|
 Ever shorter development times mean that computer-based fatigue strength evaluation and the synergy of testing and simulation are gaining increasingly in importance.
The service portfolio of IABG for fatigue strength testing includes the following:
- Computer-based fatigue strength assessment
- Fatigue life – method development
- Materials specimen testing in the accredited IABG Fatigue Strength Testing Laboratory (IFL)
- Parts and components tests
Computer-based fatigue strength assessment
Computer-based fatigue strength assessment is divided essentially into three areas:
- Determination of local service stress (static, cyclic, dynamic, stochastic)
- Determination of local strength taking into account technological effects (forging, casting) and the influence of service loads (e.g. mean and residual stress)
- Damage accumulation - In addition to the standard FE solvers (ABAQUSTM, NASTRANTM, etc.) for calculating local services stresses, modern tools are used for calculating manufacturing processes (e.g. shaping, mechanical surface work hardening) and for fatigue life assessment (FEMFATTM, N-CodeTM, etc.). Alongside classic components and applications, another focal point is the analysis of structures subjected to vibrational excitation (earthquake loading, roadway surface excitation, and the like). Furthermore, analytical fatigue strength evaluations are made in compliance with the relevant guidelines (FKM, EuroCode, etc.) or according to customer-specific regulations.
Fatigue life – method development
New approaches, calculation methods and procedures are being developed for fatigue strength calculations. Such developments enable continuous improvements of the accuracy of simulation-based fatigue life assessments. Based on the results of extensive testing, new fatigue data are generated, for example, to describe local fatigue strength behaviour depending on the local manufacturing states (solidification process, local plastic deformation, etc.) and loading parameters (supporting effect, mean and residual stress, etc.). Commissioned industrial research work is another field:
- Damage-tolerant design
- Technological influences on local fatigue strength (casting, forging, surface work hardening, etc.).
- Damage accumulation
- Fracture mechanics methods
- Multiaxial fatigue
Materials specimen testing in the accredited IABG Fatigue Strength Testing Laboratory (IFL)
The IABG Fatigue Strength Testing Laboratory is equipped to perform quasi-static, fatigue and fracture mechanics tests on metallic materials, fibre-reinforced plastics (e.g. CRP, GFRP) and further non-metallic materials. The test laboratory is accredited in compliance with DIN ISO 17025. The temperature range is from -170°C to +800°C (occasionally up to +1200°C). Each test facility is also capable of testing in corrosive enviroments.
Parts and components tests
For parts and components testing there are hydraulic test facilities available for multi-channel component testing. Furthermore special test benches such as a thermal cylinder head test bench or a vibration test bench for earthquake qualification testing are also available. The spectrum of testing services ranges from single component testing to whole structure testing. The full-scale fatigue test of the Airbus A380 is the largest fatigue test currently running at IABG.
|
