Gloves are put under quite a bit of
stress during actual usage. Glove
strength is typically measured by
a glove's resistance to tearing, puncturing
or breaking. Extensive testing ensures
the gloves provide the protection
your products, processes and personnel
require.
Barrier
The United States government has established limits for the maximum
allowable frequency of barrier defects (usually pinholes) in gloves.
These upper limits are specified as AQLs, or Acceptable Quality Limits.
To assure optimum performance, Cardinal Health, Scientific and Production
Products has implemented internal AQLs that are more stringent than
those mandated by United States Food and Drug Administration.
There are two tests used to verify
barrier AQL in gloves.
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Water leak (ASTM D5151): consists of filling a glove with
1000mL of water, suspending it for two minutes and then inspecting
it for any leakage.
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Air inflation (Scientific and Production Products in-house
test): consists of inflating the glove with compressed air and
visually inspecting it for holes. |
Gloves from Scientific and Production Products meet or exceed ASTM
standards for physical properties.
Strength
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Tensile strength: refers to how much force in pounds per square
inch (psi) is required to stretch a glove until it breaks.
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Elongation: relates to how far, in percentage of the original
length, a glove stretches before it breaks. |
Comfort
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Modulus: determines the elasticity of a glove by measuring
the amount of force needed to stretch it. The lower the modulus,
the more comfortable the glove. |
Latex Proteins
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Modified Lowry (ASTM D5712): determines the amount of total
protein present in a glove. Most Scientific and Production Products
sterile powder-free gloves contain 50 micrograms or less of
total water-extractable protein per gram. Latex-sensitized individuals
should choose synthetic gloves. |
Particulate
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Liquid particle (IEST RPCC 005.2): performed on gloves designed
for cleanroom use. Measures particles released from a glove
after the glove has been soaked in water. The lower the particle
count, the cleaner the gloves. |
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