Thermo-mechanical experiment to measure the formability of aluminum sheet metal through the Forming Limit Curve (FLC) according to the Nakajima test procedure

Advanced experimental method for determining the FLC of sheet aluminum and thereby the formability limits of the material. Our equipment allows testing a wide range of thicknesses (0.1 – 4 mm), temperatures (20 – 600 °C), and punch speeds (5 – 300 mm/s) to obtain accurate material data to use in finite element (FE) simulations of forming procedures where geometry assurance is of essence. The Nakajima tests are performed in a specially designed tool with the possibility of heating the punch, die, and blank holder independently to study the influence of temperature in the formability of the material.

The Nakajima tests are conducted using a hydraulic press with 1200 tons of force capacity at the RISE Stamping and Forming Center located in Olofström, Sweden. The FLC of the material is produced after testing seven different geometries that can be extracted from the sheet in different directions with respect to the rolling direction, for instance, longitudinal (0°), transverse (90°), and diagonal (45°). The deformation and strains of the material are measured using the digital image correlation (DIC) system ARAMIS™, which is an optical three-dimensional (3D) deformation measurement equipment used to obtain the distribution and evolution of strains on the surface of the material during the whole test. The strain measurement range varies between 0.01% and several 100%. For sheet materials with greater variation in their mechanical properties, i.e., recycled aluminum, several repetition tests can be performed to capture the forementioned variation. 

Naturally, if you have any requests beyond our current offer, you are most welcome to get in touch and discuss it with us. We are here to help!

According to agreement

According to agreement

The test material should be clearly marked with rolling direction

Metallic materials - Sheet and strip - Determination of forming limit curves - Part 2: Determination of forming-limit curves in laboratory (ISO/DIS 12004-2)

Thermo-mechanical uniaxial tensile test of aluminum sheet metal

Efficient and quality assured experimental method for determining the thermo-mechanical properties of sheet aluminum with the aim of obtaining the most accurate input data to finite element (FE) simulations. Our equipment provides the possibility of testing a wide range of sheet thicknesses (0.5 – >3 mm), temperatures (20 – 1000 °C), and strain rates (0.00025 – 2 s⁻¹) that, combined with our advanced testing and evaluation methods, give a unique opportunity to enhance the accuracy of FE simulations of multiple manufacturing processes, such as forming, welding, and additive manufacturing (AM). There is also the possibility of applying specific thermal cycles or a heat treatment to the material before testing to mimic the conditions of the manufacturing method studied. In addition, the test results can also be used for material and batch comparisons when investigating solutions for problems in production. An accurate prediction of the material behavior improves cost efficiency by reducing the need for physical prototyping and leads to a better quality of the product.

The uniaxial tensile tests are conducted on samples extracted from the sheet in three directions with respect to the rolling direction, that is, longitudinal (0°), transverse (90°), and diagonal (45°). The tests are performed using a hydraulic MTS tensile test machine with 100 kN load capacity at the RISE Stamping and Forming Center located in Olofström, Sweden. The deformation and strains of the material can be measured using a combination of different techniques depending on the desired level of accuracy, for instance a video extensometer or the digital image correlation (DIC) system ARAMIS™, which is an optical three-dimensional (3D) deformation measurement equipment used to obtain the distribution and evolution of strains on the surface of the material during the whole test. Both systems can measure a wide range of strains, from 0.01% to several 100%. 

Naturally, if you have any requests beyond our current offer, you are most welcome to get in touch and discuss it with us. We are here to help!

Results delivered according to agreement.

According to agreement

The test material should be clearly marked with rolling direction

Metallic materials – Tensile testing – Part 1: Method of test at room temperature (ISO 6892-1:2016)

Metallic materials – Tensile testing – Part 2: Method of test at elevated temperature (ISO 6892‑2:2018)

With the help of TEM, materials can be analysed on the nanometer- to micrometer-scale, which can be useful either as a complementary technique or as preparation and sample screening before experiments at large scale research infrastructure facilities. 

Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) we can analyse the structure of materials on length scales from several micrometres down to the atomic scale. We can image both soft materials like gels, emulsions, food or polymers, and hard materials like metals or concrete.

TEM is well suited as a complementary method to large-scale research infrastructure techniques, as it can be used to analyse specimens with high resolution in a conventional lab environment.

Specimen preparation
Since TEM requires thin specimens with a thickness of around 100 nm, specimen preparation is as important as the actual analysis. That is why we have equipment and competence for advanced specimen preparation of water- and fat-containing samples. Those include freeze fracturing, mica sandwich technique, plunge freezing, plastic embedding at -90°C or room temperature, and thin-slicing.

