Moisture Analyzers
How to Calibrate a Moisture Balance
Laboratory-scale moisture analyzers use halogen or infrared heaters as part of a procedure to determine moisture content in products to ensure they are in compliance with federal or industry regulations. As with all precision analytical scales and balances accuracy is a paramount requirement for a moisture analyzer.
In the case of moisture analyzers, two calibration processes must be performed: one for weighing accuracy and one for temperature accuracy.
Why Moisture Analyzers Must be Calibrated
It takes very little in the way of disturbances to impact the accuracy of a moisture analyzer balance. For example, the effect of gravity is not the same everywhere on Earth, meaning that newly purchased analyzers must be calibrated on location before being used.
Moreover, changing environmental conditions in the laboratory or wherever moisture analyzers are used can impact accuracy, as can moving a unit to another location, even if it’s only to another worktable. The … Read the rest
How to Prepare a Sample for a Moisture Analyzer
Moisture content in a wide variety of products is an essential indicator of product quality – so essential that in many cases moisture content is regulated by government authorities. Google “moisture content regulations” and see for yourself. A useful if not essential tool to comply with these regulations is a moisture analyzer or moisture balance.
Elegant in design and simple in principle, a moisture analyzer replaces cumbersome drying ovens with a halogen heater mounted on a precision scale. The difference in sample weight before and after drying determines the moisture content of what is being tested. But while the principle is simple, correctly operating a moisture balance requires careful sample preparation and programming consistent with the product being analyzed.… Read the rest
Moisture Analyzer for Injection Molded Plastics
Today virtually all aspects of our lives are touched by injection molded plastics. These versatile plastic resins in a variety of formulations perform in products ranging from toothbrushes to automotive consoles to minute surgical implants. Because the moisture content of these plastics is so critical to performance, a moisture analyzer is an essential tool to ensure materials are within specification.
What is too wet or too dry?
Ascertaining the correct moisture content for a resin depends on what is being molded and the plastic employed. For example, a polymer manufacturer may state that the product being offered has a moisture content of 0.20 percent by weight or 2,000 parts per million. But atmospheric conditions, humidity and other factors may cause a change, especially if the product is hygroscopic or accumulates moisture on its surface due to adsorption. Similarly, storage in areas with very low relative humidity could result in lowering … Read the rest
Get the Most from Your Moisture Analyzer
The slang phrase “you’re all wet” is generally not taken as a compliment – signifying instead that “you are wrong.” Wetness can also be wrongness when too much moisture is contained in products such as plastics, fabrics and wood chips. Laws define the maximum moisture content in applications including food processing and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Correct moisture content positively impacts processing results and overall product quality across a wide range of industries.… Read the rest
