TQC Sheen Fibro PGX+ Pocket Goniometer

Brought to you by TQC Sheen, our specialist paint and coatings testing brand, the PGX+ Pocket Goniometer gives quality, R&D and operations teams a portable way to measure contact angle, surface energy and surface tension on a wide range of engineered surfaces.

Used by paper and board mills, print and packaging converters, paints and coatings laboratories, printing ink producers, automotive OEMs testing windscreens and body panels, solar module manufacturers checking pre-lamination surfaces, glass processors, and general surface engineering R&D teams, the PGX+ verifies wettability, adhesion readiness and coating performance without leaving the bench.

The instrument dispenses a droplet in microliters at a size you set, then captures up to 80 images per second as the drop lands and spreads – so both the initial contact angle and its rate of change are recorded in one measurement. Test data streams to the included Windows software over USB, where images and results are stored, analyzed and available for report export. Most tests use deionized water; other liquids are supported for specialist applications.

Why it matters

Make surface-property decisions that hold up in an audit. Video-based measurement to ASTM D5946, ISO/TS 14778:2021 and TAPPI T458 gives quantitative, defensible contact-angle data – so wettability and adhesion pass/fail decisions stay consistent across sites, suppliers and customer audits, not down to an operator’s visual judgement.

Capture static AND dynamic contact angle in one measurement. 80 frames per second catches how a droplet lands, spreads and either equilibrates or absorbs – so R&D teams see the full time-dependent surface response, not a single static number. Surface free energy is calculated from the same test data.

Test at the point of use, without sample prep. USB-powered, 500 g, no external supply and no sample conditioning required – so production and quality teams take the instrument to the sample rather than the other way around. Faster surface-property checks mean faster decisions on incoming substrates and cured coatings.

How the PGX+ measures

Set the droplet size in microliters and place the PGX+ directly onto the sample. The instrument releases the droplet automatically, and the built-in camera records up to 80 images per second as the droplet contacts and spreads on the surface. During the test, the connected computer receives live data – so you see how the surface responds in real time and can adjust parameters between tests without breaking your workflow.

Because the PGX+ creates its own controlled droplet dispensing environment on top of the sample, there is no need to cut, mount or otherwise prepare specimens. Adjustable parameters include droplet size, deposit method, start delay and sample rate.

What the PGX+ measures

• Static contact angle – the equilibrium angle between the droplet and the surface, indicating baseline wettability
• Dynamic contact angle – how the angle changes over time as the droplet spreads or absorbs, captured at up to 80 frames per second
• Surface free energy (SFE) – calculated from the measured contact angle data, quantifying the surface’s ability to interact with liquids
• Surface tension – derived from pendant droplet shape analysis, revealing intermolecular forces at the liquid-air interface
• Results are output as images and statistics through the included Windows software, ready for storage, analysis and report export.

Standards

The PGX+ Pocket Goniometer supports contact angle and surface wettability testing to:

• ASTM D5946 – contact angle on corona-treated polymer films
• ISO/TS 14778:2021 – paper and board contact angle test method
• TAPPI T458 – surface wettability of paper by angle-of-contact method
• ASTM D724 – surface wettability of paper by angle-of-contact method

Pocket Goniometer software download

Access our product software here

What happens after you enquire

When you enquire about the PGX+ Pocket Goniometer, our TQC Sheen specialists will confirm which surfaces you need to test and which testing standards apply – for example ASTM D5946 for corona-treated polymer films, ISO/TS 14778 or TAPPI T458 for paper and board, or general contact-angle QC for coated substrates and engineered surfaces. They will confirm delivery timelines and recommend whether you need the base PG1000 or the base plus dosing unit and accessories.

For purchasing teams, we provide clear SKU references – PG1000 for the base instrument, plus consumables such as the 1 ml syringe, PG1175 tubing and cannula tips – quotation turnaround, and the technical documentation you need for internal sign-off. After delivery we can walk operators through droplet size setup, static vs dynamic mode selection, and using the included Windows software so your team gets consistent, defensible results from day one.

Service, warranty and ongoing support

Every PGX+ Pocket Goniometer is supplied with a 1 year parts and labour warranty as standard – our IP group commitment across all brands. Beyond the warranty period, the Industrial Physics global service network supports replacement consumables, spare parts and technical support – so the instrument stays productive over its working life. Contact our support team to arrange a service, request spares or discuss verification options in your region.

Operator training is available covering droplet size selection, static and dynamic mode setup, use of the optional dosing unit, and interpretation of contact angle and surface free energy results – so results stay repeatable between operators, shifts and sites. Our global support network means help is available wherever you operate.