Physical/Mechanical Materials Characterization Laboratory

Slip and transformation around microhardness indent in retained austenite.

This laboratory is concerned with the measurement and characterization of the mechanical and physical properties of materials. Conventional equipment includes complete metallographic preparation facilities and several types of optical microscopes including differential interference contrast, for the observation of the prepared materials. Standard mechanical testing equipment includes hardness and microhardness testing machines, conventional tensile/compression testing machines with capacities from 1 gram to 400,000 pounds, impact testing equipment, bending fatigue testing units, and servohydraulic testing machines. Specialized equipment includes two low-frequency internal friction pendulum machines, a low temperature dilatometer and equipment for the characterization of rolling contact fatigue behavior of materials.