Materials Testing

Impact Testing
Material testing is vital in the verification process, determining the right material and reliability for an application as well as meeting regulatory and standardized requirements. The materials that go into all products, equipment and technologies we rely upon everyday must be thoroughly tested for safety, performance, and other criteria, before the first product can come off the assembly line. "

The testing of materials help engineers and designers to choose the best material for a particular use. Knowing a material's various characteristics; its strengths and weaknesses, its load, stress, and strain parameters under varying environmental conditions, is essential to safe, efficient and cost effective design.

Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research, Inc (WMT&R) has earned a worldwide reputation as a leader in Materials Testing for the Aerospace, Automotive, Power Generation, Oil & Gas and Medical Industries. With over 300,000 square feet of state-of-the-art Material Testing, Research & Development, Machining, and Heat-Treating capacity, WMT&R is known for its quick turn-around times and uncompromised quality of results. WMT&R can test many types of materials including: Composites, Carbon-Fiber, Ceramic Matrix Composites, Titanium, Polymers, Common Steels, 4340 Steel, Stainless Steels, A2 Tool Steel, Inconel 718, Aluminum 7050, and Aluminum Lithium 2195, and many others.

WMT&R also test materials created using Additive Manufacturing/3d printing, Fasteners, finished products and parts including aluminum castings and extrusions.

A material may be subjected to the following tests in order to determine physical properties and applications.

Mechanical Testing

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At Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research, Inc (WMT&R) Tension and Compression tests are conducted on an impressive range of machines with capacities from 10 grams to 1,000,000 lbs. Testing is conducted in various atmospheres (Argon, Vacuum, Corrosive Mediums) at cryogenic, ambient, and elevated temperatures (-450°F to +2200°F). Our proprietary testing software provides the capability to run standard tests plus full stress/full strain tests at various strain rates, crosshead speeds, load ranges, and strain ranges as your requirements demand.

 

Fatigue Testing

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Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research, Inc (WMT&R) is a world leader in Fatigue Testing. WMT&R evaluates the process of progressive localized permanent structural change occurring in a material subjected to conditions that produce fluctuating stresses and strains at some point or points. These stresses and strains may culminate in cracks or complete fracture after a sufficient number of fluctuations. WMT&R has a large variety of machine and fixtures capable of custom setups and fixtures. Temperature ranges from Cryogenic to 2400°F. Services include high and low cycle fatigue, fasteners, cantilever fatigue and much more. WMT&R is accredited to perform ASTM E4, ASTM E328, ASTM E606, ASTM E466, ASTM E467, ASTM E1012, ASTM F606, NASM 1312 and EN 6072.

 

Stress and Creep Rupture Testing

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Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research, Inc (WMT&R) provides Stress Rupture and Creep Testing services for customers requiring critical materials testing data about their product's performance over time. Stress Rupture and Creep Test are conducted at temperatures up to +2200°F to either ASTM E139 (Creep and Smooth-Bar Stress Rupture) or ASTM E292 (notch tests). Temperature and creep readings are recorded by computers and continuously monitored to insure the utmost accuracy. The Stress and Creep testing lab houses 500 Stress Rupture and Creep Test machines, offering 30,000 lb. capacity capability, an expert engineering staff and Nadcap-approval.

 

Manufacturing Technologies

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Mechanical Engineering
The Mechanical Engineering laboratory at Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research, Inc (WMT&R) is staffed by specialists and engineers in product evaluation of actual prototype components and subassemblies. From custom design and fabrication of fixtures, to conducting the test, our mechanical engineers have the expertise and resources to assist our various testing departments in delivering data to customers in an efficient and timely manner.

 

Machine Shop
The high-technology, full-service Machine Shop at Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research, Inc (WMT&R) encompasses a clean, temperature-controlled environment, state-of-the-art equipment, and the ability to machine all test specimens onsite. In addition to machining standard specimens, our Machine Shop can custom-design and machine fixtures for testing finished parts, odd shapes, and difficult or exotic materials. WMT&R's reputation for quality machining and superior turnaround times generates production work from other laboratories and mills. With advanced in-house capabilities, and substantial engineering experience, WMT&R are experts in low-stress grinding and machining sub size specimens to very close tolerances.

 

Thermal Analysis

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Thermal Analysis refers to the variety of techniques developed and used in which any physical property of a given product/system is continuously measured as a function of temperature. Thermal Analysis studies the effect the change in temperature might have on material properties. WMT&R utilizes several methods including; Dilatometry (DIL), Laser Flash Analysis, Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetry (TGA).The Thermal Analysis capabilities at Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & research, Inc. can strengthen the depth and quality of testing results ensuring materials have the capability to withstand its intended application.

