Elcometer 108 User manual

Elcometer 108
Hydraulic Adhesion Tester
User Guide
www.elcometer.com
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www.elcometer.com
www.elcometer.com/images/stories/MSDS/araldite_epoxy_adhesive.pdf
www.elcometer.com/images/MSDS/elcometer_cyanoacrylate_adhesive.pdf
Material Safety Data Sheet for the adhesives supplied by Elcometer can be downloaded via our website:
®
Araldite Standard Two Part Epoxy Adhesive:
For the avoidance of doubt, please refer to the original English language version.
© Elcometer Limited 2009-2019. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, transmitted,
transcribed, stored (in a retrieval system or otherwise) or translated into any language, in any form or by any
means (electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, manual or otherwise) without the prior written permission of
Elcometer Limited.
Tester Length: 520mm (20")
Tester Weight: 1.4kg (3lb)
Cyanoacrylate Adhesive:
CONTENTS
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en-1
Section
Page
1
Overview
en-2
2
Box Contents
en-2
3
Getting Started - Digital Pressure Gauge
en-3
4
Securing the Dolly
en-4
5
Preparing the Gauge for Test
en-5
6
Performing the Test
en-6
7
Assessing the Results - Destructive Testing
en-7
8
After Test
en-7
9
Using a Dolly Plug
en-8
10
Spares & Accessories
en-9
11
Warranty Statement
en-14
12
Technical Specification
en-14
13
Legal Notices & Regulatory Information
en-15

1 OVERVIEW
The surface under examination is prepared
and then a test dolly is attached by
adhesive. When the adhesive is cured, the
tester is attached to the dolly and a force is
applied by turning the handle.
Available with an analogue or digital
pressure gauge, the Elcometer 108
Hydraulic Adhesion Tester is an easy to
operate and fully portable Type III
adhesion gauge for measuring the bond
strength of a range of applied coatings.
When the stress exceeds the adhesion of the coating, the dolly and
coating detach from the substrate. The maximum value of hydraulic
pressure during the test is recorded and is equivalent to the adhesion
of the coating to the substrate.
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2 BOX CONTENTS
<
Elcometer 108 Hydraulic Adhesion Tester
<
a
Heating Tongs (if ordered )
<
Standard Flat Dollies (x5)
<
Dolly Plugs (x5)
<
Dolly Tool
<
Cyanoacrylate Adhesive (50g)
<
2 x AA Batteries (digital gauges only)
<
Transit Case
<
Calibration Certificate (if ordered)
<
User Guide
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a The Elcometer 108 is supplied with or without heating tongs depending on the part number ordered.
Heating tongs are also available to purchase separately, see Section 10.7 on page en-13 for details.

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3 GETTING STARTED - DIGITAL PRESSURE GAUGE
1 Peel the protective rubber boot forward to expose the battery
compartment cover at the rear of the gauge.
3.1 FITTING THE BATTERIES
2 Rotate the battery compartment cover anti-clockwise to the
‘unlock’ position.
The battery symbol at the bottom right hand side of the display
indicates the battery condition.
Note: Batteries must be disposed of carefully to avoid environmental contamination.
Please consult your local Environmental Authority for information on disposal in
your region. Do not dispose of any batteries in fire.
To Switch On: Press . The gauge displays the version of
software fitted (e.g. 1.04.03 IDENT) followed by the MIN and MAX
range in MPa.
To Switch Off: Press and hold for a second. The gauge will
switch off when the button is released.
3.2 SWITCHING THE GAUGE ON AND OFF
3 Identify correct polarity and fit 2 x AA alkaline dry batteries.
Note: When the digital pressure gauge is switched off, “OFF” is permanently
displayed.
1 Press until TIMER is displayed followed by to select.
2 Press or to toggle between the options; NONE, 1 MIN,
5 MIN, 20 MIN.
Automatic Switch Off: The gauge has a timer function and can be set
to switch off automatically after 1, 5 or 20 minutes of inactivity. The
gauge default setting is NONE.
3 Press to select the setting required.
4 Replace battery compartment cover and rotate clockwise to the
‘lock’ position.
5 Replace protective rubber boot taking care not to damage the
front panel of the display.
MENU
MAX
MENU

