RGU Materials Testing

school of Engineering

Materials Testing service

school of Engineering Materials Testing service

Are you looking for assistance with product development?

Do you require materials testing and analysis?

The School of Engineering at Robert Gordon University (RGU) has an impressive range of equipment, fully supported by technical expertise and specialist knowledge to help your company resolve challenges, bring new products to market and achieve corporate objectives.

Why work with us?

At RGU we go above and beyond standard materials testing. As experts in our field, we can provide interpretation of results and, if required, make recommendations for changes and improvements. Following an initial consultation, we will create a package tailored to your individual needs, from testing and reporting to consultancy and product development.

We offer rapid turnaround times for testing and, with reporting conducted on the same site, we can deliver a quick and comprehensive outcome to our clients.

Our equipment is UKCAS certified and we are able to test in line with three official standards - ASTM, BS and ISO. We can deliver either standard or detailed reports in line with clients’ wishes.

The School is continuously reinvesting to ensure that testing facilities remain upto-date, benefiting both students and the business community.

Our Expertise Our academic knowledge and skills can be applied to any sector. Our team has successfully worked with clients from a variety of organisations, to find solutions to a range of business challenges.

Located in Aberdeen, we have been collaborating with companies in the Oil and Gas sector for many decades, meaning that RGU has built up extensive knowledge and research expertise in this field. We also have in-depth insight into renewables, making us the ideal partner for businesses operating across the energy industry.

Please contact us and we will be happy to discuss how we can help your business.

Our Facilities Our impressive range of facilities, available for commercial testing or consultancy, includes: • Dynamics Lab • Materials Testing and Characterisation Lab • Non-Destructive Testing Lab • Composites Manufacturing Lab • Engineering Workshop • Electrical and Electronic Suites For a full list of services, please contact us for details.

(Please note, to avoid delays samples need to be in a testable state. Check with the RGU team for more information.)

Materials We work with a wide range of materials including high performance composites and membranes, nanocomposites, lightweight metals, sustainable materials and medical drugs. This is supported by excellent facilities that enable us not only to perform both fundamental and applied research but also to address a variety of industry needs.

Structural materials research is focused on lightweight materials improvements to meet design and functional requirements during the product life cycle. We have extensive experience in the preparation and performance of material tests, and therefore can offer expert advice on testing methods and suitable characterisation techniques.

We perform a range of tests for the static characterisation of metals, composites and plastic materials. These include, but are not limited to, tensile testing, compression testing, bending testing and shear testing.

Key capabilities include: • Composite toughness and reinforcement • Elastomers • Green composites • Nanomaterials and nanocomposites • Surface analysis • Materials testing • Sensor technology and embedded systems • Process and membrane technology • Coatings and thin films • Biomaterials

Engineering Design, Modelling & Simulation The School of Engineering has leading expertise in lightweight structures, particularly subject to impact, blast, crash, vibration and fatigue loadings.

We design test rigs and fixtures where required to meet testing standards, define material laws, and model structures and components tested using numerical codes and finite element analysis (FEA) tools. We also aim to quantify structural dynamic behaviour, study failure and its mechanisms and establish the structureproperty relationship.

Our capability includes: • • • • •

Materials validation studies Impact and crash behaviour Contact mechanics Multi-objective optimisation Multiphase flow using experimental rigs • Fluid-structure interaction • Riser (deep and shallow water) and pipeline analysis • Residual stress analysis • Lightweight design and multi-objective optimisation • Internal and external CFD including aerodynamics and hydrodynamics

Structural Integrity

Capabilities include:

Structural integrity is concerned with determining the performance, durability and safety of equipment that is subjected to a range of operating conditions during use.

• Acoustic emission • Electromagnetism and radiography • Ultrasonic methods • Magnetic particle inspection • Laser vibrometry • Sensory system including fibre optic fibres • Eddy current • Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

The consequences of structural integrity failure can be financially crippling due to loss of production and revenue, and can even lead to loss of life. We therefore aim to address design problems, optimise strategy and to develop customised solutions which allow our clients to assess the integrity and performance of structures, plants, components and equipment with confidence.

Capabilities include: • Materials performance • Fatigue testing • Fracture mechanic tests and fracture toughness • Corrosion analysis and monitoring • Numerical modelling • Signal processing • Non-destructive testing

Condition Monitoring We aim to provide accurate and real- time information pertaining to structural health condition and performance using nondestructive testing (NDT). We then use the data gathered to develop, plan and design maintenance activities tailored to increase the safety and also to broaden the knowledge about the structure being monitored.

Manufacturing Technology

Our capability includes:

Over the years we have refined membrane technology and processing to develop advanced permeable membranes such as ceramic and polymer membranes.

Today our membranes are widely used in industrial processes for separating gaseous or liquid streams.

• Membrane synthesis • Membrane reactors • Electroless plating • Gas permeation system • Disk-Sandpack permeameter • Composites manufacturing • Polymer processing

Accessing RGU’s facilities is usually more cost effective than investing in your own equipment. However, should you require your own kit, speak to our team as we may also be able to create this for you.

“Axiom Process Ltd. recently approached RGU for assistance with a material testing investigation as part of a larger research and development project being carried out by the company. The project was completed successfully and throughout its duration the company benefited from: • An easily contactable, dedicated and knowledgeable RGU project team; • Regular face-to-face ‘design reviews’ to discuss project progress and agree next steps; • A confidential, knowledge-sharing relationship between both teams; • A well equipped test laboratory, with a willingness to purchase new equipment as required to facilitate the planned testing.

Based on the company’s experience throughout this project, Axiom would certainly recommend the RGU School of Engineering’s services and would be very happy to gain their assistance again when future needs arise.”

Scott Bichan Engineering Services Manager Axiom Process Ltd.

To discuss your requirements, please contact us for a consultation appointment: James Njuguna 01224 262304 Catherine Reid 01224 262302 MaterialsTesting@rgu.ac.uk www.rgu.ac.uk/materialstesting School of Engineering The Sir Ian Wood Building Robert Gordon University Garthdee Road Aberdeen AB10 7GJ