Labtest: Testing software for universal and tensile testing machines
better than good | easy to program | complete: all master test specifications
New (2025): Documentation in materials testing for the nuclear industry
as well as aviation, aerospace, medical technology and other industries
The software requirements for a universal testing machine – / Tensile testing machine range from the most basic to the most scientific. And LabTest masters this balancing act excellently: Simple operator self-control (1-button operation) or complex tasks: LabTest software for testing machines: testing without limits.
What should we portray with a thousand words and pictures? Now simply demonstrate the superior features via MS Teams / Teamviewer / Zoom meeting – Start call or E-mailOr watch the following video (English) to get a first insight. But nothing is more convincing than the LabTest software and the universal testing machines / tensile testing machines in action – at one of our thousands of customers or in our demo room in Langenfeld/Rhineland.
Video Video Software LabTest
A few pictures as a first impression
Some customers have explored the universal testing machines / tensile testing machines independently without training…
New (2025): Documentation of materials testing for the nuclear industry
(as well as aviation, aerospace, medical technology, etc.)
“A monitoring system that is second to none”
“A press release in cooperation with Mr. Michael Müller, GWQ testing laboratory – Moers E in cooperation with GALDABINI and SCHÜTZ+LICHT Prüftechnik GmbH”
A German testing laboratory performs, among other things, tensile tests and impact tests as part of materials testing for a French nuclear energy specialist. This company places the highest demands on the tests, which must be precisely monitored and documented in detail. In collaboration with a German testing machine specialist, the laboratory was able to upgrade this universal testing machine as part of a new acquisition so that it generates the required data. This resulted in a leap in quality for other customers of the testing laboratory as well.
GWQ GmbH & Co. KG, based in Moers, is a subsidiary of the TÜV Nord Group and specializes in destructive and non-destructive materials testing. It currently employs over 50 people. The testing laboratory specializes in specific application areas of destructive materials testing, including testing in the field of welding technology (including AD 2000), NORSOK standards (offshore applications), and DVGW high-pressure gas applications (e.g., procedure qualification of welds for hydrogen connections and LNG terminals). And for approximately five years now, GWQ has met the requirements of the nuclear industry's RCCM Code.
For FRAMATOME, a French company that develops, builds, and maintains nuclear power plants, GWQ conducts traditional materials testing with tensile and notched-bar impact tests in addition to mechanical, technological, and metallographic examinations. A wide variety of steel grades (ferrite, austenite, and duplex materials) used in the nuclear sector are tested for the respective hazard zones Q1 to Q3 (current project: the nuclear power plant in Hinkley Point in Somerset, England, which consists of two EPR reactors). In the nuclear sector, not only the test data but also the residual material, including the tested samples – the fracture surfaces of the samples are specially packaged, vacuum-sealed, and stored in a special depot at the customer's site – are generally retained for at least 30 years. This is because, in the event of malfunctions or problems, these retained samples as well as the test and experimental data can be used for identification purposes.
Now, internal audits by FRAMATOME and EDF Energy have revealed that tensile tests and notched bar impact tests were not conducted in accordance with standards or correctly. "Years ago, a company reported incorrect figures for the pendulum impact test. Therefore, FRAMATOME is keeping a closer eye on service providers and materials testing laboratories," explains Wolfram Schütz, Managing Director of SCHÜTZ+LICHT Prüftechnik GmbH. In the aforementioned notched bar impact test, not only is the energy consumption determined in joules or J/cm², but the starting and rising angles are also monitored and documented.
FRAMATOME and the RCC-M regulations have massively increased the requirements for materials testing overall: The company demands more precise results from accredited testing laboratories, precise monitoring and documentation of tests, and their reproducibility. GWQ has developed and implemented the fundamentals over the years in close cooperation with the inspectors (FRAMATOME and EDF), as well as customers and end users. In particular, the generation of so-called "raw data" = non-modifiable test data for all machines and result parameters, posed a challenge. The solution was a complex, manual generation afterwards. During the development process, additional features such as control windows for "live" speeds, travel distances and their respective conversions, e.g. MPa/min, were developed to facilitate the inspectors' monitoring activities.
Another requirement, especially for tensile testing at elevated temperatures (hot tensile testing), was complete recording of the heating rates. "In order to meet the requirements of the RCC-M Code, we had to rethink the concept of the hot tensile test. Monitoring normally only begins at the start of the tensile test," explains laboratory manager Michael Müller. This requirement was also met by using additional, externally calibrated thermocouples and a corresponding recording option.
