High impact-testing machine for elastomers investigation under impact loads

A description of a new high speed falling-dart impact machine is presented. The machine, instrumentation and also some experimental analysis of elastomers are described. Important factors influencing the impact behaviour of elastomers are impact velocity and temperature during the tests. The machine allows a velocity between 2 and 50 m/s and temperature from −40 to 180 °C. Some testing results on TPE, SBR, NBR/SBR, EPDM at velocities of 10, 20 and 30 m/s are presented. Results show that the dynamic behaviour of elastomer materials is different when testing at low, medium or high speeds.