DSC-1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Differential scanning calorimetry
Energy in and out of the sample. Glass transition, melting, crystallisation, enthalpy, purity, oxidation induction time.
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Four families, built on a common platform and supported by the people who assemble them. Which one you need depends less on your industry than on what you are trying to find out.
TGA-1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Thermogravimetric analysis
Mass against temperature. Composition, filler and ash content, decomposition onset, thermal stability, evolved gas.
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STA series
Simultaneous thermal analysis
Both signals from one specimen in one run — the only reliable way to tell a melt from a decomposition.
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Ambient – 300 °C
Thermal conductivity
Steady-state measurement of λ for solids, powders, boards and insulation, at the temperature the material will see.
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Start from the question, not the acronym
Most enquiries resolve quickly once the actual question is on the table. A useful first cut:
Does the event change the mass?
How far below ambient do you need to go?
Ambient upwards is DSC-1. To −40 °C without consumables, DSC-2 with mechanical refrigeration. To −100 °C, DSC-3 or DSC-4 with manual or automatic nitrogen feed. Low-temperature glass transitions in elastomers are the usual reason to go down there.
How hot does the experiment have to get?
Polymers, pharmaceuticals and most organics are comfortably covered to 1150 °C (TGA-1). Ceramics, refractories, minerals and metallurgical work are what push you to 1450 °C or 1550 °C.
Do you need to know what came off?
If identifying the evolved species matters, specify the thermostatted transfer interface and couple the TGA to your GC, MS or FTIR. Retro-fitting later is possible but a good deal less convenient.
At a glance
Range comparison
Instrument families
| DSC — models 1 to 4 | Heat flow · −100 – 680 °C (model-dependent; 1150 °C optional on DSC-1) ±0.1 °C accuracy · ±500 mW range · ±0.1 µW resolution |
|---|---|
| TGA — models 1 to 4 | Mass change · RT – 1150 / 1250 / 1450 / 1550 °C 0.1 µg resolution · 1 – 200 mg (to 5 g customised) · GC / MS / FTIR coupling |
| STA | Mass change + heat flow, one specimen · indicative figures — see product page |
| Thermal conductivity | Steady-state λ · ambient – 300 °C (confirmed; remaining figures indicative) |
Full specifications are on each instrument page. Figures marked indicative are pending confirmation against model-specific datasheets and should be requested formally at enquiry.
Try before you specify.
Send us a material you already understand and we will run it and issue a report. It is a better evaluation than any demonstration, and it costs you a specimen.