New tensile testing machine at KOHLHAGE

“We are now more than 6 times stronger,” says Fabian Hellmich, referring to the new tensile testing machine from Zwick that has recently been in use at KOHLHAGE. The new machine is used for testing weld seams, especially for safety-relevant products in the automotive sector.

Anyone who manufactures products for the automotive industry must also be able to document that these parts are flawless. Particular attention is paid to so-called crash-relevant products. These are products for which the safety of people must be guaranteed even in the event of an accident.

“With our KOHLHAGE aggregate carriers, we weld individual components to form a complex safety-relevant assembly. We in the QA department take a close look at these weld seams and check their strength,” emphasises Hellmich, a member of the quality management team. “After all, if one of our weld seams were to crack, that would be a potential hazard and that must not be allowed to happen. That’s why we simulate the loads that could occur in the event of an accident and use our tensile testing machines for this purpose. The test pieces are clamped to the left and right of the weld seam and then we start pulling. Until the desired strength is achieved without the weld tearing.”

KOHLHAGE customers specify the tensile forces that the welds must withstand. In the case of the aggregate carriers, this is at least four tonnes. “Our old testing machine could have kept up with that. But who knows what demands we will still have to face. With the new tensile testing machine, we can now test up to 25 tonnes. That’s a good investment in the future and will suffice for the foreseeable future.”