ASTM D1414 Rubber O-Rings

ASTM D1414 specifies the procedures for determining the physical properties of o-rings. These specimens can be tested as whole rings or as straight, cylindrical specimens. Our 5900 Series or 3300 Series universal testing systems can easily be used to perform the tests laid out within this standard.

• Specimen gripping
• Specimen slippage
• Calculations

Our solutions:

• Fixture - The standard specifies a fixture consisting of two spools to hold an o-ring while under test. Our 2717 Series Elastomeric "O" Ring Test Fixtures were designed to accurately meet the requirements, and conveniently avoid the need for lubricants or external power motors. Designed for testing elastomeric materials in the form of rings, these fixtures avoid local stress concentrations by using a lower spindle that is rotated by a toothed belt driven from the moving crosshead. The upper spindle rotates freely and the rotation frequency of the lower spindle is easily selected by moving the toothed belt from one pulley to another.
• Secure gripping - When testing straight specimens or single strands, pneumatic side action grips with serrated or rubber coated faces are the preferred gripping configuration. The constant gripping force prevents specimen slippage while under test. In some cases, Instron elastomeric rubber grips have also been found to work well.
• Expression Builder - Due to the  geometry of whole o-rings and the unique fixture needed to test them, standard stress (F/A) and strain calculations (∆L/L_o) do not apply. Consideration needs to be made for the fixture geometry (spool separation and diameter) as well as specimen geometry. The Expression Builder within Bluehill^® Universal software allows for custom calculations, as well as modifications to standard results, such as stress and strain in order to adhere to the standard. Pre-canned test methods are also available for both o-ring and straight specimens to make setup time faster and easier.

It is important to review ASTM D1414 in order to fully understand the test setup, procedure, and results requirements.