Materials Technology

Material Testing


Overview Testing Materials
Hardness Testing


Direct Reading Hardness Testing
Machine (Vickers or Brinell)
Measures the materials resistance to indentation or scratching
Indenter
Test Component
Placed on Table
Table Height
Adjustment
Activating lever
Hardness Value
Read Directly From
Dial
Overview Testing Materials
Vickers Hardness Testing


Measures the materials resistance to indentation or scratching
A square pyramid shaped
indenter (point angle 136) is
forced into the specimen. The
diagonal length of the indented
square is measured. This
measurement is taken by a
special microscope for accuracy.
It is then converted into a
Vickers hardness
number

Overview Testing Materials
Brinell Hardness Testing


Measures the materials resistance to indentation or scratching
The Brinell hardness test
uses a hardened steel or
tungsten carbide ball of
10mm, 5mm or 1mm
diameter. The diameter of
the indentation is measured
and it is used to indicate the
hardness of the material
Overview Testing Materials`
Simple Workshop Test (Hardness)


Heavy Plunger
Clear Acrylic Tube
Specimen to be Tested
Steel Ball Bearing
The Plunger is dropped
from a 500mm height
onto different materials.
The indentations on
each test piece are
measured.
The deeper the
indentation the softer
the material

Overview Testing Materials
Izod Impact Test


Measures a materials toughness
Test Specimen
Held Vertically
Vice
Pendulum
Start Position
of Pendulum
Scale to read energy
absorbed in breaking
the specimen
Overview Testing Materials`
Izod Impact Test


Measures a materials toughness
The Specimen is held
vertically in a vice
The notch on the
specimen faces the
pendulum
The striking energy of
the pendulum is 167
Joules
Pendulum
Vice
Specimen
Overview Testing Materials`
Charpy Impact Test


Measures a materials toughness
The Specimen is held
horizontally between
two supports
The notch on the
specimen faces away
from the pendulum
The striking energy of
the pendulum is 300
Joules
Pendulum
Support
Specimen
Overview Testing Materials`
Simple Workshop Test (Toughness)


This is another
comparative test.
The specimen pieces
are held vertically in a
vice and hit with a
hammer
It is important to wear a
face shield or goggles
and for spectators to
stand well back.
Brittle materials will
fracture and possibly
splinter.

Specimen
Vice
Hammer
Ductile Material
`
Overview Testing Materials`
Simple Workshop Test (Deflection)


This is another
comparative test
The specimen is placed on
the supports
Weights are placed on the
platform, pushing the
plunger down causing the
specimen to deflect
Specimens can be tested
to destruction or their
deflection is measured
when the same weight is
applied to each in turn

Specimen
Supports
Plunger
Weights
Platform
Overview Testing Materials`
Tensile Testing


Measures a materials tensile strength
Simple Tensile Testing Machine
Clamps for Holding
Specimen Dial Gauge to Measure
Extension of Specimen
Overview Testing Materials`
Simple Workshop Test (Stiffness)


This is a comparative
test. The material to be
tested is clamped to a
bench.
Weights are applied to
the free end.
The amount of
deflection of each
material is measured
and compared with
each other

Deflection
Applied Weights
Clamped
Specimen