5 Press dolly on to sample for about 10
seconds.
2 Ensure test surface of dolly is clear of
old adhesive - see Section 8.2
‘Cleaning the Dolly’ on page en-7.
4 Apply a thin, even coat of adhesive to
dolly test surface. If adhesive is low
viscosity, see Section 9 ‘Using a Dolly
Plug’ on page en-8.
1 Identify the dolly test surface.
3 Wipe dolly test surface and sample
area with a solvent to remove oil and
grease.
7 If required, score the coating around the dolly using a dolly cutter
- see Section 10 ‘Spares & Accessories’ on page en-9.
6 Leave dolly undisturbed for at least 15 minutes (preferably for 2
hours or more), to allow the adhesive to harden.
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3 GETTING STARTED - DIGITAL PRESSURE GAUGE (continued)
The gauge can display readings in MPa (Megapascals) or PSI
(Pounds per Square Inch).
The gauge has a gauge reset function which restores the original
factory settings.
3.3 SELECTING THE UNITS
3 To cancel the reset request, press or to toggle to
‘CANCL’ followed by to confirm.
3 Press to select the units required.
2 Press again to confirm the reset. The gauge will reset and
switch off.
2 Press or to toggle between MPA and PSI.
1 Press until RESET is displayed followed by to select.
1 Press until UNITS is displayed followed by to select.
3.4 RESETTING THE GAUGE
MAX
MENU
MENU
MENU
MAX
MENU
4 SECURING THE DOLLY
û
ü
üü

1 Ensure the pin is pushed fully upwards towards the coupling.
Note: “RLOCK” will be displayed if the gauge zero has failed. This is due to the pressure
not being fully released from the instrument. If this occurs, release all the pressure
by turning the crank handle followed by the coarse adjustment screw anti-clockwise
until fully unwound and press to repeat the gauge zero.
Rotate the knob on the front of the pressure
gauge to turn the red drag indicator to ‘0'.
3 Press to zero the gauge and set the gauge to store the
maximum force recorded during test, known as ‘Max Hold’.
2 Pull coupling sleeve up and insert pin into centre of dolly.
3 Release coupling sleeve.
5.3 ATTACHING THE GAUGE TO THE DOLLY
1 Press to switch the gauge on.
To zero the digital pressure gauge:
2 Fully unwind the handle (anti-clockwise) to release all pressure.
Max Hold: The display holds the maximum value until the button
is pressed for a second time. ‘Max Hold’ should be switched on before
MAX
undertaking an adhesion test, signified on the display by either MPA
MAX
or PSI. The ‘Max Hold’ feature is switched off when the gauge is
switched off.
4 The instrument should grip the dolly firmly. If the coupling does not grip the
dolly firmly, there may be excess adhesive in the centre of the dolly. Use the
dolly tool supplied to remove excess adhesive.
To zero the analogue pressure gauge:
2 Zero the pressure gauge, see Section 5.2.
5.1 PREPARING THE GAUGE FOR TEST
3 Select the measurement units; MPA or PSI (digital pressure
gauge only) - see Section 3.3 on page en-4.
1 Turn the handle anti-clockwise until it is fully unwound to release
any pressure in the tester.
5.2 ZEROING THE PRESSURE GAUGE
5 PREPARING THE GAUGE FOR TEST
MAX
MAX
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MAX

6 PERFORMING THE TEST
2 Record the pressure indicated on the display and unwind the
handle.
(b) the minimum specified pressure value is reached
(non-destructive testing).
The operating range of the Elcometer 108 is 2 to 18MPa (290 to 2600psi).
DO NOT exceed the operating range as overloading could damage
the gauge.
1 Hold the gauge steady with one hand and turn the handle
clockwise slowly and evenly to apply an increasing force to the
dolly and hence stress to the coating.
Continue until either;
(a) the coating fails and the dolly is removed from the surface
(destructive testing) or;
Note: The oil inside the Elcometer 108 is incompressible and therefore any leakage
due to catastrophic failure of the gauge will result in an almost instantaneous
drop in pressure to atmospheric level.
4 The rate at which the force is applied (the speed of rotation of the handle)
should be in accordance with the relevant Standard.
Note: Dollies can be reused after cleaning until either the top of the dolly is severely
deformed or the dolly surface is no longer flat, see Section 8.2 ‘Cleaning the
Dolly’ on page en-7. Additional dollies are available from Elcometer or your
local supplier - see Section 10 ‘Spares & Accessories’ on page en-9 for details.
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7 ASSESSING THE RESULTS - DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
Once pulled from the surface, examine the bottom of the dolly to
assess the results.
b) Partial Failure: In some cases, the coating
will cover only part of the dolly face. A partial
adhesion / coating failure should be recorded
if the coating covers more than 50% of the
dolly face.
Cohesive Failure: When the coating fails in
the body of the coating layer leaving some
coating on the surface and some coating on
the dolly face.
a) Successful Test: In most cases the coating
will fully adhere to the dolly and the test can
be claimed as 100% valid.
a)
b)

