Rheometry

The measurement of rheological properties and the evaluation of fluid models require specific devices that can be summarized as rheometers. These devices are needed to achieve different objectives. Research needs them for complex measurements such as the investigation of viscosity and normal stress differences as well as deriving and evaluating flow models. In industry they are needed to design machines and fixtures such as mixers, extruders, injection molding machines, and molds. They are needed in product and process design for the selection of materials and for processing simulation, but also for the development of completely new materials. In addition, quality control during production becomes more and more important and requires simple analyses to check material consistency. Rheometers are also used to understand complex behavior of polymers in the large and relatively unexplored field of non-linear viscoelasticity.