Setting Up the Blue Press for Sealing Nonhermetic (Crimped) 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 hermetic pan sealing or high volume pan sealing back to the setup required for nonhermetic sealing. [When you first receive your press it arrives preconfigured for sealing nonhermetic (crimped) pans. In this case the minor adjustments described in steps 4 and 5 below are all that need to be made.]

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 hermetic or lower high volume die as follows:

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

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

3. Lower (loosen) the die holder by turning the base screw on the bottom of the press counterclockwise as seen in the figure below.

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

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2. Place the lower nonhermetic die into the die holder (large end up) and screw it into position.  See the figure below for the sample press with the lower nonhermetic die in place.

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

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

4. Adjust the height of the lower die as follows:

1. Pull the 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 (tighten) the die holder by turning the base screw on the underside of the press clockwise until the upper and lower dies just touch. Then turn the screw back about ¼ turn.

4. Place a sample pan in the lower crimping die. Check that the pan is properly seated in the lower die. Lower the cam lever handle until it rests on the base column. Raise the cam lever handle and check the forming of the pan.

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A good nonhermetic pan will have a flat bottom, and the sides of the pan will appear rolled down (see below).

Uniform folding of lid around circumference

Flat surface on the bottom of the pan; no ridge around circumference

No visible gaps between lid and pan

5. Raise or lower the die holder/adjusting screw until the desired pan profile is achieved. When the desired profile is achieved, tighten the thumbscrew on the side of the column. The press is now set for repeated forming of nonhermetic pans.

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