Technology transfer of BAM awarded
A short article of the Federal Ministry of Economics reports about Grasse Zur Composite Testing being a spin-off from the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM).
We are happy about it!
DIN Price for Innovation 2014 to Grasse Zur Composite Testing
Innovation largely depends on successful knowledge transfer. The German Institute for Standardisation DIN honoured Grasse Zur Composite Testing with the Innovation Price 2014 for transferring their innovative shear testing method of composite materials into application oriented practice. The celebration took place at the Hannover Messe at 8 April 2014.
DIN as well as the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) report in their own press releases about the award for Grasse Zur Composite Testing.
The existing test methods for composite materials satisfy the requirements on the new materials only to a limited extent, especially concerning the determination of shear properties. In the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing a first prototype of the picture frame shear testing system has been developed under the initiation of Dr.-Ing. Volker Trappe. Due to industrial demands, the shear testing system has been enhanced for industrial application requirements. The technical documentation DIN SPEC 4885 significantly increased the reputation and the acceptance of the determination of shear properties using the picture frame test method.
Cutting Edge Test Method for Lightweight Materials: DIN SPEC 4885:2014-01
DIN SPEC 4885:2014-01 „Fibre-reinforced plastic composites – Shear test method using a shear frame for the determination of the in-plane shear stress/shear strain response and shear modulus“ defines a novel composite testing method for lightweight construction.
Increasing market demands for fibre reinforced composite materials require additional standards and specifications meeting the special properties of those materials. DIN SPEC 4885 specifies a method to determine the shear properties of fibre-reinforced plastics. It is mainly characterised by a quick and easy routine as well as accurate measurement with small standard deviations. The testing method, upon which DIN SPEC 4885 is based, was developed and validated at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing. Grasse Zur Composite Testing refined the method for commercial use and initiated the DIN SPEC project.
BMW Group, BASF SE as well as Carbon Composites e. V. (CCeV) participated in the development of the DIN SPEC project. The total processing time of the project from contacting DIN, recruiting new partners to publishing the documents was only 6 month, the preparation of the document taking only 6 weeks. The testing method defined in DIN SPEC 4885 is being used by the BMW Group for the development of structural components for the passenger compartments of the fully electronic BMW i3 as well as the plug-in hybrid sports car BMW i8. BASF SE applies the DIN SPEC 4885 for the development and testing of composite materials for lightweight automotive construction. CCeV is an industrial association in the field of carbon and glass fibre composite technologies which also is the institution of the MAI Carbon cluster funded by Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The testing method DIN SPEC 4885 is used by the project partners of MAI Carbon for the research and development of innovative cfrp materials.
DIN SPEC 4885:2014-01 is available from Beuth Verlag.
Helping people help themselves – Grasse Zur Composite Testing supports people in their mobilization
Grasse Zur Composite Testing continues a young tradition and assists people in poorer regions of the world at the end of the year. After supporting a project in Peru in 2012, we 2013 make a contribution to a project initiated by Sram (leading manufacturer of bicycle components), where bicycles are donated as means of transportation.
„Together we can mobilize thousands of entrepreneurs, healthcare workers and students by providing life-changing transportation that will help them to feed their families, build their businesses, treat the sick, finish school, follow their dreams and change their world.“
Join us helping people in need!
Successful participation at Composites Europe 2013
Grasse Zur Composite Testing made a successful appearance at the trade fair Composites Europe 2013 in Stuttgart. Once again the fair specialised in fibre reinforced composite materials continued to expand its reputation as the composite’s industry’s biggest get-together in Germany. Like the previous year, this year’s highlight of the trade fair appearance was the shear testing system GZ S-80.
The procedure, the competitive advantage and the upcoming standardisation as industry standard could impressively be explained to potential customers. We are looking forward to meeting you again in Dusseldorf!
Come visit us at Composites Europe 2013 in Stuttgart
Grasse Zur Composite Testing will be around again, at the most important trade fair concerning the composite industry sector in Germany and beyond: At the Composites Europe international researchers, developers and decision makers meet the users of the composites industry. It will be focused on the key technologies as well as applications: Automotive, aerospace, lightweight construction, wind energy and many more. From September 17 to 19, 2013, Composite Europe exhibits the complete process chain of composite materials – starting with from raw material to semi-finished product and from processing to the latest technologies, machines and services.
Grasse Zur Composite Testing develops and distributes novel testing systems for the characterization and measuring of fibre reinforced composite materials. The systems are used for industrial research and development, in order to ideally dimension parts and components, for quality control during processing and for incoming goods inspection.
