This focused ion beam-digital image correlation (FIB-DIC) Good Practice Guide (GPG) is one of the key outputs from the iSTRESS project, aimed at providing users with practical advice for making reliable residual stress measurements on their own systems and materials using this technique. It brings together the expertise and experience of the project partners in a single document, and is being used to promote the transfer and uptake of the newly developed methodologies to a wider industry.
Led by NPL and RomaTre and Oxford Universities, it is based largely on input and technical expertise of the project partners involved in Work Packages 2-5, and the results and findings from the various round robin exercises and studies carried out within the project.
The GPG covers all aspects of the measurement process and residual stress analyses for the range of materials and sample geometries examined within the iSTRESS project. It is designed to be a practical guide, with advice, supporting information to illustrate the various process steps, and data analysis required to make reliable and repeatable high resolution residual stress measurements. Examples from the iSTRESS project are included throughout the document to illustrate aspects of the measurement process and highlight good practice.
It forms an important document for pre-standardisation of the FIB-DIC technique and will continue to be promoted to the Standards community through CEN TC/352 and VAMAS TWA22 and is expected to form the basis of a future International Standard in this field.