Miniaturised thermomechanical tests on hardmetals and cermets

A new miniaturised electrothermo-mechanical test rig has been developed at NPL. The rig is computer controlled and uses electrical resistance heating for the power source. It can be operated to study uniaxial and thermomechanical fatigue deformations and to obtain data on properties which change with temperature, such as modulus and thermal expansion. The use of the rig is illustrated with measurements of high temperature fatigue and uniaxial compressive and tensile yield on fine and coarse grained hardmetals.