Plastometrex Launches MultiScale Capability for Thin-Wall and High-Resolution Mechanical Property Mapping

Why It Matters

By making thin‑walled and complex geometries testable without sectioning, MultiScale accelerates qualification cycles and reduces safety‑factor conservatism in high‑performance sectors like aerospace and additive manufacturing.

Key Takeaways

• MultiScale maps properties on 0.75 mm walls.
• 1.5 mm indent spacing enables fine resolution.
• NASA detected 15% yield drop in thin walls.
• Supports 250 µm, 500 µm, and 1000 µm indenters.
• ASTM E3499‑25 standardizes indentation plastometry.

Pulse Analysis

Traditional tensile testing struggles with thin‑walled, welded, or intricately shaped parts because it requires destructive sampling and standardized coupons. Plastometrex’s MultiScale capability sidesteps these constraints by applying a series of micro‑indentations across a component’s surface and using accelerated inverse finite element analysis to reconstruct full stress‑strain curves. This approach delivers reliable mechanical data in minutes, preserving the part for further use and dramatically shortening the time needed for material qualification.

The technical advantage lies in the combination of Profilometry‑based Indentation Plastometry (PIP) with interchangeable indenter sizes, allowing engineers to select the appropriate spatial resolution for a given geometry. The 1.5 mm indent spacing captures fine‑scale variations, as evidenced by NASA’s recent study where a 15 % drop in yield strength was observed as wall thickness decreased. Such granular insight enables rapid feedback loops for additive‑manufacturing process optimization, weld procedure refinement, and the potential to lower safety margins without compromising structural integrity.

Industry adoption is bolstered by the recent ASTM E3499‑25 standard, which formalizes the extraction of stress‑strain data from indentation tests, reducing regulatory uncertainty. Integrated with Renishaw’s production workflows and offered via the CORSICA+ subscription, MultiScale positions Plastometrex as a key enabler for non‑destructive testing in regulated sectors. As manufacturers seek faster, data‑rich qualification methods, the technology is likely to become a staple in aerospace, automotive, and high‑performance engineering pipelines.