Viscosity changes with temperature, and it is recommended to use calibration oils certified at the specific temperature for optimal viscometer performance.
Image Credit: Paul N. Gardner Company, Inc.
Various industries, including Cosmetics, Food, Paint, Pharma, and Personal Care, conduct daily viscosity tests on diverse products throughout their production processes.
Viscosity measurements are crucial in research and development, production, and final product quality control, with products exhibiting varying viscosity levels.
For instance, a food manufacturer may need to assess the viscosity of both relatively thin salad dressing and higher viscosity ketchup with shear-thinning flow behavior.
When employing a viscometer for testing substances with differing viscosities, it must be calibrated within the viscosity range of the products under examination.
Modern rotational viscometers, such as the BYK byko-visc RT series, empower users to verify and conduct on-site instrument calibration using ISO 17025-certified standard oils.
QC Labs and the Rotational Viscometer
Rotational viscometers are widely favored in quality control labs for their versatility. Depending on the viscometer and spindle chosen, these instruments can measure viscosity across a broad range, from less than 5 to over 100,000,00 centipoise.
Labs dealing with a diverse array of products daily find these instruments advantageous as they allow for testing a wide range of products using a single viscometer. To ensure accurate and repeatable results, it is crucial to calibrate the chosen viscometer within the viscosity range of the products being tested.
Gardco provides ISO 17025-certified oils covering the entire available viscosity range, simplifying and making regular calibration cost-effective.
Certified Oils for Viscosity Measurement Performance
Viscosity fluctuates with temperature, so calibration oils undergo certification at specific temperatures indicated on the certificate. While many oils receive certification at 25 °C, options certified at elevated temperatures are also accessible.
Certain oils even secure certification at various temperatures. It is crucial to uphold the calibration oil and spindle temperatures at the certified level during calibration.
Achieving this requires tools like a circulating water bath for temperature stability. For precise calibration, it is recommended to use two or three oils with distinct viscosity values. Ideally, one should have a viscosity lower than the products, and another should exceed it.
BYK's standard oil offerings maintain constant viscosity over time and under shear. All oils are certified with a minimum shelf life of one year, provided they remain uncontaminated and are stored securely with the cap attached. With this assurance, the oils can be confidently utilized until the expiration date specified on the certificate.
To guarantee accurate readings and align with ISO 17025 and other quality systems, standards, and requirements, it is advisable to acquire calibration oils relevant to the viscosity of the products to be measured alongside every viscometer purchase.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Paul N. Gardner Company, Inc.
For more information on this source, please visit Paul N. Gardner Company, Inc.