Viscosity measurements can be problematic. For a start, different users all doing the same test with the same cup are likely to all be getting different results, this is just down to every one’s reaction times. Viscosity testing, although at first glance appearing simple, can be a little bit more complicated. One of the standard ways to check viscosity is to use a dip cup of some sort, and depending on the required viscosity of the slurry, I’d expect most people to be using a Zahn 4 for backs up slurries or a Zahn 5 cup for primary slurries. This insight will highlight some common slurry testing mistakes that I’ve seen over the years. Avoiding these common mistakes could help keep your process running smoothly.

We have seen in previous Insight articles, physical properties of all materials used in the investment casting process are important. As we are all aware, being able to measure these properties correctly will help you to control your process. Sometimes it is worth stepping back and looking at how this is done especially with routine testing, sometimes complacency can lead to oversights when testing.

Welcome to my first insight article. I am Alex Spence, my undergraduate degree was in combined sciences, and I am currently working towards an MSc in Engineering with the open university. I have been with Remet for almost 9 years now, I work in Quality Control and R & D at Remet’s Rochester Laboratory in the UK.

How to test slip viscosity