NOTE Software setup will vary based on:

  • Specimen Material
  • Specimen Shape
  • Specimen Size
  • Data Collection

If you are not sure where to begin for your specific material testing needs, the Instron website has a small library of common ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) protocols that can be found here: Instron ASTM Standards.

The following example software setup is for a Tension test that uses these parameters:

  • Specimen Material: aluminum or steel
  • Specimen Shape: rectangular dogbone
  • Specimen Size: 0.500″ long x 0.125″ wide x 4.000″ thick
  • Data Collection: Young’s Modulus, a stress over strain graph, and an Extensometer to obtain more precise extension data

Navigation Parameters Selected
Channel Settings [Channel, Units]

3. Strain 1, %

Live Displays: 3

 

 
  • Pane 1: Graph 1
  • Pane 2: Graph 2
  • Pane 3: Results 1
  • Pane 4: Test Inputs
  • Default Dimensions
    • Geometry: Rectangular
    • Width: 0.5000 in.
    • Thickness: 0.1250 in.
    • Length: 4.0000 in.
    • Final width: 0.5000 in.
    • Final thickness: 0.0625 in.
    • Final length: 2.0000 in.
  • Ramp 1
    • Control mode 1: Tensile extension
    • Rate 1: 0.0200 in./min.
  • Ramp 2
    • Control mode 2: Tensile extension
    • Rate 2: 0.2000 in./min.
    • Changeover (1 to 2): Time
    • Changeover value (1 to 2): 6.0000 min
  • End of Test 1
    • Criteria 1: % Peak load
    • Load drops by (%): 95.0000
    • Load threshold: 10.0000 lbf
    • Action: Stop
  • Data capture: Manual
  • Criteria 1
    • Channel 1: Time
    • Interval 1: 100.0000 ms
  • Criteria 2:
    • Channel 2: Load
    • Interval 2: 10.0000 lbf
  • Axial strain
    • Source for tensile strain: Extension
    • Interval 1: 100.0000 ms
  • Transverse strain 1
    • Source for transverse strain 1: Unconnected
  • Transverse strain 2
    • Source for transverse strain 2: Unconnected
  • Modulus
    • Description: Modulus (Segment 25 ksi – 35 ksi)
    • Type: Segment
    • Channel: Tensile stress
    • Start Value: 25.000 ksi
    • End Value: 35.000 ksi
    • Indicate on graph: Yes
  • Yield
    • Description: Yield (Offset 0.2%)
    • Type: Offset
    • Parent calculation: Modulus (Segment 25 ksi – 35 ksi)
    • Channel: Tensile strain
    • Value: 0.200 %
    • Indicate on graph: Yes
  • Absolute Peak
    • Description: Maximum Tensile stress
    • Channel: Tensile stress
    • Type: Maximum
    • Indicate on graph: Yes
  • Absolute Peak
    • Description: Maximum Tensile strain
    • Channel: Tensile strain
    • Type: Maximum
    • Indicate on graph: Yes
  1. Yield (Offset 0 mm) –> Tensile stress
    • Heading: Stress at .2% Yield
    • Units: ksi
    • Rounding format: Decimal places
    • Value: 3
    • Apply format to all statistics: No
    • Acceptance range
      • Upper: 1.000 ksi
      • Lower: 0.000
      • Apply to each specimen: No
      • Apply to sample mean and median: No
  2. Maximum Tensile stress –> Tensile stress
    • Heading: Maximum Tensile stress
    • Units: ksi
    • Rounding format: Decimal places
    • Value: 5
    • Apply format to all statistics: No
    • Acceptance Range
      • Upper: 0.000 ksi
      • Lower: 0.000
      • Apply to each specimen: No
      • Apply to sample mean and median: No
  3. Maximum Tensile strain –> Tensile stress
    • Heading: Tensile stress at Maximum Tensile strain
    • Units: ksi
    • Rounding format: Decimal places
    • Value: 5
    • Apply format to all statistics: No
    • Acceptance Range
      • Upper: 0.000 ksi
      • Lower: 0.000
      • Apply to each specimen: No
      • Apply to sample mean and median: No
  • X-axis Definition
    • Channel: Tensile strain
    • Units: %
  • X-axis Scaling
    • Automatic scaling: Selected
  • Y-axis Definition
    • Channel: Tensile stress
    • Units: ksi
  • Y-axis Scaling
    • Automatic scaling: Selected
  • Select a Graph Type
    • Multi-specimen: Selected
    • Graph title: Stress vs. Crosshead Strain
    • Curves per graph: 25
    • Offset each curve by: None
    • Show excluded specimens: No
    • Enable data point selector: No
  • X-axis Definition
    • Channel: Strain 1
    • Units: %
  • X-axis Scaling
    • Manual scaling: Selected
    • Maximum: 0.20000
    • Minimum: 0.00000
  • Y-axis Definition
    • Channel: Tensile stress
    • Units: ksi
  • Y-axis Scaling
    • Automatic scaling: Selected
  • Select a Graph Type
    • Multi-specimen: Selected
    • Graph title: Stress vs. Extensometer Strain
    • Curves per graph: 4
    • Offset each curve by: Auto
    • Show excluded specimens: No
    • Enable data point selector: No
  1. Time
    • Heading: Time
    • Units: sec
    • Rounding format: Decimal places
    • Value: 5
  2. Tensile extension
    • Heading: Tensile extension
    • Units: in
    • Rounding format: Decimal places
    • Value: 5
  3. Load
    • Heading: Load
    • Units: lbf
    • Rounding format: Decimal places
    • Value: 5
  4. Tensile strain
    • Heading: Tensile strain
    • Units: %
    • Rounding format: Decimal places
    • Value: 5
  5. Strain 1
    • Heading: Extensometer Strain
    • Units: %
    • Rounding format: Decimal places
    • Value: 5
  6. Tensile stress
    • Heading: Tensile stress
    • Units: psi
    • Rounding format: Decimal places
    • Value: 5
  • Export Raw Data
    • Export raw data: Yes
    • Format: Comma Separated Values (.CSV)
  • Include Additional Specimen Results
    • Modulus (Segment 25 ksi – 35 ksi) –>
      Modulus

      • Heading: Young’s Modulus
      • Units: ksi
      • Rounding format: Decimal places
      • Value: 5
  • Test Workspace 
    • Selected Parameters
      • Length
      • Thickness
      • Width

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