English Elcometer 2000 Muller Laboratory Grinder Operating Instructions
English is a registered trademark of Elcometer Limited. All other trademarks acknowledged. Copyright Elcometer Limited. 2009. All rights reserved. No part of this Document may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored (in a retrieval system or otherwise) or translated into any language, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, manual or otherwise) without the prior written permission of Elcometer Limited. A copy of this Instruction Manual is available for download on our Website via www.elcometer.com/downloads Doc.No. TMA-0305 Issue 03 Text with Cover No: 19159
CONTENTS Section Page English 1 About your grinder........................................ 2 1.1 What the box contains....................................... 2 1.2 Standards................................................. 3 2 Getting started............................................ 3 2.1 Parts and terminology....................................... 3 2.2 Temperature.............................................. 3 2.3 Before you start............................................ 3 2.4 Caution................................................... 4 3 Grinding a product......................................... 5 3.1 Procedure................................................ 5 3.2 Cleaning.................................................. 8 4 Storage.................................................. 9 5 Maintenance.............................................. 9 5.1 Routine maintenance........................................ 9 5.2 Glass disc replacement...................................... 9 5.3 Top plate setting.......................................... 10 6 Technical specification.................................... 12 7 Spares.................................................. 12 8 Related equipment........................................ 13 1
English T hank you for your purchase of this Elcometer 2000 Muller Laboratory Grinder. Welcome to Elcometer. Elcometer are world leaders in the design, manufacture and supply of inspection equipment for coatings and concrete. Our products cover all aspects of coating inspection, from development through application to post application inspection. The Elcometer 2000 Muller Laboratory Grinder, is a world beating product. With the purchase of this product you now have access to the worldwide service and support network of Elcometer. For more information visit our website at www.elcometer.com 1 ABOUT YOUR GRINDER The Elcometer 2000 Muller Laboratory Grinder is a particularly sturdy machine, enabling optimal and perfectly reproducible grinding and dispersions to be obtained in the laboratory. Grinding is carried out between two ground-glass discs. The bottom disc is rotated by a powerful geared motor and the top disc is fixed. The top disc is attached to a hinged arm which may be lifted to one side to provide access to the grinding surfaces of the glass discs. Pressure between the discs is provided by an adjustable spring which forces the top disc down onto the bottom disc. The number of revolutions per cycle is set on a counter which automatically stops the grinder at the end of the cycle. A separate counter records the total number of revolutions. 1.1 What the box contains Elcometer 2000 Muller Laboratory Grinder 2 ground-glass discs Operating instructions Figure 1. Elcometer 2000 Muller Laboratory Grinder 2
1.2 Standards The Elcometer 2000 can be used in accordance with the following National and International Standards ASTM D 387, ASTM D 332-B, ISO 8780-5 supersedes NF T30-210-5, ISO 787-16 supersedes NF T30-227, NFT 31-210-5 (withdrawn). To maximise the benefits of your new Elcometer 2000 please take some time to read these Operating Instructions. Do not hesitate to contact Elcometer or your Elcometer supplier if you have any questions. English 2 GETTING STARTED 2.1 Parts and terminology Referring to Figure 2: 1. Load adjustment handle 2. Loading lever 3. Ground-glass discs 4. On/Off buttons (stop and start rotation) 5. Top plate locking lever and cam-lock mechanism 6. Circuit breaker 7. Aluminium knurled ring 8. Total Revolutions Counter (Total) and Cycle Counter (Préselection Preset) 1 2 5 3 6 4 7 8 Figure 2. Parts of the grinder 2.2 Temperature The grinding characteristics of the grinder are affected by the viscosity of the product. Because viscosity varies with temperature, it is important to ensure the temperature of the product does not increase by more than 10 C during grinding. 2.3 Before you start Before starting a test, check the surface of both glass discs for score marks and polished areas. The surfaces must have an even and opaque appearance. 3
