metals testing solution

7/29/2019 Metals Testing Solution

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Metals Testing Solutions

MetalsTestingSolutionsBrochure


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Sheet metal products are used in a

multitude of areas, from automobiles

to domestic appliances, electrical

transformers, food packaging, and

construction. Today's sheet metal

products are much improved over

those developed in the past. They

offer better control of mechanical

properties; surface finish, dimensions,

and other quality features that meet

the growing need for highly-engineered

end use applications. To meet varied

end user requirements, sheet products

are metallurgically designed to provide

specific attributes such as high

formability, deep drawability, high

strength, and high dent resistance.

Sheet metal products are commonly

available in thicknesses ranging from

approximately 0.2 mm (0.008 in) to

6 mm (0.24 in).

Tension

The Challenge

Tension testing of sheet metal products is

performed to validate proof or upper/ lower

strengths, tensile strength, yield point

elongation, elongation at the maximum force,and elongation at fracture. In addition, sheet

metal for pressing is usually tested to

determine the hardening coefficient

(n - value) and the plastic strain ratio

(r - value) at one or more regions of the

stress-strain curve. Sheet metal production

demands high test throughput along with very

consistent results. The equipment used for

testing must provide both ease-of-use and

high repeatability. The software used to

control the testing must maintain accurate

control to achieve consistent testing speeds,and must incorporate sophisticated algorithms

to determine test results from a wide variety of

stress/ strain curves.

Our Solution

Instron provides a full range of closed-loop

machines and fully automated (robotic)

tensile testing systems for sheet metal

products. Instron's testing machinescover a range of load capacities, including

table-mounted machines with maximum

capacities of 50 kN (11,200 lbf) and

floor-mounted machines with capacities from

50 kN (11,200 lbf) to 3000 kN (600,000 lbf).

The ability of all systems to measure force very

accurately over a wide measurement range

means that a range of product can be tested

without changing the load cell.

Semiautomatic and automatic devices areavailable for measuring specimen dimensions

and automatically transferring those

dimensions to the software. These automated

systems reduce the variability in operator

measuring techniques, increasing reliability

and repeatability of test results.

6d

The non-contacting AVE measures axial strain and transverse on a sheet metal specimen.


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Instron also offers a number of gripping

solutions, from simple but effective manual

wedge grips, to fully-automatic pneumatic/

hydraulic wedge grips or side action hydraulic

grips. The Instron5500 and 5800 series

controllers incorporate a powerful featurecalled Specimen Protect - ideal for thin

specimens that can easily be damaged during

gripping. Specimen Protect monitors the force

on the specimen during gripping and controls

the machine so that excessive force cannot be

applied to the specimen.

Instron offers a range of extensometers, from

manual clip-on devices - gauge lengths from

10 mm to 200 mm(0.39 in to 7.87 in) to

automatic contacting extensometers and

non-contact video extensometers. Modelscapable of measuring both axial and transverse

strain (for computing r-values) are available.

Metals manufacturers achieve ASTM, EN, ISO,

and JIS standards compliance and the highest

possible testing throughput with Instron

software that incorporates intelligent control

and sophisticated algorithms to determine

pertinent test results.

For high volume sheet metal testing, Instron's

TestMaster automation systems provide acost-effective, efficient, highly accurate, and

repeatable solution. These fully-integrated

systems perform specimen identification,

dimension measurement, specimen handling,

tensile testing, data collection, and results

presentation. TestMaster systems are capable

of unattended operation and can incorporate

other measurements such as hardness and

surface roughness.

d

To remove the potential for excessive tension or

compression forces during initial grip loading,

Specimen Protect can be activated to aviod

damaging a thin or delicate specimen.

d

Instron's TestMaster automation system.

d

Typical stress/ strain curve using the Advanced Video Extensometer (AVE).

d

Instron's model 2716 wedge action grips secure the

specimen while 2630 axial and 2640 transverse

extensometer measure strain in order to calculate

the r-value.


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The Challenge

Crashworthiness is a key part of the design of a

modern automobile. Under crash conditions,

structural materials are subject to very highrates of strain. Many material properties,

including those of the steel or aluminum used

in the automobile body, are strain-rate

sensitive. Consequently, quasi-static

stress-strain data may not produce accurate

predictions of behavior at high strain rates,

and the use of such data in the analysis and

design of dynamically loaded structures can

lead to cautious overweight designs or

premature structural failure.

Ductility

The Challenge

The standard method of measuring the

ductility of sheet involves biaxial stretching of

a constrained test specimen by simulating a

deep drawing operation. The test requires a

standard steel ball punch to be forced into a

constrained piece of sheet material until the

cup formed from the metal sample fractures.

