Steel testing

The properties of a material can be assessed by subjecting samples to stresses similar to those they will undergo in real-life situations. Mechanical tests are the most significant for understanding the behavior of a material in different stress situations, such as tensile, hardness, fatigue and impact. For each of these tests, there are standardized dimensions for the sample, as well as specific measurements to determine the material's characteristics. The tensile test is particularly important, as it measures a material's resistance to stretching until it breaks. Hardness testing, on the other hand, involves deforming the material by damaging it with a harder material, the shape and load depending on the test method used. The size of the indentation left in the material is then analyzed to determine its strength.