English If necessary, recondition the discs by operating the grinder with optical emery powder between the glass discs. 2.4 Caution The Elcometer 2000 has been manufactured with your safety in mind. However, improper use can result in damage to the grinder. Please observe the precautions discussed in these operating instructions. Never rotate the discs together without product between them. To reduce the risk of electric shock do not open the housing of the grinder. There are no user-serviceable parts inside. To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose the grinder to rain or excess moisture. The mains plug on your Elcometer 2000 may be fitted with a fuse. When replacing this fuse, ensure a fuse of the correct rating is used. 4
3 GRINDING A PRODUCT 3.1 Procedure 1. Connect grinder to mains supply. English 2. Press black button marked ON (1) on side of grinder. 3. Reset counter: Press RST button (1) on Total Revolutions Counter (Total). 4. Set number a of revolutions: Press button (2) under digit to be set. 'P1' indicator starts to flash. Each press advances digit by one number. When all digits are set, press 'P' button (3) to save setting. a. Never set more than 100 revolutions in one single operation. On despatch from the Elcometer factory the grinder is set to 25 revolutions. 5
English 5. Pull down top plate locking lever. 6. Disengage cam-lock mechanism. 7. Raise top plate to open position. 8. Ensure both glass discs are clean. If the discs are contaminated with product residue, remove the residue using a clean wipe soaked in a suitable solvent. 9. Distribute product over the bottom glass disc. To ensure a consistent grind, the product should be spread onto the glass disc in a ring as shown. Inner diameter of ring: 40 mm (1.6 ). Outer diameter of ring: 100 mm (3.9 ). Note: Rings shown are for illustration purposes only; they are not marked on the glass disc. 6
10.Lower top plate gently to operating position. Do not allow the top plate to drop as this may break the glass. English 11. Engage cam-lock mechanism. 12.Raise top plate locking lever. 13.Rotate loading lever anticlockwise (½ turn) to apply load. 14.Turn load adjustment handle to adjust load. The load is continuously adjustable and is indicated on the graduated scale. The user of the grinder must determine the amount of load to apply. Typically the load may be determined by experimentation or may be stated in a Standard. 7
English 15.Press b green ON button (1). 16.The grinder will complete the set number of revolutions and then stop automatically. Press red OFF button (2) to stop grinder at any time. 17.Open grinder: Rotate loading lever clockwise (½ turn) to remove load. Rotate locking lever to unlock top plate. Raise top plate to open position. 18.Use a spatula to push ground product back to centre of bottom disc. This grinding cycle is now complete c. 3.2 Cleaning When the test is complete and the ground product has been removed from the glass discs, clean both glass discs thoroughly: Remove large amounts of product using a suitable scraper. Remove remaining product using a clean wipe soaked in a suitable solvent. b. Never start the grinder without a sample of product between the discs. c. Each pigment is usually ground a number of times, as determined by the requirements of the user or the Standard being applied. For further rotation cycles, repeat steps 10 to 18. The total number of revolutions performed during a single test is shown by the Total Revolutions Counter. 8
4 STORAGE When the grinder is not being used, place an insert of cloth, thin cardboard or paper between the glass discs. This will help to prevent scratching of the discs. Always raise the top plate to the open position before removing an insert. English 5 MAINTENANCE The Elcometer 2000 Muller Laboratory Grinder is designed to give many years reliable service under normal operating and storage conditions. The grinder does not contain any internal user-serviceable components. In the unlikely event of a fault, the Elcometer 2000 should be returned to your local Elcometer supplier or directly to Elcometer. The warranty will be invalidated if the instrument has been opened. Details of Elcometer offices around the world are given on the outside cover of these Operating Instructions. Alternatively visit the Elcometer website, www.elcometer.com 5.1 Routine maintenance The geared motor is sealed for life; lubrication is unnecessary. Every two or three months, place a few drops of lubricating oil into the lubrication holes in the levers of the upper plate and in the ball joint located in the centre. Every year, place a few drops of lubricating oil on the loading springs inside the graduated scale. 