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Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ

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Looking for Spiral Contractometer

2000

RFQ: Greetings,

We are developing a high speed near zero stress nickel electroforming bath. As such our method of measuring the stress in the bath does not translate easily into Pounds per square foot, however a Brenner-Senderhof Spiral Contractometer does.

My question is Where can I get a contractometer?

I thank you in advance for any help I receive.

Anthony J. Covey
electroformer - Corona, California

Ed. note: Sorry, this RFQ is old & outdated, so contact info is no longer available. However, if you feel that something technical should be said in reply, please post it; no public commercial suggestions please ( huh? why?)

A. A spiral contractometer is a slow test. The same plating solution at the same temp with the same coil, stripped and prepped can easily give data that is 1-2000 different. Two people testing a split sample on different equipment will rarely get the same answer. I bought mine from Kammaras, years ago. King Corp, Larry sells one also.

~~Quality Control Instruments in Oak Ridge, TN~~ sells a modified one based on a Boeing patent. While I have never used one, but from having my hands on one, This looks like it would be considerable easier to load, calibrate and operate. If I were to do it again, it is the way that I would go.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2000

RFQ: To James Watts-

I, too, want one of the easier to handle contractometers. I tried to contact Quality Control Instruments in Oak Ridge, TN and the operator told me "no such place". Do you have a number?

Jeanne Kitazaki
United Airlines - San Francisco, California
2000

~~The units in question are now offered by QCI's successor, Industrial Instruments Inc. in Newport News, Virginia~~.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2000

RFQ: We use spiral contractometer to measure stress of coatings plated in our Ni sulphamate baths. We used to buy spirals and contractometers from Industrial Equipments. I do not know what happened but phone numbers of Industrial Instruments Inc. are no more valid and they do not reply emails. Can someone suggest another supplier for spiral contractometers.

Thank you very much

Murat Celikaksoy

Murat Celikaksoy
Plating Shop - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
2007

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Ed. note 2007: ~~Health issues temporarily impacted their ability to be aggressive in notifying people of their relocation. You can reach them at Phone: (423) 626-6144, Fax: (423) 626-6155, e-mail: Industinst@aol.com.~~

RFQ: Where can I find a spiral contractometer? Or even parts for one?

Doreen E [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
Quality Control, buyer - Cleveland, Ohio
2007

A. They are now offered by Material Testing Technology, Wheeling, IL.

Robert Szokolay
- Clermont, Florida USA
May 10, 2013

RFQ: We are looking for a spiral contractometer for determination of stress in electroplated nickel from sulfamate Ni plating baths.

Satish Jalota
Electroplating - Santa Clara, California, USA
2007

RFQ: I am looking for either a spiral or gearless contractometer (preferred) for purchase.

Heinz Weber
Landing Gear overhaul - Oakville, Ontario, Canada
January 8, 2008

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Ed. note 2008: ~~Please try Industrial Instruments.~~

RFQ: I want to buy GEARLESS CONTRACTOMETER, but I don't know how to buy, and which company supplies this kind of product. I'm from China.

Spancy Zhao
auto parts - Shanghai, China
December 2, 2008

RFQ: Hi all,

Very informative thread indeed.

We are looking for contractometers, but it seems QCI, or Industrial Instruments are not contactable at the moment.

May I know if there are other companies selling helical type contractometers?

Thank you!

Jerry Lin
- Kembangan, SGP, Singapore
April 3, 2009

A. Hi, Jerry. Although ASTM B636 is based on the spiral contractometer, and we wish it were otherwise, my understanding is that ~~spiral contractometers are presently unavailable unless you find a used one~~.

However, there are some alternatives, including: "StressTabs", a serrated Hell Cell panel lacquered on one side so that you can judge the stress at different current densities from the warpage of the various prongs; and the dual bent strip deposit stress analyzer. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
March 11, 2011

RFQ: I cannot find a company that sells the Brenner-Senderoff spiral contractometers any longer. Can you help?

Cheryl Lewis
- Cleveland, Ohio
March 14, 2010

A. Hi, Cheryl. Spiral contractometers are a very small volume specialized item and to my knowledge were supplied for the last decade or more only by a 2-person company (Industrial Instruments Inc.) which is no longer in business. ~~I do not think they are available at all~~. I would be happy to hear otherwise.

Stainless steel replacement strips/coils are available from Larry King, Rosedale, NY. Larry King offers some alternate devices for stress measurement, as does Specialty Testing & Development, York, PA.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
March 2010

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Ed. note May 2013: Ted's mention of unavailability is now dated info; see posting above from Robert Szokolay, and posting below from Nancy Kamka and Dianne Gibble.

A. Ted is correct, ~~you just can't buy a spiral contractometer anymore~~. You can try to find one used from a plating shop that closes. If you can find one, a much better contractometer was a gearless spiral contractometer (~~also no longer available~~) from Industrial Instruments Inc, formerly QCI. They were much easier to use and were more reliable. The Brenner-Senderoff spirals that you can still get from Larry King work in the gearless as well. Of the other ways to measure stress in nickel, the next best is probably the bent strip method that you can get from Kocour. The test is accurate enough, but it is difficult not to deform the strip when you are loading it into the test block. Good Luck.

Jon Barrows, MSF, EHSSC
GOAD Company

Independence, Missouri

March 16, 2010

A. MTT Material Testing Technology manufactures these spiral contractometers. You can contact us here:
www.mttusa.net

Nancy Kamka
- Wheeling, Illinois
May 15, 2012

A. If you are looking for a Spiral Contractometer or Helix/ Spiral Specialty Testing & Development has Spiral Contractometer equipment for sale that meets ASTM standard B636.

Diane Gibble
Specialty Testing & Development Company Inc. - Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania
October 20, 2016

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