A Fast, Simple, and Low-Cost Method for Measuring the Stress-Strain Behavior of Metallic Materials, Enabled by the COMSOL® Application Builder
This presentation concerns a novel technique ("Indentation Plastometry") for the rapid and versatile measurement of the plasticity and strength characteristics of metallic materials using indentation data. The methodology has recently been developed by former scientists from the University of Cambridge, and a start-up firm ("Plastometrex") has been developed to exploit it commercially. The technique allows users to obtain material strength parameters in a way that is faster, simpler, and cheaper than conventional mechanical test procedures. It is similar in execution to hardness testing, but provides far more comprehensive and meaningful information. It is also non-destructive.
The premise of the technology is conceptually very simple, involving repeated running of indentation finite element models (using COMSOL Multiphysics® simulation tools) until experimental data-sets and model predictions converge. However, there are several complicating factors, including issues of solution "uniqueness" and the identification of optimal test conditions. These will be covered in the presentation.
We will also show how we have leveraged the capabilities of COMSOL Multiphysics®, the Application Builder, and COMSOL Compiler™ to drive the commercialization of our technology, and the creation of a new company that has attracted venture capital funding.