Our Solution

The Instron servohydraulic VHS high rate

systems provides metals researchers

with extensive capabilities for impact andhigh strain rate testing. The system

incorporates a very high performance

hydraulic actuator, up to 25 m (81 ft) per

second and resonance-free frame with an

advanced control system and profiler software

to ensure a constant strain rate during the test.

Patented Fastjaw grips are utilized to only

grip the specimen once the actuator has

reached the correct velocity for the test.

Testing forces are measured using

high-stiffness piezoelectric load cells

and a high-speed data collectionsystem that records the entire

stress-strain curve at rates up to

5 MHz. These features allow

metals researchers to evaluate

their materials at a level of detail

never before possible.

Our Solution

Instron provides a ball punch fixture for this

test which meets the requirements of

international ductility standards such as

ISO 8490 and ASTM E 643. The fixture can

be used for evaluating steel, copper, and alloy

sheet materials from 0.2 mm (0.008 in) to

2 mm (0.08 in) in thickness. The fixture

includes a lower die holder assembly for

clamping the sheet between the dies provided

and an upper ball punch mandrel. The fixture

can be utilized on a variety of Instron testing

systems using standard pin and clevis-style

adapters. An installation bushing ensures

correct axial alignment.

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Impact/ High Strain Rate

d

VHS high rate test system with 50 kN (11 kip) 20 m/s

(65 ft) performance.

d

Erichsen cupping fixture.


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Hardness

The Challenge

As large lengths of sheet metal are moved

through the rolling process, a number of

hardness tests are often required at variouspoints across the material. This type of

hardness test is normally performed using one

of the light-load Rockwell scales. Due to the

thin nature of sheet metal, a hardness test

frequently requires use of superficial Rockwell

scales (such as HR15N and HR15T).

Testing very thin samples of sheet metal, such

as the tin plate used for cans, on Rockwell

scales will cause special problems since sheet

thickness can frequently be less than the

minimums required by ASTM standards. In

these cases, a special anvil and a slower force

application rate are necessary to allow the

hardness testing system to provide the

comparable test results critical for

maintaining quality.

Creep andStress-RuptureSheet manufacturers or end-user companiesneed to determine how their products will

perform when subjected to constant loads at

both ambient and elevated temperatures.

These tests are typically conducted for an

extended time in accordance with standards

such as ASTM E 139 and ASTM E 292. For

more information on Instron's creep and

stress-rupture testing solutions see page 41.

Our Solution

In many applications, a small coupon is cut

from a roll of sheet metal and tested on a

benchtop tester located near the productionline. Portable testers are also used to test the

sheet while it is still on the rolling line.

Instron offers various mobile and portable

hardness testers to meet these requirements.

Instron C-frame mobile hardness testers

utilize a clamping mechanism which

holds the tester to the work piece; and

calibrated, preloaded spring mechanisms

to apply the minor and major loads. The

Wilson Instruments model M-51 is ideal

for testing stacked sheets in areas whereclearance is limited.

FatigueSheet metal manufacturers or end-usercompanies often need to determine how

their products will perform when subjected to

in-service loading conditions, high cycle and

low cycle fatigue, fracture mechanics, high

strain rate and thermo-mechanic fatigue.

These tests are typically ASTM E 647 for

fatigue crack growth and ASTM 1820 for

fracture toughness. For more information on

Instron's fatigue testing solutions see page 41.

A benchtop hardness test for sheet metal is

best conducted using a closed-loop system in

order to test at lighter loads and slowerspeeds. The application rate and dwell time

of the test force can be set by the user.

Closed-loop testing, in its purest form, is

a revolutionary technology that utilizes

motor/ encoder control and a load cell or

force transducer to apply and regulate the

load. The Wilson Instruments Rockwell 2000

series is a closed-loop control system with a

load cell and high resolution optical encoder

that constantly monitors (at 500 Hz) and

adjusts the applied force to produce highly

accurate and repeatable results. Byintegrating closed-loop technology, Wilson

Instruments hardness testers are able to

accurately control both the lighter loads and

slower speeds required when testing sheet.

The diamond spot anvil, an optional accessory

for the Wilson Rockwell 2000 series, is

recommended for supporting thin, soft sheet

metal. The center of the anvil has a flat

polished diamond surface. As the sample

deforms under the test load, the hard

smooth surface of the diamond controls the

effect of any friction between the anvil and

the thin sheet metal, allowing the user to

obtain repeatable and comparable test results.

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d

Wilson Rockwell 2000 series tester performing

hardness test on sheet.

d

+1000 C (+1832 F) furnace with +1000 C

(+1832 F) hydraulically preloaded reserve stresspullrods for Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) testing of

aerospace materials.


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orporate Headquartersstron Corporation

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may not be used without the prior written permission of Instron.

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Copyright 2005 Instron Corporation. All rights reserved.

All of the specifications shown in this brochure are subject to change without notice. WB1212

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