Heritage of Analytical & Scientific Instruments
The Japan Analytical Instruments Manufacturers’ Association (JAIMA) and the Japan Scientific Instruments Association (JSIA) launched the Analytical and Scientific Instrument Heritage Certification system in 2012 to promote the preservation of historical analytical and scientific instruments.
Kyowa’s instruments were certified as “Analytical and Scientific Instrument Heritage” in 2012, 2013, and 2015.
Bowden-type Friction-Abrasion Analyzer certified in 2015
In the 60s, the “Inclined method” was the dominant approach for a friction meter until it was replaced by the “Bowden type tester”. An inclined method simply measures the angle at which a weight on the surface of a subject begins to slide. With this technique, it can only obtain a static friction value and serves only as a rough, simple device.
During this period of strong economic growth in Japan, household demand for items such as cameras and automobiles rose rapidly, prompting manufacturers to gather information on static and dynamic friction for research and development of new products. In response, KYOWA introduced a new friction meter designed for R&D, featuring a Bowden-type mechanism with a horizontally sliding subject. During early development, our engineers encountered unstable friction forces, especially with heavier weights. These issues were caused by improper oscillation resulting from the moment of inertia of the balance to which the sensor was attached.
By shifting the mindset away from placing weight on top of the balance, a weight should be positioned underneath the balance using a horseshoe-shaped, rigid steel arm. This innovative modification not only provided stable data but also allowed for the measurement of both static and dynamic friction at the same point. By distinguishing between static and dynamic friction, the stick-slip phenomenon could be measured accurately, which was then used in the research and development of tires, aircraft grease, a roll film winding mechanism, and other applications, significantly contributing to the development of new products at that time.
Forerunners, including our company's founder, handcrafted strain gauges and created friction meters in an era when precise sensor devices were not readily available. Their passion for friction is evident in the founder, Mr. Tomoji Kamei’s, strong intention to assign the title of the documents to be taken over by the current president, Mr. Shinichi Kamei, his son, as “Science of Friction”. This spirit now lives on in our new TS series friction-abrasion meters.
Surface Tensiometer certified in 2013
This surface tensiometer was introduced in 1971 as the world's first commercial model, utilizing the Wilhelmy plate method at a time when most surface tensiometers used the du Noüy ring method.
The achievable resolutions with the du Noüy ring method were about 0.5 to 1 mN/m, whereas our Wilhelmy plate system, combined with our innovative lamp-scale, could achieve a precision of 0.1 mN/m. In addition, measurements of surface tension as a function of time and evaluations of dynamic processes of surfactant adsorption and the equilibration of surfactant solutions, which are not possible with the du Noüy ring method, became possible with our system, contributing significantly to the development of our country's chemical industry.
Precision Contact Angle Meter certified in 2012
The contact angle meters introduced in 1960 were the first to use the tilt plate method, an evaluation index for "wettability." They also pioneered the θ/2 method (connecting two points, the vertex and the endpoint) in the sessile drop technique, which has now become a standard measurement method, thereby minimizing individual measurement errors.
The sessile drop method at the time was time-consuming and had drawbacks, such as liquid evaporating or permeating during the process. The tilt plate method, however, had advantages such as the ability to easily measure the wettability of volatile liquids and surfactant solutions, as well as rod-shaped samples. Furthermore, a dynamic contact angle measuring device using the "drop method" (a technique in which the stage is tilted and the droplet drops) was also developed, applying the mechanism of the tilt plate method.
Today's advancements in modern technology and comfortable lifestyles can be credited to the development of contact angle meters and the control of "wettability" (interface science).