DMA-Rheometer

Gaining Access to Equipment

Equipment Location: SMF Shriram Center, Rm 099

Trainer: Dr. Jeffrey Tok (jbtok [sticky] stanford [bot] edu)

Trainer: Yuran Shi (yuran [sticky] stanford [bot] edu)

Subscribe to the Rheometer-DMA mailing list (link)
Watch the two required videos and read the document covering the chiller and rheometer instructions.
For DMA mode operation, watch the additional TA Instrument Tech Tips videos regarding different clamp geometries.
Read the chiller instruction document
After reviewing the materials, complete the quiz: DMA Training Quiz
- The quiz contains a question asking whether you have any questions about setting up your experiment. This is a good opportunity to discuss your sample’s material, dimensions, and overall suitability for testing with the DMA rheometer.
Email the trainer with answers to the following questions:
- Have you completed SMF orientation with Dr. Jeff Tok?
- Do you have a valid Badger account?
- What is your home lab? Are you undergrad,grad,post-doc?
Sign up for instrument specific training: DMA-Rheometer training sign up

If needed, refer to the official training document for additional information on the rheometer training.

Turn on the air supply of the rheometer.
- This must be done first before powering on the rheometer.
- The bottom plate should spin freely once the air is on.
Set up the chiller (if required)
- After powering on, wait 15 minutes for the machine to purge.
- Purge state: chiller off, air on, instrument on, oven closed and in the correct position so that air flows through the chamber.
- Then, turn on the chiller and allow 60 minutes for internal cooling before use.
Log into Badger and start the PC.
Launch the control software TRIOS and connect to the rheometer.

Install the upper mount geometry by aligning the grooves of the geometry with the transducer rods, then screw it in securely.
Install the lower geometry using the same method.
Insert the rectangular alignment tool between the clamps and set the alignment position.
- In TRIOS, Navigate to Geometries in the left panel → select Tension Fixture (Rectangular) → read the alignment position (do not change the mass calibration).
- You can return to this alignment position anytime by going to the Motors tab and selecting Move to Alignment Position.
Remove the alignment tool and zero the gap.
- On the rheometer keypad, press the Stage Down button to move the top geometry down until it is close to the bottom geometry.
- Press the Zero Gap button to zero the gap between the clamps.
Zero the axial force using the tare function on the machine’s control panel, ensuring no sample is loaded.
Load the test sample into the clamps, while using the torque screwdriver to apply even clamping pressure. The correctly loaded sample should look like this.
After the sample is clamped, adjust the gap until the force reading on the rheometer display returns to zero (zeroing the axial force before taking measurements).

Set up the sample ID, file name, and file path on the central panel.
Select the geometry to be used and adjust the corresponding parameters. For the sample length, input the current gap dimension (not the actual length of the sample).
Configure the experiment and set the test parameters in the Procedure tab.
Start the test by clicking Start on the top toolbar.

After completing the test, unload the sample.
Remove the top and bottom clamp geometries and return them to the drawer.
Export your data as a PDF if graphs are needed. Use a portable USB drive to transfer data files from the lab computer to your own device. ( PDF files are not exported automatically. Only txt files with the procedure set up and recorded data point values are saved.)
Close TRIOS, turn off the chiller, and reset the chamber temperature to 10 °C through the Environment tab on the right.
Disable the tool and Log out of Badger.

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Page last modified on September 09, 2025, at 09:45 pm