Laboratory Press: Complete Guide to Types, Applications & Selection
What Is a Laboratory Press? A laboratory press is a miniature version of an industrial press. Lab press is a bench-top or floor-standing machine which primarily applies a progressively increasing compressive force to a material sample. The force can shape the material. Prepare the material for testing or use it to craft patterns or study a material’s response to force. Any laboratory press has three main components: Frame: resists the reaction force Platens: platens are plates or components that make contact with the sample or mold Force mechanism: how the force is generated, which depends on the hydraulic or motor press. How Hydraulic Force Is Generated The most common type of lab press is the hydraulic press, which works on a very simple pressure law. When pressure is applied to an incompressible fluid (oil), it is transmitted equally in all directions throughout the fluid. In a lab press, a small pump piston is used to move the hydraulic fluid into a larger cylinder cavi...