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Specac Atlas GS15800 User Manual

Specac Atlas GS15800 User Manual

High temperature film maker accessory

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Atlas™ High Temperature
Film Maker Accessory
User Manual
2I-15800 Issue 15

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Summary of Contents for Specac Atlas GS15800

  • Page 1 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory User Manual 2I-15800 Issue 15...
  • Page 3 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory User Manual 2I-15800 Issue 15...
  • Page 4 User Manual Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory P/N GS15800 Contents - User Manual 1. I ................. 4 NTRODUCTION 2. U ............. 5 NPACKING AND HECKLIST 3. S ™ H PECIFICATIONS OF THE TLAS EMPERATURE AKER ..................7 CCESSORY 4. S ..............
  • Page 5 ......42 EGEND UBBLE UMBER DENTIFICATION 10. S ............42 PARES AND ONSUMABLES © April 2016 Specac Ltd. All rights reserved. Brilliant Spectroscopy is a trademark of Specac Ltd. Other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
  • Page 6 10-40 minutes depending on the type of material. It has been designed to be used within the following Specac hydraulic presses:- Atlas™ Manual 15T – P/N GS15011.
  • Page 7: Unpacking And Checklist

    Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory 2. Unpacking and Checklist The system is packed into two boxes; a carry case containing the High Temperature Film Maker Unit Assembly with accessories and a box containing the 4000 Series Temperature Controller. Please check that the following have been provided in the carry case. ●...
  • Page 8 User Manual ● One magnetic catch stop fitting. ● One user instruction manual for the High Temperature Film Maker Accessory. Please check that the temperature controller box contains the following. ● One 4000 Series™ Temperature Controller for operation of the Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory.
  • Page 9 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory 3. Specifications of the Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory Maximum load 2 tons Temperature range Ambient to 400°C Load required for pressing 1 to 2 tons Nominal thickness of films 15, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500µm Diameter of pressed film 29mm Integral heated platens...
  • Page 10: Safety Considerations

