NIST Recommended Practice Guide: Installing, Maintaining, and Verifying Your Charpy Impact Machine

Published

October 1, 2000

Author(s)

D P. Vigliotti, Thomas A. Siewert, Christopher N. McCowan

Abstract

The quality of the data developed by pendulum impact machines depends on how well the machines are installed, maintained, and verified. This is the reason that ASTM Standard E23 Standard Test Methods for Notched Bar Impact Testing of Metallic Materials specifies annual direct and indirect verification tests. Each year, NIST provides reference specimens for indirect verification of over 1000 machines around the world. From evaluation of the absorbed energies and the fractured specimens, we attempt to deduce the origin of energies that are outside the ranges permitted by Standard E23, and report these observations back to the machine owners. This recommended practice summarizes the bases for these observations, and hopefully will allow machines to be maintained at higher levels of accuracy. In addition, we provide details of the NIST verification program procedures and the production of the specimens.

Citation

Special Publication (NIST SP) - 960-4

Report Number

960-4

NIST Pub Series

Special Publication (NIST SP)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NBS.SP.960-4

Keywords

absorbed energy, charpy v-notch, impact test, machine repair, misalignment, mounting, pendulum impact test, verification testing, worn anvils

Citation

Vigliotti, D. , Siewert, T. and McCowan, C. (2000), NIST Recommended Practice Guide: Installing, Maintaining, and Verifying Your Charpy Impact Machine, Special Publication (NIST SP), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NBS.SP.960-4 (Accessed October 20, 2025)