GenTest Software for
Universal Testing Machines
Test control · Data acquisition · Analysis · Reporting
GenTest is the software that runs every TensileMill CNC universal testing machine. It combines machine control, live data acquisition, automatic calculation and report generation in a single interface, with test methods for ASTM, ISO, EN, DIN, BS and GB/T already built in. Operators run standard tests from a preloaded method, and engineers build custom sequences without writing a line of code.
GenTest in Operation
GenTest replaces the usual mix of controller panels, spreadsheets and manual calculations with one workflow: choose a method, enter the specimen data, press Run, and the software handles control, acquisition, calculation and the report.
The method library ships preloaded with procedures for ASTM, ISO, EN, DIN, BS and GB/T, organized by material and test type: metallic tensile, compression, bend, shear, creep and relaxation. Any method can be duplicated and edited, so a lab keeps its standard procedures untouched while creating variants for a specific alloy, product family or customer specification.
There is more than one way to start a test. A Quick Test runs a simple crosshead move with basic results for incoming inspection. An Expert Method builds the test as a sequence of steps, pre-test, ramp, hold, end of test, each with its own control mode, rate and completion criteria. A Simulation file replays recorded data so a new operator can practice without a machine or a specimen, and a History Method rebuilds the exact settings of a test that has already been run.
During the test the operator sees up to twelve live channels: load, displacement, extensometer, strain, stress, stress rate and strain rate, with the curve drawing in real time next to the result table. Control modes switch between displacement, load and strain without stopping the test, and closed loop control holds the specified strain rate inside the tolerance required by ASTM E8 and ISO 6892-1.
Results are calculated automatically: yield strength, upper and lower yield, proof stress, tensile strength, modulus, elongation, reduction of area. Anything can be recalculated after the test from the stored raw curve, without repeating the test. Reports print on your own template, and data exports to CSV, Excel and PDF for LIMS, MES or internal QA systems.
Access is controlled by role. Administrators configure the system and security, test managers edit methods, operators execute tests only. Every result is stored with the user, the method and the machine that produced it, which is exactly what auditors ask for during ISO/IEC 17025 and NADCAP reviews.
Setup is equally direct. The machine connects over Ethernet, the license is activated once, and the workspace, safety shield, LED strip and accessories are configured from inside the software. The interface runs on a PC or on the touchscreen mounted on the frame, in multiple languages, with voice guided prompts.
See How It Works
Eleven minutes, one machine, no marketing. The walkthrough starts with a clean installation and license activation, then moves through the workspace setup, the Ethernet connection to the frame, the safety shield and the LED strip, so you see exactly what happens between unpacking a system and running the first specimen.
From there the video covers the parts an operator uses every day: creating user accounts and permission levels, switching demo mode on for training, adjusting the control panel, and the four ways to start a test. A Quick Test for a fast check, an expert method built step by step, a simulation file that runs without a specimen, and a method recalled from history.
The last part shows a full ASTM E8 tensile test with an automatic extensometer: live channels, the curve drawing in real time, the result table filling in, and the report produced at the end. If you want to judge how much training your team really needs, this is the fastest way to find out.
Capabilities in Detail
Test methods and standards
- Preloaded library for ASTM, ISO, EN, DIN, BS and GB/T, sorted by material and test type
- Non expert templates for standard procedures, expert mode for full step by step control
- Method duplication, editing and saving as a lab template
- Configurable units, rounding rules and result naming per method
Test execution
- Quick Test, Expert Method, Simulation file and History Method
- Multi step sequences: pre-test, absolute and relative ramps, hold, cyclic, creep, relaxation
- Control by displacement, load or strain, switching mid test without interruption
- Waveform control including sine and trapezoidal profiles
- Preload, return to origin, automatic specimen protection and clamping pressure limits
Data acquisition and analysis
- Up to 12 live channels with configurable layout, units and refresh rate
- Real time force-displacement and stress-strain curves with zoom, scaling and overlay of multiple specimens
- 1200 Hz sampling and control rate, 24-bit acquisition
- Automatic calculation of Fm, ReH, ReL, Rp, Rm, A, Z, E and user defined results
- Post-test recalculation from stored raw data, no retest required
Reporting and data management
- Report templates with lab logo, header, curves, tables and statistics
- Batch reports for a series of specimens with mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation
- Export to CSV, Excel and PDF for LIMS, MES and QA systems
- Test history with search by date, operator, method or material
Users, security and traceability
- Three permission levels: administrator, test manager, operator
- Password protected accounts, optional default login, permission control can be disabled for single operator labs
- Every record keeps user, method, machine and timestamp
Hardware and integration
- Ethernet connection to the controller, USB and analog output for external DAQ
- Automatic recognition of load cells and extensometers with stored calibration data
- Support for video extensometers, environmental chambers, high temperature furnaces, pneumatic and wedge grips
- Handheld 3.5 inch touchscreen console for crosshead jog, grip control and fine positioning
- Safety shield and LED status strip configured from the software
Deployment and support
- Guided installation and license activation
- Demo mode for training without a connected machine
- Multi-language interface with switching in real time, voice guided prompts
- Remote support, updates and operator training from TensileMill CNC
Frequently Asked Questions
What is GenTest software?
