MAPUA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL AND MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING

ME136P / A4
Engineering Materials, Processes and Testing

Experiment no. 1
Physical Study of Universal Testing Machine

Torralba, Refael Jan C.

Date Performed: August 4, 2015

2013106979

Date Submitted: August 18, 2015

Engr. Rj Lawrence Tiu

Engr. Rj Lawrence Tiu

OBJECTIVES
To familiarize on the different parts and operation of the Universal Testing Machine.
INTRODUCTION
A universal testing machine, also known as a universal tester, materials testing machine or
material test frame is a machine that is used to test the tensile strength and compressive strength
of materials.
Students should first be familiarized with the machines capabilities before performing an
experiment to give them an idea on how it will be used to test the materials and also to be aware
to the solutions of possible hazards that may occur during the experiment to prevent any
accidents that may harm the students. Figure 1 shows the loading unit of UTM and Figure 2
shows the measuring unit of UTM.

Figure 1. Loading Unit of UTM

RELATED RESEARCH

Figure 2. Measuring Unit of UTM

As a Mechanical Engineering student it is necessary to have knowledge of mechanical

properties of engineering materials because it will be used in our future designs, fabrications and
constructions.
It is called universal testing machine because it can perform many different test such as
tensile, compressive, bend, etc. for us to be able to examine the materials mechanical properties.
It can perform these tests by applying external force to the material which has three main
elements: loading unit, control measuring unit and hydraulic unit for loading. The results from
the test are commonly used to know the application of the material and to predict how it will
react under other types of force.
Tensile test is clamping a single piece of material on each of its ends and pull it apart
until it breaks. This measures how strong it is (tensile strength) how stretchy it is (elongation),
and how stiff it is (tensile modulus).
Compression test is the opposite of tensile test in which you compress an object between
two level plates until a certain load or distance has been reached or the product breaks. The
typical measurements are the maximum force sustained before breakage, or load at displacement,
or displacement at load.
The materials that can be used in the UTM operations are metal, rubber, plastic, leather,
asbestos, PVC, paper, textile, wire, plywood, ceramics, resins etc. but not all kinds of these
materials can be used in all UTM because there are different designs of UTM and each of which
are specialize to test a different level of strength of the materials.

LIST OF APPARATUS/MATERIALS

Shimadzu Universal Testing Machine UH-A-C Series

Computer Controlled Hydraulic Servo System

PROCEDURES
1. Discussion of Mechanical properties of materials and parts of UTM
2. Be familiarized on the different parts of the Universal testing machine by labelling an
actual picture of the UTM of Mapua Institute of Technology.

Figure 3. Control Measuring Unit with labelled parts

Figure 4. Loading Unit with labelled parts

FINAL DATA SHEET

Drive
screw
Tension nut
cap
Lower cross
head

Upper
crosshead
Elevation
motor
Column

Tabl
e

Table top
protective mat

Bed cover
Table
cover

Table roller
guide
Loading
cylinder
Drive
screw
fixing nut

Ram

Bed

Load display
meter

Manual
Operation
panel

Front
cover

Power control
unit
Automatic
control panel

QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS

1. Illustrate the Universal Testing Machine

2. Give the Functions of each single part.

Parts of the UTM:
Loading cylinder Used to convert fluid power into mechanical motion.
Ram Where the load is applied.
Bed The base of the Loading Unit.
Table The place where the specimen that will be used for testing is placed.
Lower crosshead Used to clamp testing specimen from below.
Upper crosshead Used to clamp testing specimen from top.
Drive screw Provides a particularly favourable flow of force during the test, enabling
direct load application to the specimen.
Column Usually have ball-screw drives to position the moveable crosshead. It can also
be used to determine the force capacity of the machine.
Tension nut cap Controls the tension in the machine.