    User Manual 4. Safety Considerations Safety Warnings When Operating The High Temperature Film Maker Accessory The Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory has been designed to be as safe as possible in usage. The instructions that follow help to advise for a safe operation, but the greatest risk to safety may be presented by the actual sample itself to be heated and pressed in an exposed environment.
  • Page 11 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory Note on Thermal Safety Cut-Off Switches The Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory incorporates thermal safety cut-off switches (1). These have been fitted to the top (2) and lower (3) water cooling block parts of the top (4) and lower (5) heated pressing assemblies at the rear of the unit.
  • Page 12 1 to 2 tons, with a maximum load specification to 2 tons, Specac recommend that the safety guards fitted to the Press as standard are used at all times.
  • Page 13 5. Installation of the High Temperature Film Maker Accessory For installation of the Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory into a Specac Press the procedure is as follows. Connecting the Water Cooling System A cold water supply for the water cooling system circuit is required for operation of the Atlas™...
  • Page 14 User Manual Disc to Push Fig 2. Quick Connect Body and Insert Couplings for Water Cooling Black Silicone Tubing To connect a cooling water supply to the High Temperature Film Maker Accessory, take the length of black silicon tubing supplied finished with the Quick Connect insert (7) coupling and attach the open end of the silicone tubing to a cold water tap or supply of water from a thermo- circulating system.
  • Page 15 Hydraulic Press. However a similar installation procedure can be adopted if using an Atlas™ Power 8T or Autotouch 8T Press. Ideally, any Specac Press to use will be situated close to a clean, cold water supply and a drainage facility for provision of cooling water to the High Temperature Film Maker Accessory in operation.
  • Page 16 User Manual Fig 4. Lead Screw and Top Bolster Pressing Face of the Atlas™ Manual Hydraulic Press Safety Guards and Magnetic Catch Stop Parts For installation of the High Temperature Film Maker Accessory into an Atlas™ Manual Hydraulic Press the modified (shortened) safety guard and magnetic catch stop parts supplied with the Accessory need to be fitted to the Press.
  • Page 17 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory Remove the original rear safety guard fitted to the back of the Manual Hydraulic Press. Similar to the front safety guard, the rear guard slides up and down for access to and protection of the pressing area and is closed when the two screw stops (10) are resting on the lower edge of the pressing area.
  • Page 18 User Manual Protective Films on the Polished Pressing Surfaces When the High Temperature Film Maker Accessory is supplied from new, the top (13) and lower (14) polished pressing surfaces, housed within in their respective top (4) and lower (5) heated pressing surface assemblies, have been covered in a protective film coating that needs to be removed before use.
  • Page 19 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory This positioning and holding of the Top Half Assembly will allow access to the protective film on both the top (13) and lower (14) polished pressing surfaces. Remove (peel away) the protective films from both the top (13) and lower (14) polished surfaces and clean the surfaces using a soft lint free cloth or tissue and a suitable solvent (e.g.
  • Page 20 User Manual Create a sufficient gap in the Press between the top pressing bolster surface (8) of the lead screw (9) and the lower bolster pressing piston surface (19) by appropriate clockwise or anticlockwise rotation of the lead screw (9) of the Press to accommodate the High Temperature Film Maker Accessory when in the Sampling Position.
  • Page 21 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory Lift both the original front safety guard with magnetic stop catch and the modified rear safety guard on the Press and feed through the High Temperature Film Maker Accessory from the rear of the Press with the handles (12) and (16) on the Accessory projected towards the front of the Press.
  • Page 22 User Manual The front safety guard can be left open in its raised position (it will be kept open because of the magnetic stop catch fitting) to allow for access to the Film Maker Accessory for installation of a foil disc and sample “sandwich”...
  • Page 23 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory 6. Using the Film Maker Accessory The Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory comprises of a top (4) and lower (5) heated platen pressing assembly that each contain a respective top (13) and lower (14) polished pressing surface. A thin film of 29mm diameter and up to 0.5mm thickness can be formed between these polished pressing surfaces by heating and pressing of a polymeric or plastic type sample, but a specific...
  • Page 24 User Manual Note: The aluminium foil discs (21) have a matt surface and a shiny surface. Contact of a particular foil surface with the sample whilst pressing, will determine the amount of spectroscopic interference fringes produced by the thin film. If a reduction in spectroscopic interference fringes is sought, the matt surfaces of the two foils should be in contact with the sample.
  • Page 25 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory spectroscopic interference fringes is sought for thin films, then the foil disc (21) should be placed matt side up in the foam pad (25). Conversely if fringes are required, for example to measure the thickness of a prepared film, then place the foil disc (21) shiny side up in the foam pad (25).
  • Page 26 User Manual Using the forceps supplied place an aluminum foil disc (21) inside the three locating prongs of the cup making tool (24). If a reduction in spectroscopic interference fringes is sought for thin films, then the foil disc (21) should be placed matt side up. Conversely if fringes are required, then place the foil disc (21) shiny side up inside the three locating prongs of the sample cup tool (24).
  • Page 27 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory Relax your grip on the arms of the sample cup tool (24) to allow the pressing surface jaws to separate. Now, very carefully remove the foam pad (25) and cup parts (22) and (23) from the sample cup tool (24) and then carefully remove the cup parts (21) and (22) from the foam pad (25).
  • Page 28 User Manual Note: To create the space within the Press to allow the Top Half Assembly to be lifted and held in the Loading Position, the spacer bar (20) is removed and the top bolster pressing face (8) of the Press lead screw (9) may need to be raised by turning the lead screw (9) anticlockwise.
  • Page 29 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory necessary to do so, a small flat screw driver blade can be used in this groove to prise the spacer ring away from its location if it has become stuck fast (e.g. from a flow of excess molten sample that has cooled on the spacer ring and polished surface), from an incorrect film making procedure.
  • Page 30 User Manual Fig 16. Lower Aluminium Sample Cup Positioned in Lower Heated Pressing Surface Assembly Sample Placed Centrally Fig 17. Lower Aluminium Sample Cup and Sample Positioned in Lower Heated Pressing Surface Assembly...
  • Page 31 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory Now, very carefully place a second aluminium foil disc (21) or the sample cup cover (23) over the foil disc or sample cup and sample already placed within the spacer ring (18) on the lower polished pressing surface (14) of the Film Maker Accessory.
  • Page 32 User Manual Replace the spacer bar (20) centrally onto the top cooling block (2) and slowly lower the top bolster pressing surface (8) by a clockwise rotation of the lead screw (9) until all the components of the pressing system (the top bolster surface (8), the spacer bar (20), Top Half Assembly, foils and sample “sandwich”...
  • Page 33 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory Carefully lower the front safety guard of the Manual Hydraulic Press such that it comes to rest on the loading handle (12) of the Lower Half Assembly (that is projecting out of the front of the Press), prior to any tonnage load compression.
  • Page 34 User Manual Heating the Sample When the sample to heat and press has been installed into the High Temperature Film Maker Accessory and the component parts to press have been loosely clamped together (a tonnage load force has not been applied), a temperature to heat the sample can be set for the heated pressing surface assemblies (4) and (5).
  • Page 35 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory Cooling the Sample After a sufficient time has elapsed for pressing at the actual melting temperature, reduce the set temperature on the 4000 Series temperature controller back to a room temperature value (e.g. 20ºC) to stop power being applied to the heated pressing surface assemblies (4) and (5).
  • Page 36 User Manual When the actual temperature being indicated on the 4000 Series controller display has fallen sufficiently (to about 60°C), release any tonnage load force being applied by the Press being used. Raise the front safety guard and rotate the lead screw (9) anticlockwise of the Press sufficiently to allow for removal of the spacer bar (20).
  • Page 37 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory 7. Notes for Operation of the High Temperature Film Maker Accessory This section provides some additional information, hints and tips about the Atlas™ Film Maker Accessory for its correct use in the preparation of thin films and their production. Note 1: Using the Aluminium Foil Discs The Atlas™...
  • Page 38 User Manual Note 2: Spacer Rings - Tolerances and Film Thickness The spacer rings (18) have been manufactured such that the sample thickness tolerances are +/- 3 microns for rings A and B and +/- 10 microns for all other rings. The tolerance limit relates to the absolute overall thickness produced for a pressed film.
  • Page 39 (13) and (14) are available from Specac for a correct tolerance compatibility to the spacer rings (18). The film thickness produced may sometimes deviate from the specified spacer ring (18) size nominal and/or minimum thickness.
  • Page 40 Sampling Position when a foil disc/sample/foil disc “sandwich” has been positioned into the Lower Half Assembly. (See page 28, Fig 17.) Pre-crushing can be done in a Specac Press itself (without the Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory in position) using a 13mm diameter evacuable pellet die P/N GS03000.
  • Page 41 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory gentle tightening is necessary. In general these sample types should be pressed as soon as softening is observed. It is important to ensure that all of the components used in the pressing cycle are not over pressurised in the Press when the sample is cold.
  • Page 42: Specifications

