Connect, no.156, September/October 2008, p.6

Heat treatment at TWI

The ceramics laboratory at TWI in Cambridge

In addition to its usual R&D and consultancy services, the ceramics group at TWI has been asked to perform a number of specialist heat treatment cycles for Member Companies. Recent work has included the performance of a bespoke 10 step heat treatment and gas quench, as well as annealing of a laser deposited Inconel 718 material.

Making use of TWI's facilities can offer a number of benefits, including access to temperatures and atmospheres not generally available. This can avoid potential contamination of critical environments or simply the ability to perform the run without interrupting a production schedule.

TWI can develop and perform bespoke heat treatment cycles in air, in vacuum or with an inert gas backfill. A large proportion of the work is carried out in a furnace with facility for inert gas backfill and/or a rapid gas quench. A further two vacuum furnaces are available for heat treatment work. The maximum temperature capability of the vacuum furnaces is 2000°C.

Other facilities include a range of air/inert gas furnaces (box and tube types) with a maximum temperature capability of 1600°C and the ability to perform direct quench to oil or water. All the furnaces can be monitored with specifically positioned thermocouples to produce an accurate thermal profile throughout the run.

For further information, please contact ceramics@twi.co.uk