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User Benefits Application News Types of specimens : Polypropylene (PP) Polycarbonate (PC) Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Number of specimens : 5 of each type Specimen geometry : Dumbbell shaped Type I Original dimensions of parallel part : Width 13 mm × thickness 3.2 mm Testing machine : AGS-10kNVD Load cell : 5 kN Testing jig : 5 kN pneumatic flat grip Gripping teeth : Single-cut file teeth Air pressure : 0.4 MPa Software : TRAPEZIUMX-V (Single) Test speed : 50 mm/min Gauge distance : 50 mm Grip distance : 115 mm Extensometer : TRViewX 240S non-contact digital video extensometer Sticker-type gauge marker : Line sticker-type gauge marker Test Conditions Table 1 shows the test conditions, and Table 2 shows the specimen information. Tests of polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were conducted 5 times with each material, and the average values and standard deviations of various mechanical properties were calculated. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show the condition of the test. As the specimen geometry, a Type I specimen was selected for this test, as use of this type is recommended when ample material with a thickness of 7 mm or less is available. To eliminate deflection of the specimens, stabilize the initial conditions, and improve repeatability of the measurement, a preload of 5 N was applied. Table 1 Test Conditions Fig. 2 Overview of Test Setup (Appearance Including TRViewX and Jig) Introduction Tensile properties are basic evaluation items for understanding the characteristics of plastic materials. Mechanical properties such as strength, elastic modulus, and elongation can be quantitatively evaluated by investigating the stress-strain behavior when a tensile load is applied to the material. This makes it possible to obtain indices for understanding the strength and deformation behavior of the material under the actual use environment. ASTM standards are established by ASTM International, and ASTM D638 specifies the test piece geometry and test conditions for tensile tests of plastics. Since compliance with this standard enables data acquisition under uniform conditions, it is widely used as a test method for objective comparisons of differences between materials and various molding conditions. This article introduces an example of tensile testing of plastics conforming to ASTM D638 (revision of December 15, 2014) using a Shimadzu AGS -V precision universal testing machine (Fig. 1). Tensile testing of plastics conforming to ASTM D638 is possible. ASTM D638–Compliant Tensile Testing of Plastics Norino Kawagoe Precision Universal Testing Machine Fig. 1 Precision Universal Testing Machine (AGS -V) Table 2 Specimen Information TRViewX Specimen Grip
Application News www.shimadzu.com/an/ Shimadzu Corporation © Shimadzu Corporation, 2026 For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. This publication may contain references to products that are not available in your country. Please contact us to check the availability of these products in your country. The content of this publication shall not be reproduced, altered or sold for any commercial purpose without the written approval of Shimadzu. See https://www.shimadzu.com/about/trademarks/index.html for details. Third party trademarks and trade names may be used in this publication to refer to either the entities or their products/services, whether or not they are used with trademark symbol “TM” or “”. Shimadzu disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own. The information contained herein is provided to you "as is" without warranty of any kind including without limitation warranties as to its accuracy or completeness. Shimadzu does not assume any responsibility or liability for any damage, whether direct or indirect, relating to the use of this publication. This publication is based upon the information available to Shimadzu on or before the date of publication, and subject to change without notice. First Edition: Jul. 2026 01-01242-EN AGS and TRAPEZIUM are trademarks of Shimadzu Corporation or its affiliated companies in Japan and/or other countries. Test Results Fig. 4 shows an example of the test results for PP, PC, and PVC. The strain on the horizontal axis shows values converted from the extensometer output, while the stress on the vertical axis shows values calculated using the cross-sectional areas obtained from the average values of measurements of the width and thickness of the parallel part at three points each. Table 3 shows the tensile strength, total elongation (breaking elongation), and the elastic modulus of each specimen material. Although there were some variations in the total elongation, the standard deviations of tensile strength and the elastic modulus were small, confirming good repeatability. Conclusion This article introduced an example of an ASTM D638-compliant tensile test of plastic materials using a Shimadzu AGS-V precision universal testing machine. In evaluations of plastic materials, the tensile strength, total elongation, elastic modulus, and other mechanical properties specified in ASTM D638 are important indices for understanding the strength, stiffness, and deformation behavior of products. Since these properties are directly related to material selection corresponding to the intended application and assurance of safety and reliability when designing products, a proper evaluation is required. Tensile tests of plastics conforming to ASTM D638 can be conducted by using the Shimadzu AGS-V precision universal testing machine. Related Application 1. Tensile Test of Plastic Materials, Application News No. i253 Table 3 Test Results of Specimens (n = 5) Fig. 3 Enlarged View of Test Setup Sticker - type gauge marker 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0 50 100 150 Stress [MPa] Strain [%] PP PC PVC Fig. 4 Stress-Strain Curves Tensile strength Total elongation Elastic modulus [MPa] [%] [GPa] PP Average 30.4 156.1 1.76 Standard deviation 0.23 42.2 0.072 PC Average 64.6 65.0 2.19 Standard deviation 0.19 34.7 0.11 PVC Average 75.3 4.8 3.13 Standard deviation 0.15 0.6 0.18
Please fill out the survey Related Products Some products may be updated to newer models. AUTOGRAPH AGS-V Series Tabletop Precision Universal Testing Machines TRAPEZIUMX-V Operation Software for Material Testing TRViewX Non-Contact Digital Video Extensometer Related Solutions Engineering Materials Rubber Price Inquiry Product Inquiry Technical Service / Support Inquiry Other Inquiry