cars solid, and more in climates no one wants to experience. It’s all to make sure your vehicle holds up in frigid weather, starts when you need it to and warms up relatively quickly.

Cars Tested for Durability

When you’re testing cars for durability and performance, you need tools that are also durable and high-quality. Cooper Instruments & Systems has various products that have helped major automakers test their vehicles and make them as safe as possible. We’ve worked with Ford, Honda, Toyota, GM and many of their leading suppliers and designers to help them improve their products and processes.

We have load cells, reaction torque transducers and more for your automotive testing needs. Use our reaction torque transducers to measure clutch/motor rotary forces. Or, you can purchase our model LPM 530 and LFS 270 miniature load cells when you need a rugged load cell. If you don’t find the product you’re looking for, call us and we can try to get what you need. If not, we can modify existing products to meet your specifications.

View our catalog of products online and call us or fill out our contact form for our help with modifying and customizing products for your needs.

Oil production process testing is just as necessary as testing a car or a plane. There are many dangers when extracting oil, so it’s important to have equipment that works efficiently and safely. While there are many different tests companies use to monitor the entire oil extraction process, here are a few of the most common:

• Cold weather tests: Oil sites are often located in the Arctic, where temperatures reach well below 0. Production is more difficult and expensive in these areas, since workers have to keep the equipment running 24/7 to keep it from freezing. Testing the equipment in cold weather conditions ensures that it works correctly at a job site.
• Offshore tests: Equipment off the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea has to withstand salty air and more. Manufacturers test different coatings and maintenance procedures that stop corrosion from happening in the first place. This helps operations that are self-sufficient and that receive supplies by helicopter or supply vessels.
• Tension, torque and pressure tests: It’s essential to monitor tension, torque and pressure while drilling. Some tools give you real-time data so you can understand what’s happening at the pull-head. You’ll know instantly if a wire-line failure occurred or you’re close to the maximum torque limit.
• Rig tests: Your rig is one of the most important parts of your whole operation. While there are many different tests you can perform to monitor your rigs, you should always test the rotary equipment. This holds the weight of the drill string that allows you to rotate your rig. Test this for accuracy frequently to make sure your equipment is in good working condition.

What Do Oil Companies Use to Test Their Equipment?

There are many different tools oil companies use to test their equipment. A few are pump-off control, wire line tension control, coil tubing applications, down-hole tension and pressure monitoring and calibration systems. Some companies use custom equipment and special application systems on their oil platforms based on what kind of environment they’re working in.

Cooper Instruments & Systems is here for all of your oil production process testing needs. We carry load cells and pressure transducers that our customers have used for years. We’ve also developed special application measurement systems that are designed for accuracy. One of our most popular products is our PTT 242 Pressure Transducer. This tool will help down-hole drilling companies monitor their progress.

No matter what you need, we can find what you’re looking for. We also modify existing products so they meet your specifications. Our custom products can even meet OEM standards. We’ll make sure your entire oil drilling operation is safe and effective thanks to our testing products, such as our load cells and pressure transducers.

View our catalog of products online and call us or fill out our contact form for additional information.

Before you ever step foot in an airplane, it goes through numerous tests. These vary from bird strike testing to fatigue testing on different parts to ensure that every aircraft is safe for travel. You never have to worry about the strength of an aircraft or the strength of the structure thanks to how jet engines are tested.

Here are a few of the various tests that planes go through before they’re in the air:

