De Mattia Flex Tester

Listing ID #5023562

The ability of rubber products to withstand repeating flexing without developing cracks is of prime importance where such products are used in conditions undergoing repeating flexing. The flexing endurance of rubber products is determined by simulating in the laboratory the action of flexing repeatedly under standard conditions of speed, mode, and degree of flexing. One of the accepted procedure is the use of a De-Mattia Flexing Tester. This tester provides useful information about the resistance of compounds of vulcanized rubber to flex cracking when subjected to flexing. Cracks develop in that part of the surface where stresses are set up during flexing, or if that part of the surfaces initially contains a crack, cause this crack to extend in a direction perpendicular to the stress.

The “IKON” De-Mattia Flex Tester consists of a set of grips to hold the test specimens in two tiers with their holding faces lying in the same vertical plane. The flexing and unflexing action is provided by holding one end of the test specimens in a fixed grip and the other end in a reciprocating grip. The set of grips has two fixed grips and one large reciprocating grip positioned between them in order to flex half of the test specimens while the other half is being unflexed. The reciprocating grip is fitted with gun metal cushion which slide on hardened and ground rods made of high carbon steel. The reciprocating motion is provided by an eccentric and linkage mechanism driven by an electric motor through V-belt and pulleys. A six digit counter with reset is provided for indicating the number of test cycles undergone.

The equipment is build on a rigid cast iron base plate and finished in hammer tone painting and bright chrome plating to give it a corrosion resistant finish.

Molding dies for preparing test specimen, and jig and punch assembly for making initial crack in test specimens for crack growth test are available as optional accessories.