An apparatus includes a holder to support an indenter relative to a sample, a depth sensor, and a controller. The operations include applying a first force on the sample with the indenter and determining a first depth of the indenter based on data generated by the sensor, moving the indenter from the first depth to a greater predetermined depth, then applying the first force on the sample with the indenter and determining a second depth of the indenter based on second data generated by the sensor, and determining a value indicative of hardness of the sample based on a difference between the first depth and the second depth. The apparatuses described can use a single scale for hardness that enables hardness values for different materials to be compared to one another.

A fatigue test assessment method for assessing a suspension point of a cylinder block by means of a fatigue test includes: fixing a suspension point of a cylinder block test piece by using a power assembly installation approach; applying a load to the suspension point of the cylinder block test piece in a preset direction; and determining whether the suspension point of the cylinder block fails. The method can ascertain, by means of assessment during a stage of parts testing, whether the structural strength of a suspension point of a cylinder block meets user requirements, so as to predict and prevent breakage of and faults in the suspension point of the cylinder block, thereby enhancing overall test validity.

A method for material lifetime evaluation includes: causing a stress to be applied to a material surface of a component based at least on a cycle of load properties over time; causing an image of the material surface to be captured as a captured image of a complete in-situ field; determining an area of a hysteresis of a stable surface strain region in a stress-strain curve of the material surface to determine a loss energy (first damage parameter) for low cycle fatigue modeling; determining a deformation energy (second damage parameter) for high cycle fatigue monitoring; determining a failure parameter based on at least one of the first damage parameter and the second damage parameter; comparing the failure parameter to a record in a database; and determining a remaining life of the component based on comparison of the failure parameter to the record in the database.

Provided are an apparatus and a method for infrared imaging, more particularly, an apparatus and a method for infrared imaging, which receive infrared light, emitted from a target, and output the received infrared light as an image. An infrared imaging apparatus, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, receives infrared light, emitted from a target, and outputs the received infrared light as an image. The infrared imaging apparatus includes: a reaction unit having physical properties changing in response to the received infrared light; a light source unit for generating measurement light irradiated toward the reaction unit; and an imaging unit for detecting the measurement light with the light quantity thereof changing depending on a change in the physical properties of the reaction unit and outputting the detected measurement light as an image.

An X-ray generator 110 irradiates with an X-ray beam onto a polycrystalline sample on a sample stage 113. An X-ray detector 116 including an array of X-ray detecting elements detects the intensities of diffracted X-rays which occur from the X-ray beam incident on the sample. A rotary drive rotates the X-ray generator, X-ray detector and sample-holding section so as to maintain a predetermined relationship between the angle formed by the sample surface and the incident X-ray beam, and the angle formed by the sample surface and the diffracted X-ray travelling toward the X-ray detector. A stress measurement section rotates, for a measurement of a stress value of the sample, either the X-ray generator and the X-ray detector or the sample stage so as to change the angle formed by the sample surface and the incident X-ray beam, while maintaining the positional relationship of the X-ray generator and the X-ray detector.

A method of operating a particle beam device for imaging, analyzing and/or processing an object may be carried out, for example, by a particle beam device. The method may include: identifying at least one region of interest on the object; defining: (i) an analyzing sequence for analyzing the object, (ii) a processing sequence for processing the object by deformation and (iii) an adapting sequence for adapting the at least one region of interest depending on the processing sequence and/or on the analyzing sequence; processing the object by deformation according to the processing sequence and/or analyzing the object according to the analyzing sequence; adapting the at least one region of interest according to the adapting sequence; and after or while adapting the at least one region of interest, imaging and/or analyzing the at least one region of interest using a primary particle beam being generated by a particle beam generator.

A load frame for applying a tensile load to a test sample during a test or measurement includes a first gripper for gripping a first end of the test sample, a second gripper for gripping a second end of the test sample, and a tensioner for applying the tensile load to the test sample. The load frame further includes a first end tube that encircles the first gripper, a second end tube that encircles the second gripper, and a center tube that encircles a mid-portion of the test sample during the test or measurement. A system such as a wave-generating system may be used to measure the test sample through the center tube during a test or measurement.

The present invention relates to a corrosion-fatigue-coupled test method and device for a steel bridge deck. The method includes: 1) installing an orthotropic steel bridge deck (OSBD) and pasting filter paper; 2) installing a sodium chloride solution delivery pipe; 3) installing an infrared (IR) lamp; 4) preparing a corrosive solution; 5) coupling corrosion and fatigue; and 6) acquiring test data. A device constructed by using the method includes a to-be-tested OSBD, a support device, a pressure pump, a water tank, a monitoring device, an IR lamp, a plastic water pipe, a thermostat and a rotary sprayer. The present invention solves the problem of laboratory accelerated corrosion of the OSBD. The present invention fully considers a coupling effect of a corrosive medium and an alternating stress, so that the created simulation environment is close to a service environment of the OSBD, and the test data are effective and reliable.

A measuring apparatus for measuring a flexural strength of a test piece includes a support unit having a first support member and a second support member that are spaced from each other, for supporting a lower surface of the test piece, a presser for pressing the test piece, a moving mechanism for relatively moving the presser toward and away from the test piece supported by the support unit, a load measuring unit for measuring a load applied to the presser when the presser presses the test piece supported by the support unit, and a controller having a calculating section for calculating the flexural strength of the test piece on the basis of a thickness and a width of the test piece, a spacing between the first support member and the second support member, and a maximum value of the load measured by the load measuring unit.

An abrasion tester and testing method. The testing method comprises setting a running speed of a rubber sample fixed to an outer surface of an annular belt member stretched between a pair of pulleys to a desired speed; setting a pressing load applied by a contact member to a desired pressing load via an anchor member; selecting, as the contact member, a desired contact member from a plurality of types of contact members with different rubber sample surface contacting tip specifications; pressing the contact member against the surface of the rubber sample running by the rotation of the pulleys; and obtaining an amount of scratch abrasion of the rubber sample using a calculation unit on the basis of a cross-sectional shape of the surface of the rubber sample detected by a shape sensor.