AP/ES, Inc. has on-site an MTS 810, 22-kip servo-hydraulic load frame used for a variety of fatigue, monotonic, and fracture mechanics materials tests. We are familiar with executing tests that follow common ASTM Standards such as:

E8 Tensile

E399 Fracture Toughness

E466 Fatigue

E647 Fatigue Crack Growth

E606 Strain-Controlled Fatigue

In addition to the standard tests, AP/ES, Inc. has developed many non-standard test procedures for working with cold-worked holes, laser-peened materials, corroded coupons, and for incorporating custom load-marking spectra into various types of coupons.

The PC-based MTS FlexTest 40 controller and associated software drives our load frame. This system is highly versatile and is capable of applying complex load spectra, of performing automated data acquisition from external sources (such as optical cameras), and of providing calculation-based control wherein test loads or displacements are adjusted in response to calculated values derived from basic test feedback.

Many of the advanced testing and research programs that AP/ES, Inc. executes require frequent expert monitoring and interpretation. Having such close control allows us to be extremely flexible and allows us to pursue alternate testing avenues as test data dictate. Also, our on-site testing capability gives us the capability to generate basic material data quickly and to be more responsive to clients operating on a compressed schedule.

AP/ES has recently expanded our testing capabilities by getting a second load frame, 55-kip capacity. Our Flextest 40 controller is controlling the two individual load frames, and our hydraulic pump capacity is sufficient to power both frames.