FIELD

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for performing stress tests on materials.

BACKGROUND

Various material properties can only be determined reliably after lengthy testing. Such tests may take days, months, or years, which requires great consistency in the test environment and test apparatus over that length of time to yield reliable measurements. Ensuring consistency can be particularly complicated when destructive tests are required, as the completion of one lifetime analysis can affect an ongoing lifetime analysis of another sample and small variations in test conditions across several samples can negatively affect the accuracy of the associated lifetime analyses.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a device in one aspect, the device including: a frame; a first upper clamp and a second upper clamp hanging from the frame; a first stack line, including: a first lower clamp aligned with the first upper clamp; and a first weight platform configured to carry a first user-defined amount of weight; a second stack line, including: a second lower clamp aligned with the second upper clamp; and a second weight platform configured to carry a second user-defined amount of weight; and a tensioning platform configured to uniformly move the first weight platform and the second weight platform between: a first distance relative to the first upper clamp and the second upper clamp; and a second distance, greater than the first distance, relative to the first upper clamp and the second upper clamp.

In one aspect, in combination with any example device above or below, the device further includes: a separator connected to the frame between at least a portion of the first weight platform and a portion of the second weight platform.

In one aspect, in combination with any example device above or below, the device further includes: a pad disposed between the tensioning platform and the first stack line, the pad further comprising: a cushioning layer configured to mitigate a force of impact from the first stack line on the tensioning platform; and a non-stick layer disposed between the cushioning layer and the first stack line configured to prevent the first stack line from adhering to the cushioning layer.

In one aspect, in combination with any example device above or below, the first weight platform and the second weight platform are each configurable to carry a variable amount of weight.

In one aspect, in combination with any example device above or below, the first stack line and the second stack line are of a uniform height.

In one aspect, in combination with any example device above or below, the device further includes: a chamber in which the frame is located that is configured to maintain a predefined atmosphere and maintain a predefined temperature.

In one aspect, in combination with any example device above or below, the first upper clamp and the first lower clamp are configured to hold a first sample under a first tension applied via the first weight platform when the tensioning platform is positioned at the second distance; and the second upper clamp and the second lower clamp are configured to hold a second sample under a second tension applied via the second weight platform when the tensioning platform is positioned at the second distance.

In one aspect, in combination with any example device above or below, the first upper clamp is held from a first rail of the frame at a first height relative to the tensioning platform; the second upper clamp is held from a second rail of the frame at a second height, less than the first height, relative to the tensioning platform; the first stack line is a first length; and the second stack line is a second length less than the first length.

The present disclosure provides a system in one aspect, the system including: a first sample held at a first upper end by a first upper clamp and held at a first lower end by a first lower clamp; a second sample held at a second upper end by a second upper clamp and held at a second lower end by a second lower clamp; a first stack line connected to the first lower clamp and to a first predefined amount of weight; a second stack line connected to the second lower clamp and to a second predefined amount of weight; and a tensioning platform configured to move between: a first position at which a first tension based on the first predefined amount of weight is applied to the first sample via the first stack line and a second tension based on the second predefined amount of weight is applied via the second stack line to the second sample; and a second position at which the first tension is removed from the first sample and the second tension is removed from the second sample.

In one aspect, in combination with any example system above or below, the tensioning platform is configured remove slack from the first sample and the second sample at a uniform rate when moved from the second position to the first position.

In one aspect, in combination with any example system above or below, the tensioning platform further comprises: a pad disposed between the tensioning platform and the first stack line, the pad having a non-stick layer configured to prevent the first stack line from adhering to the pad.

In one aspect, in combination with any example system above or below, the tensioning platform includes a selectively removable lever, the lever being configured to provide a mechanical advantage in moving the tensioning platform between the first position and the second position.

In one aspect, in combination with any example system above or below, the first upper clamp, the second upper clamp, and the tensioning platform are mounted in a frame.

In one aspect, in combination with any example system above or below, the system further includes: a separator disposed between the first stack line and the second stack line.

In one aspect, in combination with any example system above or below, the first predefined amount of weight is different from the second predefined amount of weight.

In one aspect, in combination with any example system above or below, the system further includes: a chamber containing a controlled atmosphere at a controlled temperature in which the first sample and the second sample are located.

The present disclosure provides a method in one aspect, the method including: loading a first predefined amount of weight on a first stack line; loading a second predefined amount of weight on a second stack line; positioning the first stack line and the second stack line on a tensioning platform in alignment with a first upper clamp and a second upper clamp respectively when the tensioning platform is a first distance away from the first upper clamp and the second upper clamp; clamping a first sample to a first lower clamp of the first stack line and the first upper clamp; clamping a second sample to a second lower clamp of the second stack line and the second upper clamp; and moving the tensioning platform to a second distance away from the first upper clamp and the second upper clamp that is greater than the first distance such that the first stack line and the second stack line are suspended above the tensioning platform to apply a first tension to the first sample based on the first predefined amount of weight and a second tension to the second sample based on the second predefined amount of weight.

In one aspect, in combination with any example method above or below, the method further includes: in response to one of the first sample and the second sample breaking, generating an alert.

In one aspect, in combination with any example method above or below, the method further includes: in response to one of the first sample and the second sample breaking, dissipating a force of impact to a non-broken sample via a pad disposed on the tensioning platform.

In one aspect, in combination with any example method above or below, the method further includes: maintaining the first sample and the second sample at a predefined atmosphere and temperature for a predefined amount of time while the tensioning platform is located the second distance away from the first upper clamp and the second upper clamp.

