MOOHA - Digital Lab Assistant

MOOHA is an A.I. enabled digital lab assistant that can assist you with automatically logging data, maintaining an audit trail, performing statistical analysis and accessing data and instrument health and status instantly via a secure encrypted interface.

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Ducom Test Lab

The Ducom Test Lab can be an extension of your quality or R&D department. Our experienced and knowledgeable application scientists and lab technicians can help you with finding the right test methods, designing test programs and delivering results. 

Contract Test Lab

UNITEST Decal

Scratch Testing Configuration

The modular UNITEST platform can be configured to a powerful scratch testing device for precise evaluation of surfaces for damage, delamination and traction force.

Measure traction force, acoustic emission, control temperature, humidity and take high resolution 2D or 3D images of scratches.

Fully compliant with ASTM and ISO test standards.
 

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UNITEST - Scratch Testing Configuration

Turnkey Scratch Testing

Tribological characterization of coatings with automated inline microscope.

The Scratch Testing Configuration

Damage and failure mechanisms of thin films and coatings under high contact stress can be unambiguously identified using the UNITEST - Scratch Configuration.

Its programmable, closed loop loading system can apply fixed, ramped, stepped or custom loading profiles. Interchangeable load heads give you the flexibility to start with one range, but to evolve as your needs grow. A variety of sensors like acoustic emission, humidity and temperatures are also available to add further insight to your evaluation.

Surface observation add-ons for 2D and 3D surface maps are also available. The data acquisition system can display the image and the test data in a single view for easy evaluation. 

Technical Specifications

 

Platform

  • The platform can withstand loads of up to 2,000 N
  • Loading rate: 0.01 to 20 N/s
  • X-Y stage travel: 75 mm
  • Stroke: Up to 50 mm
  • Speed: 10 µm/s to 5 mm/s
  • Sample size (max): 60 x 60 x 10 mm (LxWxT)
  • Optical imaging: 4X, 10X, 20X, 100X objectives and total magnification up to 1000X
  • Acoustic emission: 150 kHz or higher
  • High Temperature: Up to 400 °C (system is capable of higher temperatures. Suitability depends on the material of stylus)
  • Environment: Lubricant, humidity

Test Standards

The UniTest Scratch is fully compliant with global standards for scratch testing. With test protocols embedded in the software, you can run tests in accordance with ASTM and ISO at the click of a button. This means less user training requirements, fewer errors, and lower costs of operations.
  • ASTM C1624: Standard test method for adhesion strength and mechanical failure modes of ceramic coatings by quantitative single point scratch testing.
  • ASTM D7027: Standard test method for evaluation of scratch resistance of polymeric coatings and plastics using an instrumented scratch machine.
  • ISO 20502:2005: Fine ceramics (advanced ceramics, advanced technical ceramics) — Determination of adhesion of ceramic coatings by scratch testing.
  • ISO 27307:2015: Thermal spraying — Evaluation of adhesion/cohesion of thermal sprayed ceramic coatings by transverse scratch testing.
Reference Materials
  • BCR 692 PACVD diamond like carbon coating with Ra of 0.01 micron
  • Verified cohesive and adhesive failure loads
  • Source - Institute of Reference Materials and Measurements, IRMM, Belgium

Tips

  • Rockwell C diamond stylus, 120 degree and 200 micron radius
  • Verified using non contact profilometry

Applications

  • Determination of critical load for hard and brittle coatings like titanium nitrides, boron nitrides, diamond
    like carbon, etc.
  • Single particle scratch resistance behaviour of antireflective coatings and its comparison with erosion.
  • Estimation of bond strength at substrate – coating interface.
  • Product development and quality control of surface engineered product.
  • Scratch resistant behaviour of dental materials in physiological and corrosive environment. Check out our latest article on In situ scratch analysis of BCR 692 using Unitest

Product Features

Automated Loading System

Servo-controlled loading using tandem drive and embedded encoders ensures high level of precision despite the surface waviness. Different tips (Rockwell C, Vickers) can be easily mounted on the movable cross head. Programmable scratch profiles (progressive, constant and step) as well as single point indentation offer flexibility in experimental design.

Load GIF
Picture1

Load, Traction, Acoustic and Depth Sensors

Interchangeable force sensors mounted on the moving cross head measure the normal and traction force simultaneously. A change in friction force may represent delamination in the coating. The wideband acoustic emission sensor with high sensitivity mounted on the stylus assembly picks up early damage events such as initiation of subsurface cracks. An inline depth sensor measures the penetration depth of the stylus into the material. Automation enables both pre and post test scan and software algorithms report the final true residual depth.

Multi-Axis Stage (X-Y)

A motorized platform with a bidirectional X-Y stage with long travel offers capability to control the length of scratch as well conduct multiple scratches with offsets. Precise step servo motors with embedded encoders allow for accurate repositioning of the sample between the mechanical head and optical head without backlash. This offers users the advantage to locate specific regions on their sample for conducting tests and imaging the same region post scratch/indentation.

GIF UniTest Scratch_Multi Axis
UniTest Scratch _ Microscope 1

Inline Optical Microscope

An optical microscope with multi-objective turret and high definition camera captures images of the scratch/scar on the sample. Automated stitching at different magnifications with overlap corrections ensures a high resolution image of the entire scratch without loss of features. The auto-stitched images are conveniently superimposed and mapped to the traction force and acoustic emission data for establishing accurate damage correlations from multiple sensors.

Compatible With Mooha - Icon - White
Industry 4.0 Ready
A.I Power Lab Assistant

"Ducom UniTest with Inline Imaging is a sophisticated instrument capable of characterization of surface response and damage of materials. In-situ imaging with scratch and indentation modes offers flexibility to probe specific regions of our material in a repeatable manner. Moreover the high resolution stitched images superimposed on the data from other sensors such as traction and acoustic emission provide insights into understanding of damage mechanisms. Such a facility will help us develop better coatings for a variety of applications."

Dr .Udaya Bhat
Professor in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and Chairman, Central Research Facility, NITK Surathkal, India

MOOHA - THE DIGITAL ASSISTANT FOR YOUR LAB

MOOHA is an A.I. enabled digital assistant that can be used together with, or in place of your Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). It has powerful device management, reporting, statistics and support functionalities.

Questions? 
Our experienced and knowledgeable staff can help you.
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