Definition of a Tough Consistency Instrument
Sometimes we encounter a product that is so simple and rugged that it would be tempting to deem it indestructible. Consider a stainless steel trough with a gate and etched numbers on the bottom. Seems simple and the stainless would make it tough, right? That is not the case, but it has survived nearly unchanged for more than 85 years.
Just described the Bostwick Consistometer, which CSC has been making since the beginning.
Used to Test Consistency in Every Environment
You may familiar with some of its uses such as checking sauces, toppings, slurries, paints and other types of flowing materials. It is used in many challenging environments such as:
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The tropics
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Pristine labs
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Production lines
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Airports in the Winter when de-icing airplane wings and bodies
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Anywhere else you want to check a process that makes a flowing product
Ensuring proper measurement requires cleaning after testing. Detergent, high-temperature washers, solvent baths and other cleaning/scouring media are used.
The Bostwick Stands Up
Ingenuity is helpful in finding ways to destroy the bubble level that indicates when the set-up is ready for testing. Using King Kong-like staff members, you can trash the gate mechanism. Further, with King Kong or mechanical vises, the Bostwick can be bent beyond recognition. However, in normal use it is difficult to wreck a Bostwick.
King Kong Sometimes Wins
Nonetheless, production operators drop Consistometers on concrete floors, toss them from great distances into cleaning sinks or otherwise lose physical control of their Bostwicks. Like 
prisoners facing repeated interrogation, Bostwicks eventually succumbs. Typicaly, damage involves a bent support deck for the leveling screws along with destruction of the leveling screw supports – fatal failures, no longer will it measure Consistency.
We at CSC Scientific get many of these sent to us for partial reconstruction.
Now a King King Fighter
Recently, a long-time friend and customer gave us a design to highly challenge these King Kong operators. Almost had to throw the modified Bostwick under a bus or forklift to cause fatal failures. We call this design the “Abuse Protection Option.”
Click the button to review the results and how the Abuse Protection Option (APO)may thwart prospective Bostwick destroyers.
I hope this has been at least a little fun. If you have recurring fatal failures, perhaps you should consider an ABO on your next Bostwick.
I am still searching to useful insights on test equipment secrets.
Art
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