Frequently Asked Questions

A: The answer to this question can vary depending on your requirements and what information needs to be determined from the test. It also depends on what shape of tensile test you require (e.g. round/cylindrical or rectangular cross section).

1. Generally a 10 inch x 10 inch plate is an ample amount of material for our machine shop to cut and machine to the the appropriate sizes. For round or tubular products, a 10 inch length is sufficient.

2. If only tensile strength is required, we can typically test samples as short as 2 inches long by 1/16" in diameter to as big as our machines can handle (sizes will depend on the material's ultimate tensile strength).

3. In order to evaluate yield strength (analytically), it is preferred to use a tensile specimen with a reduced section (a region machined to a smaller size the the adjacent gripping areas used to pull on the sample during testing). Our smallest extensometer allows us to measure strain over a 1 inch gauge length.  As such, accounting for machining allowances, transition radii and grip lengths a minimum specimen length of approximately 3 inches is required.  

4. If you are worried about following a standard specification for testing, we generally test to ASTM E8 which has minimum specimen sizes for testing. The 3 inch minimum length mentioned above would also  apply with an added constraint in thickness/diameter of 0.375in for round specimens.

5. For the reasons detailed above, we require a minimum of about 5 inches in length and 0.875" in diameter to prepare a standard round specimens with a 0.5" gauge section. Similar lengths can be used to prepare rectangular samples, however, some material specifications may require a minimum width in the reduced section which will require a longer gripping area (and ultimately a longer length of sample material.

6. If standard sizes or materials specifications are not an issue we can discuss with you the best option to obtain a suitable test specimen from your material sample.

A: Our optical emission spectrometer (OES) and LECO combustion analyzer have different requirements.

1. Samples exceeding the sizes detailed below can be trimmed down in our machine shop as required.

2. For OES we generally need a sample with a flat area about 0.5 inch x 0.5 inch and a thickness of about 3mm. This can either be cut from the specimen or tested directly on the specimen if destruction of the sample is not an option (Some light buffing is required).

3. Our LECO analyzer needs about 10g of material for testing.

4. If the shape or size of your material does not conform the the requirements detailed below please contact us and we can discuss options including EDS or ICP chemical analysis provided through our partners.

A: Our team excels in providing comprehensive support, including designing and fabricating custom fixtures that seamlessly integrate with our testing fixtures and your unique components. Whether you have unconventional parts or prototypes, our expertise and machining workshop enable us to assist you in designing and creating custom assemblies. This versatility enables us to cater to highly specialized testing requests.

A: We're here to help. Our technical staff has assisted countless clients with reverse engineering and material grade determination efforts and have developed our own library for quick access/comparison.