For more than 40 years, the brand name MAXOS has guaranteed quality borosilicate Safety Sight and Level Gauge Glasses for demanding applications and customers. All MAXOS products adhere to a variety of industry specifications, including the DIN 7080/81 standard. MAXOS products have earned themselves a reputation for the highest production quality and unmatched material composition in the industry. They are tested regularly to ensure the requested state-of-the-art product characteristics for their client base worldwide.
Recently, however, there has been an influx of Chinese counterfeit Level Gauge Glasses with the DIN-Logo and MAXOS name printed on them. For your knowledge, we would like to share the test results of these counterfeit Level Gauge Glasses carried out by an independent test laboratory.
The overall finding is that the tested specimen of the so-called “borosilicate level gauge glasses” does not meet the requirements of the industry standard DIN 7081. All chemical requirements were far from met. Measurements were conducted by Zentrum für Glas- und Umweltanalytik GmbH, Ilmenau, Germany. The table below shows the test results for the counterfeits and actual MAXOS products. Required threshold values for chemical resistance are shown as per DIN 7081.
Chemical Resistance:
| Resistance test | DIN 7081 | Investigated specimen | MAXOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrolytic test acc. DIN ISO 720 | <0.1 ml HCI/g max. abrasion | 0.19 | 0.03 |
| Acid test acc. DIN ISO 1776 | max. 100 µg Na2O/dm2 | 206.54 | 58 |
| Alkali test acc. DIN ISO 695 | >75 and <175 mg/dm2 | 239.5 | 93 |
Furthermore, the counterfeits have been tested for appropriate tempering, which is meant to increase the product’s ability to withstand pressure and tension requirements. The investigated specimen failed to meet the minimum requirements of DIN 7081. The tests were conducted by Hochschule Schmalkalden Zentrum für Glas- und Umweltanalytik GmbH, Ilmenau, Germany.
Breaking Test:
| Three-point-breaking-test | DIN 7081 | Investigated specimen | MAXOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acc. DIN ISO 7081 | min. 80 N/mm2 | 54.3 N/mm2 | min. 80 N/mm2 |
Insufficient chemical resistance makes us believe that the tested specimen is made of very low-quality borosilicate glass or may even be soda-lime-glass. This is further confirmed by the fact that the counterfeits failed the breaking tests, which is because of insufficient tempering, clearly indicating an inappropriate thermal expansion coefficient of the glasses. Using these glasses entails, among others, the following risks:
- Uncontrolled breakage of the Safety Sight and Level Gauge Glasses during use
- Destruction of valuable instruments and equipment
- Discrediting our customer’s reputation in the field
- Eventually, endangerment of human life
In case you have any doubts about the origin of your MAXOS products, we recommend a 3-step approach:
- Check and compare the paperwork, packaging, and importantly, the toughening number of the product.
- If you find something amiss, kindly contact Dynaflex with your purchase details, including the dimensions and toughening number.
- We will get the production records checked against the details you have provided us with.
Please do share this important information within your organization and with your customers and business partners as well. For any questions you may have regarding this vital information, do not hesitate to contact us at your convenience.