EDEN PRAIRIE, MN, July 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — MTS Systems Corporation (NASDAQ: MTSC), a leading global supplier of high-performance test systems and sensors, continues to develop advanced technology which will help to ensure that society is better prepared for potential seismic events. The company announced today that it has completed the installation of a new advanced testing system at the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering (NCREE), located in Tainan, Taiwan. The seismic table test system is able to emulate the motion of the ground during seismic events, such as earthquakes. Through testing, engineers can evaluate everything from construction materials, building techniques and overall structural integrity to help to minimize the impact of these events on communities around the world.
When earthquakes occur they can have huge impact on the surrounding area – causing billions of dollars of damage, and in many cases, large numbers of fatalities. Because Taiwan is located on the Pacific Rim, which is subjected to considerable seismic activity, the Taiwanese government has made significant investments to safeguard the country from the impact of future earthquakes and tsunamis. The value of this is highlighted by the fact that the Premier of Executive Yuan of Taiwan, Dr. Lin Chuan, along with other dignitaries, recently toured NCREE’s new MTS installation and were given a demonstration of its capabilities. The test performed flawlessly, accurately replicating the 1999 earthquake in Jiji, Taiwan which caused more than $10 billion in damages and killed more than 2,400 people.
Housed inside a spacious, dedicated facility on the NCREE Tainan Laboratory, the multi-element MTS test system comprises an 8 meter x 8 meter shake table, a wall/floor structural test laboratory, and an isolation bearing tester. The shake table is among the largest to be implemented in the world to date. It can support a 250 ton payload, with an extended stroke length to reproduce the conditions that arise during longer period earthquakes. To reduce the vibration effects experienced by neighboring buildings on the NCREE Tainan Laboratory, the shake table system has been located within a 4,000 ton floating mass (specially designed by MTS experts) that rests on air bags. The bearing tester sets new benchmarks in terms of dynamic range and, with a vertical capacity of 60 meganewtons, is one of the largest that MTS has ever installed. It relies on hydrostatic bearings that provide almost frictionless motion, enabling the physical structure to be isolated from the ground movement in a seismic event – in essence “sliding” on the bearing rather than transferring the ground movement directly to the structure.
“There is a pressing need for civil engineers to undertake more comprehensive seismic simulation studies, so that they can evaluate the structural integrity of larger scale items, as well as longer displacement periods. Access to high performance test systems is an essential part of this work and that is why our collaboration with the diligent and highly professional staff at MTS, and the sophisticated equipment that the company has subsequently supplied us with, have both proved to be so important,” said Professor Shyh-Jiann Hwang, Director General of NCREE.
“This unique installation is putting greater emphasis on the need to better protect ourselves from the serious threat posed by earthquakes and other seismic events. Once again, it highlights how MTS works closely with leading research institutes around the world to bring far-reaching benefits to humanity,” stated Dr. Jeffrey Graves, MTS President and CEO.
About MTS Systems Corporation
MTS Systems Corporation’s testing hardware, software and services solutions help customers accelerate and improve their design, development and manufacturing processes and are used for determining the mechanical behavior of materials, products and structures. MTS’s high-performance sensors provide controls for a variety of applications measuring motion, pressure, position, force and sound. MTS had 3,500 employees as of October 1, 2016 and revenue of $650 million for the fiscal year ended October 1, 2016. Additional information on MTS can be found at www.mts.com.
About NCREE
The National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering (NCREE) in Taiwan links researchers and practicing professionals to build interdisciplinary knowledge and expertise using a variety of computational and experimental facilities in earthquake-related fields. It engages in basic and applied research in order to resolve critical seismic engineering issues. Due to the needs on pre-earthquake preparedness, emergency response, and post-earthquake recovery, the center brings together national academic resources, implements integrated research projects and develops enabling technologies for earthquake hazard mitigation. For more information visit: http://www.ncree.narlabs.org.tw
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SOURCE MTS Systems Corporation
Brian Ross, Investor Relations, 952.937.4000