Copyright © 2011 Fischer-Cripps Laboratories Pty Ltd. .
PO Box 9 Forestville, Sydney NSW Australia 2087
mail@ibisonline.com.au

Standards-quality nanoindentation instruments

Academic Services

Need specialist help or calculations for your contact and indentation testing applications? From routine calculations to detailed modelling and analysis, our expertise can be leveraged for your problem. Perhaps we can help you today.

We can can perform calculations of elastic stress fields based on linear elasticity for a variety of axis-symmetric contact problems. Spherical, conical and cylindrical punch indenters can be modelled in this way very efficiently. Contours of maximum stress are usually produced that show regions of maximum tensile stress (for crack initiation) and maximum shear stress (for plastic deformation).

Hertzian stress calculations

Our unique Virtual Nanoindenter provides samples of some of the work available using this technique. By modelling the indentation curve, using material properties as inputs, matching with an experimental result can often times provide better estimates of quantities such as hardness and elastic modulus, and in some cases, yield strength. The full capability of this technique extends to modelling of the "effective indenter" shape (power law indenter).

Indentation curve simulation

Finite element analysis

We can model an axis-symmetric contact problem of any geometry - plasticity included. Output consists of text files of requested stresses and displacements and contour maps. Our unique automated method means that we can prepare the mesh geometry in a few minutes saving hours of time in manual preparation.

Indentation and creep analysis

If you require an independent analysis of your load-displacement curve, we can help. Analysis can include area function correction, compliance, initial penetration, and power law unloading fitting. We also can analyse creep curves using a powerful non-linear iterative solver capable of handling up to four spring and dashpot elements.