Introduction to the Materials Tester

Equipment
Qty Description Part Number
1 Materials Testing Apparatus ME-8236

Introduction

The PASCO Materials Testing Machine is a

device for measuring force and displacement for
various materials as they are stretched,
compressed, sheared, or bent. The Materials
Tester has a built-in load cell (strain gauge
transducer) capable of measuring up to 7100 N
(1600 lb) of force, and an optical encoder that
measures displacement of the cross-head load
bar. A crank-and-gear system (see Fig. 1) raises
or lowers the cross-head on two leadscrews.
Force data from the load cell and displacement
data from the encoder can be recorded,
displayed, and analyzed using a PASCO
Interface with PASCO Capstone Software.

The ME-8236 includes the Materials Testing

Machine, knurled cap nut, safety shields (which
should be used at all times when testing
samples), and the Calibration Rod used to create
a compliance calibration. This calibration
Figure 1: PASCO Materials Tester
automatically adjusts for the unwanted stretching
of the Materials Tester and is easily performed
using the Calibration Wizard in the Tools Palette.

Optional accessories include metal and plastic Tensile Samples, ME-8237 Three-Point Bending
Accessory, ME-8249 Four-point Load Anvil, ME-8247 Compression Accessory, ME-8239 Shear
Accessory, and the ME-8241 Photoelasticity Accessory.

Setup

1. Connect the tester to the interface. Open the Hardware Setup window in the Tools Palette at
left and click on Properties. Note that the "Zero Sensor at Start" box is checked.

2. In PASCO Capstone, create a graph display of Force vs. Time, Position vs. Time, and Speed
vs. Time.
Procedure: Making Measurements

1. Click on Record. Push down several times on the Load Cell. Turn the crank counter-
clockwise, then clockwise. Click on Stop.

2. Examine your graph data. What is the sign convention for pushing down on the load cell?
This corresponds to compressing a sample. Turning the crank counter-clockwise lowers the
cross-head and gives a positive displacement.

3. Open the Hardware Setup window and click on Properties. If you check the Change Sign
box, the sign convention will be switched for both force and displacement. To have only
positive data, leave the box un-checked for compression, and check the box when doing a
tensile experiment.

4. Was the force and position data zero at the start? You can un-check the "Zero Sensor at Start"
box, and you can manually zero the system (both position and force) by clicking on the "Zero
Sensor Now" icon in the Controls Palette.

5. Note that the Materials Tester also measures the cross-head speed in millimeters of
displacement per minute. In some experiments, you are directed to change the length of the
sample at a specific rate. Try moving the cross-head at a steady 50 mm/min.

6. The default sample rate is 20 Hz, but you can change this as needed. In general, slower rates
give smoother data (less noise) due to oversampling (averaging) of data.

Procedure: Using Accessories

1. Some of the accessories (such as the Tensile Samples shown in Figure 2) thread directly into
the top of the Load Cell. The end with the longer threads should be screwed into the knurled
cap nut, as shown in Figure 3. Lower the sample through the hole in the cross-head and
screw the other end of the sample into the top of the Load Cell.

Figure 2: Center Threads

Figure 4: Three-point Bending
Figure 3: Installing Sample
2. Other accessories, such as Three-point Bending Accessory use the through-holes in the Load
Cell, as shown in Figure 4. The upper load Anvil attaches to the Cross-head using the knurled
cap nut, as before.

3. When you are actually testing a sample, it is important that you use the plastic safety shields
as shown in Figure 5. They attach with Velcro directly to the cross-head, and are easily
installed and removed. Never touch the test sample when it is under load!

4. Use the PS-2343 USB Camera Microscope (as shown in Figure 6) to take close-up video
(synched to data) and photos.

Figure 6: USB Camera Microscope

Figure 5: Always use Safety Shields!
 Compliance Calibration Tutorial

Equipment

Qty Description Part Number

1 Materials Testing Apparatus ME-8236

Introduction

The Calibration Wizard (in the Tools Palette at left) is used to create a compliance calibration for
the Materials Testing System (MTS). To keep the procedure short and easy to perform, the
instructions in the wizard have been kept to a minimum. Thus, a beginner will find it useful to
first run through the tutorial in this workbook which contains more detailed explanations.