JEOL JEM-2100Plus
This TEM can be used for imaging of almost all types of materials but is optimised for soft materials and good image quality on low-contrast specimens. The high voltage can be varied between 80 and 200 kV, depending on the beam sensitivity of the specimen and requirements for resolution and contrast. At 200 kV the microscope reaches a resolution of 0.14 nanometre. Even scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) can be performed with a resolution of 1 nanometre.

Beam-sensitive specimens
The microscope is equipped with a TVIPS TemCam-XF416ES CMOS camera. This camera delivers high-resolution images with low levels of noise, high contrast and high framerates, and is therefore optimally suited for soft materials and beam-sensitive specimens.  The software is designed for imaging with low electron dose, so that the beam is only on the specimen while an image is taken. ​

3D imaging
Specimens can be analysed in three dimensions using tomography. The specimen is rotated between ± 70 degrees and the images are reconstructed using an advanced software to obtain a 3D model of the structure.

Cryo TEM
Water-containing samples, e.g., diluted solutions of nanoparticles, liposomes, fibres or micelles, can be vitrified (frozen) in liquid ethane and analysed using a dedicated cryo TEM specimen holder at around -180 °C. Even 3D tomography can be performed at cryogenic temperature.

Crystal structure
With electron diffraction the crystal structure of a sample or the degree of crystallinity in a heterogeneous sample can be probed locally. The crystal structure can even be used to manipulate the image contrast through bright-field- and dark-field imaging.

Measurement data (image sequences) and a report (Powerpoint) containing an analysis of the results. Of course, we adapt the delivery based on your requests and needs.

Delivery time depends on the scope of the analysis and booking status of the instrument.

Gain an insight into what consumers think when they evaluate your products; see what the consumers see.

Perhaps you have a new prototype product that you are about to launch but need to know if the consumers will like it or not, and if not what needs to change? Or maybe you want to find out what consumers are doing when they are interacting with products, it is useful to see what they see.

The best way to find out is to ask the consumers themselves. At RISE we have the competence to carry out consumer testing of products, be it food and beverages, or other things that are used by people in everyday lives.

By having this information, it will help decide whether you need to go back to the drawing board to make any required changes in your products, or it is ready to be launched.

We have various methods available at RISE to test consumers on your products:

Your products can be tested on how much consumers like them. This can be done when you would like to compare between for instance different formulations or against competitor products. Linked to this, we have the capability to test if any particular characteristic of your product is optimal. An example can be seen in food products, which can be advantageously tested from a sensory perspective through taste, aroma, and texture.

There are various methods that can measure preference available for use and RISE has the expertise to select the one that fits your questions the best.

Testing can be conducted in our sensory booth facilities or at the comfort of the consumers home to get the most suitable data for your needs. Especially for home use tests, we can assist with investigating how consumers use food products for example to gain behavioural understandings beyond preferences.

We can measure gazing behaviour and physical behaviour with the eyetracker to monitor how consumers are looking at products either in the laboratory or even in situ such as a supermarket. We also have the ability to monitor their behaviour at the point of interacting with products and couple this to questionnaires for further insights.

To understand how consumer preferences and behaviors have developed over time, RISE can help you gain customer insights through customised assignments and tests focused on specific markets or product categories.

Delivery of the results will be in a report format with an overview of the tested products as well as a longer report describing the method and the results. A report in the form of a presentation is also available as an option.

In a planned assignment it takes 4 weeks before the measure is conducted and analyzed. 

ASTM MNL63-EB/Feb. 2009 - Penalty analysis or mean drop analysis

ASTM MNL63-EB/Feb. 2009 - Structure and use of just-about-right scales

Gain understanding of how the perception of your products/samples change with time during consumption/usage.

The perception of food and beverages (and other non-food related products) change with time during consumption (usage). Sometimes such dynamic changes are what makes the products unique. By understanding how perception changes temporally the design of your products can be adjusted to how would like it to be. Several methods are available at RISE that would allow us to measure this for you.

Below is a list of methods which we can use with our sensory panel:

Time intensity: a classic method where the changes in the intensity of a specific attribute can be monitored with time with high resolution.

Progressive profiling: another method that is lower resolution compared to time intensity, but can measure perceived intensities of multiple attributes.

Temporal dominance of sensations (TDS): a method that can track at which time point is a particular sensory attribute dominant. Therefore it selects dominant attributes one at a time depending on how the sensory characteristics change.

