Composites Testing Facilities at the National Composites Certification and Evaluation Facility (NCCEF)
Mechanical Composites Testing
A fully equipped NADCAP / ISO / ASTM standard "Instron laboratory" for the mechanical testing of composite materials and structures
Mechanical Testing: Instron Laboratory
- A comprehensive range of computer controlled uniaxial and multiaxial servo-hydraulic fatigue machine
- Computer controlled screw-driven testing machines
- Instrumented drop weight impact test equipment
- Ballistic test facilities with high speed photography compatible with 3D digital image correlation
- Portable equipment including 3D digital image correlation and advanced extensometers
Fully equipped workshop with water jet cutter for specimen preparation and manufacture of fixture and fittings
Non-Destructive Composites Testing
An unparalleled collection of state of the art non-destructive evaluation equipment including:
- Shearography
- Large C-scan
- Thermography
- Phased-array ultrasonic
- X-ray computer tomography suite capable of imaging full scale components and microstructures
Processing
Full range of autoclave and out-of-autoclave processing including:
- Quickstep
- RTM
- Vacuum infusion
- Mechanical ply cutter
- Autoclave with 400°C /200 psi capabilities
- Walk in microwave oven
- Vacuum press
- Dedicated lay-up room
Textiles
Advanced Textiles Testing
Full range of composite textile processing machinery
- 2D / 3D weaving and braiding
- Robotic fibre and tow placement
Material Characterisation
A comprehensive range of thermal analysis, spectroscopy and microscopy
- Thermal Analysis - including Hyper Differential Scanning Calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and rheometers
- Spectroscopy - including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and TMS
- Microscopy - A wide range of Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, and optical microscopy
- Digital Image Correlation (DIC)
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