Plastometrex Automates Material Testing So Engineers Can Walk Away

Plastometrex is preparing to ship its PLX-AutoStage module, an add-on that turns the company's PLX-Benchtop into a fully automated materials testing station. The system can run hundreds of stress-strain tests without anyone watching, then deliver the results for analysis.

How PIP testing works

The underlying method is Profilometry-based Indentation Plastometry, or PIP. A small indent is pressed into the sample surface, a profilometer captures the 3D shape of the residual impression, and an inverse finite element model calculates yield strength and ultimate tensile strength. The process is non-destructive and takes minutes. ASTM recognized the method as standard E3499-25 earlier this year.

Until now, running a batch of PIP tests meant positioning each sample manually, setting the indent location, and waiting for the result before moving to the next part. The PLX-AutoStage removes the manual loop.

What the AutoStage adds

The module mounts to the PLX-Benchtop and carries a motorised sample tray. Users load one or many parts, select the indent positions in the software, and start the queue. The system moves between samples, performs each test, and records the data. Indent spacing can be as tight as 1.5 mm across a single component, and placement accuracy sits within 150 microns of the selected point.

That resolution is useful for mapping property variations across welds, heat-affected zones, or complex geometries. Traditional tensile testing is slow and hard to automate. Hardness testing is fast but only gives a proxy for strength. PIP sits in the middle: fast, repeatable, and capable of returning full stress-strain curves.

Use cases and timeline

Plastometrex has already built multiple AutoStage modules at its headquarters and taken pre-orders from customers. One practical example is testing density cubes printed in all eight corners of an additive manufacturing build envelope. With the automated workflow, those eight samples can be loaded, tested, and mapped within an hour.

The commercial launch is targeted for Q4 2026. The company expects the AutoStage to become part of its standard package, though buyers can opt out if they do not need high-throughput automation. Jimmy Campbell, Plastometrex's CTO, described the module as the most requested feature from existing users.