Evaluating the quality of a material by it's ability to resist cracking or deformation during a bend


bend foam 1Bend tests deform the test material at the midpoint causing a concave surface or a bend to form without the occurrence of fracture and are typically performed to determine the ductility or resistance to fracture of that material. Unlike in a flexure test the goal is not to load the material until failure but rather to deform the sample into a specific shape. Bending tests are as popular as tensile test, compression test, and fatigue tests. 

How to Perform a Bend Test?

To perform a bend test, the test sample is loaded into a bend test machine with a bend fixture in a way that creates a concave surface at the midpoint with a specified radius of curvature according to the standard in relation to which the test is performed.

What is the Purpose of Bend Testing?

Bend testing a material allows for the determination of that materials ductility, bend strength, fracture strength and resistance to fracture. These characteristics can be used to determine whether a material will fail under pressure and are especially important in any construction process involving ductile materials loaded with bending forces. If a material begins to fracture or completely fractures during a three or four point bend test it is valid to assume that the material will fail under a similar in any application, which may lead to catastrophic failure.

What Are the Four Common Types of Bend Tests?

There are four common types of bend tests. In a guided bend test, the sample is placed horizontally across two supports and then a force applied to the top of the midpoint deforming the sample into a “U” shape. In a semi-guided bend test, the specimen’s midpoint is bent to a specific angle or inside radius. In a free bend test, the ends of the sample are pushed together, but no force is applied to the bend itself. Finally, a common fracture toughness test (ASTM E399) consists of a sample with a precracked starter crack on the bottom side of the midpoint which is loaded into a 3-point bend fixture so that the midpoint force is applied on the opposite face from the fracture.

What Are the Different Types of Materials Used in Bending Applications?

Generally a bending test is performed on metals or metallic materials but can also be applied to any substance that can experience plastic deformation, such as polymers and plastics. These materials can take any feasible shape but when used in a bend test most commonly appear in sheets, strips, bars, shells, and pipes. Bend test machines are normally used on materials that have an acceptably high ductility. 

Common Use of Bend Tests:

One of the more popular uses of bend testing is in the area of welds. The purpose of bend testing welds is to make sure that the weld has properly fused to the parent metal and that the weld itself does not contain any defects that may cause it to fail when it experiences bending stresses. The sample weld is deformed using a guided bend test so that it forms a “U” subjecting the material on the outer surface to a tensile force and the material on the inside to a compressive force. If the weld holds and shows no sign of fracture it has passed the test and is deemed an acceptable weld. 

Popular Testing Applications

Flexural strength testing of Wood is accomplished with three point bend fixtures. ...
The nature of wood fiber and wood particle-based materials gives them many of the ...
Glass is difficult to grip so glass strength is measured in flexure or bending. Mo...
The purpose of this test is to empirically determine the modulus of rupture or ben...
Printed circuit board assemblies experience various mechanical loading conditions ...
The nature of wood fiber and wood particle based materials gives them many of the ...
ASTM F383 describes a method for static bend and torsion testing of intramedullary...
JEDEC 9702 monotonic bend testing method is intended to characterize the fracture ...
ASTM F384 covers specifications and test methods for angled devices used in the su...
ISO 10334 specifies the dimensions and mechanical properties along with test metho...
ASTM F2082 Standard Test Method for Determination of Transformation Temperature of...
ISO 2493-1 specifies procedures, based on the two-point loading principle, for det...
EN ISO 1288 specifies the determination of the bending strength of monolithic glas...
ASTM C1161 determines the flexural strength of advanced ceramic materials at ambie...
Battery of mechanical tests for identification cards. Give our test engineers a ca...
ASTM F2193 provides a comprehensive reference for the components of systems used i...
Specifies the method for determining the ability of sheet and strip to undergo pla...
ASTM F1264 provides specification of the design and mechanical properties associat...
ASTM C1025 covers determination of the modulus of rupture in bending of specimens ...
ASTM E855 offers several test methods for determining the modulus of elasticity in...
ASTM F2606 determines the flexural creep of plastics in the form of standard test ...
EN ISO 8491 Metallic Tube Bend Test Method Give our test engineers a call today fo...
Increasing demand for high quality and reliable electronic components and material...
ISO 28704 specifies a test method for determining the cyclic four-point bending fa...
ASTM F564 describes testing methods to determine the following mechanical properti...
Increasing demand for high quality and reliable electronic components and material...

How to Select a Bend Test Machine in 4 Easy Steps

  • Step 1 - Select your frame
  • Step 2 - Select your controller software
  • Step 3 - Select your accessories
  • Step 4 - Contact us

Start by Selecting Your Frame

Bend Test Machines
Bend Test Machines

A bend tester is configured to your requirements by our application engineers with a three or four point bend test fixture, the correct controller, and a deflectometer if you would like to measure sample deflection directly and accurately.

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Popular Bend Accessories

3 point bend fixture with interchangable rollers with centering anvils
3 point bend fixture with interchangable rollers 4-10 mm with articulating rollers...
Two bases are included with three upper loading anvils, two lower supporting anvil...
Long beam bend fixture for civil engineering structural tests.
3 point bend fixture with interchangable rollers with centralized adjustment. 300 ...
Four point bend fixture with interchangable rollers.
Base is included with anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supporting anvils...
Tensile bend fixture for static flexural tests of materials.
Tensile bend fixture for static flexural tests of materials.
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
4 point bend fixture with interchangable rollers 6-10 mm with articulating rollers...
4 point bend fixture with interchangable rollers. 4-8 mm upper and 3-10 mm base. 3...
Tensile bend fixture for static flexural tests of materials.
Two bases are included with two upper loading anvils, two lower supporting anvils,...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Two bases are included with articulating anvils, two upper loading anvils, two low...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with one upper loading anvil, two lower supporting anvils, and tw...
Base is included with one upper loading anvil, two lower supporting anvils, and tw...
Two bases are included with articulating anvils, two upper loading anvils, two low...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Two bases are included with three upper loading anvils, two lower supporting anvil...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with one upper loading anvil, two lower supporting anvils, and tw...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Long beam bend fixture for civil engineering structural tests.
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Two bases are included with three upper loading anvils, two lower supporting anvil...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Two bases are included with articulating anvils, two upper loading anvils, two low...
Two bases are included with three upper loading anvils, two lower supporting anvil...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Two bases are included with articulating anvils, two upper loading anvils, two low...
Two bases are included with two upper loading anvils, two lower supporting anvils,...
Two bases are included with two upper loading anvils, two lower supporting anvils,...
Base is included with one upper loading anvil, two lower supporting anvils, and tw...
Single lower 360mm base with single upper 240mm base rated 100 kN, 100mm wide anvi...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...
Base is included with articulating anvils, one upper loading anvil, two lower supp...