A versatile and easy to use materials tester, the twin-column OmniTest is available in 10 kN, 25 kN and 50 kN capacities.
Controlled by VectorPro MT, Mecmesin's newly developed materials testing software is designed for use in QC and R&D laboratories.
Lower capacity models of 5 kN and 7.5 kN are available in the OmniTest single-column range.
OmniTest test frame
A motorized test frame is driven by twin ballscrews featuring dual columns and designed to apply tension and compression from 2 N right up to a capacity of 50 kN (11000 lbf).
Its versatile construction makes it perfectly suited for testing all kinds of materials in quality control or R&D environment.
Overview
To suit your materials testing requirements the OmniTest range is available as a single-column materials tester (5 kN or 7.5 kN) and as 3 models of a dual-column tester (10 kN, 25 kN and 50 kN).
They have been designed for versatility and ease of use thus appealing to users of varying skills and experience. They all fit comfortably on your bench-top, making them ideal for use in QC and R&D laboratories.
All OmniTest models are controlled by VectorPro-MT software running on a PC. They deliver both consistency and reliability by controlling the key test parameters of stress/strain, force/displacement and speed/load rate.
Whether you need to know the Young's Modulus, Offset Yield, Ultimate Tensile Strength or a whole host of other materials characteristics, the OmniTest has it covered for you.
The twin-column OmniTest testing system comprises five key elements:
Test frame
The twin-column OmniTest materials testers feature dual-columns containing twin-ballscrews, which drive a solid crosshead to which an ELS loadcell is attached. This ensures excellent rigidity and strength whilst their intuitive controls make them easy to use, even for novice operators.
The construction of these twin-column materials testers provides the crosshead travel required for conducting high-elongation tensile tests whilst also delivering the strength capability for high-load break tests on rigid materials.
All models are ideal for general-purpose testing of specimens to determine their tension, compression, flexure, shear and fracture characteristics.
Protective bellows guarantee that dust and splintered materials cannot become trapped inside the machine. Upper and lower safety limit switches minimize the risk of accidental damage caused by grips colliding.
For operator safety, a range of protective shields/enclosures is available in situations where specimens may shatter or create projectiles upon failure.
Designed to apply tensile and compressive forces from 2N right up to a capacity of 50 kN their high-quality construction, manufactured under ISO 9001 quality standards, ensures the ultimate in repeatable materials testing.
When seeking to precisely measure forces across a wide range it is often necessary to use multiple loadcells. The crosshead design of the OmniTest ensures the operator minimizes set-up time by quickly and easily sliding on a new loadcell, which is automatically recognized by the software.
For higher load applications the loadcells are fitted with a simple bolt connection.
The base plate of the OmniTest is pre-drilled with threaded holes to directly accept a wide range of grips and fixtures.
It also accepts the quick-change (QC) adaptors which speed up the interchange of grips when you need to perform a variety of different tests on different geometries of material.
Make use of your own PC to run its software and take advantage of its versatility to make it your ideal choice for materials testing up to 50kN.
Loadcells
The ELS range of high-resolution, precision loadcells is specially adapted to the OmniTest.
They are fully interchangeable and plugged into the frame, where their calibration characteristics are immediately recognized by the tester without any input from the operator.
Eighteen different sensors, all measuring from zero, are available to cover the range from 2 N up to 50 kN.
This ensures that you have the optimum selection to meet all your tension and compression testing needs. Measurement accuracy is an outstanding ±0.5% of displayed reading.
Each ELS sensor is delivered as a standard with its own calibration certificate traceable to national standards.
Software
VectorPro MT materials testing software is at the heart of the OmniTest materials testers.
VectorPro MT delivers outstanding control of the motor, whilst simultaneously collecting data at 500 Hz from the ELS loadcell and displacement encoder of the frame.
The software is intuitive for both operators and managers. Personalized user accounts and a streamlined design mean that the workflow is simple and creating step-by-step test methods according to the precise requirements of your testing procedures is easy.
Access to the most commonly used test methods enables operators to move seamlessly from task to task, and keep training time to a minimum.
By plotting stress/strain data in real-time on a graph the operator can immediately identify exactly how the test material is performing. Preset materials testing calculations are used to analyze the data to determine whether the specimen has met the pass/fail criteria.
Use the power of VectorPro MT to calculate Young's Modulus, Offset Yield, Ultimate Tensile Strength, Nominal Strain and a whole host of other materials characteristics.
At the end of the test, the comprehensive reporting module within VectorPro MT enables the operator to issue a test report as a PDF. Reports can be easily tailored to your customer's exact requirements and automatically emailed to them. Test data can also be exported to Excel or to the network for further analysis.
VectorPro MT generates a clear audit trail with electronic-signature functionality - a must for medical and pharmaceutical clients seeking compliance with FDA 21 CFR Part 11.
Extension measurement
When testing the extension or compressive deformation of a specimen it is often acceptable to measure the movement of the load cell and grips, as defined by the crosshead distance traveled (known as 'Grip Separation').
This is taken directly from encoders situated on the ballscrews of the OmniTest.
VectorPro MT software compensates for movement encountered within the loadcell and grip string (known also as 'Correction for Machine Compliance') but it cannot be as accurate as measuring extension directly upon the specimen.
For materials requiring extension measurement to be taken directly on the specimen, a range of contact extensometers is available for use with the OmniTest.
The range of contact extensometers includes short-travel extensometers suitable for rigid materials (e.g. hard plastics and metals) through to long-travel extensometers designed for highly elastic materials (e.g. rubbers or soft plastics).
Simply select the model which best suits your material characteristics.
OmniTest Series comparison table