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Penetrometers
Penetrometers measure the firmness or hardness of fruit. Penetrometers are ideal for determining the best time to harvest fruit or to test its progress to maturity. The firmness of fruit is one of the most widely used parameters in testing its maturity, together with measuring the fruits sugar content using refractometers. Electronic penetrometers come with different diameter penetration points. This allows for fruit of different size and hardness to be tested. It is important that this first part of the measurement process is done correctly if the readings obtained are to be valid in making adequate decisions as to when the fruit should be harvested. It is important the the samples that are measured are representative of the entire crop, considering a sufficient minimum quantity sample, size and quality. If you can't find the penetrometers you are looking for, please contact us and we will help you find the best solution to suit your needs by calling our offices on: UK customers +44(0) 23 809 870 30 / US customers (561) 320-9162
and our technical staff will advise you regarding our measuring instruments.

Technical specifications for the PCE-PTR series penetrometers can be found here.

                Penetrometers measure the firmness or hardness of fruit.   

          Penetrometers case.

Penetrometers come in a carrying case which includes several different penetration points for different types of fruit. This means that only one device is required to measure a wide range of fruit types.

It's convenient to establish a protocol of your own samples, valid for each year of a crop. An example of samples would be as follows:Penetrometers measure the firmness or hardness of fruit. from 10 - 15 days before the usual start time of harvest season each year, a sample of 10 - 15 fruits should be taken every 3 - 4 days to represent the entire crop, taken at random across the entire plot. It's important that the fruit taken should be uniform in size representing the average size as the fruit's hardness will vary with the size of fruit (take into account that the bigger the fruit, the softer it will be). It is also important that the fruit chosen is completely sound, and does nPenetrometers are ideal for determining the best time to harvest fruit or to test its progress to maturity.ot have any problems such as damage, rotting or infestations that might alter the normal maturity process that will occur to the rest of the crop. The same type of sample can be effective in testing fruit being transported or in storage. Climacteric fruit is that which is capable of continuing to mature after being harvested, therefore if it must be stored for a long period of time or transported over great distances, it is recommended that the fruit is harvested early and tested with penetrometers to determine if it has reached its physiological maturity on arrival. This maturity is fundamentally due to this type of fruit, when it is not on the plant, increasing its respiration rate and its production of ethylene, the main hormone responsible for the maturing process and fermentation of the fruit. Of course, non-climacteric fruit stops maturing once it is separated from the plant. It is primarily for this reason that ethylene is frequently used as an artificial treatment to change the maturing process of many types of fruits that are conserved in cold storage areas. This link has more information about fruit to allow for accurate measurements with this device. Next, this link, shows some tables and equivalence graphics between hardness indicated by penetrometers in their measurements (g) and the pressure really exerted (Kg./cm2), according to the penetration point used. According to DIN standards, the tables are organised by the function of the recommended ranges for each type of fruit. To take a penetration measurement there are different types of penetration points available to use and a suitable range for each type of fruit. For fruits such as grapes and cherries, the 6mm diameter point is required, to work in a range of 0 - 1kg, for fruits such as plums, lemons and other medium hard fruit, the 6mm diameter point or the 8mm diameter point can be used to work in a range of 0 - 5kg. For apples, pears peaches or kiwis, the 8mm diameter point or the 11.3mm diameter point is needed to work in a range of 0 - 13kg, and for very hard fruit the 11.3mm diameter point, will be required to work in a range of 0 - 20kg.

If you wish to view or print a selection of penetrometers from our catalogue, click the PDF symbol
Penetrometers: go to catalogue

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If you have any questions, call our offices on:
UK customers +44(0) 23 809 870 30
US customers (561) 320-9162

Below you will find an overview of the different product groups of measuring instruments

Absolute Humidity Meters
Accelerometers
Alert Meters
Air velocity meters
Analyzers (Colour)
Analyzers (Combustion)

Analyzers (Gas)
Analyzers (Lan)
Analyzers (Noise)
Analyzers (Oxygen)
Analyzers (Ozono)

Anemometers
Barometers
Balances
Borescopes
Cable detectors (electrical)
Calibrators
Calipers
Cameras (Infrared Thermal Imaging)
Capacitance Meters
Coating Thickness Meters
Chlorine Meters
Clamp Meters
Climate Meters
Colour Meters

Conductivity Meters
Contact Thermometers
Current detectors

Data Loggers
Differential Pressure Meters
Digital Multimeters
Densimeters
Detectors (Humidity, Radiation, Voltage)
Dose Meters (Noise)
Durometers

Dust particle analyzers

Electric Tester
Endoscopes
Fiberscopes
Flow Meters Air
Flow Meters Gas
Force Gauges (digital)
Function generators
Frequency Meters
Gas Detector
Gaussmeters
Handheld Tachometers
Hardness Meters
Humidity Testers (Building material)
Hygrometers
Indicator Sound Level
Indicator (Humidity)
Instruments (Environmental)

Impedance bridges
Infrared Thermometers
Insulation Meters
Lan Network Testers
Laser Distance Meters
Laser level
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LCR Meters
Length Meters
Light Meters
Lux Meters
Magnetometers
Manometers
Material Thickness Meters
Measurement Devices (Force)
Measuring Meters (Distance)
Measuring Wheels
Meters (Combustion, Distance, Earth,
Energy, Environmental, Gas, Gloss, Ground pH, PowerPressure, Radiation, Salt, Temperature)
Megohmmeters
Micrometers
Microscope
s
Modular signal Converters
Moisture Indicator

Multimeters
Multi-Parameter Photometers
Noise Meters
Odometers
Ohm Meters
Oscilloscopes
Oxygen Meters
Ozone Meters
Paper Moisture Meters
Penetrometers

Phase rotation meters
Photovoltanic meters
Pitot tube air flow meters
Pocket pH-meters
Power Analyzers
Pressure Gauges
Pyrometers
Quality Meters (Air)
Radiation Counters
Radioactivity meters
Reader (Temperature)
Recorders Data
Redox Meters
Refractometers
Relative Humidity Meters
Resistance Testers
Rotation meters
Roughness tester
Rotation meters
Roughness tester
Scales
Sensor (Temperature)
Signal converters
Signal Level Analyzers
Single-parameter Photometers
Sound Level Meters
Systems for Environmental
Stethoscopes (electronic)
Stroboscopes
Surface Thickness Meters

Tachometers
Telescope Meters
Thermo-anemometers
Thermo-Hygrometers
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Testers Air
Testers Conductivity
Testers Earth
Testers Insulation
Testers Noise
Testers pH
Testers paper
Testers Sound
Testers Temperature
Thermal stress
Thermal Imaging Cameras
Thermometers
Thermocouples
Thickness Meters
Torque meters

Ultrasonic Flow Meters

VDE tester
Vibration Meters
Video endoscopes
Voltage meters
Weather Stations
Wood (humidity)

Below you will find an overview of the different product groups of scales and balances

 Accurate scales
 Analytical scales
 Animal scales

 Baby scales
 Basic scales

 Bench scales

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 Postal scales

 Precision scales
 Probe cutter

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 Scales for analysis
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 Scales for colleges
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Scales for people
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 Tabletop scales
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 Water resistant scales
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Weighing scales
 Weight indicator