Why is Mechanical Testing Important?

 

Your production specs may call for mechanical testing and as a talented manufacturer you may wonder what the need is to have an external company perform testing services. At Modern Industries we help our customers confirm that their engineered materials will serve their intended application reliably. Adequate mechanical testing can help you keep your customers safe, your equipment works reliably, and help your company avoid having to deal with expensive product injury related lawsuits related. We provide an extensive suite of mechanical testing services and are skilled at effectively testing a wide variety of materials.

 

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Why is Materials Testing Performed? 

 

One of the key components of mechanical testing is materials testing. We perform materials testing services to obtain data about the materials used in your product. This data will allow us to confirm that it will perform as intended when your finalized product is in use. Your team can use this data to make engineering adjustments to your parts if needed. You can also use it in your marketing to provide hard numbers backing to the capabilities of your product(s).

 

Modern Industries has a NADCAP Accredited Materials Testing Laboratory

In addition to our decades of experience and longstanding reputation, you can rely on Modern Industries to perform quality testing thanks to our laboratory’s NADCAP Accreditation. Plus, in addition to having a NADCAP accredited materials testing laboratory, we can perform materials and mechanical testing in accordance with important industrial certifications. These include the GE S-400 materials testing certification aka T9399 and the ISO/IEC 17025 Mechanical Testing Certification aka 2949.01. We have earned this laboratory accreditation and our team is well-versed in completing work in adherence with both the GE S-400 and ISO 17025 QA processes. If you need materials or mechanical testing performed and it is within our suite of capabilities, you can trust that these certifications and our NADCAP laboratory accreditation will help us ensure the quality of our work and the accuracy of the data you receive.

 

Primary objectives of materials testing can include:

• To ensure regulatory agency requirements are met
• To identify the most appropriate material and treatment for an application
• For evaluating product design specifications and making improvements
• Verifying production processes

Common Types of Mechanical Testing and Data They Produce

There are numerous types of mechanical testing we perform at Modern Industries. These testing services can be performed on your products and their components to reveal data pertaining to impact resistance, ductility, fracture toughness, and much more. Obtaining this data will allow you to improve product performance, ensure use safety, and have a better understanding of your product’s maximum capabilities. Below and on the mechanical services page of our website, you can learn more about some of our testing solutions and learn how they can benefit your business and products.

 

Model Generation and Validation

During this type of testing, a model is developed using the material’s testing data. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is performed to determine the stress levels and validate the model. The empirical mechanical testing data generated is combined with the FEA model, allowing for quick and cost-effective design modifications.

 

Tensile Testing

Raw material lots can feature numerous variabilities, making tensile testing crucial for ensuring each lot meets ductility and strength requirements. Tensile testing is a form of destructive testing in which high levels of pressure are applied until failure occurs. It reveals a material’s yield strength, ductility, tensile strength, and other information. While material suppliers are equipped to perform these tests, a third-party laboratory test is recommended to gain additional confirmation from an independent party. 

 

 

Hardness

Hardness testing occurs after production and with components that require heat treatment to verify that they meet design requirements. There are several hardness testing methods that might be used based on the material and heat treatment. In each method, a load is applied, and the resulting indentation is measured.

 

 

Impact Testing

During impact testing, a pendulum arm strikes a specimen with a hammer until it breaks. The fractured specimen samples and impact energy reveal the material’s toughness and other information.

 

 

Stress Rupture and Creep Testing

Stress rupture provides critical information to engineers, allowing them to prevent failures by gaining insight into the effect of long-term stress and temperature on a given material or product. Stress rupture testing is essential throughout the lifecycle of a product. 

 

 

Chemical Analysis 

Although it is not a mechanical test, chemical analysis is essential for both material and product manufacturers. It identifies the contents and quality of materials used in manufacturing and product development. At Modern Industries we offer an enormous range of chemical analysis services that you can contact us to learn about.

Benefits of Mechanical Testing Services

Mechanical testing offers numerous critical benefits to components throughout any industry. Some of the most significant benefits include:

 

• Energy performance: Identify a material’s energy deficiencies and optimize energy use by selecting the most appropriate material. 
• Operational integrity: Ensure the material is suitable for a given application and determine its life expectancy. 
• Quality control: Qualify material integrity analysis and leverage environmental exposure against material integrity.
• Vulnerability identification: Determine any material deficiencies in a substance before it is used.
• Streamline product design: Learn about material properties and apply them to future designs while innovating technological advancements with materials.

Mechanical Testing Services from Modern Industries

 

Everything from farms and factories to phones, cars, appliances, and more rely on engineered materials that require adequate mechanical testing. Employing the services of a skilled mechanical testing lab is crucial for developing effective products while assuring quality control. Modern Industries is a trusted provider of comprehensive physical and mechanical testing services. With nearly 70 years of engineering experience, our materials research division meets the needs of testing projects of all sizes. Get started on your solution by requesting a quote or contacting us today.