GLEEBLE MCU: EXPAND YOUR THERMO-MECHANICAL SIMULATOR FOR SPECIALIZED MATERIALS TESTING
Turn One Gleeble Into a Multi-Process Testing Platform—No New Capital Equipment Needed
Mobile Conversion Units (MCUs) transform your Gleeble 3500 or 3800 system into a purpose-built laboratory for hot torsion, high-speed deformation, multi-axis strain, and strip annealing — without sacrificing your existing investment.
UNLOCK NEW CAPABILITIES WITH GLEEBLE MCUS
Expand your existing Gleeble 3500 or 3800 into a multi-purpose thermo-mechanical testing platform. Speak with a Gleeble applications specialist to identify the right MCU configuration for your research needs and receive full technical guidance.
WHAT IS A GLEEBLE MCU?
Purpose-Built Modules. Platform-Level Power.
Gleeble Systems are the gold standard in thermo-mechanical simulation for materials research worldwide. The Mobile Conversion Unit program was developed to extend that standard — allowing laboratories to address highly specialized test requirements without investing in a separate standalone instrument for each application.
Whether your research requires independent strain-rate control for multi-pass rolling simulation, torsional deformation at elevated temperatures, large-scale strip annealing replication, or unlimited accumulated strain in complex deformation paths, there is an MCU designed for the task.
MCU modules connect directly to your existing Gleeble 3500 or 3800 and are operated through the Gleeble control system, preserving your existing workflows while unlocking new testing dimensions.
MCU modules are optional additions and must be used in conjunction with a Gleeble 3500 or 3800 system. They cannot operate as standalone instruments.
MCU PRODUCT SERIES
Four MCU Systems. One Unified Gleeble Platform.
Each MCU in the Gleeble series addresses a distinct category of specialized materials testing — from hot torsion and high-speed deformation to multi-axis strain accumulation and large-scale thermal processing simulation. Select the module that matches your research requirements or combine multiple MCUs to build a comprehensive materials characterization laboratory around your existing Gleeble investment.
HYDRAWEDGE MCU
Independent Strain & Strain Rate Control for High-Speed Physical Simulation
The Gleeble Hydrawedge MCU delivers independent control of strain and strain rate for each individual pass, enabling precise simulation of multi-pass hot rolling, forging, and forming schedules. Designed for researchers requiring repeatable high-speed deformation sequences with accurate inter-pass cooling control.
- Independent strain and strain rate control per pass
- High-speed jaw velocity for realistic deformation rates
- Wedge-cam mechanism for precise stroke control
- Ideal for multi-pass hot rolling and thermomechanical processing research
- Direct resistance heating via Gleeble base system
HOT TORSION MCU
Advanced Hot Torsion Testing with Direct Resistance Heating for High-Temperature Materials Characterization
The Gleeble Hot Torsion MCU enables researchers to study flow stress, workability, and microstructural evolution under torsional deformation at elevated temperatures. Leveraging Gleeble's direct resistance heating, specimens reach and maintain precise temperatures with exceptional uniformity — critical for high-temperature materials characterization.
- Torsional deformation at temperatures up to 1400°C+
- Direct resistance heating for uniform specimen temperature
- Large accumulated strain capability
- Controlled cooling rates during and post-deformation
- Suitable for steels, titanium alloys, nickel superalloys
MAXStrain MCU
Multi-Axis Hot Deformation With Unlimited Strain Control
The Gleeble MAXStrain MCU breaks the constraints of conventional compression testing by enabling multi-axis deformation with unlimited accumulated strain. Designed for researchers studying severe plastic deformation, texture evolution, and recrystallization behavior where large strain values and complex deformation paths are essential.
- Multi-axis deformation — alternating perpendicular compression passes
- Unlimited accumulated strain without specimen removal
- Precise temperature and strain rate control throughout
- Ideal for studying recrystallization and texture development
- Compatible with a wide range of metallic alloys
Large-Sample Strip Annealing MCU
Replicate Strip Annealing Thermal Cycles — At Full Scale, In Your Lab
The Gleeble Large-Sample Strip Annealing MCU allows researchers and process engineers to replicate industrial continuous annealing and galvannealing thermal cycles on full-width strip specimens in the laboratory — delivering results directly applicable to production process development and qualification.
- Full-width strip specimen capability for representative sampling
- Programmed thermal cycle replication: heating, soaking, cooling
- Applicable to cold-rolled steels, advanced high-strength steels (AHSS), aluminum
- Simulate continuous annealing line (CAL) conditions in the lab
- Supports galvannealing and coating process development
WHERE GLEEBLE MCUs DELIVER RESULTS
Gleeble MCU systems are deployed in materials research institutions, steel and aluminum producers, aerospace manufacturers, and automotive R&D centers worldwide. Below is a cross-section of the industries and applications where MCU-equipped Gleeble systems provide critical testing capabilities.
| Industry / Research Area | MCU Application |
| Steel Production & Processing | Simulate hot rolling passes, interpass cooling, and recrystallization behavior to optimize rolling schedules and reduce pilot-mill trials. |
| Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS) | Replicate continuous annealing line thermal cycles on full-width specimens to develop and qualify new AHSS grades for automotive applications. |
| Aluminum Alloy Development | Characterize hot workability and flow stress under torsional deformation to guide extrusion and forging process design. |
| Aerospace Alloys (Ti, Ni) | Study high-temperature deformation behavior and microstructure evolution in titanium and nickel superalloys for turbine and airframe component manufacturing. |
| Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) | Accumulate unlimited strain through multi-axis passes to investigate grain refinement, texture development, and enhanced mechanical properties. |
| Galvanizing & Coating Lines | Replicate galvannealing thermal cycles in the laboratory to evaluate coating adhesion, microstructure, and processability prior to full-scale trials. |
| Constitutive Modeling & FEA | Generate high-fidelity flow stress data across temperature and strain rate ranges for finite element model input and process simulation validation. |
- Reduce pilot-scale trial costs and timelines
- Generate publication-ready flow stress datasets
- Validate FEA and process simulation models
- Qualify new alloy grades for industrial use
- Develop optimized thermo-mechanical processing routes
- Characterize microstructure-property relationships
- Support ICME and digital twin initiatives
- Accelerate time-to-market for new materials
MCU MODULES REQUIRES A GLEEBLE 3500 or 3800
Gleeble Mobile Conversion Units are optional additions to the Gleeble 3500 and 3800 physical simulation platforms. They are not standalone instruments and cannot be operated independently of a Gleeble base system.
Each MCU attaches to and is controlled through your existing Gleeble system — leveraging the Gleeble's direct resistance heating, servo-hydraulic drive, and control software. This design ensures that all MCU testing benefits from the same precision thermal and mechanical control that defines Gleeble systems globally.
If you are evaluating whether your current Gleeble system or a new Gleeble installation is the right foundation for an MCU expansion, our technical team can advise on compatibility, installation requirements, and application fit.
READY TO EXPAND YOUR THERMO-MECHANICAL SIMULATION CAPABILITIES?
Speak with a Gleeble applications specialist to determine which MCU module is right for your research objectives — or request our full MCU technical specifications and application guide.
