Mechanical Testing Lab

Mechanical testing is integral in material evaluation to determine suitability for service, manufacturing, and to verify compliance with the appropriate standards. Lab time is spent familiarizing students with standardized testing procedures.

Macrohardness testers from Wilson and United are used to demonstrate proper set-up for obtaining reliable results on the Brinell and Rockwell hardness scales. Microhardness testing includes both Knoop and Vickers capabilities with a manual LECO microhardness tester to show traditional experiment methods. A Wilson VH3300 Automatic Hardness Tester shows students the advantages of an automated system to quickly perform high volume sequences.

Tensile testing for strength requirements is conducted with an Instron 5585H electromechanical test frame, leading discussion of mechanical properties such as Young’s Modulus, Ultimate Tensile Strength, Offset Yield Strength and Ductility. The tester also includes an Extensometer for precise readings and a Power Positioning Furnace for tensile testing at elevated temperatures. Cyclic loading and fatigue strength curves are examined with an Instron ElectroPuls E10000 fatigue tester, an electrolinear fatigue tester for torsion and axial loading. Also included in the mechanical testing lab is a charpy impact tester and a United LCH Speedy tester. Introduction to these instruments can be seen in our metallography education courses, with more in-depth study in our Mechanical Testing of Metals course. For information on our education courses, please visit asminternational.org/exploreeducation.

The Mechanical Testing Lab is equipped with the following:

Take a tour of the Mechanical Testing Lab at ASM International World Headquarters!