Puncture strength tests are used to determine the puncture or rupture characteristics of a material. This is generally a compressive test where a material is compressed by a probe or other type of device until the material ruptures or until an elongation limit is achieved.

Puncture resistance is the relative ability of a material to stall the progression of a tear once it has been pierced by a cut or a nick. Tests developed to measure puncture resistance are generally application-specific and include items such as roofing and packaging materials, protective gloves, needle disposal facilities, etc. Puncture resistance in fabrics can be obtained through very tight woven fabrics, small ceramic plates in fabric coating or tight woven fabrics with a coating of hard crystals. All described methods significantly reduce the softness and flexibility of the fabric.

The puncture resistance will depend on the nature of puncture attempt, with the two most important features being point sharpness and force. A fine sharp point such as a hypodermic needle will require a high ability to absorb and distribute the force to avoid penetration, but the total forces applied are still limited. The EN388 glove standard uses a more pencil-like object with a flat tip of 1mm diameter. The EN388 test is highly dependent on the materials ability to withstand high forces through high tenacity and to a lesser extent to avoid cut or separation of the material.

Puncture testing is commonly used to determine the strength of a material such as film, rubber or membrane. In addition, it is often used in the food processing industry to determine the texture of ripeness of a product. Puncture testing may be used in medical applications for determining the sharpness of a syringe, scalpel or blade or to measure the resistance and pliability of synthetic skin.

Puncture strength tests are used to determine the puncture or rupture characteristics of a material. This is generally a test where a material is compressed by a probe or other type of device until the material ruptures or until the stretch limit is achieved.

TEST STANDARDS:
ASTM D5635 / D5635M - 11 Standard Test Method for Dynamic Puncture Resistance of Roofing Membrane Specimens
ASTM D5748 - 95(2012) Standard Test Method for Protrusion Puncture Resistance of Stretch Wrap Film
ASTM D5602 / D5602M - 11 Standard Test Method for Static Puncture Resistance of Roofing Membrane Specimens
ASTM D4833 - 07 Standard Test Method for Index Puncture Resistance of Geomembranes and Related
Products
JLW utilizes several types of fixtures and jigs to conduct testing depending upon the application and material.

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