The Instron Dynatup 9250 will help engineers evaluate the mechanical properties of materials and components by measuring energy absorption and related impact properties of polymers, metals, and composites.
The Dynatup 9250 drop tower features Impulse®, a complete software and electronics package designed specifically for impact testing. The company claims that, unlike most competing instruments, the […]

The Q-Sun Xe-3 Xenon Test Chamber from Q-Lab Corporation is designed to help manufacturers meet the new SAE J2527 (automotive exterior materials) and J2412 (automotive interior materials) standards. (SAE recently cancelled the hardware-based J1960 and J1885 standards, replacing them with performance-based SAE J2527 and J2412 standards.)
The Xe-3 is a full-sized, free-standing tester that is equipped […]

From the January 8, 2008 issue of NIST Tech Beat:

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a novel technique for measuring the roughness of surfaces that is casting doubt on the accuracy of current procedures. Their results announced in a forthcoming paper* could cut development costs for automakers as they […]

Subcommittee D30.05 on Structural Test Methods, part of ASTM International Committee D30 on Composite Materials, has been standardizing a series of methods that are related to the analysis and substantiation of mechanically fastened joints composed of composite materials. The latest in this series of standards, D 7332/D 7332M, Test Method for Measuring the Fastener Pull-Through […]

The Atlas Material Testing Technology Ci3000+ now has a new digital control system that gives users more options, flexibility and control of their accelerated weathering testing. The new control system has a full color TFT touch screen display with intuitive icons for easier interpretation of operating parameters and warnings.
It also features an […]

Practicing Oil Analysis has an article on oil oxidation tests that includes tests for automotive oil. The article, The Lubricant’s Nemesis - Oxidation, explains how to develop and analyse an oxidation profile.

Frost & Sullivan recently published a report, “World Mechanical Test Equipment Market” that provides a comprehensive view of the mechanical testing industry including:

revenue forecasts for various mechanical testing techniques,
latest technological developments, and
key market trends.

The report examines

universal testing machines,
servohydraulic testing machines,
hardness test equipment, and
impact test equipment.

The report notes that fast-paced industrial growth in Asia Pacific […]

Characterization of Materials (formerly Methods in Materials Research) provides information on many different materials characterization techniques including computational and theoretical methods as well as crystallography, mechanical testing, thermal analysis, optical imaging and spectroscopy, and more.
Editor-in-Chief, Elton Kaufmann, Ph.D. is Associate Director of the Strategic Planning Group at the Argonne National Laboratory […]

A story in MySA.Com claims that only two independent labs in the nation certify engine and transmission lubricants—and they are both in San Antonio, TX. The two companies are the Southwest Research Institute and Intertek Automotive Research Laboratories. It’s an interesting article that traces the history of the two companies as well as discussing their […]

Practicing Oil Analysis, a trade magazine I’d never run across before, has an interesting article, Improving Used Oil Analysis Standards. This article is more relevant to the machinery industry, but I think automotive engineers will also find something of value here.