Advanced bulge test system

摘要

The bulge test is an established method of measuring the residual stress and elastic stiffness of thin-film materials. We present an advanced experimental bulge-testing system that provides advantages in speed, accuracy, and flexibility. Key innovations include the use of a Laser Doppler Displacement Meter to measure deflection, an actuated air-cylinder mechanism to vary pressure, and sophisticated computer handling of data acquisition and analysis. A test case demonstrates that repeatability of results is extremely good.