Even when labs follow ASTM and ISO standards to the letter, tensile test results for unidirectional carbon fiber composites can still vary—and the reasons why aren't always what you'd expect. A recent global round-robin study involving seven labs and six coupon designs set out to find the real sources of variability and the results challenge some long-held assumptions about specimen geometry, strain gauge accuracy and sample preparation. In this webinar, Instron will walk you through the study's key findings, what they mean for your own testing practices and how the right tools and methods can help you get more consistent, trustworthy data from every test.
Agenda
- The study at a glance—How seven labs and six coupon designs were used to pinpoint what really drives variability in composite tensile testing
- The real culprit behind inconsistent results—Why sample preparation and cutting method matter more than coupon shape or which lab runs the test
- Strain measurement, reconsidered—What the data shows about optical extensometers and DIC versus traditional strain gauges
- Validating a clean break—How high-speed imaging confirmed failure locations and what that means for interpreting your own results
- Putting it into practice—Instron products and services that help you apply these findings to get more reliable data from your unidirectional tensile tests
