BEAM AND LEAF SPRING

The Beam and Leaf Spring parts (SM1000g) fit into the
compressive test area of TecQuipment?s Universal Testing
Machine (SM1000).
The heavy-duty box-section support beam works as the
main support underneath the test beams and the leaf
spring during the tests.
The spring is of the same heavy-duty design as those used
in vehicle suspensions. This give students a better
understanding of a ?real world? engineering component.
For beam tests, the test beam rests across two knife-edge
supports fixed to the support beam. This forms a ?simply
supported beam?. The testing machine applies a
compressive bending force and measures the beam
deflection. Students may adjust the position of the knifeedge
supports to set the length of beam under test.
For leaf spring tests, the spring rests on its rollers on two
flat supports fixed to the support beam. Again, the testing
machine applies a compressive force and measures the leaf
spring deflection.
For the beams, students use the deflection and force values
to find the relationship between force and deflection for
the different beams. They can then compare the results
with those predicted by theory.
For the leaf spring, students use the deflection and force
values to find actual leaf ?spring rate?.
TecQuipment includes the spanner and hexagon tools
needed to fix the parts to the testing machine.