Instron Charpy Impact Tester Motorized Lifting System

Project Overview:

- Designed and built a motorized lifting system for an Instron Charpy impact tester used in Northeastern University’s mechanical engineering teaching lab.
- Addressed a safety and usability issue caused by the manual lifting of a 66-lb pendulum hammer before each test.
- Developed a freestanding lifting frame that improved operator safety without permanently modifying the tester or altering its impact testing behavior.
- Focused on creating a practical, low-cost solution that could be installed within the existing lab space while maintaining ASTM E23 compliance.

Design Steps:

- Evaluated multiple lifting concepts, including direct motorization, ceiling-mounted systems, and external frame-based solutions.
- Selected a freestanding aluminum extrusion frame with an electric hoist to avoid permanent modifications to the tester or lab infrastructure.
- Designed the system around key constraints including ceiling height, lab footprint, hammer travel path, hoist capacity, operator access, cost, and ease of assembly.
- Supported CAD development, component selection, structural analysis, procurement, fabrication planning, and final system integration.
- Helped manage the project budget and purchasing process by sourcing components, coordinating orders, and tracking costs against project constraints.

Challenges:

- Designing a lifting system that improved safety without changing the calibrated behavior of the Charpy impact tester.
- Fitting the frame, hoist, and lifting path within a limited lab footprint and ceiling height.
- Balancing strength, cost, availability, and ease of assembly when selecting structural components.
- Coordinating procurement and fabrication around project deadlines, budget limits, and component lead times.
- Ensuring the final design was rigid, stable, and practical for repeated use in a teaching lab environment.

Results:

- Delivered a functional motorized lifting prototype that reduced the need for manual hammer lifting during Charpy impact testing.
- Improved operator safety and usability while preserving the original function of the existing impact tester.
- Demonstrated a lower-cost alternative to replacing the machine or installing a permanent overhead lifting system.
- Completed the project through coordinated design, purchasing, fabrication, assembly, and validation within real academic lab constraints.

Engineering Skills Demonstrated:

- Mechanical Design: Developed a lifting system around real equipment constraints, user needs, safety requirements, and lab limitations.
- Structural Analysis: Evaluated loading, deflection, and factor of safety for the lifting frame and support structure.
- Project Management: Helped coordinate design decisions, procurement, budgeting, fabrication planning, and final assembly.
- Design for Safety: Reduced manual lifting risk while avoiding changes to the tester’s calibrated impact behavior.
- Procurement and Budgeting: Sourced components, supported purchasing decisions, and tracked costs against project requirements.
- Systems Integration: Combined a structural frame, electric hoist, lifting interface, existing lab equipment, and user operation into a complete working system