Stable Micro Systems - Texture Analyser
Why Stable Micro Systems is the world leader in texture analysis
- Selling Texture Analysers for over 30 years – over 12,000 installations
- Over 20,000 published peer-reviewed papers using our equipment – making us the most academically referenced Texture Analyser (according to Google Scholar Search) in the world
- Unrivaled bespoke software to help you study and analyse the results
- Customer-oriented if you have specific needs, Stable Micro Systems can make custom probe just for you
- Over 200 attachments for your testing needs
- The first to achieve a data Acquisition Rate of 2000 pps
What is Texture Analyser?
Texture analysis involves testing the mechanical properties of materials by assessing parameters of force, distance, and time. It is a versatile method that has become widely adopted across various industries to evaluate specific characteristics of materials, including their behavior, durability, flexibility, flow, adhesion, and more.
Due to its flexibility, texture analysis is commonly employed by major manufacturers during product development and quality control processes. It is used at every stage of production to measure and assess raw materials, semi-finished products, packaging, and finished goods. This approach is a cost-effective way to examine the impact of material quality, formulation adjustments, or processing changes on the final product. Applications range from evaluating the sensory properties (such as “mouth feel”) of food items, to assessing the flow properties of creams and pastes, the bending or breaking strength of products, or the tackiness of adhesives. Texture analysis can also help identify and address textural issues that may arise during storage or transport. Additionally, it can be used to benchmark your product against competitors or substantiate product claims, providing a technical edge in the market. It is an invaluable tool for quantifying the texture and overall physical properties of your “gold standard” product, ensuring consistent quality during future production runs.
The Stable Micro Systems Texture Analyser offers comprehensive capabilities for measuring and analyzing fundamental, empirical, and rheological properties of materials. It can evaluate solid, semi-solid, viscous liquid, powder, and granular materials across a broad spectrum of industries.
Below is a representative list of the physical properties that texture analysis can help evaluate.
- Adhesiveness
- Firmness
- Swelling
- Tear Strength
- Extensibility
- Burst Point
- Disintegration
- Relaxation
- Break Strength
- Stiffness
- Spreadability
- Flexibility
- Hardness
- Springiness
- Cohesion
- Setting/Curing
- Peel Strength
- Fracturability
- Friction
- Tackiness
- Brittleness
- Tensile Strength
- Elastic Modulus
- Compressibility Consistency
- Toughness
- Resilience
- Puncture Force
How to Choose your Texture Analyser
You have to consider some or all of the following aspects to help you choose the right model, test method, and probe:
- What are the parameters/properties you want to get from the sample?
- Do you want to imitate actions like chewing or pressing with a finger?
- Is the sample self-supporting, homogeneous or not, or semi-solid?
- How hard is the sample? This determines the selection of model and loadcell
- Does the sample have multiple different layers?
To use Texture Analyser you need to select:
- Texture Analyser model
- Loadcell capacity
- Probe
- Software
- How to operate the Texture Analyser
1.Texture Analyser Model
There are 7 different models of Stable Micro Systems’ Texture Analyser but the differences are only in height, loadcell capacity, and speed.
Height matters if you want to test tensile or if your sample size is big.
Loadcell selection depends on how hard is your sample. If you want to measure in bulk, then you need higher-end model to accommodate the force needed.
Speed only matters if you require the test to run with a specific speed. Otherwise, it’s not important.
2. Loadcell Capacity
This is intertwined with the model selection and the highest range can produce up to 750kg of force!
3. Probe
The selection of probes or accessories depends on your sample shape and the parameters you want to get.
4. Software
There are two software options, Exponent Lite and Exponent. The Exponent is the full version with complete functionality while Lite missing some of the benefits. Nonetheless we are proud with our software because it is equipped with a library full of a wide variety of test methods.
5. How to operate the Texture Analyser
There are several options: laptop/PC, Tablet/Phone, and Touchscreen Interface. But we recommend using a laptop or PC so you can use all of the software features. Tablet/phone or touchscreen interface is good if you prefer simplicity.
Applications
Bakery
Cereal
Confectionery
Dairy
Fruit and Vegetables
Gels & Films
Meat and Fish
Pasta and Rice
Pet food and Animal Feed
Snacks
Pharmaceutical and Medical
Packaging
Hair & Hair
Leather
Personal Care Products
Adhesives
Controlled Release Products
Cosmetics and Skincare
Pharmaceutical Packaging
