Thermal Dilatometric Analysis (TDA), often called "dilatometry", measures the dimensional change of a material (ceramics, glasses, metals, composites, carbon/graphite, minerals, polymers, and others) as a function of temperature. This test determines both reversible and irreversible changes in length (expansion and shrinkage) during heating and cooling, and pinpoints where reactions occur that cause expansion or contraction.
The dilatometer is used to determine

• Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE),
• softening point,
• glass transition temperature,
• curie point, crystalline transformation,
• phase transition,
• shrinkage,
• warping,
• bloating,
• sintering rate,
• isothermal creep, and
• stress relaxation.

Samples are quickly and easily measured for determining firing ranges and firing schedules, measuring thermal expansion ranges for glaze fits, and measuring thermal expansion ranges for R&D, QC or product certification.