Information covered in this tutorial includes how a compliance calibration works, how to create,
save, and delete calibrations, and hints and practice in making an accurate calibration.

Setup
1. Install the Calibration Rod as shown in Figure
1. The end of the rod, with the shorter threads,
screws directly into the top of the Load Cell.

2. Turn the crank to lower the cross-head, and

then fasten with the knurled cap nut.

3. Note: The Calibration Rod also includes a thin

hex nut. This nut is only used for compression
tests and should not be installed now.

4. Connect the Materials Tester to a computer

using a USB interface. In PASCO Capstone,
create a graph display of Position vs. Force
and a Digits display of Force. Set the sample
rate to 20 Hz.

Theory Figure 1: Using the Calibration Rod

to make a Compliance Calibration

When a material like the Tensile Sample is

stretched, precise measurements of force and position are recorded. If the Materials Tester was
absolutely rigid, the measured movement of the tester crosshead would equal the distance the test
sample was stretched. Obviously, this is not the case. To correct for this, the stiffness of the
tester is characterized, and a calculation is performed to adjust the raw position data and compute
the movement due only to the test sample.
Figure 2 shows a position vs. force
compliance calibration graph
recorded using the very stiff
Calibration Rod. This shows that
even when there is no test sample
present, the tester itself still flexes.
For example, you can see that for
a load force of 3500 N, there is a
"flex" of 0.2 mm in the system. If
you stretched a more flexible test
sample with a force of 3500 N,
you would know to ignore (or
subtract off) 0.2 mm of motion.
Figure 2: Sample Compliance Calibration Graph
Once you have created an active
compliance calibration, this
subtraction is automatically performed on the raw position data and cannot be undone or redone
at a later time. If you make a new calibration, then subsequent runs of data will be modified
based on that new calibration.

The compliance calibration can be saved in two ways:

1. Saved with the program file
2. Stored in the sensor (in the MTS unit)

Any compliance calibration saved with the program file can be used with any MTS unit. A
compliance calibration stored in the MTS unit stays with that unit (even when unplugged) and
can be used with any file in the future.

Note that the Calibration Graph is Position vs. Force, which is reversed from the normal Force
vs. Position graphs used when taking data on actual samples. A polynomial curve fit is applied to
the Calibration Graph, and the coefficients are saved as a calibration. When a new data run is
collected, the polynomial equation is used to modify each position value by a Δx based on the
force measured at that point.

Procedure: Calibration Wizard

You can run the Calibration Wizard (in the Tools Palette) to perform a compliance calibration at
any time. It is helpful, however, to first look at the detailed explanations on the following pages.
The figures are static screen shots of the actual Calibration Wizard and are only for clarification.

Open the Calibration Wizard by clicking Calibration in the left-hand tool panel.

Step 1: Choose the measurement to calibrate. There are two types of calibrations possible on
the Materials Tester. One is a simple calibration of the force measured by the Load Cell. The
other is explained in the following steps. It is a calibration that allows the program to
automatically make compliance corrections on position data.
Step 2: Choose the calibration action. There are five activities (see Fig. 3) that allow you to
create, select, save, modify and delete calibrations.

• Create New Calibration

If you choose the Create New Calibration selection,
the wizard will take you through all the steps needed
to create and save a new compliance calibration. This
includes prompting you to Install the Calibration
Rod (Step 3), Record a Smooth Data Run (Step 4)
on the graph provided, and Creating a Polynomial
Curve Fit (Step 5) that will be stored as your
compliance calibration. The default number of terms
in the poly fit is six, but you can change this if
needed. Once completed, you will have a calibration
graph similar to the sample shown in Figure 2.

Note: You can have any number of calibrations saved

with the file, and when you re-open the saved file,
these calibrations will still be available. When you
save your calibration, create a name that includes the
maximum force used, and record that value in the lab
as well. It is also helpful to record any preload that is
used.

