GLEEBLE MAXSTRAIN MCU

Multi-Axis Hot Deformation With Unlimited Strain Control

Push the boundaries of severe plastic deformation research. The Gleeble MAXStrain MCU® delivers multi-compression hot deformation testing with no practical strain limit — enabling laboratory grain refinement, ultrafine grain material production, and precision-controlled deformation at temperatures and strain rates that mirror real production processes.

What Is the Gleeble MAXStrain Multi-Axis Hot Deformation System?

The Gleeble MAXStrain is a Mobile Conversion Unit engineered specifically for severe plastic deformation (SPD) research and grain refinement applications. As an add-on to any Gleeble thermomechanical simulator, the MAXStrain transforms your existing investment into a dedicated multi-axis hot deformation testing system capable of achieving strain levels far beyond what conventional single-axis deformation equipment can provide.

The system works by restraining specimens in the longitudinal direction while subjecting them to repeated alternating compressions in the two perpendicular axes. With no specific limit on the number of compression hits, the MAXStrain can accumulate virtually unlimited total strain — all while maintaining closed-loop control of strain, strain rate, and temperature throughout every cycle.

The result: a laboratory-scale severe plastic deformation research tool that produces samples of ultrafine-grain or nanoscale material large enough for subsequent mechanical properties testing — something no conventional single-pass hot deformation system can achieve.

Compatible with steels, aluminum alloys, titanium, nickel superalloys, and a wide range of engineering metals, the MAXStrain is the definitive laboratory grain structure refinement equipment for academic research, industrial R&D, and advanced materials development programs.

"The MAXStrain provides unparalleled, accurate control of all parameters, offering a high degree of reproducibility. Researchers can quickly and precisely create materials in the laboratory under well-controlled mechanical and thermal conditions."

MAXStrain Unlimited Strain Control

With no preset limit on compression hit count, the MAXStrain system allows researchers to accumulate strain beyond any threshold achievable by conventional severe plastic deformation equipment — enabling true SPD at laboratory scale.

Multi-Compression Hot Deformation Architecture

The dual-column horizontal test frame restrains specimens lengthwise while enabling perpendicular deformation across alternating axes — the defining characteristic of a true multi-compression hot deformation system.

Closed-Loop Hydraulic Servo Control

Hydraulic servo actuation provides precise control of force (up to 196 kN static), stroke rate (0.01–350 mm/s), and stroke distance (up to 36 mm) — the precision foundation of a controlled strain rate testing equipment platform.

Precision Temperature Controlled Deformation

Full integration with the Gleeble's resistance heating and quenching system delivers thermal accuracy to ±1°C throughout multi-hit sequences — a core requirement for reproducible grain refinement studies and thermomechanical process simulation.

Ultrafine Grain Material Testing Equipment

By accumulating high total strain under controlled thermal conditions, the MAXStrain routinely produces ultrafine-grain microstructures in structural alloys — converting laboratory specimens into samples suitable for full mechanical characterization.

MCU Modularity & System Compatibility

As a Mobile Conversion Unit, the MAXStrain mounts directly onto existing Gleeble 3000-series systems, expanding capability without requiring a dedicated machine — protecting capital investment while enabling new research directions.