7 ASSESSING THE RESULTS - DESTRUCTIVE TESTING (cont.)
c) Adhesive Failure: If no coating is present on
the dolly this must be recorded as a failure of
the adhesive (or glue). This is normally due to
incorrect or insufficient mixing of the
component parts of the adhesive,
incompatibility of the adhesive and the coating
or the dolly and / or test surface has not been
properly prepared before test - see Section 4
‘Securing the Dolly’ on page en-4.
8.1 AFTER TEST
Analogue pressure gauge:
2 Pull up the coupling sleeve to release the dolly.
Digital pressure gauge:
1 Fully unwind the handle (anti-clockwise) to decrease the pressure
to zero.
1 Fully unwind the handle (anti-clockwise) to decrease the pressure
to zero.
2 Pull up the coupling sleeve to release the dolly.
3 Press to release the ‘Max Hold’.
Note: Failure to release the ‘Max Hold’ and zero the gauge before each adhesion test
will result in an invalid adhesion measurement.
8.2 CLEANING THE DOLLY
Cleaning the dolly produces unpleasant fumes - ensure that the
work area is extremely well ventilated. DO NOT inhale the
fumes.
4 Press again to zero the gauge and reset ‘Max Hold’.
HOT! Exposed very hot surfaces. Use great care when handling
or placing the tongs. Allow to cool before storing.
MAX
MAX
8 AFTER TEST
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c)

8 AFTER TEST (continued)
7 Wipe the dolly test surface with a solvent to remove oil and
grease.
5 To remove any remaining adhesive, rub the dry, cool dolly with
fine sandpaper or similar.
1 Plug the heating tongs into the mains supply and leave to warm
a
up for 5 minutes.
2 Heat the dolly with the tongs for 3 to 5 minutes. This will soften
the adhesive.
6 Use the dolly tool to clear any adhesive from the dolly centre.
4 Drop the dolly into water or allow to cool naturally. Do not put the
heating tongs into water.
3 Using a sharp blade, remove the adhesive/coating from the test
surface of the dolly.
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9 USING A DOLLY PLUG
3 Press the dolly and dolly plug onto the sample area for about 10
seconds.
Each gauge is supplied complete with five dolly plugs. Additional plugs
are available to purchase separately, see Section 10.4 ‘Dolly Plugs’ on
page en-13.
1 Place the dolly plug through the centre hole on the dolly so that
the tip protrudes just below the test surface.
4 Remove the dolly plug from the centre of the dolly and wipe the
end clean using tissue soaked in a suitable solvent. If the dolly
plug becomes stuck to the dolly, use pliers to remove it.
To use the dolly plug:
Particularly in the case of low viscosity adhesives it is advisable to
place a nylon plug in the centre of the dolly before gluing it to the
surface.
This dolly plug stops glue going up the centre of the dolly, which can
impede the pin and prevent the test being carried out properly. Careful
cleaning of the centre hole increases the adhesion values for tests on
a given coating.
2 Apply the adhesive to the dolly test surface, see Section 4
‘Securing the Dolly’ on page en-4, taking care not to get adhesive
on the plug.
5 Complete the test as described in Sections 5 to 6.
a The Elcometer 108 is supplied with or without heating tongs depending on the part number ordered.
Heating tongs are also available to purchase separately, see Section 10.7 on page en-13 for details.

