Realtime on-site mechanical characterization of wellbore cuttings is described. At a surface of a wellbore being drilled at a wellbore drilling site, multiple cuttings resulting from drilling the wellbore are received. At the wellbore drilling site, nano-indentation tests on each of the multiple cuttings are performed. At the wellbore drilling site, mechanical properties of the multiple cuttings are determined based on the results of the nano-indentation tests.

An apparatus for performing a contact mechanics test in a substrate includes a stylus having at least two contact elements. Each contact element has a contact profile, and the contact elements are disposed in the stylus to define a stretch passage therebetween. The stylus is configured to deform the substrate so as to cause the substrate to flow between the contact elements and induce tension in the substrate in order to generate and preserve micromodifications in the substrate. Methods of performing a contact mechanics test using the apparatus are also provided.

A new method for evaluating embrittlement of an amorphous alloy ribbon is provided. The method includes: pressing a pressurization member from one side to a plurality of positions of an amorphous alloy ribbon; scattering, in the amorphous alloy ribbon, pressurization portions where the pressurization member is pressed to form indentation; and evaluating embrittlement by the number or distribution of pressurization portions where cracks have occurred.

An indentation tester and indentation method for testing a sample heated at a temperature range from above 800? C. to 1200? C., and above, is disclosed. The indentation tester includes a stage having a metallic cylindrical base that houses an inner cylindrical base made of a temperature resistant material sufficient to maintain shape over the range of the heating temperature. A removable crown fastens to the cylindrical base and includes a ring that holds an axisymmetric pipe made of a temperature resistant material sufficient to maintain shape over the range of heated temperature. A nut is turned to tighten the pipe which secures the sample and guides an indenter to penetrate the sample. The indenter includes a rod made of temperature resistant material and a indenter tip.

Provided are material testing devices and methods for measuring certain physical properties of materials, such as for example, drying, curing, film formation, friction, adhesion, print resistance, and scratch resistance. The testing device includes a platform, a stylus comprising a probe, an angle sensor, a linear position sensor, a control system with a power supply and a control center which may be programmed with testing parameters.

A measurement apparatus for carrying out an indentation creep test on a specimen, including a measurement control apparatus that includes a load measurement device, a constant-load compression device configured to compress a tip of a transparent indenter to a surface of the specimen, and an image capturing device configured to optically capture an image including a contact area portion which is a part of the specimen to which the load is applied by the constant-load compression device. The apparatus also includes an information processing apparatus that includes an image analysis unit configured to analyze a contact area, and a physical property value calculation unit. The physical property value calculation unit conducts linear regression with respect to a plot of a logarithmic value of the contact stress and a logarithmic value of the contact strain rate so as to determine a creep index n and creep constant k.

A measuring head for a nano-indentation instrument, said nano-indentation instrument comprising a positioning system arranged to position a sample relative to the measuring head, the measuring head comprising: a measuring subsystem attached to a frame adapted to be connected to the nano-indentation instrument, the measuring subsystem comprising a first actuator and an indenter adapted to indent a surface of said sample under application of a force applied by the first actuator on the indenter, the measuring subsystem further comprising a force sensing system adapted to detect said force applied by the first actuator; a reference subsystem attached to said frame, the reference subsystem comprising a second actuator, a reference structure in operative connection with the second actuator, and a separation detector adapted to determine a predetermined separation of the reference structure and said surface of said sample.

An instrument changing assembly includes a magazine having one or more probe assembly stations. The assembly further includes at least one probe change tool including a receptacle socket. One or more probe assemblies are retained within the one or more probe assembly stations. The one or more probe assemblies each include a probe receptacle including a probe retention recess and a common socket fitting configured for complementary fitting with a common receptacle socket. The probe change tool is configured to install or extract the respective probes from a mechanical testing instrument according to the complementary fit between the common socket fitting and the common receptacle socket of the probe assemblies. Alternatively, the instrument changing assembly includes an instrument array housing including a plurality of instruments. Each of the one or more instruments (probe and transducer combination) are deployed relative to the instrument array housing with an instrument deployment actuator.

An apparatus for performing a contact mechanics test on a substrate includes a stylus, a core configured to engage the stylus against the substrate, a stylus engagement mechanism configured to induce a contact load or a penetration depth to the stylus, a core engagement mechanism configured to maintain contact of the core and to move the core along the substrate surface, a frame configured to be fixed with respect to the apparatus or to be moved together with the core engagement mechanism as an assembly, a frame engagement mechanism configured to engage the frame with the substrate surface; and a substrate monitoring device configured to measure characteristics of substrate contact response and/or collect material machined from the substrate. Methods of performing a contact mechanics test are also provided.

An indentation type hardness tester applies a predetermined force to an indenter and the indenter produces an indentation on a test specimen, and then measures the shape and size of the indentation. The hardness tester has a tester body and different frames. The tester body has a cavity and a magnetic base. The user selects different frames based on measurement needs and installs the frame into the magnetic base of the tester body. The testing head is equipped with an optical imaging system, the front end of the testing head is equipped with a removable load cell, and the front end of the load cell is equipped with an indenter. The indenter, load cell and optical system are coaxially oriented. A motor moves the tester body to perform the indentation.