The flexible beam type crush tester is commonly used when performing a number of different types of laboratory and production quality tests. Among the procedures performed on the tester are edge crush, flat crush, ring crush, CMT, CLT, and pin adhesion tests.
The flexible beam tester most commonly used to perform these tests consists of an upper platen driven down at a constant speed onto a specimen placed on a lower platen. The lower platen is centrally mounted on a flexible
bending beam. The deflection of the flexible beam depresses a plunger mounted to a dial indicator or an electronic load cell. The dial indicator or load cell are designed to read the force required to crush or separate the specimen being tested.
The flexible beam crush tester will consistently give reliable results if calibration is properly maintained. There are a number of daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annual, and annual checks that, if done, will ensure accuracy of
the tester. A general summary of those checks by frequency is as follows:
