Prescale - FAQ

• Prescale responds to applied pressure and produces a red color at the applied position.
  The depth of the color depends on the amount of pressure applied.
• The area where pressure is applied will produce a red color, allowing you to easily and visually confirm the range and strength of the applied pressure.
• Prescale is in the form of a thin film. A single sheet (mono sheet) or a double sheet (two sheet) is used.
• It can be easily cut using scissors, making it possible to measure flat surfaces of any shape.

• There are several types of Prescale categorized by the range of applied pressure that is being measured.
• There are two types: two-sheet type and mono-sheet type.
  Also, the product comes in rolls or sheets.
  The sheet type is called Prescale Sheets, and "PS" is added to the end (e.g. LLLWPS).
  There are no Prescale Sheets for 5LW, 4LW, or MW.

We do not provide custom sizes.

• As the films are coated with chemicals, they will not work if they come into contact with solvents such as water or alcohol.
• Prescale is designed to have pressure applied directly from above, so it will not work by other methods, such as by rubbing the film along the surface you want to measure.

They cannot be used repeatedly.
Also, the color density may gradually fade, so please be aware if intending to keep the sheets for extended periods of time as color samples.

We do not offer proposal services regarding which product is appropriate for your use. We are, however, able to provide sample products that are approximately the size of business cards.
Please register your information and request a sample.

We provide sample products that are approximately the size of business cards. Please register your information and request a sample.

A fully functional trial version of the Pressure Distribution Mapping System can be downloaded from the products website. Please register your information and request a sample.

Products are sold by retailers that handle products such as machine tools, chemicals, and measuring instruments. Prices are set at the discretion of the retailer, so please contact the retailer for specific costs.

Roll type (Prescale) can be sold by the set (roll), while the sheet type (Prescale Sheets) are sold by the case (5 sheets)

1. Use scissors to cut out a size that matches the shape of the component that you want to measure.
2. For the two-sheet type, the A and C films should be positioned with the glossy side on the outside and the chemical-coated side on the inside. There are no requirements regarding the positioning of the A film and C film against the pressure applying surface, but they should be in the same position when measuring.
   For the mono-sheet type, use the included "transparent protective film" on the chemical-coated side if necessary.
3. Apply pressure.

Decide which direction you will be inserting the films while considering reproducibility, and use it accordingly.

Decide which direction you will be inserting the films while considering reproducibility, and use it accordingly.

Sheets that have already formed color cannot return to their original state.
You can, however, use other sections where color has not yet formed.

We ship the products after confirming accuracy with the A film and the C film as a set.
Even if it is the same product type, if the combination of the A film and C film is changed, the measurement results may also change. Please use the films that are packaged together.

The products do not contain substances that are harmful to the human body.
The safety of the chemical products that are used have been confirmed.

Please read the "Recommended service temperature and humidity" section of the user's manual. (Conditions vary depending on the product.)
If you use the products in an environment outside of the recommended temperature and humidity, measurement of absolute pressure values will be less precise, so please use it only for confirming pressure balance.
Also, the color density is higher when used in high temperature environments. We have been able to use it for 5 seconds in an environment with a temperature of 180°C.
Color density is lower when used in low temperature environments. There should be no problem down to 0°C, but we have no data on environments with temperatures below 0°C.

Prescale is coated with chemicals that produce color when pressure is applied.
If it comes in direct contact with water or oil, precise measurements cannot be made.
There have been examples of using the product in water or oil by using a container such as a plastic bag to completely seal it, and then making sure that the chemical-coated side is facing outwards so that it does not come into contact with water or oil.

Measurements may be done under high temperature conditions if done in a short time (several seconds) by protecting Prescale with a shield such as a heat-resistant film.
It may be used if the pressure is applied in a short enough span of time that the high temperature does not reach the Prescale.
However, please be account for the pressure that will be absorbed by the heat-resistant film.

If the measured object and Prescale are in direct contact, and pressure is applied, measurement (color forming) is possible.

As the film is coated with chemicals, it cannot be used for measurement if it comes in contact with solvents such as water or alcohol. Some customers have used waterproofing measures such as lamination or sealing it in a Ziploc bag for measurement.

Prescale is designed to have pressure applied to the film from directly above. Pressure applied diagonally or rubbed from varying positions will not produce accurate results.
For the same reason, this product is not suitable for measuring friction.

In order to measure spray pressure, put the product in a container such as a plastic bag.
Pressure distribution can also be confirmed by placing a protective sheet over the product.
However, please account for the pressure that is absorbed by the protective sheet.

