Overview
The Center for Mechanical Characterization of Materials (CMCM) was established in 1987 to provide mechanical characterization (e.g. mechanical testing, deformation processing, etc.) expertise to the CWRU campus, medical, industrial, legal, outside university, and government laboratory communities. The Center, housed in the Charles M. White Metallurgy building, currently maintains equipment valued in excess of $3M and has been accessed by the local, national, and international communities. The CWRU campus community can access the facility via the use of a valid CWRU university account number that will be charged at an internal rate for machine time, including set up and any technician time involved. Long term testing can be provided at pro-rated charges in consultation with the Center Directors. Arrangements can be made to train users on the equipment and reserve time for equipment use by contacting the Center co-director. Outside (i.e. non-CWRU) users can access the facility via a number of different mechanisms by contacting the Center Director.
In general, the Center is capable of mechanically evaluating and deformation processing materials that range in size scale from the micrometer range up through bulk quantities. This unique facility enables mechanical characterization at loading rates as low as one micrometer/hour (i.e. rate of fingernail growth!) up through impact (e.g. 3-4 meters/sec) at temperatures ranging from -196C (i.e liquid nitrogen) up to 1400C. Monotonic as well as cyclic fatigue testing is possible in addition to evaluations of mechanical behavior and processing with superimposed pressures up to 2 GPa. Materials systems that have been investigated span the range of organic and inorganic materials, including metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, electronic materials, and biomedical materials systems. Descriptions of specific equipment and capabilities is provided below:
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