Winter 2003 - Tinius Olsen

Sent to the Tower!In times past, being ‘sent to the Tower of London’ was not an encouragingprospect, but UK sales manager Steve Taylor enjoyed an altogether happierexperience when he delivered an H25KS test machineKnown world-wide for its Yeoman Warders(Beefeaters) and as the place where the CrownJewels are kept, the Tower of London attractsthousands of tourists every year. Yet its appeal isnow used to encourage learning amongst thehundreds of children who attend on visits withtheir schools. A teaching programme for historyis well established and this year the Tower hasalso begun a science programme.Science education officer Mandy Martin-Smithexplains: “One of the keys to science educationis to develop children’s interest in the subjectfrom an early age. We let them examine and tryon various items from the Royal Amouries andthen compare historic armour with modernbody protection.”Tinius Olsen/Hounsfield’s H25KS test machine,complete with QMAT Pro software, introducesthe children to materials science by testing therelative strengths of metal ‘armour’ againstmaterials such as Kevlar. “The children try onsixteenth century armour, but cutting it up forTesting ‘armour’at the Tower of Londonwith the H25KStesting is definitely not allowed!” says Mandy.Metal samples are used as a substitute butobtaining test samples of modern materials cansometimes be equally challenging, she adds.The programme is open to school groups fromthe UK and overseas and is proving popular withteachers and children alike. Running the schemerelies on companies like TiniusOlsen/Hounsfield for support. They have beenreally great,” says Mandy. “What we need now issomeone who can provide us with a PC…”New equipment for plasticsFollowing hard on the heels of launchingimpact testers for the UK and Europeanmarkets, Tinius Olsen’s developmentprogramme for the plastics sectorcontinues apace with the introductionworld-wide of a new heat deflection andVicat tester.Although this is not the first machine of its kindto be offered by the company, technicaldevelopments have allowed more features to beincorporated, resulting in a machine that is easierto use and offers improved reading and reporting.The 603 HDTM (Heat Deflection and VicatTesting Machine) benefits from precisioncontrol electronics originally developed for thehigh force testing machines and torsion testers.Improvements in terminal and displaytechnology have also been adopted andmodified to suit the 603. Other benefits of thenew machine include the development of apneumatic station lifting system that raises allstations from the hot oil bath at the touch of abutton. The station lift also incorporates aspecimen basket to catch any samples thatbecome dislodged during the course of a test.Heat deflection assessment of ABS, using two ofthe six stations available with the 603 HDTM3