Established by polymer testing expert, Dr Don Fleming in 1998, Fleming Polymer Testing & Consultancy was created specifically for the polymer testing and processing industry in order to solve production problems and optimise profitability.
Having worked for a rheometer manufacturer and completed a PhD in rheology, it was apparent that knowledge of polymer testing was essential to the polymer processing community but in short supply. The company now supplies rheological data, interpretation, training and consultancy to many of the polymer testing industries largest producers.
Don graduated in Mechanical Engineering at Bradford University before undertaking a PhD in the same department. The substantive areas of his research were the reactive extrusion of cross-linked LLDPE and PET foams. Having written and presented over 20 papers throughout Europe, juggled with extruder dies, and having his hands burnt on many occasions by a variety of polymer melts, has cemented both the practical and theoretical aspects of rheology.
Polymer testing and impact testing today constitute an important end product and fit for purpose test. Following manufacture, many products will experience some form of service impact specific to their environment, it is the aim of the impact tester to replicate these service impacts in order to assess their fitness for purpose. Polymer testing is generally governed by standards which cater for a wide range of materials including, polymers, polymer composites, metals and ceramics.
Rheometry testing
Rheology is the science of deformation and flow. Rheology is important since most of our plastic products are produced by processes such as extrusion and injection moulding which exploit deformation and flow. Understand rheology, improve profitability!
What rheological measurements can we make?
Shear & Elongational melt viscosity, shear & extensional stress, shear rate, wall slip, die swell, temperature dependence, power law index and critical stress.