A few years ago, AMETEK Brookfield came out with a display on one of its rotational viscometers that shows a timeline of how viscosity changes with the rotation of the spindle. Of chief concern are potential fluctuations in temperature, which, as evidenced by the above anecdote, can have real-world implications. Rather, the viscosity varies as a function of other parameters.

The viscosity of an oil sample can be difficult to determine because it is not a single value. Yet viscosity testing is not always straightforward, and there are certain challenges that specifically arise when testing viscosity in oil. Of the many physical parameters that can be measured in oil, viscosity-defined as a fluid’s resistance to flow-is the most important, and most commonly measured, according to Dan Walsh, technical sales director at Spectro Scientific (Chelmsford, MA). That incident is a compelling example of the need for rigorous oil testing. Subsequent analysis revealed that the oil contained a component that had turned the lubricant into jelly, says Bob McGregor of AMETEK Brookfield (Middleboro, MA). Rugged construction and the absence of moving parts means the Viscolite needs no accessories and virtually no maintenance, giving an unbeatably low cost of ownership.By subscribing, you agree to receive email related to Lab Manager content and products. The Viscolite is factory-calibrated and immediately ready for use without requiring day-to-day adjustment or recalibration by the user.

Once measurements are completed, the probe is cleaned within seconds.

The standard VL700HP can be used with any fluid volume over about 75ml, while the small-sample T15 model requires little more than 10ml. It is ideal for tracking changes in viscosity during reactions in the laboratory, for example polymerisation or esterification.Īs with the portable instrument, the solid rod sensor is simply immersed in the fluid under test and viscosity is immediately displayed on the dedicated readout unit. With a range of 0.1 to 10,000cP in fluids at - 40 to +150C, the instrument has very high repeatability and excellent sensitivity, even at low viscosity. The bench top version also includes an integrated temperature probe and temperature-correction software as standard.

Hydramotion also provides data logging software for recording the output viscosity data into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. The Viscolite VL700HP offers all the benefits of the portable version with the added advantages of a 4-20 mA analogue viscosity output and an RS232 serial data link for connection to a PC.

Viscosity testing lab massachusetts