• Wing-flex testing: When airplane wings flex during turbulence, passengers get a smoother ride. Manufacturers test wing-flex or wing-load up to 150 percent of the normal maximum flex an aircraft will encounter during a flight.
• Bird strike testing: Birds are a surprising threat to airplanes that can cause significant damage at high speeds. It’s worse if they happen to get sucked into a jet engine. Manufacturers will use a “chicken gun” to test for bird strikes by shooting real or fake birds at airplanes at speeds of 400 mph.
• Acceleration testing: The different parts on an aircraft endure stress constantly. Imagine racing down the runway for takeoff only to have to abort the flight and suddenly stop. Acceleration tests apply alternate forces to the airplane’s frame or components to make sure they stand up to the stress.
• Altitude testing: An airframe could fail at high altitudes, causing everything that’s not strapped inside to blow out. Altitude testing ensures that an airframe can perform efficiently in all atmospheric conditions.
• Extreme weather testing: Not every flight occurs in sunny, perfect weather. Extreme weather tests make sure an aircraft can handle different levels of humidity, wind, rain, ice and more. For example, a hail strike simulator can check to see how your aircraft holds up in an extreme hail storm.
• Fatigue testing: These kinds of tests measure how much stress and the number of times it can be applied to certain parts before those parts fail. It measures the failure strength of an aircraft’s components through measured loads. This is important to ensure that your aircraft holds up no matter what happens during a flight.

Products for Testing Aircraft Structures

Cooper Instruments & Systems has everything you need to test the strength of your aircraft. We’ve been serving the aerospace industry for years, and we work with companies such as Boeing, Lockheed, Northrop, Bombardier, NASA, Alliant Tech Systems and Cessna.

We offer a variety of load cells for structural and fatigue testing for your entire aircraft or individual components. We also have single and dual bridge configurations for different data acquisition and control requirements. Plus, we carry aircraft cable tension meters for your structural tests.

At Cooper Instruments & Systems, we’re committed to finding what you’re looking for and creating custom solutions that meet your needs. We can modify our existing products to make sure you get the best aircraft testing assets.

View our catalog of products online and call us or fill out our contact form for our help modifying and customizing products for your needs.

What is Torque?

Torque gauges are an important tool for measuring torque in many automotive environments, but some people are not aware of what to look for when they’re in the market for this instrument. Luckily, Cooper Instruments & Systems is here to help guide you through this process.

Torque essentially measures the turning force on an object, e.g. how much turning power a car has. For instance, with a foot long wrench applying 500 pounds of pressure in a perpendicular fashion, this would be 500 pounds of torque. In a car, this is what causes acceleration. The higher the torque, the better the car can accelerate (torque is different from horsepower, which calculates the power needed to move a certain amount of weight during a certain period of time).

Torque is far easier to measure than horsepower. Horsepower is measured using dynamometers, but dynamometers get the horsepower calculation from measuring torque. Both torque and horsepower combine to give an idea of the overall power of the car. More torque and horsepower generally mean a better performing engine.

Finding a Torque Gauge

To measure torque appropriately, it’s vital to have the right tools. Advice on finding a torque gauge depends largely on a person’s level of experience in the automotive industry. An old hand could easily go it alone and get a decent torque gauge on the internet, where torque gauges can be found for a good price. Someone new to the process will definitely want the help of professionals.

At Cooper Instruments & Systems, we provide the assistance necessary to get a torque gauge that fits your needs and budget. There are different kinds of gauges, some of which may work better with different makes of cars and different vehicles, and we can help in selecting the right one. Click to view our selection of torque load cells or torque gauges. In addition to torque gauges, we also can assist with pressure gauges, calibration of systems, and more.

For more information about Cooper Instruments & Systems or how to select the right torque gauge for your application, please give us a call at 1-800-344-3921 or fill out our online form and someone will be in touch.

Pressure Transducers: Useful on the Farm

Typically used to convert liquids or gases to electrical signals, pressure transducers come in a variety of styles, for a number uses. Due to their unique functionality, pressure transducers are utilized in multiple industries and fields, including ammonia applicators for farms.

Ammonia Applicators

Recent reports indicate that Raven Industries Applied Technology division has released a new ammonia pumping system for farmers in the Louisville, KY area. This new system is purported to have quicker nitrogen releasing capabilities than previous systems. The products development team claims it can pump 50-80 gallons per minute. Notable improvements to the system include improved stainless steel piping and pressure transducers. The pressure transducers alert the operator if “an over-pressure situation is developing.”

For more information about how Cooper Instruments’ pressure transducers can improve the functionality of your products and business, contact the experienced team of professionals at Cooper Instruments & Systems at 1-800-344-3921 – we’re here to help!