The WinCCS system is a complete creep and stress rupture laboratory testing system relied on by most users to perform all facets of laboratory management and testing. In addition, the software has a proven record of continuous development and functionality updates, ensuring all aspects of the system remain up-to-date.
WinCCS meets or exceeds the following international standards:
- ASTM E4 Force Verification of Testing Machines (this applies to load-control and weight-based testing machines)
- ASTM E8 Tension Testing of Metallic Materials (tube area calculations only)
- ASTM E74 Calibration of Force-Measuring Instruments for Verifying the Forces Indication of Testing Materials (partial compliance for force measurement in the load control processes of the WinCCS hardware)
- ASTM E83 Verification and Classification of Extensometers
- ASTM E139 Conducting Creep, Creep-Rupture and Stress Rupture Tests of Metallic Materials
- ASTM E230 Temperature-Electromotive Force (EMF) Tables
- ASTM E292 Conducting Time-for-Rupture Notch Tension Tests of Materials
- ASTM E633 Use of Thermocouples in Creep and Stress Rupture Testing to 1800 °F in air
- ITS-90 International Temperature Scale 1990 revision
- Pratt Whitney K-72 and K-164
- GE S-400 in Creep and Stress Rupture testing sections (except for GE’s axiality testing)
Complete Multi-Zone Furnace Control
The WinCCS control hardware incorporates complete and independent multi-zone temperature control for up to three furnaces.
The system controls temperature directly utilizing the specimen monitoring thermocouples and automatically corrects the zone differentials to maintain a uniform temperature across the specimen.
Specimen temperatures are continuously logged throughout the test, and the measurements meet the requirements of ASTM 633 (an accuracy of ± 0.5 °C or ± 0.9 °F on J and K thermocouples across an ambient temperature range of 15 °C to 35 °C or 60 °F to 95 °F).
Full Load Control for Stress Rupture and Creep
The WinCCS system includes full load control options allowing users to upgrade existing frames by incorporating a load cell alongside relatively simple hardware modifications.
The WinCCS full load-control system brings the following benefits:
- Specimen loading occurs immediately after the specimen soaking, allowing the test to be loaded and initiated without the presence of an operator, hence saving time.
- The creep hot stepped loading procedure is performed automatically, eliminating the risk of slipped weights causing excessive plastic strain and invalidating the test.
- Stress rupture uploads are performed automatically, without an operator.
- Constant stress, constant strain, and stress relaxation testing support (the newest feature of WinCCS) complies with the ASTM E328 standard for stress relaxation testing.
Support for Notched, Plain and Combination Specimens
When testing notch specimens with associated plains, the specifications commonly allow the test to be terminated based on plain hours, saving considerable testing time. The WinCCS system incorporates a complete understanding of these interrelated tests.
A notch specimen can be referenced to the associated plain specimen by frame number, test ID, or actual plain specimen hours. The notch can then be terminated once the hours of the associated plain specimen are reached. This data can be called up as a single or combined report.
The system is designed to directly manage all aspects of combination specimen testing. When a combination specimen terminates, a rupture location is requested by the system.
In the event of a notch rupture, the operator is given the option to rethread the specimen. This option automatically queues the specimen into the restart queue, and it is sent to the machine shop for rethreading before being returned to the laboratory.
The specimen can be initiated at any time in the laboratory for completion, after which a complete record of the related tests is generated.
Additionally, the system enables the operator to split an associated plain and notch specimen into two tests on separate frames, which are cross-referenced in the software.
Data Accuracy and Integrity
The standard WinCCS hardware has a high-speed creep data acquisition rate of up to 16 readings per second. This allows for the testing of very high creep rate specimens and accurate tracking of initial specimen creep.
The operator controls the acquisition rate and has two settings: initial creep rate and secondary creep rate. Also accessible in the test specification is a user-defined time to remain in the initial creep rate.
The standard onboard battery-backed RAM of the WinCCS frame controller buffers more than 9000 readings for transmission to the host computer. Memory expansion can increase this to over 35,000 readings (36 minutes at 16 readings per second).
This buffering technology also saves readings in the battery-backed-up RAM during power failures. Assuming a more common reading rate of one per minute is implemented, a standard WinCCS frame controller has sufficient RAM to buffer up to six days of readings without operator intervention.
Smooth Loading Check
A built-in algorithm separates plastic from creep strain, enabling tests to be rejected until the specimen has been loaded sufficiently. This may be examined in real-time, and a long-term test may be halted if the specimen is badly loaded, saving valuable testing time.
The WinCCS system fully supports step loading of creep tests from the specimen's initial loading. Individual stress and strain application steps are recorded and saved in the test file during the loading operation.
Once loaded, the specimen modulus is completed, and the data are examined for yielding. If yielding is detected, the degree of plastic deformation is recorded and saved.
The system stores the plastic deformation during loading as a separate value from the creep, making creep or total plastic strain data available at any time. The system flags excessive plastic strain values and nonlinear stress or strain loading curves.
Data Protection
Data cannot be lost or misplaced due to the distributed processor architecture of the system. Data buffers on each frame allow data to be captured for up to six days before downloading to the PC.
After six days, the data buffer management allows data to continue to be downloaded but with a loss of time-based resolution. In the event of PC failure, the system will continue to log data and control the tests for up to six days, allowing time to amend the PC issue.
Local Hardware Interface
A fully functional hardware is available at each test frame, helping to minimize frame identification errors and saving the operator time. In addition, help is available on the panel at each frame.
Large Customer Base
WinCCS systems are actively used by metals suppliers, aircraft engine manufacturers, and independent testing laboratories worldwide. Many of these have benefited from continuous product development and regular upgrades.
The thousands of hours of testing and the large customer base boasted by WinCCS mean that, upon installation, researchers will have access to a proven system implemented in laboratories worldwide.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Applied Test Systems, LLC.
For more information on this source, please visit Applied Test Systems, LLC.