DeFelsko PosiTest Pull-Off Adhesion Tester

At a Glance
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manual
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accessories

Pull-off Adhesion Testers

Measures adhesion of coatings to metal, wood, concrete and other rigid substrates.

Select from four Stand-offs - 20 mm, 50 mm, 50x50 mm Tile and 50 mm C1583
Environmentally sealed enclosure - weatherproof, dustproof and shockproof - meets or exceeds IP65
Inexpensive, single-use dollies eliminate cleaning for re-use and can be kept as a permanent record
Self-aligning aluminum dolly enables accurate measurements on smooth or uneven surfaces
10, 14, 20 or 50 mm dollies maximize capability and measurement resolution across a wide range of bond strengths
Calibrated and certified to + / - 1 percent accuracy using a NIST traceable load cell
Certificate of Calibration showing traceability to NIST included (Long Form)

Conforms to international standards including ASTM C1583/D4541/D7234, ISO 4624/16276-1,
EN 1542/12004-2, AS/NZS 1580.408.5 and others

Simple

Easily select dolly sizes, change measurement units, or store readings with the touch of a button
Inexpensive, single-use dollies and plates eliminate cleaning for re-use and can be kept as a permanent record
Each kit comes with everything needed for testing

Durable

Environmentally sealed enclosure - weatherproof, dustproof and shockproof - meets or exceeds IP65
Hard-shell carrying case included, with optional upgrade to a heavy-duty Pelican case (Automatic models only)
Two year warranty

Accurate

Calibrated and certified to + / - 1 percent accuracy using a NIST traceable load cell
Certificate of Calibration showing traceability to NIST included
Self-aligning dolly enables accurate measurements on smooth or uneven surfaces
Conforms to national and international standards including ASTM C1583/ D4541/D7234, ISO 4624/16276-1, BS EN 12004-2, AS/NZS 1580.408.5, and others

Versatile

Select from four stand-offs to suit nearly any application
Internal memory stores maximum pull-off pressure, rate of pull, test duration, and dolly size
10 mm, 14 mm, 20 mm, 50 mm, 50 x 50 mm Tile, and 50 mm C1583 dollies maximize capability and measurement resolution across a wide range of bond strengths

Powerful

Sealed USB port for fast, simple connection to a PC
Includes PosiSoft suite of software for viewing and reporting data

PosiTest AT - Adhesion Tester
ATM20A	PosiTest AT Manual Pull-Off Adhesion Tester 0 - 3000 PSI / 0 - 20 MPa / 20MM DOLLY
ATM50A	PosiTest AT Manual Pull-Off Adhesion Tester 0 - 3000 PSI / 0 - 20 MPa / 50 MM DOLLY
ATM50C	PosiTest AT-M Manual - Adhesion Tester - Concrete Kit
ATM50T	PosiTest AT-M Manual - Adhesion Tester - Tile Kit
ATVERIFY	PosiTest AT Verifier - for Adhesion Testers
ATA20A	PosiTest AT Automatic Pull-Off Adhesion Tester 0 - 3000 PSI / 0 - 20 MPa / 20MM DOLLY
ATA50A	PosiTest AT Automatic Pull-Off Adhesion Tester 0 - 3000 PSI / 0 - 20 MPa / 50MM DOLLY
AT50KIT	PosiTest AT Includes 50 mm stand-off, holesaw and test dollies (12) 0 - 500 psi / 0 - 3.5 MPa
ATA50C	PosiTest AT-A Automatic - Adhesion Tester - Concrete Kit
ATA50T	PosiTest AT-A Automatic - Adhesion Tester - Tile Kit
DOLLY10	Dolly 10mm -Pkg of 10 for PosiTest Adhesion Tester
DOLLY10APK100	Dolly 10mm -Pkg of 100 for PosiTest Adhesion Tester
DOLLY14	Dolly 14mm-Pkg of 10 for PosiTest Adhesion Tester
DOLLY14APK100	Dolly 14mm -Pkg of 100 for PosiTest Adhesion Tester
DOLLY20	Dolly 20mm-Pkg of 10 for PosiTest Adhesion Tester
DOLLY20APK100	Dolly 20mm -Pkg of 100 for PosiTest Adhesion Tester
DOLLY50	Dolly 50mm -Pkg of 4 for PosiTest Adhesion Tester
DOLLY50APK50	Dolly 50mm -Pkg of 50 for PosiTest Adhesion Tester
DOLLY50C	Dolly 50mm C1583 -Pkg of 2 for PosiTest Adhesion Tester
DOLLY50T	Dolly 50mmX50mm - Pkg of 4 for PosiTest Adhesion Tester
ATADHESIVEKIT	PosiTest AT Adhesive Kit (additional adhesive, mixing sticks, palettes, cotton swabs)
TMPLTAS	PosiTest AT Drilling Template for 50 mm Dollies
ATVERIFY	PosiTest AT Verifier

