The plastograph, or Brabender plastograph, is a device for the continuous observation of torque

Torque

Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....

 in the shearing

Shearing (physics)

Shearing in continuum mechanics refers to the occurrence of a shear strain, which is a deformation of a material substance in which parallel internal surfaces slide past one another. It is induced by a shear stress in the material...

 of a polymer

Polymer

A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...

 with a range of temperatures and shear rates. The generic device records lubricity

Lubricity

Lubricity is the measure of the reduction in friction of a lubricant. The study of lubrication and mechanism wear is called tribology.-Measurement of lubricity:...

, plasticity

Plasticity (physics)

In physics and materials science, plasticity describes the deformation of a material undergoing non-reversible changes of shape in response to applied forces. For example, a solid piece of metal being bent or pounded into a new shape displays plasticity as permanent changes occur within the...

, scorch

Scorch

Scorch may refer to:*Scorch, a Beanie Baby toy: a dragon with iridescent wings and lavender fur*Scorch, the boss of the Evening Lake world in the video game Spyro: Year of the Dragon...

, cure

Cure

A cure is a completely effective treatment for a disease.The Cure is an English rock band.Cure, or similar, may also refer to:-Film and television:* The Cure , a short film starring Charlie Chaplin...

, shear

Shearing (physics)

Shearing in continuum mechanics refers to the occurrence of a shear strain, which is a deformation of a material substance in which parallel internal surfaces slide past one another. It is induced by a shear stress in the material...

 and heat stability.

Perhaps the most popular use of the plastograph is its use in baking where it is known as a Farinograph

Farinograph

In Baking, a Farinograph measures specific properties of flour. It was first developed and launched in 1928 Brabender History. The Farinograph is used as a tool to measure shear and viscosity of a mixture of flour and water. The primary units of the farinograph are Brabender Units, an arbitrary...

.

It was designed by Carl Wilhelm Brabend and produced by Brabender Industries, founded in 1923.