As this product is a film, it is difficult to use it on curved surfaces. Some customers have measured on curved surfaces by cutting the product in long strips or in elliptical shapes, and attaching them to the surfaces.

Refer to the curve with the same name as the area (A, B, etc.) on the "Temperature and humidity level conditions chart" that is within the boundaries of the temperature and humidity level at the time and place the measurement was taken.

In an environment with a temperature of 23°C, it takes about 10 minutes to form 95% of the color after pressure is applied (after color starts forming). It takes another 30 minutes to an hour to reach 98% to 100% color formation, and then it enters the margin of measurement error.
After that, the color will slowly fade. Along with always using the same amount of time after applying pressure to take correct measurements, it is also necessary to keep a fixed set of measurement conditions.

Prescale uses microcapsules of various sizes distributed on the surface to respond to applied pressure by producing colors of varying density. The combination of capsule sizes varies depending on the product type, so we cannot provide a single answer. As an example, the dedicated analysis system FPD-8010E can analyze a minimum surface area of 0.125 mm².

Under the fixed conditions of 23°C and 65% RH, accuracy is ±10%.
Please note that this is based on the color density value, so the actual pressure value may have a slightly larger margin.

Color will form even if pressure is applied for about 1 millisecond. As for the maximum time pressure can be applied, there is no limit as long as pressure is not applied on and off repeatedly. However, please note that the shorter time pressure is applied, the lighter the color density will be, and the longer time pressure is applied, the higher the color density will be.

• 1 MPa ≈ 10.2 kgf/cm²
• 1 bar = 0.1 MPa
• 1 kgf = 9.80665 N
• 1 N = 1 kgfm/s²
• deca = 10, hecto = 10², kilo = 10³, mega = 10⁶, giga = 10⁹, tera = 10¹²

MD (longitudinal direction): About 3.5 GPa
TD (lateral direction): About 3.9 GPa

The expiration date is printed on the label on the product box. Quality is not guaranteed for Prescale products that have passed the expiration date. Please be sure to use it before it expires.
They are stored in a factory with an ordinary air conditioning system, but temperatures can fluctuate between 15°C and 30°C.
Our recommended storage environment is 20 to 35°C at 50% RH.
Generally, Prescale products that have expired tend to produce lower density colors (lower sensitivity), making it so that it can no longer be compared with the chart that comes with the product.
However, as long as color is produced, it can probably be used for relative comparison within the same surface.

Store the product in environments that are not exposed to direct sunlight, in cool dark places (under 15°C).
For details, please see the "Storage precautions" on the back side of the "Usage Instructions" sheet that is included with the product.

This can be done using the dedicated Pressure Distribution Mapping System FPD-8010E.

We do not directly accept analysis tasks.
Some retailers who sell our products do offer similar services, but we cannot introduce companies that provide them.

It's possible that you are referring to a curve on the standard chart with a different temperature and humidity range as the environment in which the measurement was taken.
If the temperature and humidity is higher than expected, the produced color density will also tend to be higher than expected.
It could also be that if the surface area of the standard measurement area is small, there may be some inconsistency since Prescale is able to take measurements (produce colors) in a wide range.

This is a protective film used for when there is a possibility that dust or oil may come in contact with the chemical-coated surface of the Prescale, or to prevent the chemical from transferring to the measured object. Please place this protective film on the chemical-coated surface if necessary when using the product.

We ship the products after confirming accuracy with the A film and the C film as a set.
If you change the combination, measurement results can change, so please purchase a new product.

Unfortunately, the user's manual contains the chart with the color samples, and we do not sell the user's manual separately.
Please purchase a new Prescale.

The RoHS Certificate of Non-use of Restricted Substances for the 10 restricted substances can be issued.
It will take about 1 to 2 weeks to be issued.
Please place your request on the Contact page.

For those who are planning to take the product to China, the product falls under the Provisions on Environmental Administration of New Chemical Substances^*1, so please purchase the product once you are in the country.

• *1 This is a chemical inspection law in China that requires a registration request be made to authorities for substances that are not included in the existing chemical substances list compiled by Chinese authorities as new chemical substances.

For those who are planning to take the product to Korea, the product falls under the Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (K-REACH) ^*2, so please purchase the product once you are in the country.

• *2 With regard to substances that are not registered in the existing substances list compiled by the Korean Ministry of Environment, a registration request must be made to the National Institute of Environmental Research to have them registered as new chemical substances, regardless of the amount being imported.

X-rays do not affect the product in any way.