	Automatic Models		Manual models

Model Order Code	ATA20	ATA50	ATM20	ATM50
Dolly size and stand off *	20 mm	50 mm	20 mm	50 mm
Typical Applications	Coating on metal	Coatings on concrete, wood and plastic	Coating on metal	Coatings on concrete, wood and plastic
Range	0.7 - 24 MPa 100 - 3500 psi 100 - 7550 N	0.4 - 3.8 MPa 50 - 560 psi 100 - 7550 N	0.7 - 20 MPa 100 - 3000 psi	0.4 - 3.5 MPa 50 - 500 psi
Resolution	0.01 MPa (1 psi)
Accuracy	+ / - 1 percent Full Scale
* Optional 20 and 50 mm Accessory Kits allow each model to be used with alternative dolly sizes. Custom 10 and 14 mm dollies are available for special applications (compatible with 20 mm stand off)

All kits include everything needed for testing:

ATA20 and ATM20
    20 mm dollies (20), 20 mm cutting tool, 20 mm stand off

  ATA50 and ATM50
    50 mm dollies (8), 50 mm cutting tool, 50 mm stand off

Plus...

Adhesion Tester
built-in rechargeable NiMH battery with charger
abrasive pad
glue with mixing sticks and palettes
cotton swabs
USB cable, PosiSoft Software,
instruction booklet and video
Certificate of Calibration traceable to NIST
two-year warranty
sturdy, lightweight carrying case

positest ata logo

Key Features...

Electronically controlled hydraulic pump automatically applies smooth and continuous pull-off pressure. Greatly reduces user effort and the risk of influencing the pulling process
Impact and scratch resistant color touch screen with keypad for operation with or without gloves
Built-in rechargeable battery performs over 200 tests per charge. Continue testing with AC power while the battery recharges.
Environmentally sealed enclosure - weatherproof, dustproof and shockproof - meets or exceeds IP65
Rubberized, shock absorbing grips provide a stable, skid-resistant footing
Self-aligning aluminum dolly enables accurate measurements on smooth or uneven surfaces
10, 14, 20 or 50 mm dollies maximize capability and measurement resolution across a wide range of bond strengths. Maximum pull-off pressure by dolly size...
- 10 mm: 14000 psi (96 MPa)
- 14 mm: 7000 psi (50 MPa)
- 20 mm: 3500 psi (24 MPa)
- 50 mm: 560 psi (3.8 MPa)
User selectable measurement units: psi (pounds per square inch), MPa (Megapascal), Nmm2 (Newtons per millimeter square) or Newton (force)
User adjustable pull rate, pull limit and hold time
Rotating display for horizontal and vertical use
Calibrated and certified to Â± 1% accuracy using a NIST traceable load cell

Memory and Reporting Features

Internal memory stores maximum pull-off pressure, rate of pull, test duration and dolly size for 100,000 pulls in up to 1,000 batches
Record the results as pass/fail and the nature of fracture - cohesive, adhesive and glue failures
Wirelessly connect to your smart device using our free PosiTector App (Apple iOS and Android)
WiFi technology wirelessly communicates with PosiSoft.net, downloads software updates and allows access to stored measurement data using standard web browsers (see WiFi Features for full details)
PosiSoft USB Drive - stored readings and graphs can be accessed via USB using universal PC/Mac web browsers or file explorers. No software required
Compatible with PosiSoft Desktop, PosiSoft.net and PosiTector App (Apple iOS and Android) software solutions

Positector App Features

Add images and notes using the camera or keyboard
Create customized, professional PDF reports
Share, backup, synchronize and report measurement data
Auto-pairing Bluetooth (BLE) connection

ata touch screen

Use the touch screen to interact with menu options. Swipe horizontally to navigate between views or vertically to move between batch readings. Alternatively, the keypad can be used for navigation and selection.


