Logitech Ltd IU30 Impregnation Unit Operation and Maintenance ...

3.2.2. Evacuating the Resin
a) When the sample has been out gassed for a sufficient period of
time, mix the resin.
Mix ratios of the Logitech Epoxy 301 (Ocon‐185)
Mixing by volume: 3 parts of Resin (part A) to 1 part of Hardener (part B)
Mixing by weight: 4 parts of Resin (part A) to 1 part of Hardener (part B)
Mix ratio of Logitech Keystone oil Blue dye (Ocon‐241)
1 gram of Keystone oil blue dye – 100ml of the mixed Epoxy 301
b) Close the resin chamber valve (10).
c) Open the resin chamber vent (11) and lift off the resin feed
clamp (18).
d) Place the funnel in the resin chamber hole and pour the resin
into the beaker below.
e) Replace the resin feed clamp (18) and switch off the resin
chamber vent (11).
f) Open the resin chamber valve (10) very slowly, watching the
resin level closely.
g) At this point the vacuum throughout the system will drop and
then slowly rise as the resin is evacuated.
The resin will begin to froth and must be controlled to ensure that it does not rise
sufficiently to spill from the beaker and enter the vacuum system. This would cause serious
damage to the vacuum pump system. If spillage outside the resin beaker occurs, it is
essential to abort the run and clean up the spillage immediately.
Control the resin level by manipulating the resin chamber valve (10) (opening and closing the
valve as required). The resin quickly settles, giving out larger intermittent bubbles, and at
this point the resin chamber valve (10) can be fully opened.
During this sequence, it is necessary to open the gas ballast control (7) to purge the vacuum
pump. This is achieved by turning the control (7) 45 degrees in an anti‐clockwise direction
(where severe purging is required, the control (7) may be turned 90 degrees in an anti‐
clockwise direction).
NOTE ‐ Resins with highly volatile components may not be suitable for use with this
equipment.
The vacuum will gradually rise as the resin out‐gassing becomes noticeably less and less. The
final vacuum will normally be approximately 2 x 10 ‐1 Mbar, depending upon the resin used.
An average time for the resin out‐gassing process is approximately 15 minutes.
3.2.3. Adding the Resin to the Sample
a) Close the resin chamber valve (10).
b) Open the resin chamber vent (11).
c) Slowly loosen the resin feed clamp (18), until the resin starts to
pull through to the sample chamber (1).
Logitech Ltd, IU30 Impregnation Unit – Manual BE‐03‐02‐2 –version v0211 ‐ Page 15