Mechanical Testing
The mechanical testing of materials is a fundamental aspect of the research performed at the CABER and as a result of this several test facilities are in place, both in the CABER and in the Mechanical, Aeronautical and Biomedical Engineering Department. The following list describes some of the test equipment available to the CABER in order to successfully characterize the mechanical response of a material.
Uniaxial/Compression Testing
A Tinius Olsen H25KS (Tinius Olsen Ltd., Surrey, England) test machine complete with a range of load cells and grips is available to the CABER as part of the Mechanical, Aeronautical and Biomedical Engineering Department. This test machine can also easily be adapted for several other forms of mechanical testing.
Multi-Axial Tensile Testing
A 16-point multi-axial tensile attachment for the Tinius Olsen H25KS is also available to the CABER through the Mechanical, Aeronautical and Biomedical Engineering department thanks to Prof. Ted Little. Multi-axial testing is performed at the CABER to determine the mechanical response of several types of materials ranging from gels to plastics.
Ball-Burst Testing
CABER has recently designed a further attachment for the Tinius Olsen H25KS to perform ball-burst testing of materials. A hemispherical steel ball is pushed into a clamped specimen at a constant rate of extension until rupture. Two versions are available at the CABER, one based on the standard specifications (ASTM, 2002 and BS ISO 2005) and one half-scaled to allow smaller specimens to be evaluated.
Portable Tensile Testing
The portable uniaxial tensile tester is used to test cardiovascular tissue, on-site at the hospital, post-surgery. The rig comprises of a 50N Mecmesin BFG 50 (Mecmesin, West Sussex, UK) load cell to measure the applied force from the stepper motor. The top position of the clamping mechanism is free to move vertically during operation and is attached firmly to the base of the load cell. The bottom position for clamping is bolted firmly to the tester base and is held stationary during the operation.
