Superalloy Heat Treating

Quality Processing for Superalloy

Superalloys are the backbone of high-performance aerospace and space components, designed to withstand extreme high-temperature environments and immense mechanical stress. At Paulo, we bring decades of expertise to the precise thermal processing of these critical materials, ensuring unmatched performance and reliability.

Enhancing Strength and Heat Resistance for Extreme Environments

Superalloys are engineered to deliver exceptional strength, thermal stability, and corrosion resistance in the most demanding conditions. Their unique composition—often including nickel, cobalt, and chromium—ensures peak performance under extreme heat and mechanical stress, making them indispensable in aerospace, space exploration, and other high-performance applications. With our advanced heat treating expertise, we optimize the durability and fatigue resistance of superalloys, while maintaining their structural integrity and dimensional precision for mission-critical components.

Components We Process

Turbine blades and vanes
Heat exchangers

Fuel inlets and manifolds

Structural supports

Superalloys We Process

Inconel 718

Inconel 718 is a versatile nickel-based superalloy prized for its ability to maintain strength and structural integrity under prolonged exposure to extreme conditions. Its balanced properties of creep resistance, fatigue strength, and weldability make it an essential material for highly complex aerospace components. Engineered for demanding environments, it ensures consistent, reliable performance over extended service life.

Inconel 718 Hardness Ranges

Typical hardness after heat treating is in the range of 35–45 HRC. Precise hardness can be achieved through solution annealing and aging processes, depending on application needs.

Inconel 625

Inconel 625 is known for its outstanding fatigue resistance, thermal stability, and corrosion resistance, particularly in marine and high-stress environments. Its ability to resist pitting and crevice corrosion makes it ideal for seawater systems and aerospace applications like structural components and fasteners.

Inconel 625 Hardness Ranges

Commonly processed to achieve a hardness range of 25–35 HRC. For critical parts, solution annealing ensures uniform properties, while precipitation hardening can further optimize mechanical performance.

Titanium (Ti-6Al-4V)

This titanium alloy combines excellent strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. Ti-6Al-4V is widely used in aerospace for airframes and landing gear, as well as in medical implants. Annealing and solution treatment followed by aging enhance its strength and toughness while maintaining ductility.

Titanium (Ti-6Al-4V) Hardness Ranges

Heat-treated titanium typically reaches a hardness range of 30–40 HRC. Tailored cycles of solution treating and aging allow for the optimization of mechanical properties depending on the intended use.

Hastelloy C22

Hastelloy C22 is a corrosion-resistant alloy designed for extreme chemical environments. Its ability to withstand oxidizing and reducing agents makes it ideal for chemical processing equipment, marine parts, and aerospace components exposed to harsh conditions.

Hastelloy C22 Hardness Ranges

Achievable hardness after annealing is around 30–35 HRC, with stress-relief heat treatments ensuring the material maintains its corrosion-resistant properties.

Haynes 214

Haynes 214 is an oxidation-resistant alloy engineered for high-temperature applications. Its ability to retain strength and resist corrosion up to 2,100°F makes it a top choice for gas turbines and exhaust systems.

Haynes 214 Hardness Ranges

Typical hardness is in the range of 20–30 HRC. Solution annealing ensures optimal microstructure for high-temperature performance.

Haynes 282

Haynes 282 offers excellent creep strength and weldability, making it suitable for long-term, high-temperature applications in aerospace and power generation. Precipitation hardening improves its durability and resistance to thermal fatigue.

Haynes 282 Hardness Ranges

Heat-treated parts achieve hardness levels of 30–40 HRC. Precise thermal cycles enhance mechanical properties for demanding applications.

GRCop Copper

GRCop Copper, a chromium-niobium-enhanced alloy, is engineered for superior thermal conductivity and strength. Commonly used in rocket nozzles and heat exchangers, it excels in environments requiring efficient heat dissipation.

GRCop Copper Hardness Ranges

Achievable hardness ranges from 15–25 HRC, depending on annealing and densification processes like Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP), which maximizes its density and thermal performance.

Heat Treatment Processes for Superalloys

Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP)

Hot Isostatic Pressing is a high-pressure, high-temperature process used to eliminate internal porosity and enhance the mechanical properties of superalloys. This process ensures uniform material density, which is critical for applications where structural integrity and fatigue resistance are essential.

HIP is often the first step in treating superalloy components, such as turbine blades and rocket nozzles, as it improves their performance under cyclic thermal and mechanical loads. By applying heat and isostatic pressure simultaneously, HIP also promotes the healing of micro-voids and ensures the alloy achieves maximum theoretical density.

Solution Treatment

Solution treatment is a heat treatment process used to dissolve solute-rich phases in superalloys, homogenizing their microstructure. The material is heated to a specific temperature, held to allow solute atoms to dissolve, and then rapidly cooled (quenched) to lock the uniform structure in place.

This process is especially critical for superalloys like Inconel 718 and Haynes 282, which rely on a controlled microstructure to achieve high strength and creep resistance. Solution treatment is typically followed by precipitation hardening to further enhance material properties.

Precipitation Hardening (Age Hardening)

Precipitation hardening is a process used to increase the yield strength and hardness of superalloys by forming fine precipitate particles throughout the matrix. After solution treating, the alloy is reheated to a lower temperature and held for an extended period to allow these strengthening phases to develop.

Superalloys like Inconel 718 and Haynes 282 undergo precipitation hardening to maximize their mechanical properties for aerospace and power generation applications. This process creates a balance between strength and toughness, making the material highly reliable in high-stress environments.

Vacuum Heat Treating

Vacuum heat treating is used to prevent oxidation and contamination during high-temperature processing of superalloys. By creating a low-pressure environment, vacuum furnaces maintain the material’s integrity while achieving precise thermal control.

This process is commonly applied to superalloys like Hastelloy C22 and titanium-based alloys to ensure clean, oxide-free surfaces, which are critical for components in aerospace and chemical processing.

Gas Quenching

Gas quenching is a rapid cooling method used to preserve the properties achieved during heat treatment. Superalloys are typically heated in a vacuum and then cooled using inert gases like argon or nitrogen to avoid oxidation.

Gas quenching is particularly effective for preserving the tensile and yield strength of alloys like Inconel 625 and titanium (Ti-6Al-4V). It also minimizes distortion, making it ideal for components requiring tight tolerances.

Annealing

Annealing is a process that reduces hardness, enhances ductility, and relieves internal stresses in superalloys. The material is heated to a specific temperature and then cooled at a controlled rate.

Annealing is crucial for materials like GRCop copper, as it improves their workability and thermal conductivity. For titanium alloys, annealing restores the material’s machinability between forming operations, ensuring consistent performance.