Precaution to Be Taken While Conducting Melt Flow Index Test

Melt flow index is one of the most commonly used terms in the plastic industry. It is the rate of flow of the plastic materials in a molten state through an orifice in every ten minutes. The determination of Melt flow index helps in analyzing various different attributes of the materials such as chemical structure, viscosity, strength and so forth.  The instrument that is used for testing the MFI of material is called melt flow index tester. In Order to ensure that the test is conducted accurately, it is essential that it is conducted according to the instruction stated in the standard ASTM D 1238.

Here are some of the precautions that one must take while conducting the Melt Flow Index Test.

1. The test conditions should be selected according to the material table given in the standard ASTM D 1238. If the Test conditions are not specified for materials, then the conditions that yield a flow rate of 0.15 to 50 g/10 min should be selected.
2. The temperature of the barrel must be set according to the instructions given by the manufacturer.
3. The opening of the orifice must be checked for any trapped particles of samples from the previous test procedure.
4. Visual analysis of the orifice should be done to see any scratches or damage. A go no go gauge must be used to verify the diameter of the die orifice.
5. The food of the piston should also be checked for any scratches or damages.

In order to obtain the best test results, these precautions must be taken by the users during the test procedure. Along with that, it is also essential to ensure that the testing instrument used, is in compliance with the specifications given in ASTM D 1238.

Presto offers the best accuracy Melt Flow Index Testers that are used for testing the MFI of various polymeric resins and are used in different industries.