The Advanced Composite Materials and Textile Research Laboratory (ACMTRL) at the University of Massachusetts Lowell has existing state-of-the-art facilities for design, analysis, fabrication, and testing of fibrous and composite structures.

Mechanical Testing Equipment

  • Instron Testing Machines: 1kip, 5kip, 20kip, 220kip load frames (electromechanical and servohydraulic)
  • Test fixtures: Tension, compression, 3/4-pt bend, and short beam shear fixtures
  • Strain measurement: Video extensometer, electrical extensometers, strain gage systems, LVDT's
  • Environmental chamber
  • Data Acquisition: Measurements group 2311 signal conditioner/amplifiers; Full range of data acquisition and control boards (up to 100MHz)
  • 3 meter, Instrumented Drop weight impact tester
  • Dynatup Tabletop Impact Tester
  • Fiber/yarn abrasion tester
  • High temperature creep tester/immersion creep tester
  • Flexural fatigue tester
  • Matec ultrasonic immersion NDE system
  • Charpy/Izod impact testing machine
  • Rockwell Hardness tester
  • Instrumented laser vacuum torsional pendulum for DMA

Sample Fabrication Equipment

  • Tetrahedron MTP-8 vacuum hot press
  • Drypoll High Temp curing oven
  • Vacuum assisted resin infusion system
  • 64-carrier braiding machine
  • Machining equipment with diamond and carbide saws and bits
  • Tooling for molding and machining mechanical test specimens

Materials Characterization Equipment

  • Buehler sample preparation system (polishing, grinding equipment)
  • Nikon and B&L stereo-optical microscopes
  • Sony CCD camera and image analysis system
  • Fiber volume fraction measurement (burnout and resin digestion methods)
  • Scanning electron microscope
  • DSC, DMA, DEA, TMA, TGA
  • Viscometers
  • Capillary Rheometers
  • Torque Rheometers
  • Reciprocating screw rheometer for thermoplastics and thermosets
  • Abrasion and flammability test capabilities
  • Dynamic mechanical spectrometers
  • Quartz rod dilatometer for CTE measurement
  • Omega thermal measurement system

Finite Element Analysis Software

  • LS-DYNA
  • HyperMesh
  • ABAQUS
  • ANSYS
  • FEMAP