James Heal, the UK based testing instrument company, has launched a new model of its TruBurst instrument for testing bursting strength.

The new instrument has unprecedented functionality, enabling an extensive variety of tests to be performed on a wide range of materials, according to the manufacturer. It is enhanced by the company’s TestWise intuitive software, which is available in two versions, TestWise Lite, which allows test results to be saved to a PC and printed, and the advanced TestWise Pro, which enables access to more advanced features such as cyclic, rapid fatigue, extension and recovery.

It is also said to allow the creation of user-defined tests, giving the user full control of the test parameters and opening up opportunities for research and development engineers and to laboratories who wish to offer a wider variety of tests.

Applications

TruBurst is approved by UK retailer Marks and Spencer for applications within the textile sector, to test knitted products such as T-Shirts, casual wear and sportswear. The instrument is also used to test nonwoven materials including the strength of wet wipes and cleaning cloths.

The product also has many applications in a diverse array of other industries, for example, the medical industry, for which TruBurst has been used to test the strength of knee and elbow supports, wound dressings, sutures, hernia patches, blister packs plus surgical gowns and masks.

TruBurst has also been used to test mosquito nets, by organisations such as the World Health Organisation.

Intuitive software

TestWise Pro gives the user full control over the test parameters enabling user defined tests to be built. Complex exercise, recovery and fatigue tests can be easily and intuitively created.

Configurable parameters within the software can control the inflation to a certain pressure, to determine the rate at which the inflation occurs and the specific height to which the material is inflated. Burst detection is always active and will finish any test immediately once the material bursts. Holding at each cycle is also configurable within the software.

Live instrument data is a very useful function of the TestWise Pro software. This can show live graphing of Burst, Cyclic and Stretch & Recovery testing with distension, pressure and time recorded in real time. The material’s properties can be quickly visualised and the captured data can be saved for subsequent examination and analysis.

Colour touch screen

One of these benefits is the 7 inch colour capacitive touch screen, as used on a Smartphone. It is fast and very responsive with a clear and uncluttered display, which maximises user efficiency and minimises training time, as it is extremely intuitive for first time users.

Using this touch screen, standards can easily be selected via the relevant icon and additionally the software has been designed to minimise the number of key strokes required to set-up and activate the test with many of the parameters are only one keystroke away. This contributes significantly to greater user and instrument efficiency.

Automatic flow control calibration

TruBurst provides the unique feature of automatic flow control for M&S P27 and adidas 4.09, offering time-savings for the operator and creating opportunities for a greater number of tests to be performed.

The time-consuming process involving pressure adjustments has been eliminated. According to the company, this feature also increases accuracy, consistency and reliability of the results. 

Lifting safety guard

The safety guard on the TruBurst is now an integral part of the instrument, sliding up to provide easy access which enables valuable laboratory bench space to be better utilized.

The extensive features of the new James Heal TruBurst, together with the advanced functionality and flexibility of the company's intuitive TestWise Pro software, will offer many industries an instrument with significant benefits in terms of time-savings and instrument efficiencies and accuracy, consistency and reliability of test results, the company believes.

www.james-heal.co.uk