Testing Research
Metal can be tested in a variety of ways. One could perform a chemical analysis, mechanical testing, fracture mechanics, metallurgical testing, corrosion testing, nondestructive testing, or specimen preparation. However, these are only umbrella terms and there are far more specific tests one could perform on the metal. We, as non-professionals, do not have the materials to do any of these tests, but we can do what the bench is made for: sit on it. This is our version of tensile testing. Tensile testing is when you load weights on the product to test its limit.
Prototype Testing Plan
- Incremental Testing Summary: Through out building we insured that the metal coil would heat up adequately.
- Testing Date: January 9th
- Testing Location: The welding room
- Purpose: These tests will ensure that the heating component works and that the cover keeps out precipitation.
- Initial Conditions: We need a sample piece of the nichrome wire to see how warm it gets and also a piece of the cover, made with the boards and the canvas.
- Materials: We need: a power source, alligator clips, a hollow 1*4in. steel bar, coiled nichrome, a safe surface to test upon, a water bottle, a spray nozzle.
- Pass or Fail Criteria: The nichrome will fail if it doesn't go above 85 degrees, and the cover will fail if moisture drops through the canvas.
- Procedures:
- Heating:
- Cut out about 6 feet of nichrome and coil it so that it is about 2 feet long.
- Insert the coil into the bar and attach the alligator clips to each end, plug the other ends into the dc power source.
- Turn the power source on and wait about 8 minutes.
- Record the temperature using the digital thermometer.
- Coverage:
- Prop the cover up so that it is suspended in the air.
- Spray the top with the water
- Pay attention to how much water goes through the cover.
- Record the data
- Safety Considerations: Make sure the wire does not get to hot and burns something/someone.
- Data: The heating test will record quantitative data in the form of degrees Fahrenheit. The cover test will yield qualitative data by observing how much water comes through
- Data Collection Graph or Sheet:
- Heating:
Expert Feedback:
- "Those seems like pretty good tests for your product!"--Rick Stephens
- "Seems sound to me!"--Mr. Dave
- Instructor Comments and Signature: Mrs. Zienty suggested using logger pro to get good graphs of our data.