A Guide to Different Types of Plastic Testing

Plastic is a general term used for an extensive range of synthetic and natural compounds, each offering specific mechanical properties suitable for various applications and industries.

Plastics can contain a wide range of reinforcing materials and fillers additives. The combination of these materials and the manufacturing process can have a considerable impact on the mechanical properties of the end material.

Today, advanced plastics play a vital role in the most challenging industries like automotive and aerospace engineering; therefore, it is crucial to carefully monitor and assess the performance of such materials.

Testometric’s precision testing systems have the potential to make sure that the chosen material has the performance and characteristics to fulfill the necessary specification for the specific product or component.

Packages are provided to cover the entire range of plastic materials. They include grips, software, and other accessories for all test processes covering flexural, peel, shear, adhesion, puncture, tear, hardness, ring stiffness, friction, tensile, compression, etc.

Tensile

A wide variety of grips are available for tensile testing of plastics. These include several types of self-tightening, manual, hydraulic and pneumatic versions that are necessary for positive gripping. In addition, the WinTest software includes all applicable calculations like yield stress, strain, E modulus, UTS, etc.

Listed below are some of the configurable test methods:

• ISO 527-2 Plastics—tensile properties molding and extruding plastics
• ASTM D 638 Tensile properties of plastics
• ASTM D 882 Tensile properties of thin plastic sheeting
• ASTM D 882 Tensile test plastics—Thin sheet
• ASTM D 1708 Tensile test plastics—Microtensile
• ASTM D 2990 Compressive, tensile, and flexural creep and creep-rupture of plastics
• ASTM D 3826 Degradation end point in degradable polyethylene and polypropylene using a tensile test
• ASTM D 5083 Tensile properties of reinforced thermosetting plastic
• BS 2782 Tensile strength, elongation, and elastic modulus
• BS 2782-3 Determination of tensile strength and elongation at break of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) products
• BS 2782-11 Thermoplastic pipes, fittings, and valves—Tensile properties of dumb-bell specimens from PVC gutter profiles of pipes
• BS EN ISO 527 Tensile properties—Films and sheets
• BS EN ISO 527 Tensile properties—Test conditions for molding and extrusion plastics
• BS EN 12311 Determination of tensile properties—Bitumen sheets for roof waterproofing
• BS EN 12814 Testing of welded joints of thermoplastics—Tensile test
• BS EN 12814 Testing of welded joints of thermoplastics—Tensile test with waisted test specimens
• DIN 53534 Tensile properties of plastics
• DIN 65378 Tensile properties of plastics
• DIN 65466 Tensile properties of plastics

Flexural

Testometric offers three- and four-point flexural fixtures for testing a wide range of plastic materials. These fixtures have variable or fixed spans and supports to fulfill specific standards.

• ISO 178 Flexural test
• ASTM D 790 Flexural properties plastics
• ASTM D 790 Flexural properties of unreinforced and reinforced plastics and electrical insulating materials
• ASTM D 4476 Flexural properties of fiber-reinforced pultruded plastic rods
• ASTM D 6272 Flexural properties of unreinforced and reinforced plastics by four-point bending
• BS EN ISO 178 Plastics—Determination of flexural properties
• BS EN ISO 178 Determination of flexural properties
• BS EN ISO 899-2 Determination of creep behavior—Flexural creep by three-point loading
• DIN 53458 Flexural properties of plastics

Tear

Different types of pneumatic and manual fixtures are available from Testometric for tear testing of plastics. Specialized test methods include all applicable calculations, including lowest, average, and highest peel force, etc. It is possible to define the peak criteria and calculation limits as per the exclusive standards listed below:

• ISO 6383-1 Tear resistance of plastic sheet
• ISO 8067 Tear strength
• ASTM D 1004 Tear resistance of plastic sheet
• ASTM D 1938 Tear resistance of plastic sheet—single tear
• ASTM D 3574 Tear resistance
• BS 2782-3-360 Tear resistance of plastic sheet

Shear

Testometric provides different fixtures for performing a range of shear tests. They cover inter-laminar, flat plane, and punch methods. The WinTest software includes all applicable calculations.

• ASTM C 273 Shear test in flat-wise plane of flat sandwich
• ASTM D 732 Shear strength of plastics by punch tool
• ASTM D 2344 Apparent inter-laminar shear strength of parallel fiber composites by short-beam method

Compression

An extensive range of compression platens is available with varying capacities and sizes. Tests can be carried out on all types of plastic materials and finished products. The WinTest software includes all related standards.

• ASTM D 695 Compressive properties of rigid plastics
• ASTM D 695M Compressive properties of rigid plastics (Metric)
• ASTM F 806 Compressibility and recovery of laminated composite gasket materials

Reinforced Plastics

Reinforced plastics can be tested only using dedicated precision grips, extensometers, fixtures, and software. These tools are essential due to the low elongation and high strength properties of these types of materials. Testometric offers all these products, together with its WinTest software that includes all applicable calculations to international standards.

• ASTM D 2343 Tensile properties of glass fiber strands used in reinforced plastics
• BS 2782-10 Methods of testing plastics; Glass reinforced plastics; Determination of flexural properties; Three-point method
• BS 6319-2 Testing of resin and polymer/cement compositions for use in construction—Method for measurement of compressive strength
• BS EN 2562 Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics; Unidirectional laminates; Flexural test parallel to the fiber direction
• BS EN 2597 Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics; Unidirectional laminates; Tensile test perpendicular to the fiber direction
• BS EN 2747 Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics—Tensile test
• BS EN ISO 527 Determination of tensile properties for unidirectional fiber-reinforced plastic composites
• BS ISO 3597-3 Textile-glass-reinforced plastics; Determination of mechanical properties on rods made of roving-reinforced resin; Determination of compressive strength
• BS EN ISO 14126 Fiber-reinforced plastic composites—Determination of compressive properties in the in-plane direction

Puncture

Different types of puncture test fixtures are available from Testometric, with manual pneumatic tightening for plastic sheet and film materials.

The WinTest software includes all applicable calculations.

• ASTM F 1306 Slow rate penetration resistance of flexible barrier films and laminates

Adhesion

Many specialized fixtures are available for performing peel tests on plastic laminates and equivalent materials. The WinTest software includes all applicable calculations such as minimum, average, and maximum peel force between the given limits.

• ASTM D 903 Peel test
• ASTM D 1876 Peel test
• ASTM D 3167 Peel test
• ASTM F 88 Seal strength of flexible barrier materials
• ASTM F 904 Comparison of bond strength or ply adhesion of similar laminates made from flexible materials

Controlled Temperature Testing

A wide range of test chambers available from Testometric offer testing facilities under real working conditions. Typical versions cover temperature range from ambient to +300 °C, and −70 to + 300 °C, but exclusive temperature sizes and ranges are also available. High-temperature and non-contact extensometers are available to use with the chambers.

Video Extensometer

Testometric offers video systems that are the most sophisticated elongation measurement systems available. The systems can be easily operated, and have several special features. Models are available for all grades of plastics and are perfect for use with environmental chambers.

Specimen Cutter

Pneumatic and manual specimen cutters are available together with a wide range of hardened tool steel cutting dies to all applicable international standards, including ISO, ASTM, BS, DIN, EN, etc.

Software

The comprehensive WinTest software from Testometric is available with a wide range of pre-configured calculations for plastic testing, such as strain, UTS, E modulus, yield stress, flexural modulus, flexural stiffness, tear strength, shear strength, compressive strength, etc. Test methods can be effortlessly built and stored for future use.

This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Testometric Company Ltd.

For more information on this source, please visit Testometric Company Ltd.