Razor Blade Tester

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Controlled cutting into wet chromatography paper is a well established technique for testing the sharpness of razor blades. Laboratory testing machines are excellent for this purpose but are rather time consuming to set up and are not suitable for shop floor use. Dedicated test stands have been developed but have proved unsatisfactory for the following reasons:

Cutting speed could not be set accurately enough and this caused discrepancies between test stands.

Single speed for approach, cutting and return (typically 1mm/minute for ground-only blades) resulted in test taking too long.

Limit switches used to set datum did not have the required accuracy or repeatability.

Test stands could not easily be networked for data collection.

The Razor Blade Chop Tester overcomes all these problems in a extremely compact unit. It is designed for shop floor use as well as for laboratory testing. The in-built RS485 network allows the networking of up to 16 chop testers to a central personal computer.

Micro stepping drive with ground ball screw and ball slide for extremely accurate and consistent test speed.
Four selectable, preset cutting speeds.
Minimum cycle time by employing fast approach and fast return of blade.
Datum positions stored electronically.
Universal blade holder set well clear of paper for ease of blade loading.
Can be used stand alone or networked.
When networked, a central computer can monitor data from up to sixteen chop testers.
Each tester can serve four grinding machines (one computer can monitor up to sixty four grinders)
Standard, well proven Mecmesin advanced force gauge used for measuring cutting forces.

The PC is supplied with the software required to control the network (1-16) of chop testers. This software package will communicate with each Chop Tester which is on-line, and download any available measurements stored.

The speed of each part of the test (approach, cutting and return) can be altered from the PC for each Chop Tester.

The data is stored in a database in a standard format, easily read by most Microsoft software. Also, the data is numerically or graphically displayed and updated in real time allowing a supervisor to see if the product of any grinder is going out of specification (the specification of acceptable readings are individually set for each grinder).

Graphical display of the measurements from Grinder 1

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The measurements for Grinders 1 - 12

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Specifications:

Power Supply	220/25OV ac 50160 Hz.
Load Capacity	0-5 Kg
Travel	20 mm (Programmable)
Test Speed	1,2,5, 1 0 mm/minute (programmable)
Network	RS485
Size	W 320 mm D 390 mm H 500 mm
Weight	16 Kg