Microscale Mechanical Properties Testing and Simulation

Characterization of mechanical properties at a micro and nano scale has become increasingly important for manufactured parts, though facilities with accurate and state-of-the-art equipment are scarce, expensive and not always available. For this reason, equipment already in use for traditional characterization can be used to analyze micro and even nano phenomena if calculations and simulations are combined with models representing testing procedures, such as hardness indentation or micro-machining of bending beams. The understanding of the interaction between phases in the material and more accurate finite element models of grains or precipitates with different geometries can contribute in measuring the behavior of very small zones of a manufactured part and design quality control or inspection protocols.