It’s an exciting time to work in ultrasonics. Phased array and other innovations in ultrasound have expanded its applications and uses, and with the advent of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) in aerospace, the need to nondestructively test critical parts for thickness and flaws continues to grow.

Carbon fiber reinforced plastics, or CFRPs, are found throughout the aerospace and automotive industries, as well as in high-performance sporting goods, due to their light-weight, high-strength properties.

Flexural strength testing has become increasingly important for plastics—especially composite and carbon fiber-reinforced plastics—as structural parts in the aerospace industry are made from these newer materials.

It seems so simple: Place specimen in grips, perform tensile test, and achieve consistent results, right? Not really.