10 SPARES & ACCESSORIES
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10.1 ADHESIVES
The adhesive supplied with the Elcometer 108 is Cyanoacrylate
Adhesive.
Cyanoacrylate adhesives are normally recommended for gluing dollies
to the sample area due to their relatively quick curing time. However,
there are a number of coatings for which the cyanoacrylate adhesives
may not be suitable. These are:
1 Thermoplastics, celluloses, vinyl, chlorinated rubbers and some
acrylics, due to the possibility of the glue reacting with the coating.
2 Porous coatings e.g. some metal spraying, in which case the
glue, due to its low viscosity will travel into the coating, sticking
particles together and possibly altering its adhesion.
®
A two-pack epoxy such as Araldite or a modified acrylic gel-type
adhesive should be used with the coatings described in (1) and (2)
above.
If in doubt as to the type of adhesive to use, please contact the coating
manufacturer for advice.
b
Cyanoacrylate Adhesive , 50g T99911135
®
Araldite Standard Two Part T99912906
Material Safety Data Sheets for the adhesives supplied by Elcometer can be downloaded via our
website:
www.elcometer.com/images/MSDS/elcometer_cyanoacrylate_adhesive.pdf
®
Araldite Standard Two Part Epoxy Adhesive:
Description Part Number
Cyanoacrylate Adhesive:
Epoxy Adhesive; 2x15ml Tubes
® ® ®
Note: Other suitable adhesives include Loctite Hysol 907 and Araldite Standard.
The suitability of any adhesive should be determined by the user. Some
coatings can be adversely affected by adhesives. Some adhesives can be
contaminated by coating environments, solvents etc.
www.elcometer.com/images/stories/MSDS/araldite_epoxy_adhesive.pdf
b Supplied as standard with each gauge.

10.2 DOLLIES
Standard Flat Dolly, 1 off T9999646-
The Elcometer 08 is supplied with five standard flat dollies with an 1
outside diameter of 19.4mm (0.76"). Additional dollies are available to
purchase separately together with dollies for measuring on curved
surface - see Section 10.3.
Description Part Number
10.3 DOLLIES FOR CURVED SURFACES
Using a flat dolly on a curved surface can produce misleading results.
The gap between the flat and curved surfaces will not be filled by the
adhesive, resulting in one or more of the following effects:
Ÿ The dolly may peel or twist off instead of being pushed off.
Ÿ The surface area to which pressure is applied, will be modified.
This will lead to results from different curvatures not being
comparable.
Ÿ The amount of adhesive may not be sufficient to withstand the
exerted force, resulting in the adhesive breaking before the
coating separates from the substrate.
These difficulties are overcome by using curved dollies on diameters of
less than approximately 2m (6' 7"). An extensive range of curved
dollies is available.
Curved and flat dollies are all used in the same way, matching the
marks on the dollies with the longitudinal axis on the curved surface.
CONVEX DOLLIES FOR CONCAVE SURFACES
Part Number
Dolly
Radius (mm)
Internal Diameter
Min (mm)
Max (mm)
T999122741
940
1880
FLAT
T999122742
470
940
1880
T999122743
313
626
940
T999122744
235
470
626
T999122745
188
376
470
10 SPARES & ACCESSORIES (continued)
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CONVEX DOLLIES FOR CONCAVE SURFACES
Part Number
Dolly
Radius (mm)
Internal Diameter
Min (mm)
Max (mm)
T999122746
157
314
376
T999122747
135
270
314
T999122748
118
236
270
T999122749
105
210
236
T9991227410
94
188
210
T9991227411
85
170
188
CONCAVE DOLLIES FOR CONVEX SURFACES
Part Number
Dolly
Radius (mm)
External Diameter
Min (mm)
Max (mm)
T999121401
940
940
1880
T999121402
470
626
940
T999121403
314
472
628
T999121404
236
378
472
T999121405
189
316
378
T999121406
158
272
316
T999121407
136
238
272
T999121408
119
212
238
T999121409
106
192
212
T9991214010
96
174
192
T9991214011
87
160
174
T9991214012
80
148
160
T9991214013
74
138
148
T9991214014
69
130
138
T9991214015
65
121
130
T9991214016
61
116
121
T9991214017
58
110
116
10 SPARES & ACCESSORIES (continued)
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CONCAVE DOLLIES FOR CONVEX SURFACES
Part Number
Dolly
Radius (mm)
External Diameter
Min (mm)
Max (mm)
T9991214018
55
104
110
T9991214019
52
100
104
T9991214020
50
96
100
T9991214021
48
92
96
T9991214022
46
88
92
T9991214023
44
84
88
T9991214024
42
80
84
T9991214025
40
77
80
T9991214026
38.5
74
77
T9991214027
37
71
74
T9991214028
35.5
68
71
T9991214029
34
66
68
T9991214030
33
64
66
T9991214031
32
62
64
T9991214032
31
60
62
T9991214033
30
58
60
T9991214034
29
56
58
T9991214035
28
54
56
T9991214036
27
52
54
T9991214037
26
51
52
T9991214038
25.5
50
51
10 SPARES & ACCESSORIES (continued)
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10 SPARES & ACCESSORIES (continued)
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Each gauge is supplied complete with five dolly plugs. Additional
plugs are available to purchase separately. For information on when
and how to use dolly plugs, see Section 9 ‘Using a Dolly Plug’ on
page en-8.
Dolly Plug, Pack of 5 T99911136
A dolly cutter is available which cuts through the coating to isolate the
coating area under the dolly. It should be noted that some coatings will
be damaged by such an operation, which may cause micro-cracks.
Use of a dolly cutter should be agreed before testing starts.
Dolly Cutter T99914009
10.6 DOLLY TOOL
Supplied as standard with each gauge, the dolly tool is used to remove
excess adhesive from the centre of the dolly.
Description Part Number
Dolly Tool T9994586-
Heating tongs are used to soften the adhesive and remove the dolly
from the test surface, see Section 8.2 ‘Cleaning the Dolly’ on page
en-7 for further information.
Description Part Number
10.4 DOLLY PLUGS
Description Part Number
10.5 DOLLY CUTTER
a
10.7 HEATING TONGS
Heating Tongs; US 110V T99923103
Description Part Number
Heating Tongs; EU 220V / UK 240V T99923147
c
Heating Tongs; EU to UK Converter Plug T99923102
c Supplied with T99923147.
a The Elcometer 108 is supplied with or without heating tongs depending on the part number ordered.
Heating tongs are also available to purchase separately, see Section 10.7 on page en-13 for details.

