Summary: | The history of commercial viscometry and rheometry over the last thirty years is summarised. In terms of those instruments that have established themselves in a lasting position in the field, we highlight the importance of a sound original idea, good marketing, and constant improvement as technology advances. Instruments in this area fall into three categories: simple, low-cost instruments to measure viscosity or at least an equivalent Newtonian viscosity; multi-speed instruments often able to record data on another display or storage device, and rheometers, i.e. instruments capable of a rotational shearing action, as well as one of the following: oscillation, creep and normal force measurement to give some measure of viscoelasticity.
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