For the determination of fibre-matrix adhesion and of shear properties of CFRP and GFRP, Grasse Zur Composite Testing uses the shear testing system GZ S-80, which represents an improved testing method compared to the established standards according to ASTM and DIN EN ISO.
In addition to the testing devices, Grasse Zur Composite Testing offers a fullservice package for material testings of gfrp and cfrp. In collaboration with our clients we specify the wishes and requirements regarding the determination of material parameters. The customers benefit from a complete process from a single source.
We are looking forward to your visit and to talking to you about composite testing. Meet us at our exhibition stand in Halle 6 / Stand G17.
Berlin Senator for Economics Cornelia Yzer on a tour of discovery through Steglitz-Zehlendorf
Within a three-hour “Tour of Discovery” the Berlin Senator for Ecocnomics, Cornelia Yzer, visited companies and research institutions in the southwest of Berlin. One of the stops was Max-Planck-Institute for molecular genetics, where young start-ups from Berlin presented themselves, one of them was Grasse Zur Composite Testing. „By now, the southwest of Berlin is a significant and highly regarded life science location. It shows what can arise if science, research and economy investigate and work in close proximity“, says Cornelia Yzer.
Using the novel shear testing system GZ-S 80 , shear properties of fibre reinforced composite materials can be determined with far greater accuracy than using the previous methods according to DIN EN ISO 14129 Rail Shear (ASTM D7078 or ASTM D4255) and Iosipescu (ASTM D5379). The system is applicable to standard tensile testing machines and can be handled by one person only. The quick and easy specimen changeover of specimen for testing series of material samples takes only a few minutes and thus saves time and money. Important customers like BMW, BASF or REHAU could already be convinced of the testing system of Grasse Zur Composite Testing.
”We were delighted by Senator of Economics Cornelia Yzer’s visit”, says Norbert Kopp, borough mayor of Berlin Steglitz-Zehlendorf, „because we want to make the scientific and economic potential of the southwest of Berlin, rarely perceived by the public, better known.During the tour of discovery we introduced examples of successfull technology transfer out of excellence and founder university Free University of Berlin. This includes, outside of the university, fife well-known Max-Planck-Institutes, the Konrad Zuse center of information technology and the Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing. They offer a reliable foundation for starting up and developing new businesses. We also discussed the projected technology center southwest.“
Grasse Zur Composite Testing is present at Composites Europe 2012 in Dusseldorf
Composite Europe is the most innovative trade fair in the strong european composites market and shows the whole industrial value chain. Here, international researchers, developers and decision makers meet the users of the composites industry. From October 9 to 11, 2012, Composites Europe in Dusseldorf exhibits the complete process chain of composite materials – starting with from raw material to semi-finished product and from processing to the latest technologies, machines and services.
We are looking forward to your visit and to talking to you about composite testing. Meet us at our exhibition stand.
Grasse Zur Composite Testing demonstrates their latest development from the composite testing area: The innovative shear frame GZ S-80. The picture-frame for quasi-static shear testings of fibre reinforced composite materials allows a much more accurate determination of shear properties compared to currently existing standards like DIN and ASTM. Based on the advantages of the construcion of the shear frame, it was used by the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing for extensive investigations of shear properties. As a result the shear frame proved to be particularly suitable for high-quality determination of shear values of fibre reinforced composite materials.
Picture Frame Shear Test for Determination of Shear Values of Composites
Now available: The newly developed shear frame of Grasse Zur Composite Testing for composite testing.
Grasse Zur Composite Testing offers products and services for material testings of composite materials like glass or carbon fibre reinforced plastice (GFRP or CFRP). For quasi-static shear testing of fibre reinforced plasics we developed a shear frame which provides much more accurate determination of shear properties compared to currently existing standards (DIN EN ISO 14129, ASTM D4255, ASTM D7078).
Based on the advantages of the design of the shear frame, it was used by the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing for extensive investigations of shear properties. The homogeneous shear stress distribution in particular as well as the firm clamping of the fibre endings at the rims of the specimen and the possibility of testing arbitrary fibre orientations sum up the decisive quality advantages.
The shear frame provides a large shear area beneficially using only limited clamping and testing forces:
A hydraulic tensioning systems supplies the clampings of the specimen with the needed clamping forces. The trick: You do not need an extra hydraulic unit as the hydraulic pressure will be generated by the provided pneumatic hydraulic system. Thus shear testings until failure can be done for shear flows up to 950 N/mm and test forces up to 100 kN.
The novel, very accurate testing method of the shear frame is ideally suitable for material characterizations, research and development and quality control. Component designing or FEM simulating require very accurate material values and by thus depend on very accurate determination of material values.
Please contact us, we gladly discuss the opportunities and advantages of our shear frame with you.
