RPA Rubber Process Analyser
Measures viscoelastic properties under variable strain, variable frequency and variable temperature in a sealed, pressurised cavity. One specimen, one loading, gives processability, cure characteristics and final cured properties.
- Oscillation
- 0.05 – 90° of arc
- Temperature
- up to230 °C
RPA 4500: Primero and Ultimo.
Compare the Primero and Ultimo across torque, strain, frequency, temperature and test options. The specifications below show the ranges and standard or optional features for each variant.
- Torque range, Primero
- 0.001 – 20 N·m
- Torque range, Ultimo
- 0.0001 – 20 N·m
- Torque transducer
- Ultra-high stiffness
- Torque units
- dN·m, lbf·in, kgf·cm or N·m
- Oscillation angle, Primero
- ±0.1° – ±10° arc (1.4 – 100% strain), continuously variable
- Oscillation angle, Ultimo
- ±0.02° – ±90° arc (0.28 – 1256% strain), continuously variable
- Strain resolution
- 0.0003 arc degree
- Additional accuracy torque range
- Optional on the Ultimo
- Oscillation frequency, Primero
- 0.1 – 10 Hz (6 – 600 cpm)
- Oscillation frequency, Ultimo
- 0.0016 – 50 Hz (0.1 – 3000 cpm)
- Motor
- Direct drive
- Motor inertia
- Middle inertia (Primero), low inertia (Ultimo)
- Advanced wave maker
- Optional on the Primero, standard on the Ultimo
- Temperature range, Primero
- Room temperature +10 °C to 200 °C
- Temperature range, Ultimo
- 25 – 230 °C
- Maximum heating ramp
- 1 °C/s
- Maximum cooling rate
- 0.5 °C/s
- Cooling system
- Built in at room temperature, individual air control for each die
- Enhanced cooling
- Air at 5 – 10 °C — optional on the Primero, standard on the Ultimo
- Temperature units
- °C or °F
- Test types
- Frequency sweep, strain sweep, temperature sweep, cure, variable temperature analysis, timed
- Stress relaxation
- Optional on the Primero, standard on the Ultimo
- Measured data
- Torque, temperature, frequency, strain
- Cure results
- ML, MH, MH−ML, S″ at ML, tan δ at ML and MH, ts1, ts2, tc10, tc50, tc90, max cure rate, time at max cure rate
- Dynamic results
- G′, G″, G*, S′, S″, S*, tan δ, η′, η″, η*
- Isothermal cure
- Standard on both variants
- Non-isothermal cure
- Standard on both variants
- Reports & export
- Numerous formats
- Test cavity
- Sealed and pressurised
- Weight
- 180 kg (Primero), 250 kg (Ultimo)
- Dimensions
- 32 × 32 × 43 in (Primero), 32 × 32 × 49 in (Ultimo)
- Air supply
- 80 psi (5.6 kg/cm², 551 kPa) minimum
- Electrical supply
- 220/240 Vac ±10%, 60 ±3 Hz, 20 A three phase, or 440/480 Vac ±10%, 50 ±3 Hz, 10 A three phase
- Portable console
- Optional on the Primero, standard on the Ultimo
One sample, one loading, the whole story.
A sealed pressurised cavity, a direct drive that sets the angle in software, and a transducer sensitive enough to read an uncured gum.
Three variables, one test
Strain, frequency and temperature are all set by the test procedure, so before-cure, cure and post-cure properties come off one specimen in one loading.
Sealed pressurised cavity
In an unsealed cavity the specimen edge distorts at high strain and does not repeat. Here the sample is confined at the edge, so 1256% strain reproduces.
Direct drive, no spacers
The oscillation angle is set by the direct drive in software, not by fitting a spacer. Changing amplitude between tests triggers no re-calibration.
Load and go
A conventional tester needs the die gap set by hand until the sample touches both dies. Here the specimen is loaded and the surplus squeezes out by itself.
Non-isothermal cure
Programme the temperature profile a press actually gives, not an idealised isotherm. It carries 1.5 times the scorch sensitivity of the isothermal test.
Filler dispersion by strain sweep
Sweeping strain through the non-linear region measures the Payne effect directly, so filler loading and dispersion are read as numbers.
Raw polymer incoming QC
Two lots of SBR 1006 with the same Mooney viscosity separate cleanly on uncured tan delta, which a viscometer cannot see at all.
Portable console
Run tests and review results at the machine, or from a server shared by several instruments, so one PC is not tied to one bench.
Evidence your auditor and your buyer both accept.
Every method your customers specify, and every calibration standard your procurement team will be asked to document.
Windows 11, 64-bit · Dyna Desk – Test Bench on the RPA · full compliance matrix
Discuss Your Rubber Characterisation Requirements.
Share your compound, testing objectives and required methods. DAK Engineering can help you select the RPA 4500 variant and test options for your processing, cure and dynamic-property measurements.
The RPA characterises a compound across strain, frequency and temperature. Where the work is routine cure testing to a fixed method, the MDR Elite-6300 does exactly that job and is built around the throughput it needs.