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11 WARRANTY STATEMENT
Elcometer 108
Analogue
Digital
Standard Flat
Dolly
2
Area: 284mm (0.44 sq. inch)
Inside Diameter: 3.7mm (0.15")
Outside Diameter: 19.4mm (0.76")
Scale Range
0 - 25MPa
(0 - 3600psi)
0 - 25MPa
(0 - 3600psi)
Operating Range
(Certified)
2 - 18MPa
(290 - 2600psi)
2 - 18MPa
(290 - 2600psi)
Scale Resolution
1MPa (100psi)
0.1MPa (1psi)
Accuracy
1MPa (150psi)
±3% or 0.4MPa
d
(60psi)
e
Power Supply
-
2 x AA alkaline
dry batteries
Tester Length
520mm (20")
Tester Weight
1.4kg (3lb)
Kit Dimensions
497 x 411 x 140mm (19.6 x 16.2 x 5.5")
Kit Weight
4.9kg (10.8lb)
Can be used in accordance with:
ASTM D 4541, ISO 16276-1, NF T30-606
Note: The Elcometer 108 Hydraulic Adhesion Tester is a Type III adhesion tester as
defined by ASTM D4541.
d Whichever is the greater.
e Rechargeable batteries can be used.
12 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
The Elcometer 108 is supplied with a one year warranty against
manufacturing defects, excluding contamination and wear.

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TMA-0567 Issue 03 - Text with cover 24084
13 LEGAL NOTICES & REGULATORY INFORMATION
Germany: P3676087.0 & P3676088.9 Canada: 1,272,395 & 1,272,394
The Elcometer 108 is Class B, Group 1 ISM equipment according to CISPR 11.
Group 1 ISM product: A product in which there is intentionally generated and/or used conductively
coupled radio-frequency energy which is necessary for the internal functioning of the equipment itself.
Class B product: Suitable for use in domestic establishments and in establishments directly connected
to a low voltage power supply network which supplies buildings used for domestic purposes.
Applicable Patents:
The Elcometer 108 meets the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive.
UK: 2,166,875A & 2,166,876A US: 4,586,371 & 4,606,225
Norway: 165,938 & 165,937 Sweden, France and Italy: EP0244518 & 0244519
The Elcometer 108 is packed in a cardboard package. Please ensure that this packaging is disposed
of in an environmentally sensitive manner. Consult your local Environmental Authority for further
guidance.
All other trademarks acknowledged.
is a registered trademark of Elcometer Limited, Edge Lane, Manchester, M43 6BU.
United Kingdom
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