A tensile test is typically governed via standards and the two most common in the plastics industry are astm d638 and iso 527.
Plastic tensile test.
Specimens are placed in the grips of the universal tester at a specified grip separation and pulled until failure.
Tensile tests measure the force required to break a plastic sample specimen and the extent to which the specimen stretches or elongates to that breaking point.
The high speed tensile test can be performed using drop weight testers or hydraulic high speed tensile testing machines.
The tensile testing machine.
The figure below from quadrant engineering plastic products shows the test geometry.
This guide is designed to introduce you to the basic elements of an astm d638 plastic tensile test including an overview of the equipment software and samples needed.
The test method can be used for testing materials up to 14mm 0 55 in and the material should be in the shape of a dumbbell or dog bone.
From these measurements the following properties can also be determined.
Most iso 527 2 testing is performed on a table top universal testing machine.
A universal testing machine tensile testing machine is needed to perform this test.
Pull off speeds up to 20 m s are achieved.
Properties that are directly measured via a tensile test are ultimate tensile strength breaking strength maximum elongation and reduction in area.
This includes astm d638 technically equivalent to iso 527 1 is a testing standard which ascertains the tensile properties of a plastic material.
A 5kn or 10kn 1125 or 2250 lbf system is most common but as reinforced plastics and composites increase in strength higher capacity units such as 30 or 50 kn systems may be required.
Tensile tests are used for example in the validation of the chemical resistance of plastics since the results of this test disclose even extremely small changes in the material.
Astm d638 is one of the most common plastic strength specifications and covers the tensile properties of unreinforced and reinforced plastics.
Tensile testing also known as tension testing is a fundamental materials science and engineering test in which a sample is subjected to a controlled tension until failure.
Astm d 638 tensile test procedure.
The tensile test the test measures the force as a function of the strain being applied to the plastic sample.
Tensile testing of plastics supplies the data for a sample.
Separate tensile test methods are commonly applied to polymer films astm d882 or iso 1184 and elastomers astm d412 or iso 37.
Din en iso 527.
This test method uses standard dumbell or dogbone shaped specimens under 14mm of thickness.