A method for determining characteristics of a crack detected in a material, comprising: determining initial mechanical loads applied to the material, applying a plurality of crack-opening mechanical loads to the material, each opening mechanical load being a linear combination of the initial mechanical loads, and measuring the relative displacement of the first point with respect to the second point induced by each opening mechanical load, applying a plurality of crack-closing mechanical loads to the material, each closing mechanical load being a linear combination of the initial mechanical loads, and measuring the relative displacement of the first point with respect to the second point induced by each closing mechanical load, and estimating the direction of the crack as a function of the amplitude of each opening and closing mechanical load applied to the material and of the measured relative displacements.

A portable testing device and method for measuring physical characteristics of a polymeric or elastomeric material is provided. The testing device includes an indenter probe; a drive system for controlling movement of said probe, said drive system comprising a motorized linear slide operatively associated with the probe to advance said probe from a first position to a second position to deform said polymeric or elastomeric material and to facilitate instant or fast retraction of said probe to a predetermined intermediate position between said first and second positions; and a force/displacement measurement system including a first sensor for measuring force at the tip of said probe during contact with said polymeric or elastomeric material and a second sensor for measuring displacement of the probe; and a controller configured to provide control to the force/displacement measurement system and the drive system.

A tensile tester includes a tester body having at least one detector and a controller, and the controller includes a first branch setting unit that sets a first branching condition at a first branch point at which a test condition branches into two or more test conditions in association with a detection result of the detector, a first condition setting unit that sets a first test condition that is a test condition before the first branch point, and a second condition setting unit that sets a second test condition that is a test condition after the first branch point.

An actuator control system, mechanical testing system, and method for adaptive control of an actuator of a mechanical testing device is provided. The method may include applying a mechanical load to the specimen with the actuator, resulting in receiving a load sensor signal from a load sensor and a displacement sensor signal from a displacement sensor, determining a plurality of dynamic characteristics of the mechanical testing device throughout a length of the test from data received from the load sensor signal and the displacement sensor signal, and controlling the actuator based on the plurality of dynamic characteristics to adapt the actuator to track a desired performance of the actuator.

The disclosure is directed at testing machine for material samples. The testing machine includes a loading station and a testing station along with a pick and place apparatus that moves the material sample being tested between the loading station and the testing station. A control system controls movement of the material sample. The control system also generates testing machine parameters along with testing parameters.

An actuator control system, mechanical testing system, and method for adaptive control of an actuator of a mechanical testing device may include determining a stiffness of a medium that the actuator is moving through and/or load gain of the actuator, wherein the stiffness and load gain is determined by generating a waveform to actuate the actuator until a load sensor signal and/or a displacement sensor signal is received, and controllably moving the actuator through the medium according to a predefined constant velocity by calculating a current request using the stiffness of the medium, and/or adjusting the load of the actuator in accordance with a constant load ramp rate.

A compact material testing system is configured to expose multiple samples housed within separate sample chambers to simulated fluid, thermal, and mechanical loading conditions. The system includes multiple independent load actuators positioned to extend actuator rods into corresponding sample chambers to apply mechanical loading to the test sample within. A fluid control system is included to bathe each test sample in a fluid medium and replenish the fluid medium within its sample chamber as needed. Each sample chamber includes a gas inlet and gas outlet to provide non-turbulent circulation and control of atmospheric composition above the fluid medium inside the chamber. A logic programmable controller is provided for input of test parameters and automated simultaneous control of mechanical loading, fluid flow, and temperature in the sample chambers.

A simulation test method for gas extraction from a tectonically-deformed coal seam in-situ by depressurizing a horizontal well cavity. A coal series stratum structure reconstruction and similar material simulation subsystem simulates a tectonically-deformed coal reservoir. A horizontal well drilling and reaming simulation subsystem constructs a U-shaped well in which a horizontal well adjoins a vertical well, and performs a reaming process on a horizontal section thereof. A horizontal well hole-collapse cavity-construction depressurization excitation simulation subsystem performs pressure-pulse excitation and stress release on the horizontal well, and hydraulically displaces a coal-liquid-gas mixture such that the mixture is conveyed towards a vertical well section. A product lifting simulation subsystem further pulverizes the coal and lifts the mixture. A gas-liquid-solid separation simulation subsystem separates the coal, liquid and gas. A monitoring and control subsystem detects and controls the operation and the execution processes of equipment in real time.

A vacuum system and method for inspecting a workpiece that can include use of the vacuum system, where the vacuum system can include a housing defining at least a portion of a vacuum chamber, a piston within the housing that oscillates to vary a volume of the vacuum chamber, a first valve and a second valve in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber, and a hood in fluid communication with the second valve and the vacuum chamber. The vacuum system can include high-speed valves that enable vacuum system cycling and thus vacuum pressure cycling at a rapid frequency.

The present invention relates to a test system and method capable of simultaneously carrying out a high-throughput test of mechanical properties for miniature specimens. The system comprises one workstation (17) and a plurality of specimen test modules (16) installed horizontally or vertically on a workbench (15), wherein the workstation (17) comprises an operation interface, a data processing unit and a load output unit; each specimen test module (16) comprises a drive unit (5), an interchangeable to clamp unit (8), a displacement sensor (2), and a load sensor (14); the workstation (17) controls the drive unit (5) of the specimen test module (16) and receives detection data of the displacement sensor (2) and the load sensor (14); each specimen test module (16) optionally performs mechanical property testing independently; and the workstation (17) is controls simultaneously started testing of a plurality of specimens (9). The present invention can achieve tensile, bending, compression bending, stress-rupture, relaxation, and fatigue strength tests on a plurality of specimens at the same time.