In a Rheotens experiment, the tensile force needed for elongation of a
n extruded filament is measured as a function of the draw ratio. For t
hermo-theologically simple polymer melts, the existence of Rheotens-ma
stercurves is proven. Rheotens-mastercurves are invariant with respect
to changes in melt temperature. Also, for polymer melts with differen
t average molar masses, but similar molar mass distribution and branch
ing structure, Rheotens-mastercurves are invariant to changes in the a
verage molar mass. It is shown, by testing several polyethylenes with
different molar mass distribution and different long-chain branching,
that Rheotens-mastercurves allow a direct and quantitative assessment
of the drawability of polymer melts under actual processing conditions
, i.e. under the action of a constant tensile force and including the
effects of the rheological prehistory in the extrusion die.