Physical Testing

“One good test is worth a thousand expert opinions.” – Wernher von Braun

A physical test can often answer engineering questions more quickly and simply than performing additional analysis.

There are a number of labs that perform routine, standardized tests, such as tensile tests, Charpy impact tests, and chemical analysis. These firms have dedicated procedures, tooling, and personnel who perform the same test a high number of times. In contrast, VGO focuses on specialized, low-volume (and sometimes, “one-of-a-kind”) testing, where a high degree of engineering judgement and meticulous attention to detail is needed. While sometimes, VGO engineers will augment existing written test procedures to accomplish the client’s test objectives, other times, when there are no established test procedures available, VGO engineers will develop our own testing protocol.

VGO’s equipment includes several conventional load test frames, as well as custom-built, specialty frames for testing non-standard samples. This equipment includes static load test frames with capacities up to 120,000 lbf and fatigue testing equipment with a capacity of 20,000 lbf.

We routinely build and modify fixtures in our on-site machine shop as needed for specific tests. We also maintain an inventory of actuators to provide loading, as well as instrumentation to monitor, measure, and control process parameters and test output. These capabilities allow us to respond quickly and cost effectively to client needs.

Physical Testing Services:

• Static Loading
• Dynamic Loading
• Fatigue Testing
• High-speed Data Acquisition
• Field Instrumentation
• Custom Test Procedures