Temperature Chambers for Universal Testing Machines: A Buyer's Guide to Hot and Cold Testing (-80 °C to +350 °C)
Plastics stiffen in the cold and soften in the heat. Adhesives that hold at room temperature let go at 80 °C. Composites in an aircraft wing see -55 °C at altitude and well over 100 °C near an engine. If your parts work outside the lab's 23 °C, you need to test them there too, and that means putting a temperature chamber on your testing machine. This guide covers what to look for, how the pieces fit together, and how to add a chamber to the machine you already own.
What is a temperature chamber for a universal testing machine?
A temperature chamber, also called an environmental or thermal chamber, is an insulated box that surrounds the specimen and grips on a universal testing machine. Heaters and a cooling supply hold the air inside at a set temperature while pull rods pass through ports in the top and bottom, so you can run tensile, compression, flexure, peel and shear tests from deep cold to high heat without moving the specimen.
Standards that call for testing at temperature
Plastics: ASTM D638 and ISO 527 tensile tests run at specified temperatures to build property-versus-temperature data.
Composites: ASTM D3039, D2344 and D6641 at cold and hot/wet conditions for aerospace allowables.
Metals: ISO 6892-2 and ASTM E21 for elevated-temperature tensile tests, and ISO 6892-3 for low temperature.
Rubber and elastomers: ASTM D412 tensile and ASTM D624 tear at service temperatures for seals and gaskets.
Adhesives: ASTM D1002 lap shear and peel tests across an adhesive's service range.
6 things to consider when choosing a temperature chamber
1. Temperature range and heating rate
Cover the coldest and hottest points in your standards with some margin. Our standard chamber runs from -80 °C to +280 °C, with a +350 °C option. It heats at about 15 °C per minute from 20 to 80 °C with no grips inside, reaches full temperature in about 30 minutes, and holds the set point to within 0.1 °C. Grips and fixtures add mass, so expect slower ramps once they're installed.
2. Cooling method
Liquid nitrogen (LN2): the standard way to reach -80 °C fast. It takes about 4 kg of LN2 to pull the chamber from room temperature to -80 °C. Great for bursts of cold testing, but the running cost adds up if you test cold every day.
Refrigeration unit: long-term cooling down to about -20 °C with no consumables.
Chiller: sustained cooling to about -50 °C for long cold test programs.
3. Interior space for grips and fixtures
The specimen, both grips and any fixture all have to fit inside. Our standard chamber's interior is 220 × 220 × 580 mm (exterior 360 × 480 × 766 mm), and custom sizes are available. Two rules matter at temperature:
Above about 150 °C, use nickel-plated, heat-treated grips and fixtures rated for the heat.
Standard air hoses on pneumatic grips fail above about 70 °C, so use heat-resistant jacketed hoses. Compact wedge grips avoid the problem entirely.
4. Strain measurement through the window
Clip-on extensometers have to survive the chamber temperature and are awkward to attach through a door. A video extensometer measures from outside through the viewing window, so nothing is exposed to the heat or cold. Our chambers use heated glass to stop frost and fogging on cold tests, which keeps the camera's view clear.
5. Mounting and machine compatibility
Most OEM chambers are built for one brand of frame. Ours fit any dual-column machine, including Instron, MTS, ZwickRoell, Shimadzu and Galdabini. Mounting options include a rail system, a free-standing cage, a sliding wedge attachment, and a weighted floor sled on wheels that rolls the chamber into the test space and back out again when you need the frame for room-temperature work.
6. Construction, controls and data
Look for stainless steel inside and out, insulated double walls, and a controller you can trust. Our chambers are built from 2 mm stainless steel with two-layer insulation, draw 2.3 kW while heating (220 V or 380 V), and come with a Sika TLK 96 temperature controller. An optional analog I/O upgrade (Omron RS-232 or Eurotherm RS-485) lets your testing software log chamber temperature alongside load and strain. Options include extra side viewing ports, interior lighting, and extensometer support.
Universal Grip temperature chamber specifications
Temperature range: -80 °C to +280 °C (+350 °C optional)
Control: within 0.1 °C
Heating rate: about 15 °C/min (20 to 80 °C, no grips)
Cooling: LN2 standard; refrigeration or chiller for long-term cooling
Interior: 220 × 220 × 580 mm; exterior 360 × 480 × 766 mm (custom available)
Power: 2.3 kW heating, 220 V or 380 V
Compatibility: any dual-column universal testing machine
Lead time: about 4 to 5 weeks for standard chambers
Download the environmental chamber data sheet (PDF).
Running a test at temperature: the basics
Roll or slide the chamber into the test space and pass the pull rods through the top and bottom ports.
Install temperature-rated grips inside and load the specimen.
Close the door, set the temperature and start heating or cooling.
Let the specimen soak until it reaches temperature, following the soak time in your standard. The air reaches set point long before the specimen does.
Zero the load, start the test, and record strain through the window with your extensometer.
For a deeper look at heating, cooling and pull rod design, read Environmental Chambers for Universal Testing Machines and Thermal Environmental Chambers for Universal Testing Machines.
Temperature chamber FAQ
Will a Universal Grip chamber fit my Instron, MTS or Zwick machine?
Yes. Our chambers fit any dual-column universal testing machine, including Instron, MTS, ZwickRoell, Shimadzu and Galdabini, with a mounting option to suit your frame.
What temperature range can I test at?
-80 °C to +280 °C as standard, with a +350 °C option.
Do I need liquid nitrogen?
Only for fast or deep cold testing to -80 °C. For regular testing down to about -20 °C or -50 °C, a refrigeration unit or chiller avoids ongoing LN2 costs.
Can I use a video extensometer with the chamber?
Yes. It measures through the heated viewing window, so nothing is exposed to the chamber temperature.
Which grips work inside a temperature chamber?
Compact grips that fit the 220 mm wide interior. Above about 150 °C, use nickel-plated, heat-treated grips, and use heat-resistant hoses on pneumatic grips above about 70 °C.
How long does delivery take?
About 4 to 5 weeks for a standard chamber. Custom sizes take a few weeks longer.
Get a temperature chamber quote
Send us your machine make and model, the temperature range you need, your standards and your grips, and we'll quote a chamber, mounting, cooling and temperature-rated grips that fit. See our environmental chambers, universal testing machines and video extensometers, or contact us. More demos are on our YouTube channel.
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