CERMETS are a class of very hard and tough materials which combine the hardness of ceramics with the toughness of very wear resistant metals. Tungsten Carbide grinding drill bits is a primary example of a CERMET. Specimen preparation of these materials requires diamond grinding and polishing abrasives.

Proper specimen preparation requires that grinding damage be minimized as early as possible followed by polishing with CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) polishing techniques.