Bruker
Bruker’s Nano Surfaces division has announced that it has shipped the first unit of the newly redesigned Universal Mechanical Tester (UMT) to the Nano Mechanics and Tribology Laboratory (NMTL) at the University of Arkansas. The new instrument, launched at the 2012 Materials Research Society (MRS) Fall Meeting, is designed with a wide range of interchangeable drives and fixtures that allow samples to be tested under multiple wear patterns. The next-generation UMT now also incorporates a reliable optical profiler from Bruker that can rapidly and accurately measure surfaces before and after tribology or mechanical testing. Advanced servo control and patented force sensor designs allow these enhancements to be achieved without compromising UMT’s industry-leading accuracy and repeatability, further enhancing the platforms reputation as the world’s most versatile mechanical tester.
“The UMT is likely to be a very useful tool for us in our research,” said Dr. Min Zou, Director of the Nano Mechanics and Tribology Laboratory (NMTL) at the University of Arkansas. “The universal nature of the tool is ideal for us as we can conduct many different tests without having to purchase several tools for our lab. The new design seems very easy to work with and we are looking forward to the useful data that we can generate.”
“The new UMT tool enables users to change the configuration in minutes, moving between different reciprocating or rotary friction and wear test setups, or even into scratch and indent test modes for material characterization,” said James Earle, General Manager of Bruker’s Tribology and Mechanical Testing Business. “We are pleased that the University of Arkansas has chosen UMT to advance their tribology and mechanical testing capabilities, and are delighted that the system will be in a situation that will fully utilize its flexibility for both cutting-edge research and the education of the next generation of mechanical engineers.”