TinyUTM® is a compact, compression-frame universal testing machine designed for small specimens of polymers, composites and metals. Featuring a 3 kN load capacity and 100 mm crosshead travel, it delivers reproducible mechanical testing for educational, industrial, and R&D applications.
It delivers ISO-aligned testing at room temperature consistent with ISO 14126/604 (compression); ISO 14125/178/7438 (flexural); scaled and comparative fracture toughness testing using SENB geometries, informed by ISO 13586, 12737, and 12135; CWA 15627/EN 10371 (small punch) and ISO 527 (tensile, Type 1BA specimen). ISO 7500-1 Class 1 certification in progress ahead of its launch.
Key Features
- Compact and portable: 30 × 30 × 45 cm
- Maximum load: 3 kN
- Crosshead travel: 100 mm
- Dedicated PCB reduces cabling and noise
- Test velocity (crosshead displacement): 0.5–2 mm/min optimized for small-specimen testing
- Integrated software with benchmark database and ISO-aligned parameter library
- Modular M12 tooling system supports compression, flexural/fracture, small punch, tensile tests
- Video extensometry as standard — non-contact 2D marker tracking with calibrated field of view, gauge length verification, and documented uncertainty; calibrated crosshead displacement retained as secondary channel.
- A portable (stand-alone) Leeb tester is included for surface-hardness screening
- A compact thermal enclosure (up to 250 °C) is under development as an optional accessory for high temperature testing
Applications
- Education & teaching labs: ISO-aligned, easy to use, small footprint
- Industrial R&D & quality control: Screening polymers, composites, and metals
- Emerging materials sectors: 3D printing, energy harvesting, biomedical scaffolds, thin films, sustainable polymers, and smart/self-healing materials
TinyUTM is a scientifically sound, compact, and flexible instrument engineered to deliver ISO-aligned results in compression, with ISO 7500-1 Class 1 load measurement certification in progress. Optimized for small specimens and emerging R&D materials. It is particularly useful for materials where numerical models are incomplete or strongly microstructure-dependent, such as emerging composites and 3D-printed metals. Not intended for general consumer or hobbyist use; only qualified users with the proper training should operate this equipment.
Availability
- Launch: European Union, late 2026
Original reference: for TinyUTM prototype, 2025, it was the open-source FreeLoader’s work by Amend, McNicoll and Lipson, 2011, University of Columbia: “FreeLoader: An Open Source Universal Testing Machine for High-Throughput Experimentation“, ASME IDETC/CIE Conference, Washington, DC, 2011.