• Use Calibration
If the "Use Calibration" window is blank (see Fig. 4),
that means there is no "active" calibration being used.
If any compliance calibrations have been saved with
the file, they can be displayed in the pull-down
window. Click on the calibration you want to use. The
one displayed in the window is the "active"
calibration, and once you click on Finish it will be
used to make a compliance correction to any future
data collected. Figure 3: Calibration Wizard screen shot
• Import Calibration from Sensor
If any compliance calibrations have been stored in the
sensor (the MTS unit), they will be displayed in this
"Import Calibration" pull-down window. Click on the
calibration you want to import. When you click on
Finish, that stored calibration will be imported and
added to the list for use and will become the "active"
calibration. Calibrations stored in the sensor cannot be
used or renamed until they are imported.

• Use Raw Values

When you select "Use Raw Values" and click on Figure 4: Choosing Use Calibration
Finish, the compliance correction is disabled, and any
future data collected will not be adjusted. All calibrations, of course, are still saved.

• Managing Existing Calibration

When you select "Manage Existing Calibration" and
click Next, step 3 is created and a new window is
displayed as shown in Figure 5. The default, shown in
the pull-down window, is the "active" calibration but
you can select any of the saved files. You can then
delete the calibration, change its name, or store it to the
sensor (MTS unit). Note that only four calibrations can
be stored in the MTS unit, and you will be prompted for
which file you want to replace.

Note: To ensure that a calibration will accurately

correct for compliance, it is necessary to calibrate the Figure 5: Manage Existing Calibrations
Materials Tester over the same range and conditions
you expect to use in testing samples. Your data will also look better if you use a small preload,
but the preload must be the same value used in the compliance calibration. The steps below are a
guide to taking good repeatable data. When you can get a good smooth graph, you are ready to
use the Calibration Wizard to make your own compliance calibration. The actual Wizard will
create its own temporary graph that will overlay any PASCO Capstone workbook page. For now,
"Use Raw Values" should be selected so that any compliance calculation will be disabled,
showing you the actual position data.

Procedure: "Seating" the Test Sample and Setting a Pre-Load

1. Make sure that the knurled cap is loose, not creating a force on the load cell. Set the sample
rate to 20 Hz. This should be a good value to use, but you can change this if needed. Slower
sample rates give more oversampling and thus smoother data.

2. Click on Record. If the force and position data is not zero, check the properties in Hardware
Setup. The sensor should be set to zero on start. Tighten the knurled cap. Note that the digits
display shows the force on the Load Cell.
 3. Slowly turn the crank clockwise, about a quarter of a turn. Note that the position and force
data are being plotted on the graph. With data still being recorded, slowly turn the crank back
counter-clockwise. Watch the digits display and reduce the force to between 10 and 20 N.
Try not to let the force go completely to zero.

4. Increase the force as before. You will probably notice that the second curve does not track on
top of the first. It is necessary to load and unload the system several times to remove all the
slack and properly "seat" the test sample. This has been accomplished when two subsequent
curves track on top of each other. Click on Stop.

5. Repeat all the above steps, this time increasing the force up to about 6000 N, and then reduce
the force back to between 5 and 10 N as before.

6. With data still being recorded, slowly increase the force back up to 100 N. Click on Stop,
and do NOT change the crank position. Since the sensor will auto-zero the next time you
start recording data, this puts a 100 N pre-load on the sample which results in better data.

7. Take a final run of data, increasing the force up to 7000 N. Compare your graph to the
sample shown in Figure 2.

Procedure: Materials Tester Sign Convention

1. Open the Hardware Setup in the Tools Palette and

click on Properties. You should see a screen similar to
that shown in Figure 6.

2. Note that the "Change Sign" box is checked. The

default (un-checked) sign convention for the MTS is a Figure 6: Reversing Sign Convention
positive value (for both position and force) when the
crosshead is moving down, compressing a sample. With the "Change Sign" box checked, a
positive value (for both position and force) is measured when the crosshead is moving up,
putting the sample in tension, as you have seen so far in this lab.

3. Although it is possible to use the MTS with negative values, it is easier to change the sign
convention to be positive for your application. For tension experiments, the box should be
checked. For compression experiments, the box should be un-checked. If you plan to use the
Calibration Wizard to make a compression compliance calibration, you should leave the box
un-checked.
4. The Calibration Rod can be used to make a
compression compliance calibration, using the thin
hex nut. Install the Calibration Rod with the hex nut
as shown in Figure 7, then turn the crank to lower
the cross-head.

