Flexural Rigidity

A stiffness test — or flexural test — measures a sample’s response to beam loading. During a flexural strength test, the sample is bent using applied force on upper loading anvils. This testing can provide more information about a sample’s properties than tensile or compression testing.

A flexural rigidity testing instrument can perform these strength and stiffness tests. The instruments have a load cell, grips and software, and the grips can be changed depending on the sample being tested.

Thwing-Albert designs and manufactures flexural rigidity fixtures. Technicians can test the flexural rigidity, flexural strength and flexural modulus of materials such as composites, wood or polymers.

Types of Flexural Testing

Stiffness testers can perform three-point and four-point bend tests. Both use anvils to hold the sample or apply pressure to it. These anvils can be stationary/fixed, rocking or rotated depending on the specific testing requirement.

The three-point flex test places a sample on two lower anvils. An upper anvil applies force to the midpoint of the sample for a small and concentrated stress area.

The four-point flex test, like the three-point test, supports the material sample on two lower anvils. Its difference is these fixtures apply pressure to the sample with two upper anvils instead of one, resulting in four points instead of three. The upper anvils are equally placed from the sample’s center point. The area of uniform stress is between the inner span loading points.

The flexural rigidity testing equipment at Thwing-Albert can perform both three- and four-point tests. Technicians only need one instrument to perform various flexural strength tests for sample materials.

Flexural Rigidity Instruments From Thwing-Albert

TA103 3 & 4 Point Bending Fixtures

The TA103 bending fixture has many universal uses. It features a wheel that moves the centric supports. The maximum 50-kilonewton (kN) force tests the flexural strength of various samples. The fixture is manufactured with nickel for reliability and durability through extensive use.

TA22 3 & 4 Point Bending Fixtures

The TA22 bending fixture can conduct three- and four-point bending tests to evaluate the flexural strength of a sample. The fixture can apply 50 or 250 kN of force to bend the material, and roller diameter options include 10, 20 and 30 millimeters (mm).

TA238 3 & 4 Point Bending Fixtures

The TA238 bending fixture applies 2.5 or 10 kN to samples for three- and four-point bend tests. This fixture tests and measures the flexural bending properties of composites, electronics, medical products, plastics, sheeted metal and other materials. It can accommodate samples of many sizes, with custom roller lengths and base options of 150 or 300 mm.

It can be configured to comply with ASTM 6272, ASTM D790 and ISO 178 industry standards. The TA238 fixture is available in aluminum or steel, both durable materials for flexural rigidity testing.

Contact Thwing-Albert About Our Flexural Strength Instrumentation

Thwing-Albert is a trusted expert in stiffness testing, with more than 120 years of experience in instrumentation for flexural rigidity. We have the equipment that academia, quality control, and research and development departments need. Contact us online for a free quote or more information.