Do your instruments require formal training to be used?

No. Our instruments are designed for ease of use, feature easy-to-use French menus, comprehensive and quick instruction manuals, and helpful videos.

Is the PosiTest AT factory calibrated?

The PosiTest AT arrives fully calibrated and ready to measure. A detailed calibration certificate traceable to NIST or PTB is included, which documents the actual readings taken by your instrument at our calibration lab on standards traceable to a national metrology institute. Beware of "certificates" or "certificates of conformity" offered by competitors. These usually do not include the actual readings from the instrument and are often insufficient to meet common quality requirements.

Is the PosiTest AT portable and suitable for use in the field?

Absolutely. With an environmentally sealed metal housing, rugged hydraulic pump, and high quality industrial pressure sensor, the manual and automatic PosiTest AT are built to last. Weather, dust and shock resistant, they can be used indoors, outdoors and in all weathers (meets or exceeds IP 65 protection). For added utility and convenience, PosiTest AT-A Automatic models also include a shoulder strap and rubberized grips.

Does the PosiTest AT include steel dollies?

The PosiTest AT is supplied with self-aligning studs precision fabricated from strong and lightweight aluminum alloy (6061-T6). As a lower cost alternative to steel fixtures, DeFelsko aluminum studs are also strong and will not rust.

Do you have a recommended adhesive for my particular application?

The ResinLab EP11HT epoxy adhesive supplied with the PosiTest AT is simple to use and suitable for testing a wide range of coating types. In some cases, specialty coatings will require a more specialized adhesive.

Is the PosiTest AT-A more accurate than the PosiTest AT-M?

The certified accuracy of the two PosiTest AT models is identical. However, the fully automatic design of the PosiTest AT-A improves measurement consistency by eliminating the potential for operator influence on the testing process. New standards indeed require a constant rise in load and exit the curve, in this case, only the AT-A model is capable.

What is the difference between 20mm and 50mm fasteners?

The 50mm stud is generally recommended for use with concrete, wood and composite substrates, it allows measurement with values between 3 and 38 bars (50 and 560 psi) for the AT-A model and 34 Bars ( 500 psi) max for the AT-M model. The 20mm stud is recommended for testing coatings applied to metals or with expected adhesion values greater than 34 Bars (500 psi).

Can I use the PosiTest AT-A on curved surfaces?

Yes. Feedback from our customers indicates that PosiTest AT gauges are suitable for testing most internal or external pipe applications over 200mm in diameter. In such cases, the maximum glue gap between the surface of the 20 mm pad and the coating is 0.5 mm. For smaller diameter pipes, depending on the expected peel resistance of the coating, it may be possible to use a 10mm or 14mm stud. External diameters can be reduced down to 50mm and 100mm, for 10mm and 14mm studs, respectively. DeFelsko does not provide or support the use of curved studs for adhesion testing. In addition to affecting the area used to calculate pullout resistances and the direction of lines of force (creating unwanted shear forces), most adhesion testing standards specifically require the use of flat studs.

How many measurements can I take with the PosiTest AT-A on a single battery charge?

The rechargeable (user-replaceable) battery of the PosiTest AT-A can perform over 200 tests on a single charge. Use the included AC adapter to continue testing while the battery charges.

What is the lowest bond strength that the PosiTest AT-A can measure?

When used with a 50mm diameter cart, the PosiTest AT is in a priming state until a priming pressure of 1.1 bar (16 psi) is reached. It is only after reaching the prime pressure that the instrument begins to calculate and display the pull rate. Although it is possible to achieve values lower than this prime pressure with the AT-M model, the automatic AT-A does not allow the operator to create a prime pressure very slowly and not. is therefore not suitable for use below the priming pressure. Note that all reported adhesion values (including those obtained below the cut-off pressure) are subject to the PosiTest AT full scale accuracy of ± 1% (± 2 Bars for an AT-M; ± 2.4 Bars for an AT-A).

Is there a faster curing adhesive than the epoxy supplied with the PosiTest AT?

The versatile epoxy adhesive supplied with the PosiTest AT achieves full cure in 24 to 48 hours. Operators who require faster cure times should assess the compatibility of other adhesives with the coating under test and our aluminum test cart. Cyanoacrylate ("super glue") type adhesives are often sufficient for lower tear strengths.

Can I use the PosiTest AT on flexible or brittle surfaces?

The PosiTest AT is designed for use with rigid structural substrates. A flexible substrate can have a negative impact on the accuracy and repeatability of tests. Additionally, the use of the PosiTest AT to measure the adhesion of applied coatings to a fragile substrate generally results in destruction of the substrate material, making it difficult to quantify the bond strength of the coating to the substrate.