Applus+ DatapointLabs Technical Center for Materials

The aerospace industry tests for a wide range of properties; while there is some emphasis on certification, a major component is related to new product development. Materials tend to be more exotic and include light weight, high strength plastics that can take high temperatures, crushable foams, and clear plastics that are used in windows and canopies.

The automotive industry performs testing of materials with two primary objectives. Testing for the material certification and desigh properties, with or without the application of CAE. Design properties are precision data that are used to represent the material in new product development. Data include stress-strain data, fatigue, creep.

In order to categorize the testing needs of this industry, it is useful to divide it into three broad classes: in vivo, durable goods and disposables. The kinds of data needed for each situation are quite different Biomedical applications for use inside the human body are characterized by the need for properties measured in a fluid environment and at body temperature. Aside from metals, the properties of most materials are surprisingly different at 37C as compared to room temperature. It becomes important to measure all relevant properties for in-vivo applications at this temperature. If materials are immersed, then testing in a saline environment at 37C is required.

This business is broadly classified into consumables and durables. The materials and design paradigms for each are different. The consumables market places a high demand on plastic and paper packaging. Plastic components are blow molded or injection-molded with bottle caps, typically injection molded. Drop testing of these components is an important design requirement. Properties are needed for the simulation of all these stages. Storage of these products also places requires an understanding of the creep characteristics of the packages. Visco-elastic behavior is often characterized in this regard as well as classical creep