Types of Tensile Tests

One of the most significant and widely used types of mechanical testing of a material is the tensile or tension test. With the use of a tensile tester machine,a pulling force or tension is applied to a material until it fails or breaks and its response to the stress is measured. Through this test, the strength of the material can be determined, and the amount of force needed to elongate it can be measured.

There are several types of tensile test, which include the following:

1.  Adhesion or Bond Strength Test

This type of tensile stress test measures the strength of the bond of a coating to a surface or item. This test is commonly associated with adhesives, laminates, tapes, sealants, electronics, and general packaging seal strength.

2.  Crimp Pull-off Test

Also known as crimp pull testing, this test uses a tensile testing equipment to measure how much tensile force is needed to remove a crimped ferrule, connector, or terminal from a wire. This is usually done in the production line, as part of lifespan assessment, or together with electrical integrity for electrical wiring.

3.  Peel Test

A peel or peeling test is conducted to determine the strength of adhesion or stickiness between two materials bonded with an adhesive. This measures the resistance to detachment from one another after the application of adhesive to the tensile test samples. The assessed value determines whether the bond is sufficient or too much for the intended application or whether another adhesive or bonding method should be used.

4.  Tear Resistance Test

This test uses a tensile test apparatus to apply a force to an item that already has an initial tear until it completely fails or breaks. This test measures the tear resistance or the ability of tensile testing samples to resist the progress of a partial tear. This is often used in flexible materials, which are more vulnerable to accidental tears and holes. Such materials include fabrics, textiles, polymers, rubbers, elastomers, packaging, and paper products.