A written report with a description of methods and results. A report in the form of a presentation is also available as an option.

In a planned assignment it takes 3-4 weeks before the measure is conducted and analyzed.

Wood rotting fungi are efficient degraders of wood-based materials in access to moisture. This service assesses the occurrence and distribution of microbial rot in various materials.

Wood and wood-based materials that are exposed to excess amounts of moisture are at risk of being degraded by certain types of fungi and bacteria. Microbial rot can affect the stability and strength of a material, as well as cause cracks in which other microorganisms can grow. Our service, analysis of rot on building materials, assesses the occurrence and distribution of rot in various materials. The service is used to analyse the degradation of building materials from buildings, constructions, and deep foundations with suspected degradation. Other materials can also be analysed, such as piles or separate wooden objects.

The service can also be used for status assessment of wooden foundations. Even wood that is used within its intended setting​​, such as in wooden foundations, is at risk of degradation due to wood rotting fungi if the exposure conditions in its environment change. Damages to foundations or built-in structural timber can go without detection for several years, as visible damages to overlying structures only appear when the affected material can no longer support its intended load. For larger construction projects with an impact on the local environment which risks exposing structures to increased degradation, it can therefore be beneficial to carry out an analysis of the status before start of construction. The analysis results can then be used as documentation, in case of a possible future dispute, for the condition of the foundation before the local environment change.

The analysis is carried out according to a well-proven method that is used both in Sweden and internationally. Decomposition of the material by wood rotting fungi and bacteria is assessed and quantified using a microscope. The scope of the attack is classified according to:

• No occurrence: no traces of degradation
• Sparse occurrence: initial degradation
• Moderate occurrence: established degradation
• Abundant occurrence: well-developed degradation
• Complete degradation: no healthy cells remain

The analysis results are presented in a written report, together with interpretation guidance. Note that the analysis provides a result that is indicative of the status of the analysed sample, not the entire construction. Suggestions for potential remediation efforts for the construction or the object can therefore not be made based solely on the analysis results. Wood rot analyses also cannot assess the mechanical strength of the sample as the relationship between decomposition and mechanical strength is not linear.

Normal delivery time for analysis results is 5–10 working days. Faster analysis results can, by agreement, be provided within 1–3 working days at a price of SEK +400 per sample.

Deviations may occur during holiday seasons.

Price 1730 SEK per sample, +400 SEK per sample for express delivery

Material samples are to be placed in a suitable container after sampling. Waterlogged samples should be packed with water so that they do not dry out, as cracking may then occur. The samples are preserved on arrival to prevent further degradation after sampling. If you have questions about how this should be done, contact Johanna Elam, tel. 010-516 57 78.

It is important that the sample is representative of the construction. The client is responsible for ensuring that this condition is met.

Samples are sent to: RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB, Johanna Elam, Box 857, 50115 Borås. If you need express analysis results, contact us beforehand via email.

Concrete Technology combines multidisciplinary knowledge from inorganic chemistry (binders), organic chemistry (additives) and geology (aggregate) providing the most used building material in the world. RRISE offerst services within design of climate optimized concrete, advanced testing and consulting for applications in engineering structures.

The primary challenge of the concrete industry worldwide and in Sweden is the climate transition to carbon-neutral production, resource efficiency, and extending of materials' life. Multiple new raw materials are being developed to be applied in concrete, but their compatibility and practical features concerning large-scale production are necessary to secure their success. Properties of concrete at the early stage including rheology, setting time, and strength development, but also temperature and load-dependent properties at the early stage are crucial for the final structure quality.

Offer includes support with the development and application of climate-improved concrete with alternative binders, recycled aggregate, and new additives (accelerators, water reduction, shrinkage reduction, etc.) through test mixes at our concrete station (mixers between 10 and 300 L).

RISE concrete testing lab in Borås offers almost all types of performance testing from strength (pressure, bending, cracking), resistance (chloride, frost, sulfite), advanced methods for fresh properties (rheometer, curing time with ultrasound, etc.), shrinkage (plastic, autogenous and dehydration).

The offer is complemented by expertise in construction technology with relevant standards (structural calculations, FEA modeling) and execution of concrete structures that may include alternative types of reinforcement, fiber, thermal treatment or analysis of massive structures.

We also offer the development of special materials such as foam concrete (thermal and sound insulation), high-performance concrete or photocatalytic surfaces, and concrete with nanoparticles.

Concrete receipts, reports from testing, consulting services (also at clients' premisses), and innovation partnership.