    User Manual 8. Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory Operating Parameters on Controller The Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory is provided with its own dedicated 4000 Series™ Temperature Controller. A separate manual is supplied for operation of the 4000 Series™ Temperature Controller.
  • Page 43 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory Displayable Parameters for High Temperature Film Maker Accessory P/N GS15800 with WEST 6100+ (4000 Series™) Controllers Parameter Parameter Name Parameter Factory Display (In Set Value Green) FiLt Input Filter Time Constant OFFS Process Variable Offset Primary (Heat) Output Power Pb_P...
  • Page 44: Spares And Consumables

    User Manual 9. Legend – Bubble Number Part Identification (1) Thermal cut-off switch. (2) Top cooling block assembly. (3) Lower cooling block assembly. (4) Top heated pressing surface chamber. (5) Lower heated pressing surface assembly. (6) Quick Connect body coupling. (7) Quick Connect insert coupling.
  • Page 45 Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory...
  • Page 46 User Manual Notes for Use of Atlas™ High Temperature Film Maker Accessory...
  • Page 47 Tel: 215 793 4044 Tel: 03 3946 4993 Fax: 215 793 4011 Fax: 03 3946 4983 United Kingdom email:systems-eng@systems-eng.co.jp Website: www.systems-eng.co.jp Specac Ltd. - London River House, 97 Cray Avenue, Spain Orpington Teknokroma S.Coop C. Ltda Kent BR5 4HE Barcelona...
  • Page 48 Brilliant Spectroscopy™ www.specac.com SPECAC INC. SPECAC LIMITED 414 Commerce Drive River House, 97 Cray Avenue, Suite 175, Orpington Fort Washington, Kent BR5 4HE PA 19034, USA Tel: +44 (0) 1689 873134 Tel: 215 793 4044 Fax: +44 (0) 1689 878527 Fax: 215 793 4011 Registered No.