5. Position the cross-head so that it is almost touching

the nut. Remember that you want to have zero force
on the Force Sensor when you start because it
automatically performs a tare. If this causes
problems, note that you can disable this feature (see Figure 7: Compression Calibration
Fig. 6) and zero the sensor if and when you want.

6. The knurled cap nut can be left (as shown) although it does not have any real effect since the
cross-head will be moving down to compress the rod.

7. Practice making a compression graph.

8. Note: If you are making both a compression and tension calibration in the same workbook,
choose names for your saved compliance files that reflect this!
03 Tensile Testing Page 1 of 7

Tensile Testing
Equipment
Qty Description Part Number
1 Materials Testing Apparatus ME-8236
1 Tensile Samples (Brass) ME-8232
1 Calipers SE-8710

Introduction

The Tensile Sample (see Figure 1) is held by its two

threaded ends and pulled apart while both the extension and
load are recorded. From the data collected, several different
properties of the material can be calculated. These
properties are the same ones found in materials handbooks
and databases, and are used by engineers to design bridges,
buildings, and machines.

Quantities measured include Young’s Modulus, Yield

Strength, Tensile Strength, Ductility, and Modulus of
Resilience.

This lab is written for the brass tensile sample, but any of
the samples can be used.
Figure 1: Tensile Testing Brass Sample
Theory

Stress

It is important to distinguish between the strength of a component, such as a bolt, and the
strength of the material from which the bolt is made. A large diameter bolt, for instance, will be
stronger than a small diameter bolt when both are made of the same material. The only
difference is the cross-sectional area of the bolts.
The strength of a material tested in tension is expressed in terms of the stress, s, and is given by
s = F/A (1)

where F is the tensile force applied and A is the cross-sectional area of the sample. The strength
of the bolt is given in terms of how much force it can withstand, while the strength of the
material is given in terms of how much force a given amount of material can withstand.
When loaded in tension the sample will stretch, but at the same time it will also become thinner.
To measure the "true stress" one would have to monitor the change in A while the specimen is
stretched, but that is not easy to do and in typical engineering situations the error involved is
03 Tensile Testing Page 2 of 7

small. Instead, the initial value of A is used in the calculation, and the result is called the
"engineering stress".

Strain
While the strength of a material is a measure of its resistance to stress, strain is its give; and like
stress, strain is not dependent on the size of the specimen. A long bolt loaded in tension may
elongate several millimeters before it breaks while a bolt only half as long will elongate only half
as much. In both cases the strains were equal because strain is the amount of elongation relative
to the length of the bolt. The equation for strain, e, is
e = ΔL/L (2)
where L is the initial length and ΔL is the change in length of the sample.

Behavior of Metals in Tension

When an item such as a rod or wire sample is loaded in tension it will elongate. If pulled far
enough the sample will fail, breaking into two pieces. Between the point where it was initially
loaded and it failed, it will generally exhibit three types of behavior:
Elastic Deformation – This
deformation is temporary and is
recovered as soon as the load is
removed. The sample returns to its
original size.
Uniform Plastic Deformation –
When deformed beyond its Yield
Strength (see Figure 2), further
deformation is permanent. When the
load is removed, the specimen will be Figure 2: A typical stress-strain curve, with points of interest labeled
longer than it was originally.
Non-uniform Plastic Deformation – When deformed past the point where the maximum load is
observed (Tensile Strength) the deformation becomes localized. A thinner “necked” region will
form and most of the deformation from this point on will take place there.

Setup: Speed Control

1. In the PASCO Capstone calculator, create the following calculations:

Stress=10⁻⁶ *([Force (N)]+100)/(π*(Dia/2)²) with units of MPa

Dia= with units of m
Strain=[Position (m)]/L unitless
L= with units of mm
speed=60000*derivative(2,[Position (m)],[Time (s)]) with units of mm/min
E=70000 with units of MPa
03 Tensile Testing Page 3 of 7

2. In PASCO Capstone, create a Meter display of Speed, a graph display of Force vs. Position,
and a Digits display of Force.

