Effect of Charpy Striker Configuration on Low- and High-Energy NIST Verification Specimens

Charpy machines can be equipped with strikers having two different configurations, corresponding to an edge radius of 2 mm or 8 mm. Both striker types are covered by ASTM E23 and ISO 148-1. The effect of striker type on Charpy absorbed energy has been extensively investigated in the past, and clear evidence has been published showing that when using 8 mm strikers, absorbed energy (KV) tends to increase for specimens with KV ≥ 200 J. In this paper, we investigate how striking edge radius affects certified values and uncertainties for National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) low-energy and high-energy verification specimens. Test data from two low-energy and two high-energy Charpy lots, analyzed in a statistically rigorous manner, were somewhat contradictory and led to the decision to separately certify low-energy and high-energy lots for use with 2 mm and 8 mm strikers. This agrees with previous findings by other NIST researchers, who recommended individual certifications for the two strikers at all energy levels.