Sample Production and Processing

Arc melting is used to melt samples on a laboratory scale in a protective atmosphere. In addition, alloys with a high melting point can be produced. The rapid cooling rate enables the formation of metastable phases or the desired microstructure.

Technical specification

• Temperatures up to 3500°C
• Up to 20 g samples per batch
• Conventional water cooled melting crucible and suction casting option
• In cooperation with Fraunhofer IWKS arc melting up to 500 g possible

A device for the production of alloys in a protective atmosphere Induction Melting or vacuum on the basis of electromagnetic induction.

Technical specification

• Melting under vacuum (approx. 10-3 mbar) or inert gas (Ar) options
• Temperatures up to 1600°C
• Up to 50 g samples per batch
• ZrO2 and Al2O3 crucible options
• In cooperation with Fraunhofer IWKS induction melting up to 3kg casting option

A structure for inductive melting of alloys. It enables very high cooling rates for the production of metastable phases and amorphous to nanocrystalline structures.

Technical specification

• Up to 10g per batch
• Various crucibles and slids
• Adjustable wheel speeds
• In cooperation with Fraunhofer IWKS up to 500 g

A structure for inductive melting of alloys. It allows defined cooling rates to form a desired microstructure and phase distribution. It is used as standard in the manufacture of sintered magnets.

• In cooperation with Fraunhofer IWKS up to 50 kg possible.

Crystal growth by remelting in high temperature furnaces.

The Planetary Ball Milling is used for the production of powder. It is a reactive high-pressure reactive milling (max. 150 bar) in hydrogen or nitrogen with in situ pressure applied. It also has a temperature monitoring system.

Technical specification

• The adjustable milling speed is between 100-650 rpm.
• The milling volume is up to 250 ml and 500 ml.
• Hardened steel, tungsten carbide and zirconium oxide grinding vial and ball
• Dry and wet ball milling options

The Cryo-Ball Milling (Retsch Cryomill) is used for the production of powder under exploitation from embrittlement in low temperature.

Technical specification

• Adjustable speed shaker mill
• Milling volume up to 20 ml
• Hardened steel milling vial and balls
• Ball milling at -196°C (LN2 condition)

High energy ball milling can be used for mechanical grinding and mechanical alloying processes. It has a fixed working frequency and can work up to 100 minutes continuous milling.

Technical specifications

• Fixed working speed – 1425 RPM
• Milling volume up to max. 80 ml
• Hardened steel milling vial and balls
• Only suitable for dry milling process

Multifunctional Picoline platform for fine milling, classifying or mixing powders. The entire system is mounted in an Ar filled glovebox to ensure oxygen-free conditions for processing of air-sensitive materials.
Moreover, the device enables processing the smallest quantities of even a few grams of product in batch mode.

Technical specification

• Picojet fluidised bed opposed jet mill with integrated classifier for low contamination, dry ultrafine milling of medium to hard materials
• Picosplit ultrafine classifier for separation of dry powders in the range of 2 – 120 µm
• Picocrush mechanical hammer mill for precrushing of large granules (up to 5 mm) of soft to medium hard materials
• Picoplex mechanical impact mill for soft to medium hard materials with input size of max. 1 mm

• A device for conforming and compacting powders and solids
• Compaction forces up to 400 kN
• Possibility to work under vacuum and Ar
• Compaction and hot deformation possibilities (die-upsetting, backwards extrusion)
• Different geometries and sizes
• Operation temperatures up to 850°C

• A device for conforming and compacting
• Hydraulic press up to 200 kN
• Hardened super-alloy press form up to 1 GPa pressures (pressure cross section approx. 10 mm x 5 mm)

• Possibility to roll materials up to 100 mm width

HDDR (Hydrogen Disproportionation Desorption Recombination)

A reactor for storage in a hydrogen atmosphere with a defined pressure and temperature, e.g. hydrogen embrittlement of NdFeB alloys.

• Furnace heating up to 900°C
• Hydrogen or nitrogen as process gas
• Dynamic pressure control between 0.01 and 2 bar
• Sample handling in inert gas atmosphere possible
• Powder samples of about 10 g per experiment

PARR reactor

• Pressures up to 75 bar
• Temperatures up to 600°C
• H2, N2

Autoclave

• Pressures up to 530 bar
• Temperatures up to 400°C
• H2, N2