Mechanics and mechanisms of fatigue in a WC-Ni hardmetal and a comparative study with respect to WC-Co hardmetals J.M. Tarragó 1, 4 , C.Ferrari 1,§ , B. Reig 2 , D. Coureaux 1, ф , L. Schneider 3 , L. Llanes 1, 4, † 1 CIEFMA – Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona 08028, SPAIN 2 Sandvik Hyperion - Sandvik Española S.A, Martorelles 08107, SPAIN 3 Sandvik Hyperion, Coventry CV4 0XG, UK 4 CRnE - Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona 08028, SPAIN † Author to whom all correspondence should be submitted. § CASC-Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK Ф Universidad de Oriente, Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba Phone: +34-934011083; Fax +34-934016706 E-mail: luis.miguel.llanes@upc.edu