DIY Tensile Tester (Part 1)

This is my DIY Tensile Testing Machine for (hopefully) Under $500! Loosely based on the FreeLoader project from Columbia University, I'm building a stepper motor and S-beam load cell tensile tester to break stuff and make data!
FreeLoader Website: www.creativema...
SendCutSend (where I got my gears cut): sendcutsend.co...
For 15% off on select PPI2Pass products (no coupon code needed), click the following link: ppi2pass.com/e...
Check out my website at structed.org/ for articles on other topics!

[@TheSorters]

This is a great idea, I hope you can revisit when you have more time. I am thinking of something similar, using a Harbor Freight 20 ton press, load cell and extensometer for strain measurement. I am looking at strength and stiffness improvement for graphene in plastics

[@sreyashgupta219]

00:05 PPi to pass offers a 15% discount and a reference manual for passing engineering exams.
02:25 Creating a DIY tensile tester for under $500
04:36 Finding affordable gears for the build was a challenge, experimenting with 3D printing and sand casting proved unsuccessful.
06:35 Using 3/8 6061-T6 aluminum for the DIY Tensile Tester.
08:35 The NEMA 34 stepper motor is much stronger than the NEMA 17 motor.
10:59 The DIY Tensile Tester will have a larger cross piece on top with a window for the body and a hole for the shaft.
13:15 A DIY Tensile Tester is designed to measure force and displacement.
15:22 DIY Tensile Tester for testing materials and gathering data on their properties.
17:21 Reconfiguring the mounting holes and considering using heavier tube and jam nuts

[@李杉杉-v3b]

Thank you very much for sharing! I have a short question: why did you place the test frame vertically instead of horizontally? In this case you can avoid the top part being too heavy.

[@StructEdOrg]

Thanks for the interest! I'm looking to have this be primarily used in tension, and in that configuration you're right that horizontal wouldn't be a big deal, but I'm also looking to perhaps make some compression tests as well, in which case thin materials could be unduly influenced by gravity.

[@hamedmoudani4175]

I would advise you to put the motor on the bottom and the loadcell on top
You want your tensile tester to be bottom heavy, not the opposite
I work on tensile tester
I really like your project
If you need help or advice let me know I would be glad to help you

[@StructEdOrg]

Hamed, good tip, this one has fallen a bit into the weeds as I moved and have been studying for the SE exam, but hope to get back to it soon with Send Cut Send files linked for anyone who wants to copy it!

[@winksaville]

How did the gears turn out?

[@StructEdOrg]

Thanks for the interest Wink, I have this project tabled at the moment, a casualty of moving and studying for the SE exam, but picked up a milling machine at auction and some other tooling recently, so hoping to get back into it in the spring! If all goes well, I'll drop some parts lists and Send Cut Send design files for anyone looking to build along

[@nasilangit_]

Part 2?

[@StructEdOrg]

unfortunately still in the making. Life has gotten crazy and I haven't made it to the steel yard yet, though I have most of the other components on-hand. Also working on a CNC router to help finish the job, but the plans for that I purchased have been absolutely horrible, so it's taking much longer than expected.

[@jatmo6991]

@@StructEdOrg hope to see it built soon.