GenTest is the test control and data acquisition platform supplied with TensileMill CNC universal testing machines. It runs the machine, records the test, calculates the results and produces the report, so a laboratory works in one environment instead of a controller panel plus spreadsheets.
One platform means fewer transcription errors and faster reporting. Explore our tensile testing equipment.
Which testing standards are preloaded in GenTest?
The library ships with methods for ASTM, ISO, EN, DIN, BS and GB/T, organized by material and test type, including metallic tensile, compression, bend, shear, creep and relaxation. Typical examples are ASTM E8 and ISO 6892-1 for flat and round specimens, with or without an extensometer.
Starting from a validated method removes most of the setup risk. See our standards section.
Can I create or edit my own test methods?
Yes. Any preloaded method can be duplicated and edited, and new methods can be built from templates or in expert mode as a sequence of steps, each with its own control mode, rate and completion criteria. Saved methods become lab templates for repeat work.
This keeps standard procedures untouched while allowing material specific variants. To discuss your methods, talk to a specialist.
What does GenTest display while a test is running?
Up to twelve live channels are shown at the same time, including load, displacement, extensometer, strain, stress, stress rate and strain rate, with the force-displacement or stress-strain curve drawing in real time next to the result table and the operator input panel.
Seeing the curve as it forms lets an operator catch a bad specimen immediately. Explore our universal testing machines.
Can results be recalculated after a test is finished?
Yes. The raw curve is stored with every test, so yield strength, proof stress, modulus, elongation and other results can be recalculated later with different settings or a corrected specimen dimension, without repeating the test.
That saves both specimens and machine time during audits or review. To confirm the calculations you need, request a personal quote.
In what formats can test data be exported?
Reports print on your own template, and both raw data and calculated results export to CSV, Excel and PDF. These formats are accepted by LIMS, MES and internal quality systems, so results can be uploaded without custom programming.
Standard formats keep the data usable outside the test lab. For integration questions, contact support.
Does GenTest support user permissions and traceability?
Access is controlled by role. Administrators configure the system and security, test managers edit methods, and operators execute tests only. Every record stores the user, the method, the machine and the timestamp that produced it.
This is the level of traceability auditors expect. Learn more about accreditation and certification.
Which TensileMill CNC machines run GenTest?
GenTest is supplied with the TM-EML electro mechanical series from 50 N to 1000 kN and with the servo hydraulic systems from 300 kN to 3000 kN, so low force polymer work and high force metals are handled in the same software environment.
One interface across the range shortens operator training. Explore our tensile testing equipment.
How much training does an operator need?
For routine work an operator selects a preloaded method, enters the specimen dimensions and presses Run, which most people learn in a single session. Demo mode lets new staff practice on recorded data without a machine or a specimen.
Operator training is included with our service packages. To arrange training, talk to a specialist.
Is GenTest included with the machine or licensed separately?
The GenTest package is part of a standard TM-EML system together with the load frame, the servo controller and the load cell matched to the selected capacity. The license is activated once during installation, and updates and remote support are provided by TensileMill CNC.
To confirm what is included in your configuration, request a personal quote.
Ready to see GenTest run your own test method?
Tell us the standard you work to and we will show GenTest on your method, on your material.