Setting Up the Blue Press for Sealing Hermetic Pans

The TA Instruments blue Sample Encapsulating Press (shown on the left) is used to seal samples in the DSC sample pans.  The procedure below describes the steps required to convert a press that is currently set up for nonhermetic pan or high volume sealing to the setup required for hermetic sealing. [When you first receive your press it arrives preconfigured for sealing nonhermetic (crimped) pans.]

NOTE:  The pans sealed with this press may be used in either a Q Series™ or 2900 series DSC instrument.

Refer to the figure below to identify the parts.

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1. Remove the lower nonhermetic or high volume die set as follows:

1. Raise the cam lever handle, then loosen the thumbscrew on the column of the press, which locks the lower die in place.

2. Turn the press over so that the bottom is accessible.

3. Lower the die holder by turning the base screw on the bottom of the press counterclockwise.

4. Return the press to its upright position, then lift the lower nonhermetic or high volume die to remove it from the die holder.

2. Place the lower hermetic die (see the figure to the right) into the die holder, with either end facing up.

3. Change the upper die, if required, as follows:

1. When changing from nonhermetic sealing to hermetic sealing setup:  No change is required to the upper die because the same upper die is used for both hermetic and nonhermetic pans.

2. When changing from high volume sealing to hermetic sealing setup:  Remove the upper die by loosening the setscrew on the upper die and lowering the die to remove it.

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4. Adjust the position of the lower die relative to the upper die as follows:

1. Pull the sample press cam lever handle all the way down until it rests on the column.

2. Turn the press over so that the bottom is accessible.

3. Raise the lower die by turning the base screw clockwise until the lower die meets the upper die and the cam lever handle is horizontal.

4. Return the press to its upright position and tighten the thumbscrew on the column to lock the die holder in place.  

5. Make a few sample pans to check the die setting. A good hermetic pan will have a flat bottom, with a complete seal around the circumference of the pan, and the sides of the pan will appear flat and smooth (see the figure to the right). See Encapsulating a DSC Sample for instructions on how to prepare a hermetic sample pan.

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