 

Physical Metallurgical Testing

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Westmoreland Mechanical Testing and Research, Inc (WMT&R) Metallurgical Materials Testing Laboratories are equipped with advanced SEM technology including light microscopes and metallographs using conventional and inverted stages used to characterize and photograph materials from 12X to 1200X for General Microstructure, Micro-cleanliness, Macro/Grain Flow, Carbide Distribution, IGA/IGO, Decarburization, Alloy Depletion, Casting/Mold Reactions, Dendritic Arm Spacing, Statistical Area/Shape Analysis, Weld Evaluations and more. Our experienced technicians and metallurgists work closely with the analytical and physical testing groups to provide an overall view of material characteristics so that even the most difficult problems can be identified and solved quickly. Services include, general microstructure, macro/grain flow, alpha case, micro hardness, fractography, grain size, IGA/IGO/decaburization and more. Westmoreland Mechanical Testing and Research, Inc (WMT&R) is accredited to perform hardness ASTM E10, ASTM E18, ASTM E92 and ASTM E384.

 

Chemical Analysis

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Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research, Inc (WMT&R) is a world class Chemical and Analytical Testing Laboratory utilizing conclusive spectrometer technology. Working in conjunction with ICP and Graphite Furnace AA ensures quick turnaround by eliminating the need for lengthy wet chemical tests. These state of the art units provide increased analysis speed, element ranges, and sensitivity. Services include, material-over checks, hydrogen over checks, referee testing, combustion, inert gas fusion, specification conformance unknown material identification and more.

 

Non-Metallic Materials Testing

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Non-Metallic materials including Composites are becoming the preferred materials in many applications due to their variety of benefits compared to traditional materials. In many studies, composites materials are stronger, lighter, more durable and versatile than conventional materials such as steel, aluminum, wood, or granite. Composite materials offer an innovative approach to advance any industry with more cost-efficient and multifaceted solutions.

Westmoreland Mechanical Testing and Research, Inc (WMT&R) non-metallic testing provides you with the resources to advance your composite materials choices to help reduce production costs and material weight, and increase durability, functionality, and strength.

 

Fracture Mechanics Testing

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Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research, Inc (WMT&R) has a global reputation for dependable fracture toughness testing. The state-of-the-art fracture lab is designed for the high volume, quick turnaround projects demanded by the aerospace, automotive, power generation, oil & gas, additive manufacturing and medical industries. WMT&R's fracture toughness and fatigue materials testing laboratory houses an expansive number of machine and fixtures capable of 1 million lb. capacity and cryogenic to 2400°F. Testing includes ASTM E399 which offers disc shape, arc tension, arc bend, single-edge bend, and compact tension. Regarding compact tension testing, WMT&R is equipped to perform materials testing on sizes ranging from .25" thick, up to 4.25" thick for most applications and has machined and tested steel compact tension specimens up to 8" thick weighing 1,000 lbs. Services include, KIC, KR-Curve, CTOD, dynamic tear surface crack tension, IC, shear and more.

 

Additive Manufacturing Materials Testing

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With over 50 years of materials testing experience, and key Nadcap and A2LA accreditations, Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research, Inc (WMT&R) is uniquely qualified to test materials created using additive manufacturing processes. Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research, Inc (WMT&R) is a trusted materials testing partner for the aerospace primes and other companies in advanced industries such as automotive, medical, and power generation who are leading the adoption of these materials and processes. Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research, Inc (WMT&R) provides comprehensive comparison materials testing and research services testing on additive manufacturing and 3D printing materials such as solids, metals, powders and as-built specimens. Capabilities include extensive specimen traceability, on-site machining and specimen preparation, extensive scope.

 

 

FAQ's

Materials testing, measurement of the characteristics and behavior of such substances as metals, ceramics, or plastics under various conditions. The data thus obtained can be used in specifying the suitability of materials for various applications—e.g., building or aircraft construction, machinery, or packaging.

The Importance of Materials Testing. ... For manufacturers, it is of the utmost importance to understand the mechanical properties of materials that exhibit some Hookean behavior during loading. It is important because the performance of a structure is frequently determined by the amount of deformation permitted.

Materials are tested for diverse purposes: to determine the properties of the raw material, to check quality at intermediate stages in production processes, to check finished products, and to aid research. Mechanical, physical, and chemical methods are used to study the properties of materials.

Once the properties of a given material are characterized and understood, this information can provide the higher level of understanding that is needed to resolve important issues such as cause of failure and process-related problems, as well as to make critical materials decisions.

Mechanical Testing Services. ... Designed to ensure that materials are suitable for their intended applications, mechanical testing includes methods such as tensile strength and elongation, compression strength, impact resistance, fracture toughness, stress rupture, fatigue limits, hardness, and more.

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