Our mechanical testing laboratories provide unique mechanical testing service tailored to meet customer needs for both materials and structure testing. They are able to add value to your test programme through advice, fixture design, test specification, test method development, observation, data analysis and interpretation.

Meeting client requirements
If a test can not be done using standard equipment, then we can design and build fixturing to meet client requirements. We also project manage complete test programmes so a client only has to deal with a single independent source.

Test equipment includes many advanced features to give enhanced accuracy, reliability and test conditions that are relevant to product service requirements. These include multi-axial loading, instrumentation, data logging, combined environmental exposures and microscopic examination. The results from the mechanical testing can be combined with our numerical analysis and our chemical exposures to better simulate actual service conditions.

Benefits of using MERL include:

• Identification of optimum performance through comparisons of materials, components or sub-structures.
• Bespoke tests tailored to specific needs and tests to recognised International Standards.
• Rapid response to technical enquiries and detailed project proposal issued when appropriate.
• Relevant data from service related test conditions and advanced fatigue capabilities.
• Accurate material model definition for finite element analysis (elasticity, hyperelasticity, visco-elasticity, plasticity, impact, fatigue etc).
• Use of the most advanced methods e.g. fracture mechanics based fatigue and fracture properties for rubber, adhesive joints and composites.
• Timely and cost efficient lifetime assessment through valid accelerated testing.
• Detailed technical reporting with interpretation and recommendations.
• Management of test programmes to give ‘one-stop’ approach for the customer.