MRI Track 1: Acquisition of a Combination Dynamic Stiffness and Material Fatigue Testing Machine for Research and Education

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant supports the purchase of scientific instrumentation at Youngstown State University which can be utilized to measure both the dynamic stiffness of machine components and fatigue life of materials. Dynamic stiffness describes reaction forces at different frequencies, and it is useful in, for example, engineering automotive suspensions. Fatigue life is a critical material property that determines how quickly things will wear out. Fatigue life must be experimentally determined for new high-tech materials like composites and 3D printed materials. Scientific instrumentation that can test both dynamic stiffness and material fatigue life thus has broad value. This award supports the establishment of testing capabilities in the Mahoning Valley region which is a traditionally industrial region between Cleveland and Pittsburgh with a history of metallurgy and 3D printing research. Users from local industry and higher education will have access to the equipment for R&D and workforce development. In particular, the defense industry will benefit directly from the fatigue testing of weld seams. Additionally, the geographic location of this investment is especially important for broadening participation of underrepresented groups due to the confluence of urban and rural communities. The experimental instrumentation supported by this grant is a stand-alone setup capable of testing up to 12 kN at 100 Hz up to 350°C and has a test stroke of 70 mm. Therefore, the machine is both convenient and useful for testing a wide range of applications. Several specific applications are planned including: 1) the testing of fatigue properties of 3D printed shape memory alloys for research, 2) fatigue testing of weld seams for modernized naval designs, 3) the teaching of mechanical vibrations at the university level including the hands-on design of automotive shock absorbers, and 4) the development of a new university level weldment engineering course. Also, the dynamic stiffness/fatigue tester will be used for worker training in conjunction with partner companies. Additional activities will be added during the lifetime of the equipment, providing broad impact. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.