Three Steps for Compression Testing Plastic
Compression testing plastics involves a three step process.
Step One
The first step is to gather background information on the types of plastic samples you plan to test in compression. Which plastics do you need to test? Consider if you will be testing raw materials or components made of plastics. Examples of plastic raw materials might include bio foam, blown thermoplastic, carbon fiber reinforced plastic, CFRP, cellular, composites, expanded polystyrene, fiberglass, hoop wound polymer composite, isotropic pe, plastics, polymer composite, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyurethane elastomer, pultruded, puncture, reinforced polymer, rigid, and soft plastics.
Typical plastic components include cups, bottles, lumber shapes, bags, flooring materials, pipe, tubing, ducts, and guide plastics.
Step Two
Next, determine the form of the material sample that you intend to test. This is important to select the best grips and fixtures. Plastic samples vary from sheet, film, rod, flat, flexible, micro, ring and molded materials.
Step Three
Finally, it is important to establish what information or test data that you need to report. The type of data results can determine which test software to select. Information such as compressive shear, yield strength, fatigue, flexural, flexural modulus, fracture, how to measure lateral, poisson, radial, secant modulus, shear torsion, stress relaxation, tensile, tension shear, toughness, and unconfined compression modulus are all possibilities.
Armed with this set of information, our TestResources applications engineers can help configure a test machine and testing plan that is right for you.
The second step involves standard test methods. Do you have an established test method? ASTM and ISO test standards helps define test equipment details and confirm equipment selection. Industry standard test methods provide structure if you are new to testing. They also guide equipment requirements. They are available from organizations such as ASTM, ISO and CEN.