• Cambridge-based materials testing companyPlastometrexhas introduced a new MultiScale capability for itsPLX-Benchtopsystem, allowing high-resolution mapping of mechanical properties across thin, welded, and geometrically complex parts. • Announced in February 2026, the update allows engineers to test specimens as thin as 0.75 mm and perform property mapping with 1.5 mm indent spacing, expanding access to stress-strain data in areas that are typically inaccessible to conventional tensile testing. • The MultiScale capability builds on Plastometrex’s ASTM-standardised Profilometry-based Indentation Plastometry (PIP) testing method. • It uses indentation data and accelerated inverse finite element analysis to extract full stress-strain curves, including yield strength and ultimate tensile strength (UTS), from a single automated five-minute test. • Testing thin walls and complex geometries without sectioning Conventional mechanical testing often requires destructive sample preparation and standardised specimen geometries. • Thin-walled parts, welded joints, and additively manufactured components with complex features can be difficult or impossible to evaluate directly.
Article Summaries:
- Cambridge‑based Plastometrex has added a MultiScale capability to its PLX‑Benchtop system, enabling high‑resolution mechanical‑property mapping on thin, welded, and complex parts. The update allows testing of specimens as thin as 0.75 mm with 1.5 mm indenter spacing, and supports 250 µm, 500 µm, and 1 mm indenters for multi‑scale analysis. Using its Profilometry‑based Indentation Plastometry (PIP) method and accelerated inverse finite‑element analysis, the system extracts full stress-strain curves-including yield strength and UTS-in a single five‑minute, non‑destructive test. NASA has already used the tool to map local property variations in additively manufactured components, aiding process optimisation and safety‑factor reduction. The feature is available to PLX‑Benchtop users via the CORSICA+ subscription.
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