Development Of Low Cost Tensile Testing System

Abstract

The goal of this project is to create m using accessible materials, aiming to improve knowledge of biomaterials and their mechanical properties. The project involves utilizing mechanical expertise, practical abilities, and electrical programming to tackle practical issues in the field of biomaterials. The testing system is designed to adhere to the ASTM D882 standard, commonly used for medical materials. It involves clamping the test specimen and pulling it until it ruptures, with specific dimensional requirements for the width, length, and thickness of the sample. The machine is built with low-cost components such as an Arduino microcontroller, stepper motor (total system approximately of 200USD), and a 10-20kg load cell, making it affordable and efficient. The system is capable of achieving a pulling speed of 8.33mm/s and a maximum displacement travelled of 200mm. The integration of a custom-written software in Python allows for real-time display of force-time graphs and the export of CSV files for reference. Experimental findings and data analysis are presented to verify the efficacy of the system. The results obtained from this project can be applied to a wide range of biomaterials research and development projects, providing valuable insights into their mechanical behavior. However, the project failed to strain recording approach, the goal of displaying Young’s modulus strain stress diagram has not yet achieved and require further research.