ISSN: 1945-7553
CODEN: JTEVAB
Page Count: 8

The Use of Robotics to Eliminate Testing Variability in the Evaluation of Polymeric Matrix Composites Subjected to Three-Point Flexure

Croman, RB
Senior research engineer, Composites Division, and semior technician, Pioneering Research Laboratory, E. I. duPont de Nemours, Wilmington, DE

Jefferis, DW
Senior research engineer, Composites Division, and semior technician, Pioneering Research Laboratory, E. I. duPont de Nemours, Wilmington, DE

(Received 14 September 1992; accepted 17 May 1993)

Abstract

A set of 54 flexural specimens of unidirectional AS-4 graphite reinforced J-2 Polymer, an amorphous thermoplastic polymeric matrix, was tested via a robotic testing setup. Because the testing was robot performed, it is here claimed that the variation of the test results is produced by the variability of the material and not by variation in testing method. An analysis of the test results has been correlated to the various aspects of the failture history observed for these specimens. In addition, an analysis of the scatter in failure strengths has been used to predict the scatter previously observed in flexural fatigue lifetimes.

Keywords:
polymeric composites, flexural testing, robotic testing, thermoplastic matrix, carbon fibers, statistical analysis

Paper ID: JTE11803J
DOI: 10.1520/JTE11803J
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