Welcome to the Bluehill User Community Blog! The goal of this site is to provide Instron's Bluehill users with a central location to search for FAQ'S, how-to's and useful tips and tricks. If you don't find what you are looking for - just ask! If you have any recommendations for how we can improve our site - let us know that too!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

NATO has a standards agency for mechanical testing of explosive materials?

We recieved an inquiring from a customer in Spain today who is testing rocket propellent in accordance with a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Standardization Agency. This is another new application for Bluehill - using both Virtual Measurements and Expression Builder. The test in question is pretty typical stress relaxation test in tension - with the following exception - the standard requires a plot of the relation modulus vs. time. How do we do this? By creating a virtual measurement for modulus (you need to write your own formula, like you would for a user calculation), the measurement is now available for plotting (remember, a virtual measurement is a user calculation that is evaluated at every data point). Further, in the standard, a log-log graph is shown. This can also be recreated: create 2 new virtual measurements - one for the log of the time measurement and one for the log of the modulus measurement.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Tell us your testing challenges and put Bluehill 3 to the test!

Put Bluehill 3 to the test! Post a comment and let me know what testing challenges you have! Don't be afraid to ask - we really want to help! And if we can't solve your problem immediately - our developers are always working to add more new features to the product! I have a pretty long list of feature requests already - but could use your help prioritizing them! For example - you tell me - which of the following products would you be MOST excited about?

1. A new and improved TestProfiler that includes a better UI, data sampling per block, sine waves and more

OR

2. An option for result storage in a database that would allow you to easily perform statistical analysis on multiples samples or individual specimens from multiple samples

Post a comment to vote!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Bluehill 3 for composites testing - so far so good!

Karl, Lorenzo and I had a great visit with a composites customer today. The primary purpose of the visit was to talk about the capabilities of Bluehill 3 software for doing a variety of key composites tests such as a DCB test or testing in accordance with ASTM D3039. Overall the visit went great and we think Bluehill 3 has added some pretty significant capabilities to their ever growing and changing test requirements!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Steve's question (2 of 2): remotely viewing and analyzing test results

Oops! I started this the other day but never finished it!
Steve also wants to be able to discuss test resuls in a conference room with colleagues or over a conference call. How can he view the data that was created in the lab? Here is my suggestion: get a software license agreement and install the Bluehill software CD that you already have, on a PC in the conference room and/or at your desk PC (or laptop). Start storing all test results, methods, and report on a network drive (password protected if necessary) so that the files can easily be reviewed remotely. With the TestCam module - you can also view the video files and show someone how the specimen broke!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Steve's question (1 of 2): getting closer to your specimen

Steve told me that his company is trying to use the TestCam module in Bluehill with a traditional webcam to record historical files of specimen failures for their records. (Steve is in the medical device industry and these video-based records help achieve better FDA compliance with record keeping according to 21 CFR part 11). However, he was wondering if Bluehill could work with video sources other than a webcam to provide increased magnification of very small specimens. In addition to a standard USB webcam, we can accomodate pretty much any USB video device including this really cool USB microscope by Veho providing up to 400X magnification! You can buy this microscope off the shelf and start using it as long as you have Bluehill's TestCam module. Or you can buy from us and we can also provide integrated T-slot mounting of the camera. Stay tuned for a picture of this particular camera on an Instron!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Back from moving, vacation and ready for summer

I have been MIA the past couple weeks due to my family's move into a new house (yay!) and the holiday break. What a great 4th of July weekend! Additional delays due to having no internet access at the new house for a week! Verizon FIOS installed - I am back! I am putting together a post right now to tell you about a USB microscope that you can use with the Bluehill TestCam.