Mark Fridman

In the realm of material science and engineering, the evaluation of material strength is crucial. One of the key methods for this purpose is compression testing.

Many of us are familiar with accuracy specifications pertaining to force measurement, usually a percentage of full scale or a percentage of reading. While this is broadly understood, the waters become a bit murkier in applications involving both force and distance measurements.

One of the most fundamental decisions in mechanical design is selecting which material a part should be produced from. Often, a variety of factors will influence the success of a part.

The pandemic has turned the global supply chain on its head. Manufacturers of materials and finished items are under unprecedented pressure to manage a disrupted workforce, while responding to ever-changing customer demands, in many cases with profound urgency. It’s enough to make one’s head spin. 

They’re as common as dandelions in the spring, and as universal as a Swiss army knife. Sometimes they gather dust, condemned to a dark corner, other times they’re polished to a mirror finish from intensive everyday use. We’re talking, of course, about universal testing machines (UTMs).

Force measurement, defined as the measurement of tensile or compressive loads acting upon an object, is an indispensable method of assessing and ensuring the quality of materials, components, and assemblies.

Why test compression force?

A truck driver, seeking to overtake another vehicle, flips his turn signal. A busy mom opens the door to a washing machine. A CNC machine operator presses the start button to begin a cycle.

Force gage may not be the most familiar term to engineers and quality control professionals.