3. Click on Record and then turn the crank. Note that the Meter display shows you the rate that
you are raising (+) or lowering (-) the cross-head beam, in millimeters / minute.

4. Practice turning the crank to raise the cross-head at a smooth, constant rate between 10 and
20 mm/Min.

Setup: Tensile Samples

5. Use calipers (or a micrometer) to measure the diameter of the machined portion of the tensile
sample. Edit the value for diameter in the calculator.

6. Note that the calculator also has a value for the length of the sample. If you measure the
complete machined portion, you should get about 38 mm. However, since there is a radius,
the length of the thinner part that is actually stretching, is less. A good average value to use
for the length is 35 ± 1 mm.

7. Install the test sample as shown in Figure 3. The end of the bar with the longer threads should
be screwed directly into the knurled cap nut.

8. Lower the sample through the hole in the cross-head, and screw the other end of the sample
into the top of the load cell, as shown in Figure 4. You will need to use the hand crank to
adjust the height of the cross-head.

9. When you are testing the sample, it is important that you use the plastic safety shields as
shown in Figure 5. They attach with Velcro directly to the cross-head, and are easily installed
and removed. Never touch the test sample when it is under load!

Figure 4: Center Threads

in Load Cell

Figure 3: Installing Sample

Figure 5: Always use Safety Shields!
03 Tensile Testing Page 4 of 7

Procedure: "Seating" the Test Sample and Setting Pre-Load

1. Make sure that the knurled cap is loose, not creating a force on the load cell. The default
sample rate is set at 20 Hz. This should be a good value to use, but you can change this if
needed.

2. Click on Record. If the force and position data are not zero, check the properties in Hardware
Setup. Sensor should be set to zero on start.

3. Tighten the knurled cap. Note that the Digits display shows the force on the load cell.

4. Slowly turn the crank clockwise, increasing the force about 100N. Note that the position and
force data are being plotted on the graph. If the data is not positive, check the properties in
Hardware Setup. The "Change Sign" feature should be checked.

5. With data still being recorded, slowly turn the crank back counter-clockwise. Watch the
digits display, and reduce the force to between 10 and 20 Newtons. Try not to let the force go
completely to zero.

6. Increase the force as before. You will probably notice that the second curve does not track on
top of the first. It is necessary to load and unload the system several times to remove all the
slack and properly "seat" the test sample. When two subsequent curves track on top of each
other, you are ready to proceed.

7. With data still being recorded, slowly increase the force back up to 100 N. Click on Stop, and
do NOT change the crank position. Since the sensor will auto-zero the next time you start
recording data, this puts a 100 N pre-load on the sample which results in better data. You
should use this same method when performing any calibration of the Materials Tester.

8. You can use the Delete Run menu to delete your practice runs.

Procedure: Breaking the Sample

In this next section, you will deform the tensile sample, pulling it apart until it breaks. Try to turn
the crank at a slow and steady rate, about 10 to 20 mm/Min.

1. Make sure the safety shield is in place.

2. Click on Record. The initial force and position data should be zero.

3. Turn the crank clockwise, stretching the sample. Continue cranking until the sample breaks.

4. Click on Stop.
03 Tensile Testing Page 5 of 7

Analysis: Force Graph

1. Note the overall shape of the curve. Was this what you expected?

2. What was the maximum load exerted on the sample? How does this compare to the
equipment's maximum?

3. What was the total extension (elongation) of the sample?

4. Is the data linear at the beginning of the run? Use the Highlight Range tool and a Linear
curve fit to find the slope of this linear region. This is called the "stiffness" of the sample, and
is similar to the spring constant (k) of a spring.

5. Measure the area under the entire graph. What are the units? This is the total work done to
deform and break the sample.

6. Where does this energy go?

7. Use the Highlight Range tool to find the energy stored in the elongation of the sample during
the linear portion of the curve only. If all that stored energy was converted into kinetic
energy, how high would it shoot the broken piece captured in the knurled cap nut, when the
sample broke? Did you notice how high it jumped?

Analysis: Young's Modulus

When tested in tension or compression, Young’s Modulus (E) is the property that describes the
stiffness of a material. It is measured as the slope of the linear portion of the stress-strain curve.

