Mechanical Testing Services
National Technical Systems (NTS)
The physical and mechanical testing of a product comprises a critical part of the product and development process. Applied physical force such as vibration, shock stresses, and strain can reveal the inelastic behavior of the material. Mechanical testing allows the product developers to understand the product better, identify vulnerabilities, and establish stronger quality control. Mechanical testing employs a variety of strength tests that can determine the suitability of a material or component for the intended application. It measures characteristics such as elasticity, tensile strength, elongation, hardness, facture toughness, impact resistance, stress fracture, and the fatigue limit.
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Break Strength Testing
To determine the failure point or break strength, you will need to define what a break is (break detector). Generally, there are two common types of breaks: the sharp break is referred to the measurement when load or force drops by 5% from its peak load measurement. A percentage break is another form of break and is generally determined by the sample material and its relationship to load degradation from a peak load measurement. A plastic material will likely have a load drop of 5%, but not represent a break. In this case, a percentage break would need to be applied. In a tensile test, the breaking load is the break strength.
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product
Compressive Strength Testing
Compression testing is a very common testing method that is used to establish the compressive force or crush resistance of a material and the ability of the material to recover after a specified compressive force is applied and even held over a defined period of time. Compression tests are used to determine the material behavior under a load. The maximum stress a material can sustain over a period under a load (constant or progressive) is determined.
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product
Flexural or Bend Testing
There are generally two types of bending tests. Three-point bend and 4-point bend. The materials that are tested using the flex test method vary from metal, plastic, wood, laminates, particle board, dry wall, ceramic tile, to glass. Bending tests vary greatly based on the product being tested.
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product
Flexural Strength Testing
Flexural Strength Testing is used to determine the flex or bending properties of a material. Sometimes referred to as a transverse beam test, it involves placing a sample between two points or supports and initiating a load using a third point or with two points which are respectively called 3-Point Bend and 4-Point Bend testing.
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product
Peel Strength Testing
Peel Strength Testing is the average load per unit width of bond line required to separate bonded materials where the angle of separation is 180⁰. Peel testing is one way to characterize adhesive bonds. It is used extensively to evaluate the bonding strength of tape, adhesives and flexible substrates, including rubber, films, biomaterials, dental materials, medical packaging and consumables. Typical tests involve peeling two bonded flexible adhered from each other, or peeling a flexible bonded adhered from a rigid substrate. Peel tests are usually conducted at a constant rate at various angles, with 90° and 180° being the most common. Parameters such as peak peel load, average peel strength and statistical measures of peel strength variability are typically used to characterize behavior under peel loading.
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product
Shear Strength Testing
Many different loading schemes fall under the broad category of shear testing. Most often performed on small coupons of metals, composites and adhesives, these tests apply force or displacement until the specimen fractures. Single lap, double lap, short beam shear and torsion are typical configurations. All of these tests are designed to characterize materials under shear loading by determining shear-stress/shear-strain curves and material properties, including shear strengths and shear moduli.
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product
Tensile Strength Testing
One of the most common mechanical testing methods, tensile testing, is used to determine the behavior of a sample while an axial stretching load is applied. These types of tests may be performed under ambient or controlled (heating or cooling) conditions to determine the tensile properties of a material.
-
product
Break Strength Testing
To determine the failure point or break strength, you will need to define what a break is (break detector). Generally, there are two common types of breaks: the sharp break is referred to the measurement when load or force drops by 5% from its peak load measurement. A percentage break is another form of break and is generally determined by the sample material and its relationship to load degradation from a peak load measurement. A plastic material will likely have a load drop of 5%, but not represent a break. In this case, a percentage break would need to be applied. In a tensile test, the breaking load is the break strength.
-
product
Compressive Strength Testing
Compression testing is a very common testing method that is used to establish the compressive force or crush resistance of a material and the ability of the material to recover after a specified compressive force is applied and even held over a defined period of time. Compression tests are used to determine the material behavior under a load. The maximum stress a material can sustain over a period under a load (constant or progressive) is determined.
-
product
Flexural Strength Testing
Flexural Strength Testing is used to determine the flex or bending properties of a material. Sometimes referred to as a transverse beam test, it involves placing a sample between two points or supports and initiating a load using a third point or with two points which are respectively called 3-Point Bend and 4-Point Bend testing.
-
product
Flexural or Bend Testing
There are generally two types of bending tests. Three-point bend and 4-point bend. The materials that are tested using the flex test method vary from metal, plastic, wood, laminates, particle board, dry wall, ceramic tile, to glass. Bending tests vary greatly based on the product being tested.
-
product
Peel Strength Testing
Peel Strength Testing is the average load per unit width of bond line required to separate bonded materials where the angle of separation is 180⁰. Peel testing is one way to characterize adhesive bonds. It is used extensively to evaluate the bonding strength of tape, adhesives and flexible substrates, including rubber, films, biomaterials, dental materials, medical packaging and consumables. Typical tests involve peeling two bonded flexible adhered from each other, or peeling a flexible bonded adhered from a rigid substrate. Peel tests are usually conducted at a constant rate at various angles, with 90° and 180° being the most common. Parameters such as peak peel load, average peel strength and statistical measures of peel strength variability are typically used to characterize behavior under peel loading.
-
product
Shear Strength Testing
Many different loading schemes fall under the broad category of shear testing. Most often performed on small coupons of metals, composites and adhesives, these tests apply force or displacement until the specimen fractures. Single lap, double lap, short beam shear and torsion are typical configurations. All of these tests are designed to characterize materials under shear loading by determining shear-stress/shear-strain curves and material properties, including shear strengths and shear moduli.
-
product
Tensile Strength Testing
One of the most common mechanical testing methods, tensile testing, is used to determine the behavior of a sample while an axial stretching load is applied. These types of tests may be performed under ambient or controlled (heating or cooling) conditions to determine the tensile properties of a material.
