Skip Navigation
Penn State



Penn State Search >

Focus On Materials

Focus On Materials cover

eMaterials Newsletters

 

Friday, August 6, 2004Volume 4, Issue 6

 

Mechanical Testing Laboratory (MTL)

Announcing the Mechanical Testing Laboratory (MTL) facility located in Steidle Building. Faculty, researchers or students interested in using MTL equipment, should contact David Shelleman at 5-0634 or shelleman@matse.psu.edu David will arrange training for those who need it as well as provide consultation regarding individual testing needs.

 

The Goal of the MTL is to provide a well maintained, user friendly testing facility allowing mechanicalevaluation of materials on length scales from nanometers to meters

 

Equipment is on hand to measure:

 

User Rates

The user rates are listed below for the fiscal year July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. In an effort to keep user rates as low as possible, but still permit us to properly maintain the facility, we have incorporated two different rate caps to reduce the costs for longer term tests. The first cap is for testing periods that range from 24 to 48 hours. Tests which run for 24 to 48 hours will be charged at the reduced rates listed in the table for each 24 hours period. A second cap will be applied for tests running longer than 48 hours. In this instance the cap will be on a per sample basis rather than on an hourly basis. The second cap is geared towards long term creep or fatigue tests which can run for several days to weeks.

 

To view a list of User Rates go to: http://www.mri.psu.edu/ematerials/v04i06/rates.pdf

 

Procedures for Using MTL Facility

All users will be required to set up a user account with David Shelleman. The user account will enable the users to login and logout when using the instruments. The user will have their own password which will enable them to login to use the equipment. This will be accomplished using Labview datalogging and supervisory control software. By using this approach we can accurately chart user times to prepare invoicing and report generation to streamline the yearly assessment of our user rates. Each year, we will be required by auditors to provide user times and maintenance costs for each instrument to set rates for the following years. Thus, the greater the usage times and the lower the maintenance costs, the lower the usage fees will be. The Labview datalogging and supervisory control software will enable to track historical data (usage) for up to a full year, thus, greatly simplifying the yearly rate assessment process. It will also streamline our invoicing process.

 

Department and fund # information will also be included in the user accounts to aid in the invoicing process. In addition, each user will be required to fill out a written work plan that describes the testing needs (type of test, load range needs, temperatures, etc) prior to testing. This procedure will enable us to aid the user in properly setting up their tests and help us prevent possible damage to our equipment. Together with the written work plan, the user login procedure and especially the training sessions, we hope to eliminate all damage to our equipment so that we can keep the facility well maintained and functional to meet our departments', the university's and occasionally external customers' needs.

 

EQUIPMENT AND CAPABILITIES OF THE MTL

Instron Testing Machines

The MTL currently has 9 Instron testing machines which have load range capabilities from 50 grams (~1N) to 150 kN. At least three of our Instrons are equipped with high temperature furnace (up to 1400-1650�C) and one Instron is equipped with a high temperature environmental control furnace to allow testing is various atmospheres (inert or reducing gases).

 

Hardness Indenters

The MTL has four hardness indenters for hardness or fracture toughness measurements. Loads for these indenter range from 0.2kg up to 35kg. We have both Vickers and Knoop diamond indenter tips.

 

Nano-Indenter

The Hysitron TriboIndenter, which was purchased largely by funds from the MRI, is a compete automated instrument that provides not only premier sensitivity in nanomechanical testing, but nanometer resolution in situ imaging of surface topography. In the near future we also look to add an AFM (atomic force microscope) unit to the Nano-Indenter.

 

 

Elastic Modulus Measurements

The MTL has both room and elevated temperature (1500C) capabilities for measuring the elastic property (Young's and shear moduli and Poisson's ratio) of materials using acoustic resonance frequency and sound velocity techniques.

 

Dilatometers

The MTL has three dilatometers for measuring the thermal expansion of materials. One unit is equipped the a fused silica system for measuring low expansion materials at temperatures up to 1000-1200°C and the other two dilatometers are equipped with alumina systems for measuring medium to high expansion materials at temperatures up to 1600°C.

 

Micro-Thermal Gravitational Analysis (TGA)

The MTL has one TGA equipped with a Cahn micro-electro balance and a furnace capable of reaching 1600°C.

 

Final Comments

Let us thank you in advance for your cooperation. We know that this is new for everyone and we will work with you to make the transition into using the MTL facility as painless and possible. In the very near future we will have our user fees, capabilities, and instrument sign up links added to the MatSE website. Together with your help, we can make the MTL facility a well maintained and smoothly functioning user facility that will benefit all that use the facility. Thanks a lot.

 

Comments and concerns can be addressed by contacting one or more of the following people:
David Shelleman
226C Steidle Bldg.
5-0634
shelleman@matse.psu.edu 		John Hellmann
124 Steidle Bldg
5-0163
hellmann@matse.psu.edu 		ChrisMuhlstein
310 Steidle Blgd.
5-1523
muhlstein@matse.psu.edu
Don Koss
202A Steidle Bldg.
5-5447
koss@matse.psu.edu 		Dave Green
230 Steidle Bldg
3-2011
green@matse.psu.edu