Drive screw fixing nut A type of fastener, typically made of metal, and characterized by
a helical ridge, known as a male thread (external thread) or just thread, wrapped around a
cylinder
Elevation motor It allows the lower crosshead to move upward and downward allowing
it to compress and rupture the material.
Table roller guide It allows you to place the material precisely.
Table cover Covers the table.
Bed cover Covers the bed.
Table top protective mat Protects the table from any debris that may cause scratches or
damage to the table.
Upper rear cover Covers the upper part of the measuring unit.
Lower rear cover Covers the lower part of the measuring unit.
Power switch Turns the machine on and off.
Casing Contains most of the component of the measuring unit.
Front cover Covers the lower front of the universal measuring unit.
Power control unit Controls the power of the measuring unit.
Manual operation panel Controls the measuring unit operation manually.
Automatic operation panel Controls the measuring unit operation automatically.
Zero span adjustment panel Is the range of a physical property being measured which is
correlated to a representative range of a signal or indicator.
Load range selector panel It allows you to control the amount or range of load that will
be applied.
Load display meter It shows you the load that has been applied.
Memory card It stores all the data gathered by the machine.
3. Enumerate the uses of Universal Testing Machine.

To inspect the batch quality and consistency of material.

To determine the properties of unknown material.
It can measure the tensile strength, elongation and stiffness of material
Measures the compressive strength of a material

DISCUSSION
Universal testing machine (UTM) is named after the fact that it can perform many standard
tensile and compression tests on materials, components, and structures.
Tensile strength test is where you stretch a material until it breaks to measure how strong,
stretchy, and stiff a material is.

Compression test is the opposite of tensile strength test where you compress the material
until it breaks or a certain distance has been reach.
Universal testing machine have two main parts Loading unit and Control/Measuring unit.
Loading unit consists of two crossheads which are connected by drive screw and column
with an elevation motor which helps the cross head to move upward and downward, a tension
nut cap that is installed at the crossheads and all of these parts are mostly the upper part of the
loading unit. The lower part mostly consists of ram, loading cylinder, table, bed and other
protective equipment for the ram and loading cylinder.
Control/Measure unit consists of 12 parts most noticeable are the load display meter, load
range selector, power switch, etc. it is also where the load applied is recorded.
UTM have many components and each of which are essential for the UTM to work in a very
convenient way for us.
CONCLUSION
Universal testing machine is an invention of engineers to enable us to determine the materials
tensile and compression strength and can help us predict the materials reaction to other external
forces which is why we need to familiarize ourselves to this machine.
One of the best ways that helped us familiarized ourselves to the Universal testing machine
was by seeing and observing it closely. With the help of manual the universal testing machines
different parts can easily be identified and observed and by doing so, we easily assumed some of
its parts function in the operation of tensile and compression test. We easily familiarize ourselves
to some of the UTMs parts because of its size, for examples are the Crossheads, drive screw and
column, these materials can easily be remembered due to the fact the when the UTM operates the
most noticeable parts that moves are these three because it holds the material that is being
compressed or stretched.

RECOMMENDATION
To familiarize ourselves in a more interesting way, it is better if students will have the
freedom to examine the machine on their own and answer every question they asked, telling the
students some interesting facts about the UTM can increase their interest in the UTM and they
can be more meticulous in observing the machines parts and operations.
Allowing the students to bring their own material to test using the UTM can be a good and
better way to enhance their knowledge about what will happen to the different materials and their
strength, because surely the students will bring different materials that can be used for testing.

REFERENCES
IndiaMART InterMESH Ltd. (2015)
Retrieved July 19, 2015, from
http://www.ets-testingmachines.com/universal-testing-machines.html
Fuel Instruments & Engineers Pvt. Ltd. (2015)
Retrieved July 19, 2015, from
http://www.fuelinstrument.com/utm.pdf
AzoM.com an AZoNetwork Site (2015)
Retrieved July 19, 2015, from
http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=4148
ADMET Materials Testing System Manufacturer (2015)
Retrieved July 19, 2015, from
http://admet.com/blogposts/what-is-a-universal-testing-machine-2/
Aviso, J. M., Galera, T. F., Espinoza, S. W., & Ratay, M. R.,
Engineering Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual