Universal Testing Machine

Biopdi, a Brazilian manufacturer of materials testing equipment founded in 2010 and based in São Carlos (SP), known as Brazil's National Capital of Technology. The company designs and builds both the machine and the software using its own technology and is ISO 9001 certified.

There are 15 capacities, from 200 N to 1,000 kN (45 to 224,809 lbf), across eight electromechanical frames. The portable frame comes in 200 N, 500 N or 1 kN. The single-column frame comes in 2, 5 or 10 kN, in standard and extended-stroke versions. The benchtop dual-column frames come in 5, 10, 20, 30 or 50 kN and in 100, 150 or 200 kN. The floor-standing frames come in 300, 600 and 1,000 kN. At 5 and 10 kN you can choose from three frames, depending on the specimen size.

Start from the maximum test force, which is the cross-sectional area of the specimen times the strength of the material. Films, wires, tapes, foams and rubbers fall between 1 and 10 kN. Standard metallic specimens, welded joints and composites call for 50 kN. CA-50 rebar (a Brazilian reinforcing steel grade) breaks at about 121 kN for a 16 mm bar, 295 kN for 25 mm and 483 kN for 32 mm, which points to 200, 300 or 600 kN. Then check that the vertical crosshead travel and the test space width can take your largest specimen.

Tensile, compression, three-point and four-point flexural, shear, bend, cupping, pull-out, bond, tape peel and coefficient of friction tests, plus custom tests with fixtures developed for the application. Hardness, impact and torsion tests require their own dedicated equipment.

It meets ABNT NBR (Brazilian), ISO, ASTM and DIN standards for tensile, compression, flexural, shear, bend and cupping tests, such as ISO 6892-1 (ABNT NBR ISO 6892-1 in Brazil) and ASTM E8/E8M for metals. Force measurement is class 1 accurate according to ISO 7500-1:2023 (ABNT NBR ISO 7500-1:2023 in Brazil), which is what most test standards require.

Benchtop models range from 200 N to 200 kN and sit on a laboratory bench, which should be reinforced for the dual-column models. Floor-standing models, from 300 to 1,000 kN, are self-supporting, weigh from 1,220 to 3,500 kg and need a floor designed for the load.

Benchtop models run on 220 V and floor-standing models on a 220 V three-phase supply, always at 60 Hz.

BioLab, developed by Biopdi. It runs on a computer with Windows 10 or later, connected to the machine via USB or serial port, works without an internet connection and supports touchscreens with an on-screen keyboard. It sets up, runs and analyzes the test and generates reports in PDF, HTML and CSV.

The warranty is 1 year against manufacturing defects, and technical service is available throughout Brazil. The machine comes with an instruction manual and stores its calibration data in its own memory, independent of the computer.

Yes. Biopdi develops the machine with its own technology, so capacity, stroke, fixtures and software can be adapted to the test. Grips and fixtures for specific standards and custom applications are also developed to order.

The price depends on the configuration: capacity and frame, number of load cells, extensometer, the grips and fixtures required by the laboratory's standards, control type, and installation and training services. That is why it is sent as a proposal, based on the test you need to run.

If the laboratory only tests concrete, mortar or block specimens, a compression testing machine is the right equipment. If it tests steel or polymers, or needs more than one type of test, such as tensile and flexural, a universal testing machine handles them all with the same frame.