EQUIPMENT · 01
Instron universal testing systems
Electromechanical and hydraulic machines for static and dynamic testing, with load cells covering approximately 5 to 500 kN.
- Tensile, compression and cyclic testing
- Testing of materials, joints and components
- Integration of dedicated fixtures and measurement systems
- Applications
- Mechanical characterisation · Fatigue · Model validation · Component testing
- Materials
- Metals · Composites · Polymers · Adhesive joints
EQUIPMENT · 02
Thermal chambers for testing machines
Chambers for mechanical characterisation under controlled temperature, with a documented approximate range from −70 to 350 °C.
- Thermomechanical testing
- Low- and high-temperature characterisation
- Coupling with universal testing machines
- Applications
- Temperature dependence · Thermomechanical validation · Testing of materials and joints
- Materials
- Metals · Composites · Polymers · Adhesives
EQUIPMENT · 03
Environmental and corrosion chambers
Facilities for controlled temperature and humidity and for environmental exposure, including salt-spray testing.
- Environmental conditioning
- Humidity and temperature exposure
- Corrosion testing in artificial atmospheres
- Applications
- Durability · Corrosion · Accelerated ageing · Specimen preparation
- Materials
- Metals · Coatings · Composites · Joints
EQUIPMENT · 04
Strain and full-field measurement
Techniques for recording local strains and full fields during testing and correlating them with models.
- Strain gauges, Wheatstone bridges and data acquisition
- Digital image correlation (DIC) and photoelasticity
- Hole-drilling and moiré interferometry techniques
- Applications
- Displacement and strain fields · Residual stresses · Experimental validation
- Materials
- Metals · Composites · Polymers · Structural components
EQUIPMENT · 05
High-speed imaging and non-destructive evaluation
Resources for observing transient phenomena and detecting damage using high-speed cameras, ultrasound and optical observation.
- High-speed cameras with documented capability up to one million frames per second
- Ultrasonic inspection
- Optical microscopy and optical emission spectrometry
- Applications
- Damage initiation and propagation · Impact and rapid phenomena · Defect inspection
- Materials
- Metals · Composites · Joints · Components
EQUIPMENT · 06
Electron microscopy and computed tomography
Access to microstructural observation and volumetric analysis through University of Seville research services and facilities.
- Observation of surfaces and failure mechanisms
- Three-dimensional internal characterisation
- Correlation of microstructure, damage and mechanical response
- Applications
- Fractography · Internal defects · Microstructure · Multiscale validation
- Materials
- Metals · Composites · Polymers · Geomaterials
EQUIPMENT · 07
Composite manufacturing and processing
Facilities for manufacturing laminates, specimens and composite structural elements and for preparing complete experimental programmes.
- Clean room and autoclave for aerospace-grade composites
- Hot-plate press and composite 3D printing
- Tools for machining cured laminates
- Applications
- Specimen manufacturing · Laminates · Components · Prototypes
- Materials
- Thermoset composites · Reinforced thermoplastics · Adhesive systems
EQUIPMENT · 08
Fixtures, machining and metal fabrication
Facilities for designing and manufacturing dedicated fixtures, adapting setups and preparing specimens or auxiliary components.
- Design and manufacture of test fixtures
- Machining and basic metal fabrication
- Adaptation of setups for structural elements
- Applications
- Non-standard tests · Dedicated setups · Specimens · Adapters and grips
- Materials
- Metals · Composites · Structural elements