1. In PASCO Capstone, create a graph display of Stress vs. Strain.

2. Use Eqns. #1 and #2 to confirm that the calculations for Stress and Strain are being done
correctly. Note that the calculation for stress in the calculator includes the 100 N pre-load.

3. Measure the slope in the linear portion of the graph to find Young's Modulus for the material.
What is the uncertainty in your measurement?

4. How does your value compare to those listed in reference data tables for the material?
Compare the value found for this material to other materials tested.

5. Young's Modulus tells you the stiffness of the material. Why is that different than the
stiffness you calculated using the Force vs. Position graph?
03 Tensile Testing Page 6 of 7

Analysis: Yield Strength

Different materials yield in different ways. Some yield gradually while for others yielding is
abrupt. In the latter case it is easy to find this point on the stress-strain curve but for the case of
gradual yielding there is no such clear yield point, making determining the yield strength
difficult. The solution is to find an offset stress, one obtained by drawing a line parallel to the
linear portion of the stress-strain curve, but shifted to the right a small amount, such as 0.2%
strain. The stress where this line and the stress-strain curve cross defines the offset yield strength.
1. Edit the value in the calculator for your value of Young's Modulus (E). Add a second y-axis
to the stress vs strain graph and add the offset yield calculation. Make sure the scaling of both
y-axes is the same and then note where this new line crosses the stress-strain curve.

2. Compare your value for the Yield Strength (or Offset Yield Strength) to those listed in
reference data tables for the material. Compare the value found for this material to other
materials tested.

Analysis: Maximum Values

1. Measure and record the Tensile Strength of the material. This is the maximum stress on the
graph. Compare your value to those listed in reference data tables for the material. Compare
the value found for this material to other materials tested.

2. Measure and record the maximum strain on the material just before it broke. This quantity is
called the Ductility of the material. Compare your value to those listed in reference data
tables for the material. Note that this number is often reported in terms of percent strain.
Compare the value found for this material to other materials tested.

Analysis: Area

1. The area under the Force vs. Position graph (as shown earlier) is the total work done to break
the sample. The area under the Stress vs. Strain graph is the energy capacity, and is called the
Modulus of Toughness. The units for this area will be the units for stress (pressure) but this
works out to be the same as energy per volume, making this measurement independent of the
specimen size and therefore a material property. Measure the area under the entire graph.
What are the units? Compare the value found for this material to other materials tested.

2. Another quantity often measured is the Modulus of Resilience, which is the area under only
the linear (elastic) portion of the curve. Measure this area, using the yield point calculated
earlier.

3. The modulus of resilience can also be calculated using

modulus of resilience = (yield strength)²/2E

where E is Young's Modulus. Calculate the modulus of resilience, and compare to the value
from the graph.
03 Tensile Testing Page 7 of 7

Summary

1. Use Text annotations to mark the following regions of your graph:

Elastic, Uniform Plastic Deformation, Non-uniform Plastic Deformation, Tensile Strength,

Necking, and Fracture.

2. What important quantities did you measure? How did your values compare to those listed in
reference data tables for the material? How did the values found for this material compare to
other materials tested?

Questions
1. Your data tells you how long your sample was just before it broke. How long would it be if,
after the test, you put the two pieces back together and measured it. Would they be the same,
within measurement errors, or be different? Explain.
2. As a mechanical engineer designing a component to be used in an automobile, which would
you use, the yield strength or tensile strength, in your efforts to determine a safe working
load? Explain.
3. If you had tensile tested a specimen to about half-way between where it yielded and when
you expected the tensile stress to be reached, then stopped the test, removed the sample, and
later decided to test it again, what would the yield strength be during the second test?
4. During a forming operation a material may be bent or pulled to the new dimensions. If the
material you just tested was to be as close to 10% longer as possible after this operation, how
much longer than this does it have to pulled during this operation?
5. In some designs a bolt may be declared one that you install once and torque to specification,
but only once. During a repair you must use a new bolt. Why?
 Page 1 of 3

Young’s Modulus
Equipment

Qty Description Part Number

1 Materials Testing Apparatus ME-8236
1 Tensile Samples (Steel) ME-8243
1 Calipers SE-8710

Introduction

In this lab, you will collect stress vs. strain data for the test sample
in the elastic region. Several runs will be taken for the same
sample, and an average value of Young's Modulus for the material
will be determined. It is important that you never exceed the yield
strength of the material: For the ME-8243 Steel Tensile Sample, a
safe maximum force is 3000 N.

