Charpy impact testing happens to be one of the most reliable and widely used ways to test the hardness of a metal. Through this test, the amount of force that metal can absorb before fracturing is measured. Based on the amount of energy necessary to make the metal reach its point of fracture, its hardness can be determined. Apart from metals, Charpy impact testing also measures the hardness of ceramics and polymers.
In the Charpy test, a pendulum with known weight and length is dropped on a notched specimen of the metal to be tested. It is necessary to ensure that the size of the specimen and the dimensions of the notch are standard, as it would affect the test results. Other factors which affect the Charpy impact energy are fracture mechanism, yield strength, temperature, and strain rate.
Applications of Charpy impact testing
The ductility of metal that Charpy impact testing provides considerable importance across various industries. The test forms an integral part of the quality assurance stage. Some of the industries where this testing finds application are:
· Plastic industry: Needless to say, there are innumerable types of plastic, and often it is difficult to choose the right one for an application. In such situations, Charpy impact testing helps to analyse the strength of a plastic sample and check its compatibility for a specific purpose.
· Rubber industry: The shock absorption property of rubber is one of its key applications. While manufacturing rubber components for shock absorption purposes, it is necessary to test the strength of the rubber. Charpy impact testing finds considerable application here, as the process is used to test the strength of different types of rubber. It helps to check whether the rubber would be able to absorb the shock necessary for the purpose.
· Forging industry: While forging metals, two major properties need to be measured. While one is the ductility of the metal, the other is its malleability. Through Charpy impact testing, these parameters can be easily measured.
The sophisticated Charpy impact testers that meet the industry standards are suitable for testing out various materials.
