The Cooperative Engineering Program offered between Missouri State University and Missouri University of Science and Technology was developed to fulfill a regional need for engineers, but recently the program was challenged to fulfill a different need. When Polymer Testing of St. Louis, Inc.’s equipment malfunctioned, the small company contacted Missouri State to request help in running tensile tests using the university’s Instron Universal Test Machine.
Dr. Doug Carroll, director of the cooperative engineering program, said he felt it was important for the department to help the business run the tensile tests of polymer materials used in medical applications.
“This is a good example of Missouri State University helping a Missouri business be successful and grow the economy of Missouri,” Carroll said.
The Instron Universal Test Machine measures the strength and stiffness of materials in tension, compression, flexure and shear, according to American Society for Testing and Materials standards.
Missouri State’s engineering program, which is housed in the Robert W. Plaster Center for Free Enterprise and Business Development in IDEA Commons, performed the first round of tests on Aug. 27.