Vantage Materials Tester Featured at The Franklin Institute’s New SportsZone Exhibit

WEST BERLIN, N.J. - Oct. 26, 2015 - PRLog -- West Berlin, NJ (October 26, 2015)  - Thwing-Albert, a manufacturer of physical property testing instrumentation for over 115 years, is honored to be part of The Franklin Institute’s new SportsZone exhibit.  The Franklin Institute approached Thwing-Albert Instrument Company to assist with testing the flexural properties of a professional hockey stick for their new exhibit.

According to The Franklin Institute, “SportsZone is designed around a central narrative theme: Ready? Set. Go! and evokes the immersive look and feel of indoor and outdoor sports facilities.  Each area contributes to the overall mission of the exhibit—to discover how sports connect the science of the human body, technical innovation, and laws of motion.  The exhibitfeatures a series of 21 interactive experiences allowing visitors the opportunity to compete with others or improve on their own performance, and each focuses on a different scientific principle that is fundamental to sports.”

Thwing-Albert’s universal testing machine is being used in the SportsZone display to discover how new materials and specialized designs can make hockey sticks strong and flexible.  The Vantage^NX (http://www.thwingalbert.com/vantagenx-universal-testing-m...) test frame is fit with a custom three-point bend fixture that allows for the span of a hockey stick.  MAP-4 Materials Testing Software (http://www.thwingalbert.com/map-4-materials-testing-softw...) is configured to run the test according to industry standard ASTM D790.  The test replicates the force needed to flex a hockey stick and what that means to the player’s effectiveness on the ice.  The SportsZone exhibit is the reimagining of the 15 year-old Sports Challenge exhibition which closed in April. Sports Challenge was a long-standing visitor favorite and Thwing-Albert is proud to be a part of this updated hands-on experience.

The Thwing-Albert Vantage^NX was chosen based on its versatility and durability, given that thousands of daily visitors will be interacting with the instrument. The Vantage^NX is a universal testing machine that can be modified by the use of grips and fixtures to meet many industry standards, like the one displayed at The Franklin Institute.  When you see a finished product out in the world, there are many quality assurance and research factors that come in to play for durability, safety and everyday usage.

About the Thwing-Albert Instrument Company
The Thwing-Albert Instrument Company is one of the nation's leading manufacturers of advanced testing instrumentation. For more than a century, Thwing-Albert has provided proven testing equipment and has earned a reputation as a foremost authority on physical testing standards. From the tab on a cough tablet, to the seal on a bag of potato chips, to the fabric of a pair of jeans, Thwing-Albert designs and develops products that test the physical properties of a wide range of materials. Research laboratories and quality control departments worldwide confidently rely on Thwing-Albert's affordable precision instruments to develop and produce high quality products.

About The Franklin Institute
Located in the heart of Philadelphia, The Franklin Institute is a renowned and innovative leader in the field of science and technology learning. Pennsylvania’s most visited museum, it is dedicated to creating a passion for learning about science by offering access to hands-on science education. For more information, visit www.fi.edu.

Contact:  Brenda Fisher at (856) 767-1000 or visit www.thwingalbert.com