User adjustable dolly size, pull rate, pull limit and hold time.	Batch summary provides an at-a-glance review of test results.	View test parameters and reading results. Reading is recorded as pass or fail based on set test parameters. The pass/fail results can be revised.

Notes can be added for each reading.	Include a note for a batch (group) of readings.	Record the nature of failure - cohesive, adhesive and glue failures.

Recording the Nature of the Fracture

Upon completion of a pull-off test, the dolly and coated surface should be examined. In addition to pull-off force, many National and International standards such as ASTM D4541 and ISO 4624 require the nature of the fracture to be recorded.

Cohesive fracture: fracture occurs within a coating layer (same coating on dolly face and coated surface).
Adhesive fracture: fracture occurs at the interface between layers (coating on dolly face differs from surface).
Glue failure: visible separation of the glue from itself, the coating or dolly (no coating visible on the dolly face).

The cohesive and adhesive fracture visual analysis can be recorded using the PosiTest AT-A's keypad or touch screen display. Alternatively, the information can be reported using the PosiTector App.

Fractures are visually estimated and recorded as a percent of each. The two layer example below illustrates a cohesive fracture within coating layer 1 and layer 2 (visually estimated at 50% each). Recorded results are included in reports.

$recording fracture$

The PosiTest AT-A can record fracture information for up to five layers. For full details and examples see Visual Analysis and Recording of Test Results.

4 Manual Models Available
Order Code	ATM20	ATM50	ATM50T (EN 12004-2)	ATM50C (ASTM C1583 and EN 1542)
Dolly size and stand-off *	20 mm	50 mm	50x50 mm	50 mm
Typical Applications	Higher bond strength coatings on metals	Lower bond strength coatings on wood, concrete and plastic	Cementitious adhesives for tiles	Concrete surfaces and overlays
Range	0.7 - 20 MPa 100 - 3000 psi	0.1 - 3.3 MPa 16 - 480 psi	0.1 - 2.585 MPa 13 - 375 psi	0.1 - 3.3 MPa 16 - 480 psi
Resolution	0.01 MPa (1 psi)
Accuracy	+ / - 1 percent Full Scale
Included Dollies	20 mm (qty 20) Aluminum	50 mm (qty 8) Aluminum	50x50 mm Plate (qty 4) with threaded post Steel	50 mm (qty 4) with â¥ 25 mm thickness Steel
Cutting Tool	20 mm hole saw	50 mm hole saw	-	50 mm diamond grit hole saw with arbor

Key Features...

Manual hydraulic pump designed to apply smooth and continuous pressure with a single stroke
NEW High-contrast, easy to read color display
Environmentally sealed enclosure - weatherproof, dustproof and shockproof - meets or exceeds IP65
Self-aligning aluminum dolly enables accurate measurements on smooth or uneven surfaces
Pull Rate Indicator to manually monitor and adjust the rate of pull
Internal memory stores maximum pull-off pressure, pull rate, test duration and dolly size for up to 200 pulls
NEW Field replaceable AAA alkaline batteries provide up to 16 hours of testing
10, 14, 20 or 50 mm dollies maximize capability and measurement resolution across a wide range of bond strengths
- 10 mm: 10000 psi (70 MPa)
- 14 mm: 6000 psi (40 MPa)
- 20 mm: 3000 psi (20 MPa)
- 50 mm: 480 psi (3.3 MPa)
- 50x50 mm: 375 psi (2.585 MPa)
User selectable measurement units: psi (pounds per square inch) or MPa (Megapascal)

