Skip to main content
Solent Unviersity Southampton logo
Solent Unviersity Southampton logo

Materials testing lab

Used mainly for the teaching of materials and destructive testing (everything we test, we break!), the lab is also used for some non-destructive testing and students projects.

About the materials testing lab

The materials testing laboratory enables students and staff to get first-hand experience of essential materials testing in a safe and controlled environment. Students are encouraged to use the facilities with the assistance of technicians, allowing them to use machines and equipment under moderate supervision. 

Destructive testing is carried out on the specimen until sample failure. This is performed in order to understand a specimen’s performance or material behaviour under different loads and conditions.

Non-destructive testing (NDT) is a highly effective way to detect even the smallest damage or imperfection in components before or during their operational life. NDT will help to detect defects as geometrical faults, eg, material thickness, welding defects, delamination, wrinkles, porosity, dry areas, foreign objects, cracks or corrosion.

NDT includes: ultrasonic testing, eddy current testing, magnetic particle testing and dye-penetrant testing. These state-of-the-art testing techniques allow students to gain valuable knowledge and develop their learning and confidence.

Materials testing lab

Equipment

  • Materials testing: 500 KN Avery Denison T42 tensile test machine
  • Materials testing: 150 KN Tinius Olsen H150KU tensile test machine
  • Materials testing: 30 KN Lloyd LR30K tensile test machine
  • Materials testing: 20 KN TQ SM1002 bench top tensile test machine
  • Materials testing: 20 KN Hounsfield Tensometer tensile test machine (x 6)
  • Materials testing: Universal hardness tester 8187.5LKV (Zwick/ Roell)
  • Materials testing: Avery Limited charpy impact testing machine
  • Materials testing: Avery Limited izod impact testing machine
  • Materials testing: Frank charpy impact testing machine
  • Materials testing: Creep testing machine
  • Portable and field equipment: Olympus Epoch ultrasonic flaw detector
  • Portable and field equipment: Olympus 500 portable eddy current flaw detector
  • Portable and field equipment: FLIR thermal imaging camera (x 4)
  • Portable and field equipment: Tukon model 2008 micro-hardness tester
  • Portable and field equipment: Ferox inverted metallurgical microscope (Ceti Belgium) (x 12)
  • Portable and field equipment: Subtronic duo surface finish analysis (Taylor Hobson) (x 3)
  • Software and accessories: CES materials selector package (Granta Design)
  • Software and accessories: Extensometer for SM1002
  • Software and accessories: Compression cage for SM1002
  • Software and accessories: Brinell hardness test
  • Software and accessories: Data acquisition system for SM1002
  • Software and accessories: Connectivity kit for SM1002
  • Software and accessories: P3 strain indicator and recorder (Vishay Micro-Measurements) (x 3)

Courses that use this facility

  • BSc (Hons) Construction Management
  • HNC Construction Management
  • BA (Hons) Interior Design
  • BA (Hons) Architectural Design and Technology
  • HNC Civil Engineering
  • BEng (Hons) Renewable Energy Engineering
  • HNC Engineering
  • MSc Sustainable Marine Craft and Superyacht Design