Low Cost Rotational Viscometer

A fun simple project to measure the viscosity of simple Newtonain and non-Newtonain fluids.

• Cost: $
• Difficulty: XX
• Requirements: 3D printer

Original design by Miriam Knutson, Sasanka P. Weerakoon, C. J. Ticknor, Benjamin M. Yavitt, and Aashish Priye from University of Cincinnati

Check out the paper for more info.

The full part list, CAD files, and set of building instructions are available on the following GitHub Repo

Return to Home

A Torsion-Based Rheometer for Measuring Viscoelastic Material Properties

A functional, portable shear rheometer designed to collect viscoelasticity data. Perfect for high school students as well as for use in the field.

• Cost: $
• Difficulty: X
• Requirements: Minor Electroic Components

Original design by Merrill Asp, Elise Jutzeler, Jakub Kochanowski, Katherine Kerr, Dawei Song, Sarthak Gupta, Bobby Carroll, and Alison Patteson from Syracuse University, University of Pennsylvania, Purdue University, and Jamesville-Dewitt High School

Check out the open access paper for more info.

Return to Home

A low-cost, open-source cylindrical Couette rheometer

A 3D printed, robust, open-source Couette Rheometer with commercially comparable sensitivity and precision

• Cost: $$
• Difficulty: XX
• Requirements: 3D printer

Original design by Makita Erni, A. John Hart, David Trumper & Crystal E. Owens from MIT

Check out the open access paper for more info.

Return to Home

A Low Cost Affordable Viscometer Design for Experimental Fluid Viscosity Verification and Drag Coefficient Calculation

Measurement of a Newtonian fluid’s resistance to flow by dropping spherical balls through a column of liquid

• Cost: $$
• Difficulty: X
• Requirements: IR Sensors and Electronics

Original design by Joseph Michael Derrick, Michael Golub, Vaibhav R. Shrivastav, and Jing Zhang from Indiana University - Purdue University of Indianapolis

Check out the ASEE proceeding for more info.

Return to Home

Low-cost rolling ball viscometer for the evaluation of Newtonian and shear-thinning fluids

An Arduino driven, 3D printed device to measure the viscosity of both Newtonian and non-Newtonain fluids, relying on the time it takes for a ball to roll through a tube of fluid

• Cost: $$
• Difficulty: XX
• Requirements: 3D printer, Arduino, and other electronics

Original design by Isabel Dianez, Inmaculada, Abel Jerez, Jose M. Franco from Universidad de Huelva and Procter and Gamble

Check out the paper for more info.

Return to Home

The evolution of the radial spreading in the gap between parallel disks

A simple set up to view the spreading of foods for calculation of consistency and shear thinning behavior

• Cost: $
• Difficulty: XX
• Requirements: Power drill, Smartphone camera

Original design by D. Nishizuka, K. Ohie, Y. Tasaka, and Y. Murai from Hokkaido University and Nagoya University

Check out the paper for more info.

Return to Home