The purpose of fire testing of batteries is to investigate the safety and performance of a battery under various conditions. This is a kind of safety-critical testing that often leads to severe fire and, in some cases, explosion.

Before a battery is approved for use and put into service, it needs to be tested for fire testing and thermal propagation. This type of battery testing is an important part of battery development and is included in several battery standards.

What is fire testing of batteries?

Fire testing of a battery involves exposing the battery to open flames from an external fire for a period of time. This simulates a situation where the battery catches fire, which can occur during use. Such a situation could be, for example, in a vehicle crash or when there is a fire in a stationary energy store. An important part of fire tests is to see how the cells in a battery are protected by the enclosing casing.

We perform fire tests on batteries in our safety critical testing lab. The lab has a large capacity and can house testing objects up to the size of a full-scale vehicle. The lab has extra thick walls, thick reinforcement and steel doors, allowing us to safely handle testing up to 8 MW. As the test environment is indoors, the environment is controlled and constant, which allows for repeatable tests and reliable results.

We offer sustainable fire testing

Fire testing causes toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide, benzene and toluene. In addition to safely handling these toxic and flammable gases, we make sure to minimize the environmental impact of our testing. Flue and gas are taken care of in our unique flue gas cleaning facility. We collect the extinguishing water from the test, and separate hazardous particles and send them to a landfill. All to test in the most possible sustainable way. 

You will receive a digitally signed technical report with test results. The report can be delivered in either Swedish or English.

On our area page for batteries you can read more about our work within batteries.

Here you can read more about safety-critical battery testing at RISE.

UN ECE R100
GTR 20
GB38031-2020
KMVSS-Art 18-3
SAE J2464
UL2580

To immersion test batteries means immersing a battery in a liquid, and then evaluating how it is affected. After test, any damage to the battery is examined. This is important to ensure that batteries have sufficient protection against external impact.

Battery immersion is when a battery is immersed in a liquid for a time period from a few minutes to several days. During the test, the battery must not break, burn or explode. After the immersion, the battery is removed and accuartely examined for internal and external damage. The test results show the battery´s performance, stability and life span.

Why immersion test a battery?

The immersion test of batteries is done to check the battery's resistance to liquid short circuits, corrosion, and oxidization. Immersion tests ensure that the battery fulfills the usage requirements. Immersion is included in several different standards for batteries, for instance, in SAEJ2464, UL2580, and J2929.

Static immersion test

In static immersion tests, the battery is immersed in a liquid for a set period, often 24-48 hours. When the time has elapsed, the battery is removed and inspected for internal and external damage, such as corrosion, leakage, and oxidization. 

Cyclic immersion test

In the cyclic immersion test, the battery is immersed in a liquid for a set period. The battery is then removed and allowed to dry at room temperature. The immersion, retrieval, and drying sequence is repeated several times. 

Immersion test - High temperature

In the high-temperature immersion test, the battery is immersed in a high-temperature liquid. This will show if the battery can be used in a high-temperature environment.

Reliable immersion test results

By hiring RISE for immersion tests of batteries, you get access to tests in a controlled, indoor environment. This means that temperature, humidity and other environmental conditions are constant. The controlled climate ensures reliable results.

You get impartial immersion testing

Our testing is objective and unbiased, as RISE is an independent, government-owned research institute. As an external test provider, we have no connection to the product manufacturer - thus, there is no risk of conflict of interest. When you test with us, you get the test results presented clearly and objectively, making it easier for you to take the results further for product development or market introduction.

SAEJ2464
UL2580
J2929
GBT38031
ISO6469
KMVSS

CO2 emissions and rest flow from many industries can be used for CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage), in the food industry (beverage and food), and for sustainable production of chemicals and fuels. But for all these applications, CO2 purity is very important. Several specifications exist depending on the applications.

Our analyses are very flexible and adapted to each client

We can analyze carbon dioxide (CO2) with regards to carbon monoxide, oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide,  total S, ammonia, water, NOx, total hydrocarbons, benzene, and glycols ...

We also can help with sampling onsite

We analyse the CO2 (many parameters) according to different specifications; for example ISBT and EIGA 70/17, ISO 27913 (pipelines transportation)

Our analyses are performed in our laboratory in Göteborg using various instruments such as GC/TCD, GC/FID, GC/MS, Proceas. 

The work include both accredited and non-accredited testing methods. The scope of accreditation is available upon request – please feel free to contact us for more information.

The results are first sent per mail as a preliminary report. After agreement, the final report is also sent per mail.

Ca 2-5 days

EIGA 70-17

ISBT

ISO/TR27291:2020 and ISO 27913