Development of bench top biaxial tensile testing machine

Abstract

Development of new biaxial testing apparatus is carried out to study and evaluate the mechanical properties of different materials. Novel materials like biological tissue, soft plastics, fibers, wires, carbon nanotubes, smart materials, textiles, ceramics, composites etc. can be tested to evaluate its mechanical properties on the developed apparatus. The Developed apparatus will be used to evaluate mechanical properties. This apparatus will be used to characterize a material's properties as a function of stain frequency, stress or a combination of these parameters. The equipment can be used to apply sinusoidal oscillating stress (load) which is applied to the specimen by actuators with the help of a servo controlled electric motors. The equipment has basic capabilities to produce static and cyclic multiaxial loading system. Generally, the test facility requires cruciform(Cross Shape) specimens which will be loaded orthogonal direction. Stress-controlled and strain controlled are two main techniques that are employed to test the specimen . As the stress-controlled analyzers are cheaper to manufacture (1) this technique will be adopted in the test rig. The test rig will be equipped with two mutually perpendicular actuators capable of incremental motions of as small as few microns. Each actuator will be equipped with a load cell to measure both tension and compression loads. The servo-electric actuators will be programmed to move independently or in a coordinated motion. Camera will be used to record and measure the strain produced in the specimen. Real world loading system can be created within the device to tests material capability in more realistic manner.