Optimizing the heat treatment of Ni-based superalloy turbine discs

The heat-treattnent processes for nickel-based superalloys continue to change due to the development of new alloys, new requirements, and subsequent new manufacturing facilities. Nickel-based superalloys are continuing to evolve to meet emerging applications, while new alloys are also being introduced for advanced applications. These new materials are also being optimized for numerous mechanical and-physical properties, making the selection of heat-treatment parameters increasingly challenging. New processing facilities and methods are also being implemented to allow tailoring of heat-treating parameters to meet these new challenges. For example the Ladish SuperCooler technology allows engineering and control of all aspects of the heat-treatment process for nickel-based components, resulting in never-before possible disc properties.