ASTM E4-08

This document is not anASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of anASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
American Association State
Designation:E4–07 Designation:E4–08 Highway and Transportation Officials Standards
AASHTO No: T67
Standard Practices for
1
Force Verification of Testing Machines
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 4; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript
epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope
1.1 These practices cover procedures for the force verification, by means of standard calibration devices, of tension or
compression, or both, static or quasi-static testing machines (which may, or may not, have force-indicating systems). These
practices are not intended to be complete purchase specifications for testing machines. Testing machines may be verified by one
of the three following methods or combination thereof:
1.1.1 Use of standard weights,
1.1.2 Use of equal-arm balances and standard weights, or
1.1.3 Use of elastic calibration devices.
NOTE 1—These practices do not cover the verification of all types of testing machines designed to measure forces, for example, the
constant-rate-of-loading type which operates on the inclined-plane principle. This type of machine may be verified as directed in the applicable appendix
of Specification D 76.
1.2 The procedures of 1.1.1-1.1.3 apply to the verification of the force-indicating systems associated with the testing machine,
such as a scale, dial, marked or unmarked recorder chart, digital display, etc. In all cases the buyer/owner/user must designate the
force-indicating system(s) to be verified and included in the report.
1.3 Since conversion factors are not required in this practice, either inch-pound units, SI units, or metric values can be used as
the standard.
1.4 Forces indicated on displays/printouts of testing machine data systems—be they instantaneous, delayed, stored, or
retransmitted—which are verified with provisions of 1.1.1, 1.1.2, or 1.1.3, and are within the 61 % accuracy requirement, comply
with Practices E 4.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D76 Specification for Tensile Testing Machines for Textiles
E74 Practice of Calibration of Force-Measuring Instruments for Verifying the Force Indication of Testing Machines
E 467 Practice for Verification of Constant Amplitude Dynamic Forces in an Axial Fatigue Testing System
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions:
3.1.1 testing machine (force-measuring type)—a mechanical device for applying a force to a specimen.
3.1.1.1 portable testing machine (force-measuring type)—a device specifically designed to be moved from place to place and
for applying a force (load) to a specimen.
3.1.2 tension testing machine, CRT (constant-rate-oftraverse)—a mechanical device for applying a load (force) to a specimen
and in which the force is measured by means of a pendulum.
3.1.3force—in the case of testing machines, a force measured in units such as pound-force, newton, or kilogram-force.
3.1.3.1
1
These practices are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E28 on Mechanical Testing and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E28.01 on Calibration of
Mechanical Testing Machines and Apparatus.
Current edition approved Jan.Dec. 1, 2007.2008. Published January 2007.2009. Originally approved in 1923. Last previous edition approved in 20032007 as
E4–03.E4–07.
2
For referencedASTM standards, visit theASTM website, www.astm.org, or contactASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
E4–08
3.1.2.1 Discussion—The pound-force is that force which acting on a 1-lb mass will give to it an acceleration of 9.80665
2 2 2
m/s (32.1740 ft/s ). The newton is that force which acting on a 1-kg mass will give to it an acceleration of 1 m/s .
3.1.4
3.1.3 accuracy—the specified permissible variation from the correc
...

This document is not anASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of anASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
American Association State
Designation:E4–07 Designation:E4–08 Highway and Transportation Officials Standards
AASHTO No: T67
Standard Practices for
1
Force Verification of Testing Machines
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 4; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript
epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope
1.1 These practices cover procedures for the force verification, by means of standard calibration devices, of tension or
compression, or both, static or quasi-static testing machines (which may, or may not, have force-indicating systems). These
practices are not intended to be complete purchase specifications for testing machines. Testing machines may be verified by one
of the three following methods or combination thereof:
1.1.1 Use of standard weights,
1.1.2 Use of equal-arm balances and standard weights, or
1.1.3 Use of elastic calibration devices.
NOTE 1—These practices do not cover the verification of all types of testing machines designed to measure forces, for example, the
constant-rate-of-loading type which operates on the inclined-plane principle. This type of machine may be verified as directed in the applicable appendix
of Specification D 76.
1.2 The procedures of 1.1.1-1.1.3 apply to the verification of the force-indicating systems associated with the testing machine,
such as a scale, dial, marked or unmarked recorder chart, digital display, etc. In all cases the buyer/owner/user must designate the
force-indicating system(s) to be verified and included in the report.
1.3 Since conversion factors are not required in this practice, either inch-pound units, SI units, or metric values can be used as
the standard.
1.4 Forces indicated on displays/printouts of testing machine data systems—be they instantaneous, delayed, stored, or
retransmitted—which are verified with provisions of 1.1.1, 1.1.2, or 1.1.3, and are within the 61 % accuracy requirement, comply
with Practices E 4.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D76 Specification for Tensile Testing Machines for Textiles
E74 Practice of Calibration of Force-Measuring Instruments for Verifying the Force Indication of Testing Machines
E 467 Practice for Verification of Constant Amplitude Dynamic Forces in an Axial Fatigue Testing System
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions:
3.1.1 testing machine (force-measuring type)—a mechanical device for applying a force to a specimen.
3.1.1.1 portable testing machine (force-measuring type)—a device specifically designed to be moved from place to place and
for applying a force (load) to a specimen.
3.1.2 tension testing machine, CRT (constant-rate-oftraverse)—a mechanical device for applying a load (force) to a specimen
and in which the force is measured by means of a pendulum.
3.1.3force—in the case of testing machines, a force measured in units such as pound-force, newton, or kilogram-force.
3.1.3.1
1
These practices are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E28 on Mechanical Testing and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E28.01 on Calibration of
Mechanical Testing Machines and Apparatus.
Current edition approved Jan.Dec. 1, 2007.2008. Published January 2007.2009. Originally approved in 1923. Last previous edition approved in 20032007 as
E4–03.E4–07.
2
For referencedASTM standards, visit theASTM website, www.astm.org, or contactASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
E4–08
3.1.2.1 Discussion—The pound-force is that force which acting on a 1-lb mass will give to it an acceleration of 9.80665
2 2 2
m/s (32.1740 ft/s ). The newton is that force which acting on a 1-kg mass will give to it an acceleration of 1 m/s .
3.1.4
3.1.3 accuracy—the specified permissible variation from the correc
...