5.2 Glass disc replacement If a glass disc is damaged it must be replaced d. The glass discs are held in place by an aluminium knurled ring. 1. Unscrew aluminium ring anticlockwise. Use hand force only. If this operation is difficult, it is often because there is dry product between the ring and the disc. Soften the product with a suitable solvent and remove all product from the ring. If a ring cannot be unscrewed, break the glass disc and remove all the broken parts of glass. The ring will then be free to be unscrewed. d. Glass discs must be replaced as a pair. 9
English Take care when breaking glass. Wear suitable eye protection and skin protection. Do not damage the metal backing plate. 2. Clean surface of metal backing plate thoroughly to remove all dirt and debris. Place new glass disc onto metal backing plate ensuring that both locating screws are seated in holes in glass. Note: If the locating screws protrude from the metal backing plate too much, they will touch the bottom of the hole in the glass and the glass will break. Leave at least 1 mm between the end of the locating screw and the glass disc (Figure 3). 1 mm (minimum) 4 mm (maximum) Glass Nylon locating screws (2 off) Metal backing plate Figure 3. Correct setting of locating screws 3. Replace and tighten aluminium ring. Take care not to cross the threads. 4. Check top plate setting - see Top plate setting on page 10. 5.3 Top plate setting It is important that the top and bottom glass discs are parallel with each other when the grinder is closed. This is set during manufacture of the grinder but may require re-setting if the glass discs have been replaced. 10
5.3.1 To check setting 1. Switch off the grinder. 2. View grinder from front with loading lever in Up position (grinder open). English X Y Gap between glass discs at X must be approximately 3 mm (0.118 ) Gap between glass discs at Y must be approximately 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm (0.008 to 0.012 ) 3. View grinder from side with loading lever in Up position (grinder open). X Y Gap between glass discs at X must be equal to gap between glass discs at Y (discs are therefore parallel). 4. View grinder from front with loading lever in Down position (grinder closed). X Y Gap between glass discs at X must be equal to gap between glass discs at Y (discs are therefore parallel). 5.3.2 To adjust setting Adjustment is required if the glass discs are not parallel when the grinder is closed. 1. Loosen and adjust three Allen screws on top plate until gap between top and bottom discs is as given in section 5.3.1 and discs are parallel when grinder is closed. 2. Once settings are correct, tighten locking nuts to fix Allen screws. 11
English 6 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION 6.1 Product Operating voltage: UK 240 V AC 50 Hz EUR 220 V AC 50 Hz US 110 V AC 60 Hz Power consumption: Fuse rating (if fitted): Dimensions (W x D x H): Weight: 600 W 6 A 380 mm x 540 mm x 500 mm (15 x 21.3 x 19.7 ) 60 kg (132 lb) Diameter of ground-glass plates: 210 mm (8.3 ) Thickness of ground-glass plates: 9.6 mm to 9.7 mm (0.378 to 0.382 ) Force between plates: 50 N to 1000 N (11 lbf to 225 lbf) (scale marked 5 kg to 100 kg) Speed of Rotation: UK (50Hz) 80 rpm EUR (50Hz) 80 rpm US (60Hz) 76 rpm 6.2 Packaging The Elcometer 2000 Muller Laboratory Grinder is packed in a cardboard and foam package. Please ensure that this packaging is disposed of in an environmentally sensitive manner. Consult your local Environmental Authority for further guidance. 7 SPARES The Elcometer 2000 Muller Laboratory Grinder is complete with all the items required to get started, however over the life of the grinder replacements may be required. The following replacement items are available from your local supplier or direct from Elcometer: Description Set of 2 ground-glass discs: Sales Part Number KT002000P001 12
8 RELATED EQUIPMENT In addition to the 2000 Muller Laboratory Grinder, Elcometer produces a wide range of other equipment for measuring the appearance of surface coatings. Users of the Elcometer 2000 may also benefit from the following Elcometer products: Fineness of Grind Gauges Elcometer 2060 ISO Groove Depth Checker Viscosity Cups Viscometers For further information contact Elcometer, your local supplier or visit www.elcometer.com English 13
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