Some textiles are given an increased product performance by adding a water-repellent treatment to their functional surfaces. The method can be used to assess the effectiveness of such finishing.
At our Textile Laboratory, "spray test" is one of the methods we can offer to evaluate water-repellent ability.

The method aims to analyse the ability of fabrics to reject water.
For materials that are to have a water-repellent surface, the method is a guide for assessing the suitability of the material for its intended application. The higher the class, the better the material resists splashes of water and water-like liquids.

The method can also be used to compare different treatments and provide information about the durability of such a treatment after, for example, washing.

The method is not intended to be used to evaluate waterproof properties of fabrics, as it does not measure the penetration of water through the fabric

A specified volume of distilled or fully deionized water is sprayed on a test specimen that has been mounted

on a ring, placed at an angle of 45° so that the centre of the specimen is at a specified distance below the spray nozzle. The spray rating is determined by comparing the appearance of the specimen with a rating scale in text and a photo scale.

3 test specimens/material are required.

A report in Swedish or English with the received results.

Normal delivery time is 5-10 working days. A more accurate delivery time is stated in the order confirmation which is sent after received order and test material.

SS-EN ISO 4929

SS-EN 29865

SS-EN ISO 6330

SS-EN ISO 15797

Calibration blocks, or moisture content blocks, are used to check moisture content meters.

The blocks are used to check the moisture content meter when measuring in pine and spruce. A moisture content meter is suitably checked every six weeks against the block. The block in turn should be checked at intervals of about 1-2 years. RISE provides blocks to all companies that need to check their moisture content meters.

The blocks are checked on RISE with calibrated resistance meters.

Proof of inspection

RISE tests, certifies and perform manufacturing inspections of hatches of tongued and grooved boards.

To show that the hatches you manufacture meet the requirements of BBR (the Swedish building authoritys' regulation of building), we can help with a type approval. Today, there is no harmonized EN standard for the product, which makes it more difficult to CE mark it. We can also test and verify hatches properties in terms of step through safety to show that you comply with the Swedish Work Environment Authority's rules

When issuing a type approval, the manufacturer and the hatch are checked against the parts relevant to the product in the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning's regulations BBR and EKS. A type approval also means that the product is placed under ongoing production control in the factory.

Step through safety is tested according to SP method 0487. In short, the method involves testing the hatches at the weakest point three times (on different hatches). The average value of the three load points must be at least 220 kg, and no point must be less than 200 kg.

Certificate

SP-method 0487

The National Laboratory for Length and Dimensional Metrology offers calibration and measurements of objects in a coordinate measuring machine.

The National Laboratories are responsible for maintaining the national reference standards for each measurement quantity and spreading metrological competence and traceability to industry and society at large. The national reference standards are the highest level of traceability in Sweden.

A calibration performed at a National Laboratory fulfils all typical traceability and accreditation requirements that commonly exist in industry and society at large. 

As industrial products rise in complexity the reference objects needed follow the same trend. This means that everything from small holes with dimensions in the µm-level to custom made standards with complex form need to be measured with metrological traceability and low measurement uncertainty. This is not always achievable in traditional measuring machines.

The National Laboratory for Length and Dimensional Metrology is in possession of a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) for this purpose. Our CMM is equipped with a multisensory system capable of both optical and tactile measurements. This enables precise geometry measurements in our laboratory of both hard and soft materials.

Which approach is suitable for measuring is unique for each objects and mainly depend on the quality of the object in question and it’s intended use. This also means that the measurement uncertainty that is achievable is unique for the object, but in general measurement result in an expanded measurement uncertainty on the µm-level

The calibration results are reported in a report or digital calibration certificate in Swedish or English which states that the measurement or calibration was performed at a National Laboratory.

Price on request.

Schematics, photos, files and detailed information of the object and measurands of interest are to be submitted in the request.

Metals exposed to hydrogen can after some time suffer from hydrogen embrittlement, which will result in a significant reduction of strength in the material. The step loading technique in ASTM F1624 allows that a test for evaluating a material´s susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement can be performed in a couple of days instead of several months.

Hydrogen embrittlement is a problem that affects metals. This means that a metal subjected to hydrogen risks absorbing the hydrogen. If the metal is loaded, cracks can slowly start to grow and cause failure with a brittle type of fracture – for that reason the name hydrogen embrittlement. The hydrogen can come from the surrounding environment or from surface treatments. The susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement of a metal depends on the alloy composition. Generally, high strength steels are more susceptible than low strength steels.

A considerable problem involving hydrogen embrittlement is that it can appear first after long time in service, which leads to large costs and difficulties. To ensure that selected materials will not suffer from hydrogen embrittlement, testing might be required. Testing methods taking several months will cause problems in the design process.

Test specimens with a notch are loaded in a test rig for four-point bending in a tensile testing machine. The bending moment is then constant over the notch between the two inner supports. Initially, the nominal ultimate strength stress is determined for at least three test specimens without being affected by hydrogen. To test with hydrogen, test specimens are continuously charged with hydrogen by use of electrolysis. This is accomplished by attaching a cylinder over the notch, so an open container is formed holding the electrolyte.

The loading is increased stepwise until fracture occurs. Each step has a duration between 1 to 4 hours (depending on steel hardness), to allow for the hydrogen to affect the material. The step load levels are at first determined from non-hydrogen charged tests and thereafter from the preceding hydrogen charged test. This increases the accuracy of the step loading, and after only three tests a good estimation of the fracture stress in a hydrogen environment is achieved.

Ten specimens are enough to perform the testing. The size of the specimens can be adjusted somewhat, with the length around 300 mm, the width 50 mm and the thickness 10 mm.

The results are delivered in a report including a description of the method.

ASTMF1624

Metal powders intended for powder-bed based additive manufacturing (AM) have properties critical for ensuring robust processes with high product quality. The water content/moisture of the powders is one of these properties. RISE offers analysis of the water content in metal powder with great accuracy using Karl Fischer Titration.

Typical storage conditions of metal powders always cause water to adsorb onto the surface of powder grains. In common additive manufacturing processes (e.g. PBF-LB) water affects the flowability of the powder and changes the porosity of the end product. The mass of water in relation to the mass of powder is often very small which requires high-precision analytical equipment to be detected accurately. The Karl Fischer titration device at RISE has a lower limit of detection of a few ppm and can also investigate the temperature dependence of the water adsorption.

Water content analysis is performed with a Karl Fischer 740 sample processor and 831 coulometer by Metrohm.

As requested by the customer. Usually, the results are presented in the form of a technical report and/or as an oral presentation together with Power Point slides.