Anderen Ltd.

THE ANDEREN LTD

TORSION VISCOMETER Manufactured in UK

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

AND

SPARES LIST.

Anderen Ltd. 85 Blurton Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST3 2BS U.K.

UK: Tel: +44 (0) 1782 326027 - Fax: +44 (0) 1782 326027 E-mail: info@anderenltd.com

Web-site: www.anderenltd.com

1) Check list

2) Screw wire guard tube into main body then tighten lock nut

3)Loosen terminal screws then Insert wire into terminal as far as it will go

4) Tighten top screw to secure wire

5)Thread wire down guard tube

6) Secure wire to flywheel. Tighten screw.(It helps to support the flywheel with some card)

7)Check that the flywheel is central. The outer edge of the flywheel and the inner edge of the scale should have an equal space all the way round. This illustration shows the flywheel off centre

8) Use the three adjustable feet to centre the flywheel.

9) This illustration shows the flywheel centred. The gap between the outer edge of the flywheel and the inner edge of the scale is even all round. This is very important.

10)Insert the bob and tighten the securing screw

11)Turn the terminal until the pointer on the flywheel is at zero

12) This picture shows the pointer at zero

13) Holding the top of the terminal still, tighten the lower screw to lock the terminal in place

14) Check the operation of the viscometer. Turn the flywheel clockwise through 360o Then allow it to rotate. Check that on the second rotation the pointer stops between 3580 and zero

15) Now turn the flywheel through 360oanticlockwise and check that the pointer stops between 0 and 20

The instrument is now set up and ready to use

If the pointer stops outside the readings shown check the following Is the pointer properly set to zero at rest (12) Is the flywheel centred (8) & (9) Is the terminal secured to the wire guard (13) Is there any dirt in the flywheel bearing Is the bob stem bent – if yes you will need a replacement Are there any kinks in the viscometer wire - – if yes you will need a replacement

Operation

16) Rotate the flywheel clockwise through 360o (1 turn) and secure with the flywheel locking bar

17) Introduce the sample by placing on the sample cup table. Then raise the cup into place and tighten the securing nut. Make sure that the body of the bob is completely covered and in the centre of the cup

18) Release the flywheel by pulling back the flywheel locking bar. Allow the flywheel to rotate and note the reading where the flywheel reaches on the second rotation.

Important The torsion viscometer is a simple easy to use piece of equipment and should give repeatable readings over a long period of time It is important to remember the following:- The instrument must be level – ideally it should be set on a firm flat surface and once set up should not be moved. If it is moved then you will need to check the level The wire should have no kinks – these are caused by mishandling the wire and are not covered by a warranty. If the wire is kinked it needs to be replaced The stem on the bob should be straight, If it is bent this is caused by mishandling the bob and is not covered by a warranty. If the stem on the bob is bent it needs to be replaced The instrument must be kept clean. Material that has been deposited on the flywheel will create a problem. Also there should be no material on the PTFE bearing. The bob should be carefully washed and dried after every test The instrument requires NO LUBRICATION. This is detrimental to the correct operation Hints on use To get consistent results it is important that the sample is prepared in exactly the same way each time. This means that the way the sample is stirred must be the same using the same speed and the same length of time. This is best done using an electric stirrer, particularly if there is more than one operative doing tests When taking the test do not lean on the bench as this may cause the viscometer to become unlevel

Use of the Torsion Viscometer The Torsion Viscometer has been used all over the world to check ceramics slips and glazes for over 50 years. It is a reliable instrument requiring low levels of operator skill.

。 The readings are given as degrees overswing and this is basically a reading of FLUIDITY. The operator needs to establish what readings produce a workable material. Typically this will be within a 10-20o spread. If the reading gives a higher reading then the material is “to thin” and below this reading “too thick”. The instrument can also be used to test THIXOTROPY, by taking a fluidity reading then allowing the material to stand and repeating the reading. Subtract the second reading from the initial reading and this gives an answer for Thixotropy. This should be quoted as the difference in degrees overswing at (time) For example if the first reading is 260o and the second reading is taken after 2 minutes giving a result of 250o the result is recorded as Thixotropy at 2 minutes is 10o (the numbers quoted are just to show a simple calculation) An understanding of the processes of ceramic slip and glaze manufacture are outside the scope of this document. We are able to offer consultancy to any company who needs help with the manufacture and use of these materials. However we have listed below a chart that we hope will help

Fault Description Cause Cure Poor filling

Too long to fill moulds

Fluidity too low

Increase water addition or increase deflocculant

Flabby casts

Soft casts – difficult to handle

Thixotropy too high

Increase deflocculant

Brittle casts

Hard Casts – difficult to fettle

Thixotropy too low

Decrease deflocculant addition

Poor draining

Slip not draining from narrow sections

Fluidity too low/Thixotropy too high

Increase water addition or increase deflocculant addition

Wreathing

Small uneven fringes on slip side of cast

Thixotropy too low

Decrease deflocculant addition or decrease water addition

Pinholes

Small holes just below surface on mould side of cast piece

Fluidity too low

Increase water addition or increase deflocculant

Cracking

Small cracks e.g. where a handle joins a piece

Thixotropy too low

Decrease deflocculant addition or decrease water addition

Cast spot & casting flash

Discoloured patch occurring on the mould side of an article

Fluidity too high/Thixotropy too low

Decrease water addition n or decrease deflocculant addition

Remember a torsion viscometer will help to identify slip or glaze problems at an early stage enabling you to make changes to the slip or glaze before it is used.

We also recommend the use of a pyknometer to measure slip density

Packing list items marked in black are for the standard viscometer. Items marked in blue are optional accessories and not included with standard viscometer

Item Number Description Code

1 Wire guard support

2 360° graduated scale VSC001

3 Stop pin assembly VSA001

4 Scale Support

5 Sample cup support locking nut

6 Sample cup support

7 Wire guard tube nut

8 Retaining Collar

9 Viscometer bob 1/4”

VCY025

Viscometer bob 1/2”

VCY005

Viscometer bob 11/16”

VCY116

Viscometer bob 1”

VCY001

Viscometer bob 1 1/8”

VCY118

Viscometer bob 1 5/8”

VCY158

10 Adjustable foot VFT001

11 Terminal VTE001

12 Thumb screw VTS001

13 Viscometer sample cup VFC001

14 Flywheel VFW001

15 Flywheel boss VFB001

16 Flywheel Boss Screw VKB001

17 Wire Guard Tube VGT001

18 Viscometer wire 30swg swg30 VWI030

Viscometer wire 36swg swg36 VWI036

Sample cup stirrer VST001

Wire Guard support (1) Scale (2) Stop Assembly (3) Scale Support (4) Sample cup support locking nut (5) Sample cup support (6) Locking Nut (7) Wire Guard Tube Retaining Colar (8) 11/16” Viscometer Bob (9) Adjusttable foot (10) Terminal (11) Terminal Screw (12) Sample Cup (13) Flywheel (14) Flywheel Boss (15) Flywheel Boss Screw (16) Wire Guard Tube (17) 30 SWG Viscometer wire (18)