EXPERIMENT

6
CHARPY IMPACT TEST
AIM
To determine the impact energy of steel by Charpy impact test.

APPARATUS
1. Impact testing machine
2. A steel specimen of dimension 55 𝑚𝑚 10 𝑚𝑚 10 𝑚𝑚
3. Steel rule
4. Vernier Caliper

THEORY
The Charpy testing machine involves a pendulum swinging in vertical plane about a horizontal shaft
housed in bearings. These bearings exert a frictional resistance, if proper lubrication is not done. By
polishing the anvils and the striking bit the energy absorbed due to the friction between the anvils and
striking bit can be minimized. To estimate the losses the error test is to be carried out before starting
the experiments.

The standard test piece shall be machined all over and shall have a square cross-section 10 mm x 10
mm sides, 55 mm long and in the centre of the length of one face there shall be a V-notch of 2 mm depth.
PROCEDURE
1. Check the specimen for its standard dimensions.
2. Fix the striking edge corresponding to the Charpy test to the hammer.
3. To find the frictional loss:
a. Raise the pendulum to its highest position where it gets locked. At this position, the potential
energy stored in the pendulum is 300 J.
b. Set the dial to read 300 J.
c. Remove the safety lever first and then the pendulum releaser to release the pendulum.
d. Stop the oscillations of the pendulum using the damper plate / brake.
e. Record the reading on the Charpy scale which indicates the frictional loss directly.
4. Fix the specimen in its holder. The specimen should be placed horizontally as a simply supported
beam and V-Notch opposite to the striking side.
5. Raise the pendulum to its highest position where it gets locked. Set the dial to read 300 J.
6. Release the pendulum by removing the safety lever first and then the pendulum releaser to strike
the specimen.
7. Use the damper plate / brake to stop the oscillations of the pendulum.
8. Record the dial reading on the Charpy Scale.
9. Observe whether the specimen has broken completely or not.

OBSERVATIONS
1. Material of the specimen : Mild Steel
2. Mass of the pendulum : 21.035 kg
3. Length of the pendulum : 0.814 m
4. Initial Energy : 300 J
5. Frictional loss, Ef : ________ J
6. Final Reading from the dial : ________ J

Energy absorbed by the specimen = Final reading – Frictional loss

= ________ J

RESULT
Impact energy of the given test specimen is ________________