Application note
How to Choose a Universal Testing Machine
Choosing a universal testing machine by test force, frame type, accuracy class, test speed, grips, and test temperature, with the matching Vector Tesla Series models.
A universal testing machine (UTM) runs tensile, compression, bending, peel, and shear tests on one frame by changing grips and fixtures. Picking the right one starts with the specimens you will test, not with the machine. This note walks through the questions to answer before you ask for a quote.
1. Required test force
Find the highest force your strongest specimen will need and add a margin. A load cell works best in the upper part of its range, so a machine that is far too large for your specimens measures small forces less precisely.
| Typical specimens | Force range | Vector model |
|---|---|---|
| Films, foils, thin plastics, textiles, small components | Up to 2 kN | Benchtop UTM 0.5–2 kN |
| Plastics, rubber, composites, thin metal sheet, wire | 5–50 kN | UTM 5–50 kN |
| Metal bars and plates, fasteners, welded joints | 100–300 kN | UTM 100–300 kN |
| Reinforcing steel, large structural specimens, concrete | Above 300 kN | Hydraulic UTM |
2. Frame type
- Single column: the 0.5–2 kN benchtop machine. Compact and easy to load, suited to low forces.
- Dual column: the 5–50 kN and 100–300 kN floor-standing machines. The stiffer frame keeps the load aligned at higher forces.
- Servo-hydraulic: the hydraulic UTM for the highest forces, where an electromechanical drive is no longer practical.
3. Accuracy class
Most test standards ask for force measurement verified to ISO 7500-1 or ASTM E4. Class 1 is the usual requirement; Class 0.5 gives extra margin. The Vector electromechanical models are specified to Class 0.5 (±0.5 %). Ask for the verification certificate to be part of the delivery.
4. Test speed
Check the speed range your standards require. Metals tested to ISO 6892-1 need slow, well-controlled strain rates; plastics to ISO 527 or ASTM D638 use higher crosshead speeds; quick return speeds shorten the time between specimens.
5. Strain measurement
Crosshead displacement is enough for elongation at break on many plastics. Modulus, proof stress, and yield measurements on metals need an extensometer. Decide early between clip-on and video extensometers, because it affects the working space you need.
6. Grips and fixtures
The grip decides whether the specimen breaks where it should. Choose by specimen shape and force: wedge grips for metals, pneumatic grips for films and plastics, and bending or compression fixtures for those test types. The grips and fixtures catalogue and the grip selection guide cover this in detail.
7. Test temperature
If your standard requires testing hot or cold, plan for an environmental chamber from the start. It sets the space between the columns and the length of the grip rods. See the UTM with environmental chamber.
Before you ask for a quote
Send us the list of standards, the specimen types and sizes, the highest expected force, and whether you need an extensometer or a chamber. With that we can propose a machine, grips, and software set-up that fits your tests.