Customer
Our client is a University Institute of Technology (IUT) located in the west of France.
Tested product
Composite materials
A composite material is an assembly of at least two different components to form a material with improved overall performance. Composite materials consist of a framework, which ensures its mechanical strength, and a matrix, a material made of plastic, metal or ceramic.
Objective
Carry out fatigue tests on composite materials, enabling the reproduction of mechanical stresses representative of real-life conditions.
Problematic issues
The fatigue testing device must be innovative and adapted to the materials to be tested. In addition, the system must be modular and scalable in order to integrate new functionalities according to the progress of the client's research on the mechanical behaviour of composites, coupled with temperature and humidity.
The system must be able to be controlled according to complex position or force profiles.
Solution and result
LF Technologies offers a device comprising two electric cylinders, two force sensors and a control panel. Each axis is controlled independently, either manually or according to a programmed trajectory. In addition, each axis is equipped with a linear or brushless motor, controlled by a drive.
The integrated PC is equipped with a specific software that allows to visualize and control the measurements, actuators and drives (ON/OFF position, zero search, etc.), to perform the automatic cycling according to a programmed trajectory, to save the measurements made during a test and to calibrate the measurements. Manual or programmed motion is controlled via an analogue speed setpoint, and position is measured by an encoder feedback. Force measurement is provided by a tension/compression sensor.
The programming of complex position or force trajectories is done simply from spreadsheet files, which can be derived from measurements made in real conditions.
This control device can be used alone or integrated into a mechanical endurance test bench to test the fatigue life of a product or material. It is installed in the Research & Development laboratory.
