Impact Testing

Impact testing is the measure of a material’s resistance to the sudden application of force. Measuring properties like plastic deformation, ductility, and brittleness of materials is essential for proper material selection, ensuring quality control and reliability for finished products. Depending on the sample requirements, experts choose ASTM and ISO standard testing procedures like Izod, Charpy, Gardner, tensile impact testing, etc. Izod and Charpy tests are the most common impact tests performed to evaluate the strength or toughness of plastics, metals, and other composite materials.

Both Charpy and Izod testing machines measure the energy absorbed by the material after a high-load impact from a swinging pendulum.

Charpy Impact Testing:

• Notched or un-notched samples placed to impact at the center and away from the pendulum
• Most commonly performed on metals
• Horizontal sample orientation
• Standardized tests for metals: ASTM E23, ASTM A370, ISO 148, EN 10045-1
• Standardized tests available for plastics: ASTM D6110 and ISO 179

Izod Impact Testing:

• Notched or un-notched samples placed to impact at the top tip and towards the pendulum
• Performed on metals and plastics
• Vertical sample orientation
• Standardized tests: ASTM D256, ASTM E23, and ISO 180

Testing machines can be configured to perform Charpy, Izod, and other standardized methodologies and can measure from 1 ft-lb up to 700 ft-lb. Tests are performed at a wide range of temperatures, from -320°F to 2000°F. Machining services are available for sample preparation before testing.