Forney Test Machines

Hardware

Frame

Designed and built by Forney. The LT-60 Series Universal Testing Machines are specifically designed for testing a variety of materials in tension, compression and flexure – including cementitious and metallic materials like briquettes, cubes, cylinders, rebar, rebar with joints or T-Caps, and bolts, as well as other non-cementitious and non-metallic materials. Universal Testing Machines measure Force, Displacement, Velocity and Strain.

The moveable crosshead is mounted on motorized threaded strain rods. The stationary crosshead is mounted to the load table by stationary strain rods. The load table is directly connected to the power piston. The hydraulic power piston assembly is located in the bottom of the load frame and force is applied in an upward direction. A manually actuated rack and pinion system controls the position of the gripping jaws while loading specimens.

Power Piston Assembly

Testing pressure is applied by a 6.00” diameter power piston. Working stroke is 6.00” before safety disconnect.

Lower Tensile Crosshead

If so equipped, the moveable crosshead is positioned by a motorized drive system. The drive system is powered by a 1/4 HP electric motor.

Gripping System

The rack and pinion gripping system will accept multiple styles of gripper jaws. Gripper jaws are easily interchanged and the following grips are available:

• “V” grips for round specimens ¼” to ¾” in diameter
• “V” grips for round specimens ½” to 1-1/4” in diameter
• Flat grips for specimens 0.06” to 1.00” thick by 0.12” to 2” wide

Compression Table

The compression table is manufactured from 3.00” thick solid steel. The horizontal daylight opening between the strain rods is 15.00”. Depth of table is 15”. A locating hole is provided for centering of testing accessories.

Console Design

The console consists of a welded frame with removable side and end covers to allow access to two areas:  an electronic control chamber housing variable frequency drives, power supplies, and additional electrical equipment to control the load frame; and a hydraulic power chamber housing pumps, valves and other necessary equipment.

Hydraulic Pumping System

The pumping systems consists of a submerged, vertically-mounted radial piston pumps, in-line coupled with supercharge/rapid advance pumps.  Appropriate valves for safety relief and pressure discharge are mounted on top of the reservoir, which is mounted inside the bottom of the console.

The system utilizes variable frequency drives to adjust motor speed and therefore pump output to coincide with programmed demand set by the test set up.  This provides the most efficient hydraulic power arrangement as only the amount of flow needed is developed.  Excess oil is not generated, and does not therefore require discharge over a relief valve.  This minimizes heat, and greatly extends hydraulic system longevity.

In addition, an optional precision proportional control valve provides fine control of the testing process and facilitates test protocols such as Modulus of Elasticity and Cyclic Testing which require controlled release of hydraulic pressure.

ForneyVault® Enabled Machines

Make your machine smart – enable two-way data communication by accessing information and making it available for the testing process. Connect your machine seamlessly to LIMS packages, QC software and other third-party software participating on the ForneyVault platform. ForneyVault enabled machines help control the workload, and make your technicians smarter and more productive, with fewer costly errors.

A smart machine can:

• Enable intelligent workflows
• Enable Bar Code Scanning capability to identify the specimen to be tested
• Validate specimen geometry
• Calculate proper preload settings – based on actual and/or expected strength
• Calibration Monitor provides notification of impending calibration requirements
• Discard Dashboard provides context enabled specimen management for untested specimen disposal decisions.
• Notify you that a correction factor should be used
• Notify you of individual low breaks
• Notify you of excessive variance among several specimens

Electrical

A PC-based system utilizes a variable frequency drive to control the hydraulic pump motor. This maximizes efficiency – only running the pump at speeds necessary to achieve the desired pressure. This energy efficient approach dramatically reduces heat build-up in the hydraulic system and greatly extends hydraulic component life.

Here are the main components of the system:

• Variable frequency drive (VFD)
• Windows-based touchscreen human machine interface (HMI)
• Pressure transducer that provides pressure feedback
• E-stop PB
• Limit switch
• Solenoid-operated dump valve

Safety Features

Several safety features are incorporated to protect both operator and testing machine:

• Maximum Capacity Protection: A high-pressure safety relief value protects the hydraulic circuit and load frame from exceeding maximum capacity.
• Overextension Protection: A piston over-extension limit switch system protects against piston extension beyond maximum travel.

System Design

The design incorporates a tensile/compression load frame and an integral control console. The load frame is located approximately 24” to the left of the Operator’s HMI (human machine interface).

Software

Easy Automatic Testing

Push one button and the machine performs the complete test, including piston retract. Accurately controls the rate of load at the desired setting, thus no question about meeting ASTM (or other) specifications and ensuring repeatable results. Frees the operator to do other tasks while testing is in process.

Digital Control System

Setup of testing protocol, real-time display of test data, and post-test data transfer is accomplished through the ForneyLink touchscreen HMI. The operator can navigate options for:

• Test Run
• Test Setup
• Machine Setup
• Calibration
• Reporting and Data Transfer
• Diagnostics

Provides simultaneous display of force, stress, and rate of load and displays a real-time graph of Load vs. Time, or Stress vs. Strain. Standard functionality includes data collection by the ForneyLink HMI for printing and transfer. Data from optional extensometer and compressometer displacement transducers are also collected by the HMI. This data is captured with the same timestamp as the load data.

CMT Software Integration

Connected testing machines natively integrate with ForneyVault CMT software, improving important processes before and after an automatic test.

Before the test, Connected machines will:

• Enable positive specimen identification via barcode scan
• Provide pre-test “Smart Checks” based on preloaded sample and specimen data to validate sample date, ample size and type, and expected strength.
• Validate specimen geometry.
• Calculate preload settings based on actual and/or expected strength.

After the test, Connected machines will:

• Provide a detailed XY plot data for every test performed.
• Transfer data automatically to LIMS packages, QC systems, or other software.
• Alert to warn calibration expiration.
• Notify correction factor use, individual low breaks, and excessive variance.
• Enable intelligent workflows for detailed reporting and approvals.

Remote Support

With a user-provided Internet connection (either Wi-Fi or Ethernet), all Forney VFD systems are capable of real-time, online support from the Forney Support Team for basic settings and test setup to advanced troubleshooting, fault finding, and software updates.

We offer unlimited Remote Technical Support for all Forney Testing Machines during the two-year warranty period.

For ForneyVault® subscribers, post-warranty remote technical support fees are waived for the life of your subscription.

Please refer any special requirements to a Forney sales representative.

* Specifications are subject to change without notice.