Every PosiTest Adhesion Tester is calibrated and certified to Â± 1% accuracy using a NIST traceable load cell
Compatible with PosiSoft Desktop software for viewing, printing and storing measurement data

Adhesion testers include everything needed for testing: Manual Adhesion Tester, 3 AAA batteries, dollies, abrasive pad, cutting tool, glue with mixing sticks and palettes, cotton swabs, USB cable, PosiSoft Software, instruction booklet, Certificate of Calibration traceable to NIST, two-year warranty, and a sturdy, lightweight carrying case

* Optional 20mm/50mm/50 mm C1583/50 mm Tile Conversion Kits allow each model to be used with alternative dolly sizes. Custom 10 and 14 mm dollies are available for special applications (compatible with 20 mm stand off).

Conforms to international standards including ASTM C1583/D4541/D7234/D7522, ISO 4624/16276-1, EN 1542/12004-2, AS/NZS 1580.408.5 and others

Do your instruments require any formal training for use? Do you offer ‘demo’ models?

No. Our instruments are designed for simple operation, feature easy-to-use menus, instruction manuals, and helpful videos. In lieu of demonstration models, we provide unlimited technical support via telephone and/or email, and a limited 30-day money back guarantee.

Is the PosiTest AT calibrated at the factory?

The PosiTest AT arrives fully calibrated and ready to measure. A Long-Form Certificate of Calibration traceable to NIST or PTB is included, which documents actual readings taken by your instrument at our calibration laboratory on standards traceable to a national metrology institute. Beware of Certificates or Certificates of Conformance offered by competitors. These typically do not include actual instrument readings, and are often insufficient to meet common quality requirements.

Is the PosiTest AT portable, and suitable for use in the field?

Absolutely. With an environmentally-sealed, metal enclosure, heavy-duty hydraulic pump and a high grade industrial pressure sensor, both the Manual and Automatic PosiTest AT are built to last. Weatherproof, dustproof and shockproof, they can be used indoors, outdoors and in all types of weather (meets or exceeds IP 65).

For added utility and convenience, PosiTest AT-A Automatic models also include a handy shoulder strap and rubberized grips.

Does the PosiTest AT include steel loading fixtures (dollies)?

The PosiTest AT 20 mm and 50 mm (ATM20 and ATM50) kits are supplied with self-aligning dollies that are precision-manufactured from a strong and lightweight aluminum alloy (6061-T6) as a lower-cost alternative to steel loading fixtures.

The PosiTest AT 50 x 50 mm and PosiTest AT 50 mm C1583 (ATM50T and ATM50C) kits are supplied with self-aligning steel dollies that are precision-manufactured to comply with relevant standards.

DeFelsko steel and aluminum dollies are a single-use/consumable items and ideal for keeping a permanent visual record of testing.

Do you have a recommended adhesive for my particular application?

The ResinLab EP11HT epoxy adhesive supplied with the PosiTest AT is simple to use and suitable for testing a wide range of coating types. In some instances, specialized coatings will require a more specialized adhesive.

Is the PosiTest AT-A more accurate than the PosiTest AT-M?

The certified accuracy of both PosiTest AT models is +/- 1 percent. However, the fully automatic design of the PosiTest AT-A provides improved measurement consistency by eliminating the potential for operator influence from the test process.

What is the difference between the 20mm and the 50mm loading fixtures?

The 50 mm dolly is commonly recommended for use with concrete, wood and composite substrates, and measures coatings with expected adhesion values between 50 psi and 560 psi (50 - 500 psi for AT-M models). The 20 mm dolly is recommended for testing coatings applied to metals or with expected adhesion values greater than 500 psi.

Can I use the PosiTest AT-A on curved surfaces?

Yes. Feedback from our customers is that the PosiTest AT gages are suitable for testing most internal or external pipe applications greater than 200 mm in diameter. In such cases, the maximum glue gap between the surface of the 20 mm dolly and the coating is 0.5 mm. For smaller pipe diameters, depending on the expected pull-off strength of the coating, it may be possible to use a 10 mm or 14 mm dolly. External diameters can be decreased to as low as 50 mm and 100 mm, for the 10 mm and 14 mm dollies, respectively.

