Material testing equipment can take a sample of many different materials and test their composition and make-up. This can help determine whether the mixture is stable and sturdy, whether the sample is polluted, or what exactly the sample is composed of. Some of the materials that can be tested using this type of equipment include soil, asphalt, concrete, cement, aggregates and steel. If you are thinking about going to school to learn how to operate material testing equipment, you may wonder what industries you can get certified in to complete this task. Material testing equipment is used in many different industries. Here are just three of the industries that use material testing equipment regularly and why.

Environmental Industries

Many environmental agencies use material testing equipment on a daily basis. Sand near rivers, lakes and beaches can be tested to see if they are polluted and what it is polluting them. This can be useful if animals or fish are dying in the area or following an oil spill or other chemical leak. Soil can be tested to see if it is polluted. This is commonly done near warehouse to ensure they are properly disposing of chemicals or by farms to see how extensively the pesticides they are using are leeching into the nearby areas. In addition to testing for contaminants and pollutants, environmental agencies may have an interest in testing different soils, dirt, aggregates and rocks when dealing with potential landslides and floods. The composition of these materials determine how absorbent each is and how much moisture they can hold. The right materials may be able to stabilize a hill or absorb water to prevent flooding confined to small areas.

Construction and Engineering Industries

Both the construction and engineering industries use material testing equipment regularly and for very similar reasons. The primary reason these industries use this equipment is to test soil, dirt, sand, aggregate or any other materials under the land before they begin planning and building a house, building or other structure. The ground has to be stable enough to build on or the foundation of the home can sink or crumble. Testing the land helps a construction company or engineer determine how stable the ground is, what weight capacity the foundation can support and whether filler dirt, rocks or other material need to be brought to the job site to create a stable and sturdy platform on which the foundation can be constructed. Construction and engineering companies also use material testing equipment to test concrete and cement. Some concrete is mixed with more concrete and aggregate, while others have less. The more concrete and aggregate found in the material, the stronger the cement or concrete item is. This can be important when deciding whether to add on to a home or when figuring out how much labor is needed to remove an old concrete patio.

Aerospace Industries

Material testing equipment plays a huge role in the aerospace industry. When it comes to building aircraft, such as helicopters and planes, it is important that everything be just as designed. This includes the composition of the metal materials that are being used on the plane. Steel, aluminum, iron and other metals can be tested using these machines to determine the purity of the metal. This is important as it affects the weight of the metal, how the metal reacts at different elevations, and how long the metal lasts. A pure steel panel on a plane is going to weigh more and react differently at high elevations than one mixed with aluminum or metal fillers. This may affect the ability of the aircraft to fly, lifespan of the plane and the type of repairs that the plane needs and when. Testing the metal helps those in the industry ensure they are using the right materials for the aircraft.

The exact type of machines used to conduct material testing vary from industry to industry. As such, it is wise to pick an industry that you desire to work in, and then go to school to learn how to operate that machinery. Learning about the different industries that commonly use material testing equipment will help you with this task.

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