IK Impact Resistance Rating can be a decisive factor in product selection and a key feature when it comes to products intended for the consumer market. It does not rate the mechanical life of a product but rather it’s capacity to withstand environmental aggressions.
So why is it so important to determine the impact strength of a product or material? What is IK impact resistance rating and how can it help manufacturers develop better products? In this article, we find out more about how to test impact strength and the importance of an IK impact resistance rating.
What Determines the Impact Strength of Materials?
Generally, materials that exhibit a low modulus of elasticity and high yield strength are considered to have high impact strength. Impact strength or toughness is denoted by the amount of energy a specific material is able to withstand when it is suddenly exposed to a set load. It is also defined as the threshold of force per unit of the area the material can withstand before it develops a fracture.
Some of the most common parameters that define the strength of materials include yield strength, tensile strength, and creep limit. The material strength properties are determined by gradually applying force to the material until it breaks or shows some kind of deformity.
In contrast, it also involves the sudden application of force applied in milliseconds or less. During this near-instantaneous application of load, the material absorbs the energy until the amount it can accommodate is exceeded which will cause it to fracture or tear. When this happens it is concluded that the impact strength of the material has been surpassed.
What are the Factors that Impact Strength?
Some of the factors that can impact the strength of a certain material include:
- Temperature (an increase in temperature can increase impact strength)
- The thickness of Metal (increased thickness can reduce impact strength)
- Notch radius (the smaller the notch tip radius the lower the impact strength)
When impact load exceeds impact strength materials will exhibit some of the following failures:
- Brittle fracture
- Ductile fracture
- Slight cracking
- Yielding
How is Impact Strength Measured?
The impact of energy depends on two elements:
- Distance between the test sample and the hammer
- Weight of the hammer.
The impact strength is determined by the amount of energy the specimen can absorb before it breaks or fractures.
According to the resistance level rating obtained during the test, the product is assigned an IK code ranging from IK0 to IK10. This code determines the amount of energy the product is able to absorb.
Applications where Impact Strength is Important
Impact strength denotes the brittle-ductile transition of a specific material and therefore the parameters are significant for the following applications and industries:
Plastics and polymers have higher strength parameters than other hard materials. Determining the impact strength of plastics and polymers can help manufacturers classify materials for specific purposes such as the production of polyethylene and polyamides.
An IK Impact Resistance test is therefore vitally important to test the strength and vulnerability of certain materials before using them in particular industries and for specific applications.
Compliance Engineering operates an internationally accredited testing laboratory and has decades of compliance experience and can help you achieve compliance with the appropriate IK Impact Resistance Rating for products that are to be exported or sold locally. Our services also include EMC testing and compliance, radio testing, antenna calibrations, on-site EMC measurements, and EMC consultancy, among others.
Please call us today on + 61 3 9763 3079 or request a quote.