Tensile test in laboratory
Your need: you want to perform a tensile test on your materials
What is a mechanical tensile test?
A tensile test is a mechanical test used in the laboratory to evaluate the mechanical properties of a material. This procedure involves subjecting a material sample to increasing stress until it reaches its breaking limit.
In a mechanical tensile test, the sample is fixed in a tensile machine, which accurately measures the applied force and elongation of the material.
The data obtained allow to draw a stress-strain curve, revealing essential properties such as yield strength, maximum tensile strength, and elongation at rupture.
Thus, the results of the tensile test provide essential information on a material’s ability to withstand stress and deformation.
On which materials to perform a tensile test?
The laboratory tensile test can be performed on different types of materials:
> Metallic materials such as steel, aluminium, copper and their alloys, in structural applications and in the field of engineering.
> Polymer materials, plastics and elastomers are tested to evaluate their behaviour under different conditions of temperature and processing.
> Composite materials, such as carbon or glass fibers reinforced with a polymer matrix, are tested to examine the properties of the matrix and reinforcement at tensile forces.
> Some ceramic materials are also subjected to tensile tests to assess their mechanical strength before fracture, for high temperature applications or in corrosive environments.
Our solutions: to assist you in the performance of tensile tests and in the interpretation of results
Our mechanical analysis and material characterization services are designed to meet your needs. Thanks to our state-of-the-art equipment and expertise, we are able to provide accurate and reliable data on the mechanical properties of your materials.
Steel tensile test
The tensile test on steel is used to assess its essential mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, yield strength and elongation at break. This information is useful for manufacturers because it determines the steel’s ability to withstand loads and to deform without breaking, in particular to ensure the reliability and safety of structures and components made of steel. This test is particularly relevant for the construction, automotive and infrastructure sectors.
Aluminium tensile test
For aluminium, a laboratory tensile test measures its ductility, tensile strength and yield strength. This data is relevant for the aerospace, automotive and packaging industries where aluminum is valued for its lightness and ability to be shaped into complex structures. The results of the tensile test help optimize aluminum alloys and improve manufacturing processes to ensure maximum performance in demanding applications.
Plastic and polymer tensile test
Tensile testing of plastics is essential to assess their mechanical behaviour under tensile stress By measuring the strength, elongation and tensile modulus, manufacturers can understand how a plastic will behave in service. This information is collected for the manufacture of consumer products, packaging or medical devices and electronic components where the reliability and durability of plastics must be guaranteed.
The results of these tests allow us to select the right type of polymer for a given application, predict its life span and ensure that it will meet specific performance requirements. Testing also helps improve material formulations for increased performance.
Composite tensile test
Composite materials, often used in aerospace, automotive and sports equipment, benefit greatly from tensile tests. This test determines the specific tensile properties of the composite, such as ultimate strength and tensile modulus, to predict the behaviour of the material under load. The results help to design lightweight yet robust structures, exploiting the advantages of reinforced fibers and polymer matrices for optimal performance.
Our mechanical testing services
Why perform a tensile test on your polymers?
Industries use our laboratory for tensile tests on polymers.
The tensile test of polymer materials allows to determine the mechanical properties of these materials, and in particular the tensile strength and elasticity of polymers. In addition, the results can help optimize polymer formulations for the technical requirements of the applications being addressed.
The applicable standards for tensile tests
The ISO 527 standard for tensile testing on polymers
The ISO 527-1/-2 standard establishes precise and standardized tensile test methods. This standard is widely used to ensure the quality of materials and the safety of products made from them.
The ISO 527-1/-2 standard specifies test methods for tensile testing.
This standard provides quality guidance on how to perform tensile tests on polymer samples. The standard defines test methods and test conditions for samples of unstrengthened and reinforced polymers.
The applicable standards in metallurgy
Why perform a tensile test on a material?
Tensile tests are used to ensure quality control and facilitate the development of new products. These tests on mechanical properties determine the strength, elasticity and ductility of materials.
Industries use our laboratory for a tensile test to:
- Evaluate the quality of materials,
- Determine their reliability and durability,
- Ensure their safety and performance.
And in particular:
- Tensile test at 1 mm/ min speed
- Determination of maximum force
- Determination of the maximum stress.
FAQ
Tensile tests are performed for several reasons, including:
- Characterization of mechanical properties: Tensile tests determine the essential mechanical properties of a material, such as strength, ductility, elasticity, Toughness, etc. This information is crucial to assess the material’s performance in different applications and to compare different material options.
- Product design and development: Tensile tests are used in product design and development to ensure that the materials used meet specific performance requirements.
- Quality control: Tensile tests are used as a tool for quality control to verify that the materials used in production meet the required standards and specifications. Manufacturers can perform tensile tests on random samples in a production to ensure that the materials used meet quality and safety criteria.
- Research and development of new materials: Tensile tests are also used in the research and development of new materials. They help to assess the performance of new materials, optimize their formulation and identify appropriate manufacturing conditions. These tests help to understand the mechanical behaviour of materials and to design more efficient and innovative materials.
- Safety and regulatory compliance: Tensile testing plays a crucial role in regulated industries such as the aerospace and medical industry. They are used to ensure that the materials used in these sectors comply with safety standards and regulations. For example, medical devices must undergo tensile tests to ensure their strength and reliability when subjected to tensile forces.
In summary, tensile tests are performed to characterize the mechanical properties of materials, ensure product quality and performance, support research and development of new materials, as well as to ensure safety and regulatory compliance in various industries.
Polymers are extremely versatile materials that play an important role in many industrial applications. This is the case of polypropylene or polyethylene.
Industries that implement these tensile tests are varied, ranging from the manufacture of rubber and plastic products to aerospace.
Some examples of products : plastic pipes, cables, plastic sheets, PET bottles and even plastic toys.
Polymer tensile tests are also used to test the strength of materials used in aircraft and satellites. In addition, these tensile tests are also commonly used in the automotive industry to assess the quality of plastic and rubber parts for vehicles.
The results of these tests are crucial to designing high-quality products that meet safety and industrial performance standards.
The tensile test measures the deformation of the material under increasing load. The yield strength is determined at the point where the material passes from elastic to plastic deformation, that is, the point where it no longer returns to its original shape after removal of the load.
The elongation at rupture indicates the ductility of the material, that is its ability to deform plastically before breaking. This is crucial to understanding the material’s ability to absorb shocks and conform to complex shapes without cracking.
The maximum tensile strength determines the maximum load that the material can withstand before it breaks. This information is essential to ensure the safety and reliability of structures and components manufactured, ensuring that they can withstand forces applied in service.
The tensile test provides accurate data on the mechanical properties of alloys, allowing for adjustment of composition and heat treatments to improve performance, strength and durability according to application requirements.
The stress-strain curve illustrates the relationship between the applied load and the strain of the material. It identifies key points such as yield strength, maximum tensile strength, and elongation at break, providing a complete analysis of the material’s mechanical behavior.
The tensile test provides several important information, including:
- Elastic limit: the maximum stress that the material can withstand without permanently deforming.
- Tensile strength limit: the maximum stress that the material can withstand before breaking.
- Elongation at break: the measurement of the elongation of the sample at the time of the break, expressed as a percentage of its original length.
- Modulus of elasticity: measure of the stiffness of the material, that is its ability to resist elastic deformation.
