NIMS Obtains Creep Deformation Data Exceeding 40 Years

The National Institute for Materials Science (President: Teruo Kishi) promotes Creep data project as part of its effort to improve the intellectual infrastructure for materials science under its Mid-Term Program.
On June 18, 2009, the creep test begun by the National Research Institute for Metals (NRIM; a predecessor of NIMS) at the Meguro Site on June 18, 1969 passed the 40 year mark and achieved a creep test time of approximately 348,310 hours .
The longest creep deformation data reported in the world to date were obtained in a creep test at Siemens in Germany. That test was discontinued in 2000 after reaching a test time of 356,463 hours. The data for 40 years obtained by NIMS is in its test rank 2nd in the world, after the Siemens data. Although 3 other tests resulting in long-term creep deformation data exceeding 300,000 hours have been reported in Germany, NIMS has already obtained 3 creep rupture data exceeding 300,000 hours, and the creep test of 11 specimens, including the one which exceeded 40 years reported above, has passed 300,000 hours and is currently continuing, with the aim of setting a new world’s record for long-term data.