 The High-Temperature Mechanical Deformation
Laboratories are equipped with a broad
range of instruments for mechanical testing of
materials. The primary systems include three,
computer-controlled, servo-hydraulic testing
machines equipped for the study of fatigue
crack propagation and cyclic and monotonic
deformation at ambient temperatures. In addition,
one system is equipped with a very high
temperature (l5OO C) vacuum furnace. These
three instruments provide a very flexible testing
capability, enhanced by advanced data acquisition
and control techniques.
Superplastic deformation testing is done
with three automated servo-hydraulic systems.
All are modern MTS systems programmed for
constant temperature and one or more constant
true stain rates in a single test. One system
is used for tensile testing at temperatures
up to 1050°C in air or inert atmospheres and the second is used for tensile
testing under high vacuum
at temperatures up to
1600 C. The third system
is used to perform compression
tests at temperatures
up to 1200 C. Creep
testing is done with a constant
stress creep machine,
a high-vacuum chamber
and temperatures as high
as 1250 C. | 