At the beginning of 2024, GWQ GmbH & Co.KG decided to expand its testing machine fleet with another universal testing machine. The above-mentioned development steps were to be implemented in this testing machine, ideally automated, and further improvement ideas were to be incorporated.
GWQ therefore needed a testing machine manufacturer who could implement these specifications as a partner.
The tensile testing machine should be modified accordingly in order to be able to carry out the tests in compliance with the regulations and at the same time generate all relevant data required by the nuclear regulations.
The choice fell on the testing machine manufacturer GALDABINI and SCHÜTZ+LICHT Prüftechnik GmbH. Müller: "From experience, we know that other testing machine manufacturers cannot offer this close collaboration and implementation of ideas, partly because their machines are fixed in terms of electronics and software."
The requirements
The Quasar 600 universal testing machine has been in the testing laboratory since January and was made available within six months. The machine covers materials testing in a particularly high level of detail – across various components and assemblies. Sensors were also installed to monitor the furnace heating rates. Michael Müller explains: "This is difficult to implement, but with GALDABINI and SCHÜTZ+LICHT, we were able to precisely meet the requirements." In addition, the machine's software was adapted, the original test parameter displays were expanded from three to eight, and the data export options were increased.
A tensile test now generates a variety of diagrams, e.g. force/displacement, stress/strain or rate increase diagrams. The integrated monitoring system now makes it possible to verify that the control technology and speed were adhered to during the test. The heating rate in the hot tensile test can be monitored 100% to prove that there was no temperature overshoot, i.e. that the test temperature was not exceeded during the heating process. The experts can view and evaluate all relevant test and process data. The monitoring system can be adapted to all test types such as compression, bending and cyclic tests: every keystroke and every test point is recorded for seamless documentation.
The support
As service providers, testing laboratories conduct tests for their customers within tight deadlines and timeframes, as test results are usually determined at the end of a production or process chain. When problems arise with testing machines, they therefore rely on good support. Longer downtimes can lead to high follow-up costs due to process or production downtimes. "Many manufacturers of testing machines open a ticket, and support will get back to you eventually. But in our industry, speed is key. At SCHÜTZ+LICHT, I can call the boss personally, even at 3 a.m. if necessary," says Müller. Schütz adds: "Customers aren't just numbers for us; they have a direct contact person." Machine manufacturer GALDABINI shares this service philosophy and sends technicians from Milan to Germany when needed. Added to this is the quality of the training: Wolfram Schütz often trains employees on the machine himself. The contact is based on direct exchange, even on-site, when new ideas arise during discussions or during repairs.
Advantages
All GWQ employees can operate the machine: not only because GWQ wants it that way, but also because of its ability to cover for employees. The GALDABINI scores highly for its ease of use. "The software is user-friendly and self-explanatory – even when new modules are added," explains Müller. With other machines, GWQ had to retrain the team on how to use it after an update because it wasn't immediately clear how to document samples, enter data, and start and stop test points, for example.
Another advantage, especially for the collaboration with the French company FRAMATOME, is that the language of the user interface can be changed with a single button. "The expert can then follow all the steps in their native language," explains Müller. It's also possible to customize the interface.
Overall, with the new machine, GWQ has been able to combine two worlds: those of normal testing requirements and those of the high-quality and demanding nuclear industry. Data can now be recorded for each customer at nuclear-standard quality. "This represents a leap in quality for our other customers and a competitive advantage for us. We have significantly developed our laboratory."
If necessary, every test sequence can be retraced: If an unexpected peak or error occurs in the machine's control technology, the data allows the cause to be identified. All questions during the tests can be answered based on the comprehensive raw data, which is made available to the experts in full – this, in turn, reduces the time required for questions and also helps with complaints, as comprehensive documentation can be referenced.
Conclusion
The testing machine upgrade for FRAMATOME sets new standards in materials testing. It meets the demanding requirements of the nuclear industry – for example, regarding monitoring, documentation, data quality, and traceability. The system allows monitoring of all test details, from temperature profiles to control speed, and provides seamless raw data for complete traceability of the test processes. Last but not least, the leap in quality initiated by the nuclear industry also benefits other customers.
Autoren:
- Nadja Müller, freelance copywriter and journalist
- Michael Müller, GWQ GmbH & Co.KG
- Wolfram Schütz, SCHÜTZ+LICHT Test Technology GmbH
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