Fluid Applicators and the
Diversified Drawdown Platform™

Unlike dyne test markers, bottled surface tension test fluids require a separate applicator to spread the test liquid over the substrate being evaluated. The original - and still most widely used - method is to use cotton-tipped applicator swabs, per ASTM Std. D2578 and TAPPI Test Method T698. This technique is effective, but differences in application pressure and degree of saturation of the swab will contribute to test-to-test variability. A good alternative for flat surfaces in the ACCU DYNE Applicator™, which produces a drawdown 1.5" in width. For broader scale evaluations of films and other flat samples, metering rods are an excellent choice. This method will require a precision platform to produce a quality drawdown.