One Rheometer, Two EC Motors, All Possibilities

Anton Paar (Austria) introduces a rheometry revolution: MCR 702 with modular TwinDrive technology. This is the world’s first rheometer to cover all possible rheological applications – with an accuracy of 1 nNm and features like the IsoLign Piezo flange, offering measuring gap control down to an unprecedented size of 10 nm.

Anton Paar’s TwinDrive technology combines two powerful synchronous EC (Electrically Commutated) motor units in a modular setup: The upper EC motor in the rheometer is permanent; the lower EC motor can be extracted and integrated at will. Due to the EC motor's renowned dynamism and precision, users have several options of how to employ these motor units to fit their specific requirements.

MCR 702, the first rheometer with fully integrated TwinDrive technology, can be operated in several test modes and covers all rheological applications – past, present and future.

In this mode, the rheometer employs both EC motors as drive units and torque transducers, optionally rotating in opposite or parallel directions. Doubled EC motors extend the scope of testing options, e.g. with optional counter-rotation for enhanced rheo-microscopy. MCR 702 TwinDrive can be operated with both motors’ maximum shear rates combined and is optionally employed for extensional rheology applications or tests with parallel rotation at different speeds.

The 2EC mode also enables users to employ the motors in a more synchronised fashion, making “different demands” on each of them. Because of the EC motors’ outstanding precision, one motor is easily brought to a standstill and operated solely as a torque transducer, while the other motor is used as a drive unit only. This turns MCR 702 into the best available separate motor transducer rheometer for rotational and oscillatory tests, at the unprecedented torques and normal forces offered by Anton Paar’s EC motors only.

In the EC mode, the lower motor unit is easily removed in accordance with individual application needs. This procedure is fully supported by Toolmaster, the MCR’s automatic tool recognition and configuration system. After the extraction of the lower motor, the instrument can be operated as a single-drive rheometer, making the most of the single EC motor’s TruStrain capability and enabling “classic” stress-controlled tests. The EC mode opens MCR 702 up to the wide variety of custom-tailored temperature devices and application-specific accessories the MCR series is famous for.

MCR 702 TwinDrive is the first rheometer to offer nano-scale precision on several counts – such as low-torque measurements down to a minimum of 1 nNm and the control of angular deflections down to 100 nrad. Now this peak precision also extends to the system’s measuring gap control: The new IsoLign Piezo flange performs gap size changes as small as 10 nm. Based on a system of 3 Piezo elements in the flange of the measuring chamber reception, IsoLign is reliably employed in all TwinDrive test modes.

The rheometers from Anton Paar can be operated either in the 2EC mode or in the EC mode and open up entirely new measurement dimensions. One rheometer, two EC motors, all possibilities.