Impact Testing Facility
The impact testing facility consists of:
- A gas cannon that operates with pressurized nitrogen
- A protective polycarbonate chamber, practically bulletproof
- High-speed imaging apparatus, up to 500k fps.
Structural Health Monitoring Lab
The facility is capable of:
- Ultra High Frequency signal generation and acquisition systems (1-10MHz)
- High Frequency (1-10MHz) amplifier for active piezoceramic sensor pairs
- High-speed 3D digital image correlations (DIC) providing data for full-field deformation and strain distributions
- Laser Doppler Vibrometer (Polytek) non-conduct sensor with high velocity and displacement resolution, and high sampling-frequency (300ksamples/sec)
Coupon Fabrication & Characterization Facility
The Group is experienced in:
- Coupon Fabrication with the Resin Transfer Mold Method (RTM)
- Material Characterization considering established standards (ASTM, etc.)
Shape Memory Alloys & Morphing Structures Lab
The Shape Memory Alloys & Morphing Structures Lab is employed for:
- Thermomechanical testing and stabilization of SMA actuators
- Active Shape and Vibration Control
- High-speed, high-precision dynamic data acquisition systems
Experimental Vibration Analysis (EVA) Facility
- Acceleration (1D and 3D), force, strain and temperature measurements
- Impact force excitation through a range of impact hammers (miniature to heavy)
- Continuous force excitation (6lb and 50lb electromagnetic shakers)
- 8- and 4- channel high-speed dynamic data acquisition & spectral analyzer systems
- Modal frequency, damping and mode shapes measurement
- Composite Damping Characterization
Poling Facility
In-situ poling facility for multi-material FFF-printed PVDF piezopolymer films, enabling the activation of their piezoelectric response directly after fabrication.
- High-voltage supply (0–10 kV) for electric-field poling
- Contact or Corona Poling
- Temperature-controlled poling (60–80 °C)
- Silicon oil bath for electrical insulation during high-voltage application (Contact Poling)
- Performance characterization of poled elements as actuators (laser Doppler vibrometry)
