Hardness of plastics

Tensile test for extrusion and injection molded plastics at room temperature. The test characterizes the tensile modulus, yield point, and point of break in accordance with the EN ISO 527-2 standard. The price includes the testing of five A1-type specimens (a sixth specimen is required as backup). Sample preparation is not included in the price, therefore samples should be delivered ready for the test. The standard test parameters are as follows: Clamping pressure: 3 bar, Test speed: 50 mm/min . Other parameters can be used upon request.

Heat deflection temperature (HDT), also known as heat distortion temperature, describes the plastic's resistance to deformation by a given load at an elevated temperature. It can also give insight into the injection mouldability of the plastic. HDT is defined as the temperature where the sample specimen bends 0.25 mm under a given weight. It can be measured with either method A (1.80 MPa), B (0.45 MPa), or C (8.00 MPa) as per ISO 75. The load and specimen type are chosen according to the tested material. The test is always done as a duplicate.

The method measures the coefficients of starting and sliding friction of plastic films and sheeting when sliding over the same or another material. The testing procedure is based on the ISO 8295 standard. The measurement can be used for quality control of plastic film samples. Four replica measurements per sample are included in the displayed price.

The impact strength of rigid plastics can be measured with the Charpy and Izod methods. In these tests, a pendulum is used to break the sample specimen. 10 specimens are needed for both tests. This measurement covers impact testing with either Charpy (ISO 179) or Izod (ISO 180). Please specify the preferred method upon ordering. The most significant difference between the Charpy and Izod methods is the placement of the specimen. In the Izod test, it is placed vertically and the notch is on the pendulum's side, while the Charpy test specimen is horizontal and the notch is on the opposite side of the pendulum. Testing can also be performed without a notch. Sample preparation can be purchased separately.

The Vicat softening point is the temperature at which a flat-pointed needle penetrates the sample to a thickness of 1 mm when loaded with a 10 N or 50 N load. In the test, the sample is placed in an oil bath that is heated at a rate of 50 °C/h or 120 °C/h, and the needle is placed on the surface of the sample. The test gives you the temperature at which the needle has penetrated 1 mm deep into the sample. The test price includes the measurement of the Vicat softening point as a triplicate with method A50, A120, B50, or B120.

In this abrasion resistance test, the volume loss that a test piece experiences when subjected to abrasive action is measured. A specified grade of abrasive sheet and a non-rotating test piece are used. The result can be reported as a relative volume loss or an abrasion resistance index. Rubber abrasion resistance testing is suitable for comparative testing, quality control, specification compliance testing, reference purposes, and research and development.

This tensile test by the ISO 527-3 standard is intended for determining the tensile properties of plastic films and sheeting. It is particularly suited for thin plastic films with high elongation. Determinable properties include tensile strength, yield strength, yield strain, strain at break, and modulus of elasticity. Results include the individual stress-strain curves for five test samples. The standard tensile properties will also be calculated for each of the five specimens.

This test is used to determine the puncture properties of rigid plastics. During the test, a flat sample specimen is punctured by a falling impact object (from 1 m at a speed of 4.4 m/s) while the force and deflection are measured.

Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) is a mechanical testing method used to characterize material properties as a function of temperature, time, frequency, stress, and atmosphere, or a combination of these parameters. DMA measures parameters for stiffness and damping. These are reported as moduli (stiffness) and loss tangent (damping). The moduli can be further divided into the storage modulus (E’) and loss modulus (E’’), which are the elastic and viscous components of the material, respectively. The ratio of loss modulus to storage modulus is a measure of the material's damping capacity. DMA can be used to study the following properties: Viscoelastic properties (E', E'', tan(δ)), Glass transition temperature (Tg), Secondary transitions (β & γ), Crystallization, Melting, Curing kinetics, Damping, Creep and stress relaxation, Mechanical properties (especially useful for small/complex samples), Long-term behaviour with Time-Temperature Superposition. The most common deformation modes are tensile, bending (3-point and cantilever), compression, and shear. The chosen deformation mode, conditions, and material properties selected for study will determine the difficulty and cost of the analysis.

Determination of the flexural properties of rigid and semi-rigid plastics and composite materials using 3-point bending tests according to the ISO 178 standard. Results include the following parameters: Conventional deflection, Flexural modulus, Flexural strength at conventional deflection, Flexural strength, Flexural strength at break, Bending at conventional deflection, Bending at break. The displayed price covers testing at room temperature. Other temperature programs are available for an extra charge.