Automated Fracture Toughness Setup for CFRP Quality, Development Testing

ZwickRoell (Ulm, Germany) is featuring a new automated G1C Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness testing setup at CAMX 2026, designed to improve the accuracy, efficiency and repeatability of composite delamination characterization. The system targets aerospace, defense, automotive and advanced materials laboratories performing qualification and development testing on carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites.

The setup is configured for ASTM D5528 double cantilever beam testing and combines a ZwickiLine universal testing machine, dedicated G1C fixturing, testXpert III software and an integrated optical measurement system for automatic crack propagation tracking. Unlike traditional G1C workflows, which often require operators to manually mark specimens and visually record crack growth during testing, this setup provides continuous, noncontact crack length measurement throughout the test sequence. Because the crack is automatically detected and tracked, specimens do not need to be marked, reducing preparation time and eliminating a common source of operator variability.

The system uses high-resolution optical measurement and software-driven crack tracking to capture crack initiation and growth with improved consistency, supporting more reliable resistance-curve generation and a richer data set compared with intermittent manual readings. Automated crack tracking is also intended to reduce test interruptions, improve throughput and increase confidence in calculated G1C values.

Integrated software tools guide users through setup, data acquisition, crack length evaluation and result calculation, supporting research- and production-quality environments. The company says the combination of standardized fixturing, optical crack tracking and automated data reduction can help improve repeatability across operators, specimens and test campaigns in laboratories working under aerospace qualification requirements.

At CAMX, ZwickRoell also plans to highlight its broader composites testing capabilities, including test systems and extensometers for tensile, compression, flexure, shear, peel and fracture mechanics testing, spanning coupon-level material characterization through advanced automated test methods.