EA Technology provides a wide range of Materials Testing & Analysis services. We are widely recognised for our independence and quality.

Benefits

• Validate whether materials and components are fit for purpose
• Check that assets are performing as expected
• Discover why assets have failed

Features

• State-of-the-art laboratories and testing facilities
• Specialist Power Forensics™ failure investigation service
• Expert personnel

Laboratory testing of the mechanical properties of materials is crucial to determine if they meet the demands of the design. These tests are also useful for assessing whether the true performance of materials lives up to the specifications claimed by the manufacturers and to determine the effects of service.

EA Technology can offer a range of mechanical tests, including:

• Tensile tests
• Compression tests
• Hardness tests (Vickers Hardness testing)

Tensile characteristics are measured by clamping either end of a sample in the test machine and applying a tensile force to it until the material deforms or fractures. A graph of force vs displacement is generated, from which maximum tensile strength and elasticity are determined. Tensile tests can also be used to determine the mechanical strength of specific components such as cap and pin insulators or overhead line fittings.

Compression tests operate in a similar way, producing a graph of force vs displacement up to and including the point of failure or point of full compression. Characteristics such as optimum and maximum load capacity or spring stiffness can then be determined from the graph.

The Vickers hardness test is used to determine the ability of the material to resist plastic deformation. A sample of the material is placed under a diamond tip indenter with a known applied force. The indenter tip pushes into the material and the hardness is calculated from the load applied and the surface area of the indentation left on the surface.