BTG Labs launches Surface Analyst 5001

BTG Labs (Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.) introduces the Surface Analyst 5001, a non-destructive handheld surface inspection device that enables manufacturers to rapidly quantify the quality of material surfaces after cleaning processes and before applications such as bonding, coating, sealing, painting or printing, as well as map Critical Control Points (CCPs). Said to provide predictive analytics for zero-defect manufacturing in less than two seconds, the technology eliminates scrap, rework, production delays and the risk of recalls related to adhesion and cleaning issues.

BTG Labs says the Surface Analyst 5001 is designed to inspect any material— including composites, polymers, glass and ceramics —  in any direction and on parts with complex geometries. It takes inspections using purified HPLC-grade water, eliminating the potential for material contamination and ensuring harmless inspections for users and to the surfaces being tested. Further, the device is truly portable, unattached to either a computer or a tablet.

Accuracy is enhanced using Archer software, which reportedly streamlines the surface adhesion inspection processes by providing precise and quantitative inspections, which can be conducted in complex and unpredictable manufacturing environments. Dynamic Detection, an intelligent and advanced image analysis that enables the device to provide contact angle results that accurately represent the droplet's interaction with the surface, which BTG Lab claims enables it to exceed the accuracy of laboratory-type goniometer contact angle measurements.  

Additional features include a user-friendly Universal Inspection Head with built-in buttons, LED lights and audible feedback, eliminating the need to view the device’s screen during a test.