Composite materials are being used in an ever-increasing variety of products and applications as more and more industries realize the benefits and advantages that these materials offer as they strive to manufacture structures that are lighter, stronger and offer greater corrosion resistance than those made from traditional materials. As the demands for light-weight structures for the aerospace and automotive industries develop, along with environmentally sustainable energy systems, the physical and mechanical testing requirements for materials and components extend too. Composite materials and components require a range of physical mechanical testing, under a range of environmental conditions, including high-force tension and compression, impact, flexure, shear, rheology, and fatigue.
Mechanical testing instruments are configured with a range of fixtures that have been developed to provide various ways of testing composite materials depending on the type of material and its intended end-use. Most of these fixtures are designed to meet specific materials testing standards. These standards have been developed over the years by leading manufacturers and research organizations, and then made their way into ASTM, ISO, EN, and other standards. In addition, auditing bodies, such as Nadcap, dictate performance criteria, for example alignment for the testing equipment.
Material Properties – structural variables such as fiber orientation, fiber volume fraction, laminate thickness, and core density; and processing variables such as layup accuracy, curing temperature and pressure can have a dramatic effect on the mechanical properties of composite materials. Mechanical and process testing is necessary to understand the effect these variables have on the finished material or component.
Reliability – for use in high-performance applications in the aerospace, automotive, and motorsport industries, material testing is required to prove the reliability and repeatability of component properties.
Damage Tolerance – testing is necessary to simulate real-life conditions such as tool drops, minor accidents, and manufacturing imperfections.
Research and Development – testing is performed to investigate variables that will effect mechanical properties, damage tolerance, and provide data for finite element analysis.
Mechanical testing instruments are configured with a range of fixtures that have been developed to provide various ways of testing composite materials depending on the type of material and its intended end-use. Most of these fixtures are designed to meet specific materials testing standards. These standards have been developed over the years by leading manufacturers and research organizations, and then made their way into ASTM, ISO, EN, and other standards. In addition, auditing bodies, such as Nadcap, dictate performance criteria, for example alignment for the testing equipment.
Material Properties – structural variables such as fiber orientation, fiber volume fraction, laminate thickness, and core density; and processing variables such as layup accuracy, curing temperature and pressure can have a dramatic effect on the mechanical properties of composite materials. Mechanical and process testing is necessary to understand the effect these variables have on the finished material or component.
Reliability – for use in high-performance applications in the aerospace, automotive, and motorsport industries, material testing is required to prove the reliability and repeatability of component properties.
Damage Tolerance – testing is necessary to simulate real-life conditions such as tool drops, minor accidents, and manufacturing imperfections.
Research and Development – testing is performed to investigate variables that will effect mechanical properties, damage tolerance, and provide data for finite element analysis.
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