Intelligent Testing: 3M Creates Added Value for Their Customers with ZwickRoell’s 2D DIC

Customers can easily compare simulated material behavior with the real measured material change.

3M has expanded their personalized customer service to include digital image correlation from ZwickRoell: customers can easily compare simulated material behavior with the real measured material change.

Customers use 3M bonding products in combination with their own products. To save a significant amount of time, it is important to have as much information as possible about these products right from the beginning. 3M therefore performs comprehensive testing on their adhesives in their own laboratories. The determined characteristic values are then summarized on a material data card and provided to their customers. This information presents a true value add to customers, which is highly recognized.

3M laboratories implement a wide variety of tests. In tensile tests alone, characteristic values extend from tensile strength to shear strength, adhesive strength, Young's modulus, maximum force at break, strain at break and Poisson’s ratio (also called transverse strain ratio). To cover all of these tests, 3M uses the flexible AllroundLine materials testing machine with a temperature chamber, a laserXtens optical extensometer and our testXpert testing software—most recently, with 2D digital image correlation (DIC). Implementation of the 2D DIC expansion was quite simple.

n the case of many flat specimens, the measuring surface remains flat throughout the test. For these specimens, the 2D DIC option, which is much more cost effective than a 3D system, is sufficient.

2D DIC makes deformations and strains in the material visible over the entire surface. This provides accurate data for comparison with the customer’s FEM calculations and allows the simulated tests to be verified. Through a very simple system expansion, 3M can now perform extensive testing with the AllroundLine and 2D digital image correlation.

Of particular note is that the hardware remains unchanged. Only the testXpert software received an upgrade, after which the system was ready for use. An additional benefit is the flexibility offered by the 2D DIC feature, which can also be easily and efficiently used when testing under temperature conditions.

Marcus Sauerborn with the 3M adhesive solutions laboratory was impressed: “A big plus is that we are able to operate and evaluate everything with one and the same software system, testXpert III. This saves time and creates transparency. And with the wide variety of tools within 2D DIC, we have a high level of flexibility in our analyses, which also allows us to meet very specific customer requirements.”

A 3M product must prove its capabilities from the very start. 2D DIC from ZwickRoell takes a close look at it and delivers reliable test results.