For many companies the benefits of carrying out tensile testing using a robotic system are still to be discovered. Not so in China where companies such as Ansteel are already embracing this technology with the clear aim of putting themselves at the forefront of global steel manufacturing.
Anshan Iron and Steel, known since 1997 as Ansteel, one of China's largest steel producers was set up in 1948 in the Liaoning Province and now produces more than 700 types of steel with more than 25,000 different specifications. Its annual production is 16 million tons of steel and 15 million tons of steel products. Core products include hot and cold rolled steel, seamless pipe, cold rolled silicon steel, sections and medium and heavy plate.
Ansteel's physical testing centre concentrates on production testing and when searching for a new testing system they chose Zwick due to their advanced technology and reputation for providing complete, comprehensive, and reliable solutions.
The system proposed by Zwick enable each specimen to be uniquely identified using a barcode. Its physical dimensions are measured by automatic cross section units (CMU), and these values are uploaded to the laboratory information management system (LIMS).
When the specimens are transported by the robot into the tensile tester the cross-section data is read from the LIMS database and placed in the testing machine software. This data is then used to calculate the stress results whilst fully automated digital biaxial extensometers measure the strain for the calculation of proof stress (offset yield), r values and final elongation values. All test result data is transmitted back to the LIMS database immediately after the test.
The benefits of such a system are self evident:
- Good test result consistency which enables better control of material properties. This is due to consistent specimen measurement, and alignment in the test frame. The high accuracy digital extensometry measures both small and large strain values without any human intervention.
- Much faster specimen throughput as the system can run in 24/7 operation without the usual limitations of operator controlled systems.
- Improved laboratory management as all data processes are automated and traceability and archiving is more efficient and effective.
- Easy operation of the rugged system which has been specially configured for use in a production environment.
- The payback is much quicker than for manually operated testing machines.
- The Zwick Roell Group is the global leader in static materials testing - especially related to robotic testing. Their brand name is synonymous with high quality and reliability.
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