Our substantial on-site capabilities allow us
to customize each project. We design and write our own proprietary
software to
control and analyze your test results. To ensure the best turnaround time on
your projects, we design and machine our own specialized fixtures. For unique
testing needs we have the people, resources, experience, and testing capacity to
get the job done right for you.We are specialists in conducting axial tests on many
different types of specimens. These tests are conducted in load, strain, or
position control on servo-hydraulic test equipment at temperatures ranging from
Liquid Helium to over 2000°F. We have the flexibility and resources to
accommodate a wide range of sample sizes with our machine capacity ranging from
25 Grams to 1,000,000 lbs.
For example, WMT&R is an industry leader in Low Cycle
Fatigue (LCF) Testing. This test is normally run in strain control with the load
being a
dependent variable. The strain variables that are usually defined by the
customer are: wave type, frequency (and hold time for a trapezoidal wave), mean
strain, strain amplitude, and discontinue cycles. There are three stages to low
cycle fatigue testing. The first stage is designed to detect crack initiation on
a polished specimen. The second stage is propagation life, which occurs after
initiation. The third stage is failure, which is usually determined by some
percentage of load drop from a stable condition. Data reported on this test
includes load peaks, strain peaks,
hysteresis loops at specific
intervals, calculated plastic and elastic strain, first cycle information, and
half-life cycle loop information.
In addition to axial tests, we also test materials in
bending and rotating modes. Bending fatigues could involve three or four-point
flexural tests or cantilever fatigue tests. Rotating beam fatigues are commonly
done and are available at room or elevated temperatures. Machining samples from
exotic or difficult material is no problem for our in-house
machine shop.
Do you have need of testing on full-size
components or assemblies? We have designed and executed tests on railroad
locomotive suspension springs, automotive components, aircraft supports,
helicopter rotor blades, coal mining equipment, and artificial hip stems to name
a few.
Artificial hip stems are tested for a variety
of discerning manufacturers.
WMT&R
has extensive experience in conducting two of the most common types of
artificial hip fatigue testing – the three point bend and the distally potted
hip method per ISO specification 7206-4 or the ASTM F1440-92 specification. In
our fatigue lab, it is possible to simulate 5 years of normal use in only six
days! This data is used to improve the quality of the implants, which improves
the quality of life for the recipients.
Another area that directly relates to people’s
lives is Fastener Testing, because the failure of a fastener can have
catastrophic consequences. Every minute of every day all of us rely on fasteners
in our cars, homes, and places of work. Our Fatigue Department is involved with
a diverse array of fastener tests such as: fatigue, tensile, wedge tensile,
double shear, stress rupture, stress durability, microstructure and chemical
analysis. WMT&R meet all the requirements of the
Fastener Quality Act
(FQA) and its
Amendments.
. For more information concerning the FQA,
click here.
To achieve the best in performance, all of our
tests may be run under computer data acquisition. This allows us to obtain data
on how a material changes in response to fatigue loading. This data is available
to you typically in a tabular data summary and as graphical representations.
Additionally, raw data can be provided on floppy disks, CDs, or securely
transferred across the Internet from our FTP site. Due to the nature of fatigue
testing, it is positively necessary to keep you informed as to the status of
your testing. We work closely with our customers using voice, fax, and
electronic communication to ensure they are kept current and in the loop.
