The　effects　of　representative　sintering　techniques　on　the　residual　thermal　stress　(RTS)　in　the　as-prepared　cermets　were　investigated　using　the　WC-Co　composites　as　an　example.　The　real　processing　parameters　of　the　spark　plasma　sintering　(SPS)　and　sinter-hot　isostatic　pressing　(Sinter-HIP)　techniques　were　introduced　to　quantify　RTS　and　its　mechanisms.　The　real　microstructures　of　cermets　were　used　in　the　models　for　evaluation　of　RTS　distributions　in　different　phases.　The　macro-mesoscale　coupled　calculations　indicated　that　during　the　cooling　of　both　the　SPS　and　Sinter-HIP　processes,　the　WC　phase　of　the　sintered　cermets　has　a　state　of　compressive　stress,　while　Co　phase　has　a　tensile　stress　state.　The　internal　stress　magnitude　of　both　phases　increases　linearly　with　the　decrease　of　temperature.　There　are　larger　temperature　and　displacement　fields　in　the　SPSed　cermets　compared　to　those　prepared　by　Sinter-HIP.　The　stress　accumulation　in　the　SPS　process　is　faster　than　that　in　the　Sinter-HIP　by　30%.　The　RTS　in　the　SPSed　cermets　is　highly　concentrated　at　the　acute　dihedral　angles　of　WC/Co　interfaces,　which　tends　to　promote　the　face-centred　cubic　(fcc)　to　hexagonal　close-packed　(hcp)　martensitic　transformation　of　the　Co　phase.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd　and　Techna　Group　S.r.l.