ITALSIGMA S.r.l. designs and manufactures machines for testing and materiale testing

Here are some types of material tests on which we specialize:

Dynamic fatigue tests

Fatigue is the progressive weakening of material subjected to time varying loads (either regularly or randomly) that can lead to its breakage (fatigue failure) even within its elasticity limits, i.e. despite the fact that during the service life of the material the maximum intensity of the loads has been maintained at a value considerably lower than the tensile strength or static yield point (in the absence of stress cycle) of the material.

This mechanical phenomenon was discovered and studied as a purely metallurgical process (i.e. in the sector of metallic materials). The term “fatigue” was later used also for other classes of materials, such as polymeric or ceramic materials.

Dynamic wear and friction tests

Dynamic tests for wear and friction measurements are carried out with biaxial machines.

These machines have two hydraulic actuators installed on the main frame positioned at 90° from each other.

On the vertical axis the desired force is applied on the specimen, simulating the weight it has to bear, whereas on the horizontal axis the alternating command, which can be of either position or force, is applied.

This type of test can also include a climatic chamber to define the temperatures at which the tests are to be carried out, perhaps by freely choosing different levels of temperatures.

The normal temperature range for the climatic chamber is from -50°C to +80°C.

Creep tests

“Creep” is the deformation of a material under constant stress that occurs in materials kept at high temperatures for long periods.

This phenomenon is common in viscoelastic materials (such as steel, concrete ad plastics).

The decrease over time of the stresses initially created at constant deformation is instead called “stress relaxation”.

Tensile tests

The tensile test (or uniaxial tensile test) is a material characterization test that involves subjecting a specimen of a material of standard dimensions (describe by specific UNI regulations) to an initial minimum uniaxial load, which is increased to a maximum value that determines the breakage of the material.

The purpose of tensile test is to determine the material’s various characteristics, such as the ultimate strength, Young’s modulus (E), yield strength (YS), elongation (A%), and reduction of area (Z%).

This test is mainly carried out on metallic and polymeric materials.

Rotary bending tests

Rotary bending tests consist in a system capable of producing a four point bending with constant bending moment on the specimen’s axis.

Depending on the specimens, the electric engine is able to change the speed continuously up to 12.000 cycles per minute.

The correct bending moment applied to the specimen is given by a lever system activated by an electric jack with its own activation.

This type of test can also include a heating furnace in order to set the exact temperature at which the tests are carried out, with a maximum temperature of 800°C.   

Wear resistance tests on toothed wheels or gears

Evaluate the wear resistance of the gear tooth face using lubricating fluid. In particular, it is used for comparative tests on different surface treatments of the teeth.

At the end of the test, a visual assessment of the tooth surface and the gear weight loss is made.

Alternatively, it can be used as a comparative test for the effectiveness of various types of lubricating oils, keeping the same gear fixed.

Torsion fatigue tests

The torsional fatigue test is a material characterization test that consists in subjecting a specimen to an initial zero torque M, which is then increased to a maximum value that can cause the material to break or yield.