materials-characterization

MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION

Understanding how materials behave and fail

Material characterisation, the process by which the internal structure and properties of a material are assessed, plays a fundamental role in material modelling, acceptance, qualification, and failure analysis. At TECHDYN we are able to exploit a comprehensive range of cutting-edge testing equipment to carry out advanced analysis work and make accurate diagnoses.

Testing capabilities available to TECHDYN include:

All conventional mechanical testing (traction, compression, shear testing, hardeness, density, Charpy impact, etc.)
Fracture mechanics
High strain rate
High velocity impact and ballistics (guns & rifles)

High temperature and creep

Optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
Non-contact strain measurement

The laboratory is accredited ISO9001 and ISO17025.

Benefit of testing

Tests and analysis can benefit in a number of ways. Through our work and continous developing in testing we aim to:

provide data for flaw acceptance criteria and service life prediction
develop procedures for identification of model parameters and validation metrics
encourage the adoption of damage models for roboust and reliable prediction of strain capacity of components
support research and development in correlating material macroscpic behavior and microstructure evolution.

Unique equipment

This quality of work would not be possible without state-of-the-art equipment, and TECHDYN has invested heavily to ensure our experts have access to every tool they need to satisfy our customers’ requirements. Recent acquisitions include the following:

Direct tension Hopkinson pressure bar for testing (tensile or compression) up to 10⁴/s from -190°C up to 1300°C
Torsion Hopkinson pressure bar
Single stage, light gas-gun with different calibers (40mm - 6mm) for:

impact tests up to 1000 m/s with 15 g projectile
Taylor cylinder impact test
Symmetric Taylor cylinder impact tests ("rod-on-rod")
Dynamic Tensile Extrusion test (DTE)

High precision torsiometer
High speed camera (1M fps)
3D Digital Image Correlation (DIC)

Track records

Examples of our recent material characterization:

Mechanical behavior of 3D printed Ti-6Al-4V at high strain rates
Fracture locus determination of austempered ductile cast irons
Fracture assessment of a gas pipe accident
Mechanical characterization of Tungsten (W) alloy under high velocity impact

For more information, please contact us.