Colored Turpentine Test Sampling Machine Material Flex Twisting And Crushing Tester

The Material Flex Twisting and Crushing Tester is a high-precision testing instrument designed to evaluate the mechanical durability and flex resistance of flexible materials such as plastic films, composite laminates, and coated films. Based on the internationally recognized ASTM F392 standard, this tester accurately simulates repeated flexing, twisting, and crushing to assess material integrity under real-world conditions. Commonly referred to as a Gelbo Flex Tester, this advanced instrument is widely used in industries such as packaging, food, medicine, beverages, and education, providing a critical measure of product reliability and performance during transportation and handling.

Why Choose the Material Flex Twisting and Crushing Tester?

Material flexibility and durability are essential in ensuring product safety, especially for packaging used in food, medical, and consumer goods. Over time, flex fatigue can result in microscopic pinholes, tears, or delamination, compromising barrier properties and leading to contamination or product degradation. The Material Flex Twisting and Crushing Tester allows manufacturers and researchers to perform standardized durability tests, enabling confident material selection and quality control at all stages of development and production.

This testing equipment performs an accelerated flex durability test, subjecting film samples to a combination of torsional (twisting) and compressive (crushing) forces. By doing so, it reveals material weaknesses, helping manufacturers design more resilient packaging solutions and meet strict regulatory requirements.

Applications

The Material Flex Twisting and Crushing Tester is applicable in a variety of industries:

• Flexible packaging for food and beverages

• Medical packaging and pharmaceutical films

• Composite materials and technical textiles

• Industrial barrier films

• Laboratory material research and development

• Academic material science studies

Its ability to simulate repeated stress cycles makes it an essential tool in ensuring packaging quality, extending product shelf life, and protecting product contents from external contamination.

Test Principle

The operating principle of the Material Flex Twisting and Crushing Tester is grounded in the ASTM F392 standard. A flat sample (typically 280 mm x 200 mm) is clamped onto the mandrels of the instrument. The sample is subjected to a combination of twisting and horizontal motion that mimics real-life wear and tear. The sequence includes a 440° twist over the first 90 mm of the stroke, followed by a straight horizontal motion of 65 mm, at a testing frequency of 45 cycles per minute.

After the testing cycle, samples can be evaluated for pinhole formation, micro-cracking, and film delamination, often through additional procedures like dye penetration or air-leak detection.

Key Technical Specifications

This combination of features ensures high repeatability, precision, and adaptability for various research and industrial applications.

Product Highlights

• ✅ Standardized Test Method: Complies fully with ASTM F392, ensuring consistent and globally recognized testing results.

• ✅ Advanced PLC Control: Equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen for intuitive operation and quick parameter configuration.

• ✅ Multi-station Testing: Includes four independent test stations, allowing simultaneous testing of multiple samples, improving efficiency.

• ✅ Dual-Stroke Options: Long and short stroke configurations support different material types and testing protocols.

• ✅ Flexible Operation: Users can select among five preset test conditions (A, B, C, D, E), or define custom test frequencies.

• ✅ Compact and Safe: Integrated safety cover prevents operator exposure during testing.

• ✅ Built-in Micro Printer: Easily documents results for quality assurance and traceability.

Why Is Flex Durability Testing Important?

In packaging, flex resistance directly correlates to product shelf life, consumer safety, and brand reputation. Microscopic failures caused by flexing are often invisible to the naked eye but can lead to serious product failures. The Material Flex Twisting and Crushing Tester enables early detection of material flaws before full-scale production, saving time, reducing waste, and ensuring compliance with industry standards.

For medical device packaging, where sterility is paramount, a single pinhole could be catastrophic. In food and beverage industries, film failure can lead to spoilage, leakage, or contamination. Hence, testing with a high-precision instrument like the Material Flex Twisting and Crushing Tester is critical.

Compliance with ASTM F392 Standard

The ASTM F392 test method defines procedures for determining the flex durability of flexible barrier materials, particularly for applications requiring barrier integrity over time. This method outlines:

• Sample preparation guidelines

• Equipment motion requirements

• Test conditions A to E

• Evaluation of flex-induced damage

Our Material Flex Twisting and Crushing Tester is engineered to fully comply with this standard, delivering trusted and accurate results that align with international quality assurance protocols.

Industries Benefiting from This Tester

Extended Features and Optional Customizations

• Multi-language interface for international clients

• USB port and data export to PC

• Optional sample cutter for consistent sample size

• Compatibility with various materials including polyethylene, polypropylene, PET, foil laminates, nylon, PVC, and multi-layer films

• Test result data can be used to correlate with leak testing and burst testing for complete material evaluation