Training Course

Digital Image Correlation in Materials Testing

Use and application of DIC in mechanical testing

When

22 Oct 2027 08:30 - 17:00

Where

Online

Language

English

Certificate

upon completion

Digital Image Correlation (DIC) plays a growing role in (not restricted to) destructive characterization of structural materials. The advantage lies in the possibility of visualizing large areas for occurring deformations and strains of the object of interest under different loading conditions. This non-contact metrology is applicable to almost every material class, making its applicability almost infinite. It is not only used for the determination of material properties or for quality testing in manufacturing but also for test inspection. The seminar describes theory and application of Digital Image Correlation for selected standardized and common state-of-the-art tests, for the mechanical characterization of structural materials under common loading conditions. The purpose of this seminar is to provide good practice guidelines for setting up and conducting Digital Image Correlation measurements in conjunction with mechanical testing of test specimens in general-purpose laboratory conditions. In order to obtain accurate and representative material data, it is important being minute and careful when planning, performing, and evaluating experiments. Many inherent difficulties of tensile, shear, flexure, and fracture testing are addressed where pertinent measurement issues are visualized with DIC. The more you see, the less you can hide. Digital Image Correlation offers a new look at old problems of structural mechanics, presenting a detailed insight into mechanical testing of materials, which cannot be covered by point measurements.

Training Chair

Dr.-Ing. Matthias J. Merzkirch
University of Augsburg

Program Flyer Fact Sheet

Digital Image Correlation (DIC) provides the unique ability to visualize deformation and strain over large areas of structural materials, enabling a critical understanding of material behavior under various loading conditions.
Here are the key reasons why this course will benefit your company:

DIC Fundamentals: Understand the basic principles of DIC, including setup, pattern application, and parameter selection for accurate measurements.
Practical Insights: Explore practical aspects, such as preparation of specimens, design of DIC measurements, and data reduction methodologies.
Mechanical Tests: Learn how to use DIC for a variety of ASTM, ISO and DIN standardized mechanical tests (tensile, shear, flexure, and fracture) under common loading conditions.
Measurement Precision: Understand the precision and uncertainty of DIC, the factors affecting it, and how to improve the reliability of your test results.
Quality Control: Use DIC in quality control to detect manufacturing defects or material inconsistencies.
Interdisciplinary Understanding: Connect experiments and mechanical models by visualizing DIC results.
Practical Exercises and Applications: Expand your knowledge with practical examples and exercises, as well as multiple application cases.
Discuss your specific real-world application/problem with experts.

Use this opportunity to advance your company’s technology and gain a competitive advantage!

Your added value in day-to-day business

Is your camera calibration available and truly valid?

Missing, incorrect or insufficient calibration leads to systematic measurement deviations that are often not immediately visible. A one-time calibration without validation can introduce persistent bias into your data.

What you gain: You learn how to select, calibrate, and validate camera systems properly to ensure reliable strain measurements.

Are optics limiting your measurement accuracy?

Inappropriate lens selection regarding focal length, distortion, or depth of field can significantly reduce achievable accuracy. Resolution alone does not define measurement quality.

What you gain: You understand how to dimension lenses according to field of view and accuracy requirements and how optics influence uncertainty.

Is your speckle pattern engineered – or improvised?

Speckle patterns that are poorly dimensioned in size, contrast, or randomness reduce correlation quality and increase noise. Arbitrary application leads to unstable results.

What you gain: You learn how to design speckle patterns systematically and match them to subset size and optical setup. Doing so allows you to track strain more effectively.

Are DIC parameters chosen on engineering principles?

Subset and step size selection directly influence spatial resolution and noise sensitivity. Poor parameter choices distort strain fields and reduce reproducibility.

What you gain: You learn to select DIC parameters based on physical reasoning and measurement objectives.

Are lighting and boundary conditions under control?

Unstable illumination increases image noise. Out-of-plane motion and underestimated boundary conditions introduce systematic errors.

What you gain: You learn how to stabilize lighting conditions and assess mechanical boundary effects to reduce measurement uncertainty.

Can you trust your strain data in critical decisions?

Incorrect DIC data can lead to repeated test series, development delays, wrong component evaluation, overdesign, or false safety margins.

What you gain: You reduce uncertainty, increase reproducibility, and create a reliable basis for development, validation, and product release decisions.