It can be provided platens of all types, in all sizes and load capacities, and also custom designs for special applications. Platens of 6″ diameter are the most popular size. Typically, platens are fabricated of fully through-heat-treated 440C stainless steel, characterized by high surface hardness and durability in combination with corrosion resistance. However, it is posissibile to provide lower cost for less demanding loading applications, such as for testing soft, low strength materials, platens of low carbon steel or other materials. This is possibile also for any type of adapter, threaded or otherwise,to permit mating of these platens with the user’s specific testing machine.
Very shallow concentric rings are typically scribed on the loading surface to permit visual centering of the object to be placed on them for loading.
A fixed platen is commonly used in combination with a spherical seat platen, the former at the bottom provides a stable base to the object to be tested on, and the latter at the top to help compensate for any load misalignment in the testing machine. The movable portion of the spherical seat platen can also be used as the bottom platen, if desired, because it is held in the neutral position by springs.
A lock-down option is also available with the spherical seat platen. The spherical seat platen can be converted to a fixed platen, in fact, three screws are provided that can be tightened against the movable portion of the platen to prevent it from pivoting relative to the fixed portion.