Setup

1. In the PASCO Capstone calculator, create the following

calculations, add your values for the constants as you
determine their values:

Stress=10⁻⁹ *[Force (N), ▼]/(π*(Dia/2)²) with units of MPa

Dia= with units of m
Strain=[Position (m)]/L unitless
Figure 1: Tensile Testing Steel Sample
L= with units of mm

2. Use calipers (or a micrometer) to measure the diameter of the machined portion of the tensile
sample. Edit the value for diameter in line #2 of the calculator.

3. Note that the calculator also has a value for the length of the sample. If you measure the
complete machined portion, you should get about 38 mm. However, since there is a radius,
the length of the thinner part that is actually stretching, is less. A good average value to use
for the length is 35 ± 1 mm.

4. In PASCO Capstone, create a graph display of Force vs. Position, a Digits display of Force,
and a graph display of Stress vs. Strain.

5. Set the sample rate to 50 Hz.

 Page 2 of 3

Procedure: "Seating" the Test Sample and Setting Pre-Load

1. Note: The following is written for using a test sample (see Figure 1), but you should also use
this method when performing a compliance calibration of the Materials Tester using the
Calibration Rod. In the following procedure, you will load and unload the system several
times to remove all the slack and properly "seat" the test sample, in addition to introducing a
small pre-load to the system.

2. Make sure that the knurled cap is loose, not creating a force on the load cell. Click on
Record. Note that the Digits display shows the force on the load cell.

3. Turn the crank clockwise about a quarter of a turn. Note that the position and force data are
being plotted on the graph. With data still being recorded, continue turning the crank
clockwise until the force has reached the desired maximum, based on the yield strength of the
material.

4. With data still being recorded, slowly turn the crank back counter-clockwise. Watch the
Digits display, and reduce the force to between 10 and 20 Newtons. Try not to let the force
go completely to zero.

5. Increase the force as before. You will probably notice that the second curve does not track on
top of the first. It is necessary to load and unload the system several times to remove all the
slack and properly "seat" the test sample. When two subsequent curves track on top of each
other, you are ready to proceed.

6. With data still being recorded, slowly turn the crank counter-clockwise. Watch the digits
display, and reduce the force to between 10 and 20 Newtons, then carefully increase the force
to 100 N. Click on Stop, and do NOT change the crank position. Since the sensor will auto-
zero next time you record data, this puts a 100 N pre-load on the sample which results in
better data. You should use this same method when performing any compliance calibration of
the Materials Tester.

Procedure: Taking Data

1. Click on Record. The force and position data should be zero.

2. Turn the crank clockwise, stretching the sample, until you have reached the max force. Do
not exceed the Yield Strength of the material!

3. Click on Stop.

4. The data should be fairly linear. It is ok if there is a slight curvature at the beginning or end,
but if there is not a straight section in the middle, you probably have something wrong. Try
doing a new compliance calibration using the Calibration Rod.

5. Look at the Stress vs. Strain graph to check how you are doing.
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6. To take another run of data, turn the crank counter-clockwise to remove the tension.

7. Repeat all the steps in the "Seating" the Test Sample and Setting Pre-Load section to
properly re-seat the sample, then take another run of data.

8. Rename the good runs of data you wish to keep, and delete the unwanted runs and data taken
when you are seating the sample.

9. Get at least five good runs.

Analysis

1. Young’s Modulus is the slope of the linear portion of the stress-strain curve. Confirm that the
equations for Stress and Strain in the calculator are being done correctly.

2. For each of your runs, measure the slope in the linear portion of the graph to find Young's
Modulus for the material. What is the uncertainty? Use the Highlight tool to select only a
portion of the graph.

3. What is your average value for Young's Modulus? What is the uncertainty in your answer?
How did you estimate this uncertainty?

4. How does your value compare to those listed in reference data tables for the material?