ISO 527-2

Tensile testing for moulding and extrusion plastics per ISO 527-2, based upon the general principles given in ISO 527-1, is a popular and extremely important test method. By measuring the force required to pull a test specimen to its breaking point, several material properties can be determined. This data enables both product design engineers and quality managers to accurately predict the performance of their products in end-use applications. This information is critical for developing new products ensuring compliance to industry or government standards, improving manufacturing and reducing production costs.

 

To perform these tensile tests, the “dumbbell-shaped” test specimens are placed in the grips of a universal testing machine (UTM) and subjected to controlled tension until they fail. Test speeds vary by specimen type to achieve a 1%/min strain rate, and an extensometer is used to measure specimen parameters. The resulting tensile test data is used to report material properties such as stress, strain, tensile modulus and Poisson’s ratio. ISO 527-2 is very similar to ASTM D638, with one key exception being analysis of the non-linear portion of a material’s stress-strain curve. For most plastic materials the test results per the two standards will be similar. But for plastics which have little or no linear region, the variation between ASTM and ISO can be significant. Finally, due to the viscoelastic nature of plastics, these tests can be performed with temperature chambers to better simulate end-use environments.

 

Solutions for ISO 527-2 typically include these types of components:

 

Both the premium MTS Criterion® and the economical MTS Exceed® universal testing machines are ideal for tensile testing of plastics per ISO 527-2. They both come in a variety of force capacities and frame styles, ranging from 1-column tabletops to larger 2-column floor-standing models. The 30kN and 100kN models also have dual-zone test spaces to reduce set-up times if you frequently change test requirements. And as an alternative to a new load frame, you can modernize the software and controls of your old test system with an MTS ReNew™ Upgrade.