DeFelsko does not provide or support the use of curved dollies for adhesion testing. In addition to affecting the surface area used in calculating pull-off strengths and the direction of the force lines (creating unwanted shear forces), most adhesion testing standards specifically call for the use of flat dollies.

How many measurements can I take with the PosiTest AT-A on a single battery charge?

The rechargeable battery pack (user replaceable) in the PosiTest AT-A can perform over 200 tests on a single charge. Use the included AC adaptor to continue testing as the battery recharges.

What is the lowest adhesion strength that the PosiTest AT-A can measure?

When utilized with a 50mm diameter dolly, the PosiTest AT is in a priming state until reaching a priming pressure of 16 psi. It is only after the priming pressure is reached that the instrument begins calculating and displaying the pull rate.

While it is possible to obtain readings below this priming pressure with the AT-M model, the AT-A automatic does not allow the operator to build priming pressure very slowly and is therefore not suitable for use below the priming pressure.

Note that all reported adhesion values (including those obtained below the priming pressure) are subject to the PosiTest AT gage’s full-scale accuracy of + / - 1 percent (+ / - 30 psi, AT-M; + / - 35 psi, AT-A).

Is there a faster curing adhesive than the epoxy supplied with the PosiTest AT?

The versatile epoxy adhesive supplied with the PosiTest AT reaches full cure within 24 - 48 hours. Operators who require faster cure times should evaluate other adhesives for their compatibility with both the coating being tested and our aluminum test dolly. Cyanoacrylate (‘super glue’) type adhesives are often sufficient for lower pull-off strengths.

Can I use the PosiTest AT on flexible or brittle substrates?

The PosiTest AT is designed for use with rigid, structural substrates. A flexible substrate can adversely impact test accuracy and repeatability. Furthermore, use of the PosiTest AT for measuring the adhesion of coatings applied to a brittle substrate typically results in the destruction of the substrate material, making it challenging to quantify the coating-substrate bond strength.

50 mm Accessory Kit (Order Code: AT50KIT)

Interchangeable standoff allows a PosiTest ATM20 or ATA20 to pull 50 mm dollies
Ideal for lower bond strength finishes such as coatings
on wood, concrete and plastic
Larger surface area of dolly provides improved low range
precision and repeatability
Includes 50 mm stand-off, 50 mm hole saw and 50 mm
aluminum test dollies (12)

20 mm Accessory Kit (Order Code: AT20KIT)

Interchangeable standoff allows a PosiTest ATM50 or ATA50 to pull 10, 14 and 20 mm dollies
Ideal for high bond strength finishes such as coatings
on metal
Includes 20 mm stand-off, 20 mm hole saw and 20 mm
aluminum test dollies (20)

Dollies (loading fixtures, stubs)

Size	Quantity	Order Code
10 mm	10	DOLLY10
14 mm	10	DOLLY14
20 mm	10	DOLLY20
50 mm	4	DOLLY50

New! Multipacks - Larger quantity at a reduced cost

Size	Quantity	Order Code
10 mm	100	DOLLY10APK100
14 mm	100	DOLLY14APK100
20 mm	100	DOLLY20APK100
50 mm	50	DOLLY50APK50

Drilling Template for 50 mm Dollies (Order Code: TMPLTAS)

Drilling template and drill bits to isolate test area, ideal for thicker coatings on concrete
Includes (10) drill bits 5/32" (4 mm)

Glue Kit (Order Code: ATADHESIVEKIT)

ResinLab EP11HT 2-Part Epoxy
Additional glue, mixing sticks, palettes and cotton swabs

PosiTest AT Verifier (Order Code: ATVERIFY)

Ideal for checking the accuracy and operation of PosiTest Adhesion Testers and is an important component in fulfilling both ISO and in-house quality control requirements.

The PosiTest AT Verifier and included documents allow the user to certify the accuracy of PosiTest Adhesion Testers.

DeFelsko PosiTest Adhesion Testers

Key Features...