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EP-4739993-A1 - POINT LOAD AND COMPRESSION TEST APPARATUS AND METHOD

EP4739993A1EP 4739993 A1EP4739993 A1EP 4739993A1EP-4739993-A1

Abstract

POINT LOAD AND COMPRESSION TEST APPARATUS AND METHOD Apparatus for point load and compression testing and a method of performing point load and/or compression testing using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises: a first plate; a reconfigurable second plate having a first configuration 5 and a second configuration, wherein the separation between the first and second plates is adjustable; a testing region between the first and second plates; and a centring mechanism for centring a sample within the testing region; wherein the first and second plates are arranged in use such that, when the separation between the first and second plates is adjusted to reduce the separation, a 10 compression test is performed if the second plate is in the first configuration, and a point load test is performed if the second plate is in the second configuration.

Inventors

  • SOPREK, David
  • ALVES, João
  • JENSEN, Pernille Søgaard

Assignees

  • ROCKWOOL A/S

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240703

Claims (15)

  1. 1 . Apparatus for point load and compression testing comprising: a first plate; a reconfigurable second plate having a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the separation between the first and second plates is adjustable; a testing region between the first and second plates; and a centring mechanism for centring a sample within the testing region; wherein the first and second plates are arranged in use such that, when the separation between the first and second plates is adjusted to reduce the separation, a compression test is performed if the second plate is in the first configuration, and a point load test is performed if the second plate is in the second configuration.
  2. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second plates are substantially parallel.
  3. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the centring mechanism comprises one or more plates, and movement of the centring mechanism plates is effected using pneumatic actuators.
  4. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each centring mechanism plate is moveable along a straight path.
  5. 5. The apparatus according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the centring mechanism plates comprise one or more right-angled plates.
  6. 6. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a transport mechanism for transporting the sample towards and away from the testing region.
  7. 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the transport mechanism is a belt conveyor.
  8. 8. The apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a frame, wherein the frame supports the first and second plates.
  9. 9. The apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second plate comprises one or more side parts and one stamp part positioned between the side parts.
  10. 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein in the first configuration, edges of adjacent parts of the second plate abut, and in the second configuration, edges of adjacent parts of the second plate are separated.
  11. 11. The apparatus according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the side parts can be removed from the centred testing region.
  12. 12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the movement of each side part is effected using one or more pneumatic actuators.
  13. 13. A plate for use in a testing region of point load and compression testing apparatus, the plate comprising a stamp part and one or more side parts which can be separated from the stamp part, wherein the plate has a first configuration in which edges of adjacent parts of the plate abut and a second configuration in which edges of adjacent parts of the plate are separated such that only the stamp part is positioned within the testing region.
  14. 14. A method of performing point load and/or compression testing using the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, the method comprising: centring a sample in the testing region using the centring mechanism; determining whether to perform a point load test or a compression test based on one or more input parameters; arranging the second plate in the first configuration or the second configuration based on the determined test; and performing the determined test by reducing the separation between the first plate and the second plate.
  15. 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the one or more input parameters comprise a sample identifier; a test identifier; and/or a sample weight or sample density.

Description

POINT LOAD AND COMPRESSION TEST APPARATUS AND METHOD FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention involves an apparatus which can be used to perform both point load and compression testing. BACKGROUND Mineral wool - also commonly referred to as stone wool, mineral fibre, mineral cotton and as man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF) - is able to be manufactured using a variety of different techniques. The mineral wool can also be processed in many ways and is able to be formed into various types of products. This means it is important to be able to assess the properties of the mineral wool to confirm they are as expected and meet quality control standards. Some techniques used to assess mineral wool are destructive, causing permanent damage to a product and some techniques are non-destructive. The destructive techniques include an analysis method that tests the product to destruction or requires a sample to be taken from the product for testing. In contrast, the non-destructive techniques do not damage the product. Conventional testing techniques for mineral wool require significant input from human operators, such as a production line operator. The standard approach is for the human operator to manually remove a product or sample of a product from the production line and place this on the machine on which a specific parameter test is to be carried out. This is usually located in a laboratory and is separated from the production line. Additionally, multiple machines are needed to perform different tests on the mineral wool to assess all relevant parameters. The use of separate machines to perform different tests on the mineral wool is inefficient. Testing the mineral wool also requires a significant amount of operator time. There is therefore a need to reduce operator involvement and increase the efficiency of the testing process. SUMMARY OF INVENTION A first aspect of the invention provides apparatus for point load and compression testing comprising: a first plate; and a reconfigurable second plate having a first configuration and a second configuration. The separation between the first and second plates is adjustable. The apparatus further comprises a testing region between the first and second plates; and a centring mechanism for centring a sample within the testing region. The first and second plates are arranged in use such that, when the separation between the first and second plates is adjusted to reduce the separation, a compression test is performed if the second plate is in the first configuration, and a point load test is performed if the second plate is in the second configuration. Advantageously, the apparatus can be adapted to perform both point load and compression testing by reconfiguring the second plate. These tests are well known to the skilled person. However, as referred to below, the apparatus goes beyond this to allow the tests to be performable with a plate that is reconfigurable to allow simple switching between the two types of test. When the separation between the first and second plates is adjusted to reduce the separation, a force is applied to the sample when the first and second plates are in contact with the sample. A point load test typically involves compression of a sample between a plate and a stamp or boss to measure point load strength, point load elasticity and/or deformation at the critical point. The behaviour of a test sample can be determined by applying an increasing force to an area of the sample and measuring the resulting deformation. A compression test typically involves compression of a sample between two plates to measure deformation at the critical point, critical compressive strength, maximum compressive strength, compressive stress at 10% deformation, compressive stress at the end of the conventional, elastic zone, compression elasticity, relative deformation at the maximum force and/or initial deformation. The behaviour of a test sample can be determined by applying an increasing force to the sample and measuring the resulting deformation. The reconfigurable second plate enables both types of tests to be performed using the same apparatus according to requirements. Accordingly, the apparatus is advantageously more efficient, occupies less space, and simplifies operation. Operation is simplified because the infrastructure requirements for sample movement within a laboratory are reduced. Such apparatus is also advantageously easier to automate, thereby reducing the requirements for manual intervention by a human operator. The reconfigurable second plate advantageously provides enhanced flexibility because the second plate can be arranged according to the first or second configuration according to test requirements. Arranging the second plate according to the first configuration enables a compression test to be performed; arranging the second plate according to the second configuration enables a point load test to be performed. Both tests are preferably performe