A furnace for annealing a sheet includes: a first section; a second vertical section, the second vertical section including openings supplied with an oxidizing medium, an opening facing each side of the sheet, and means for separately controlling a flow of the oxidizing medium on each side of the sheet; and a third section. The second vertical section is located in a distinct casing and separated from the first and third sections with sealing devices. The second vertical section includes extraction openings for extracting the oxidizing medium not consumed by the sheet, an extraction opening facing each side of the sheet. The openings supplied with an oxidizing medium are located transversally at one end of the second vertical section. The extraction openings are located transversally at an other end of the second vertical section.

Systems and methods for heat treating closed shape workpieces are provided. In one example implementation, a method can include imparting relative motion of the closed shape workpiece such that the perimeter surface of the closed shape workpiece is moved relative to the lamp heat source from a first position where a first portion of the closed shape workpiece is presented to the lamp heat source to a second position where a second portion of the closed shape workpiece is presented to the lamp heat source. The method can include emitting lamp heat onto the perimeter surface of the closed shape workpiece from the lamp heat source during imparting of relative motion of the closed shape workpiece. The method can include implementing a flux control procedure during emitting of lamp heat onto the perimeter surface of the closed shape workpiece.

Systems and methods for heat treating closed shape workpieces are provided. In one example implementation, a method can include imparting relative motion of the closed shape workpiece such that the perimeter surface of the closed shape workpiece is moved relative to the lamp heat source from a first position where a first portion of the closed shape workpiece is presented to the lamp heat source to a second position where a second portion of the closed shape workpiece is presented to the lamp heat source. The method can include emitting lamp heat onto the perimeter surface of the closed shape workpiece from the lamp heat source during imparting of relative motion of the closed shape workpiece. The method can include implementing a flux control procedure during emitting of lamp heat onto the perimeter surface of the closed shape workpiece.

A method and an apparatus for Post Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) of a welded aluminium alloy component and a welded aluminium alloy component treated according to the method. The welded component has initially heat affected zones with reduced load bearing capacity. The method provides that the heat affected zones are located, applying a heat source at least at one first location of said heat affected zones, where the heat source generates a temperature above T.sub.min, and where the heat source can be kept at said location for at least a period t.sub.min. The apparatus contains a heat source relatively movable with regard to the component, and further being able to be positioned on defined positions thereof, the heat source further being controllable with regard to temperature and resting time that influence the heat transferred to the component at said local position.

A method and an apparatus for Post Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) of a welded aluminium alloy component and a welded aluminium alloy component treated according to the method. The welded component has initially heat affected zones with reduced load bearing capacity. The method provides that the heat affected zones are located, applying a heat source at least at one first location of said heat affected zones, where the heat source generates a temperature above T.sub.min, and where the heat source can be kept at said location for at least a period t.sub.min. The apparatus contains a heat source relatively movable with regard to the component, and further being able to be positioned on defined positions thereof, the heat source further being controllable with regard to temperature and resting time that influence the heat transferred to the component at said local position.

Described is a method for estimating a material property of an object by means of a laser ultrasonic (LUS) measurement equipment comprising a generation laser, a detection laser and a detector. The method includes providing a laser pulse onto a surface of the object by the generation laser such that an ultrasonic pulse is generated in the object and such that an ultrasonic vibration is immediately generated on the surface, measuring at least a first subsequent ultrasonic echo from the object by use of the detection laser and the detector, which ultrasonic echo is an echo from the ultrasonic pulse generated in the object, measuring the ultrasonic vibration which is immediately generated on the surface, by use of the detection laser and the detector, and estimating the material property by use of an ultrasonic attenuation parameter based on the measured at least first subsequent ultrasonic echo, whereby the material property is estimated by using the measured ultrasonic vibration which is immediately generated on the surface as reference to the measured at least first subsequent ultrasonic echo.

A wear-resistant steel having excellent hardness and impact toughness and a method for producing same can include: 0.29-0.37 wt % of carbon, 0.1-0.7 wt % of silicon, 0.6-1.6 wt % of manganese, 0.05 wt % or less of phosphorus, 0.02 wt % or less of sulfur, 0.07 wt % or less of aluminum, 0.1-1.5 wt % of chromium, 0.01-0.8 wt % of molybdenum, 0.01-0.08 wt % of vanadium, 50 ppm or less of boron, and 0.02 wt % or less of cobalt; and optionally one or more of 0.5 wt % or less of nickel, 0.5 wt % or less of copper, 0.02 wt % or less of titanium, 0.05 wt % or less of niobium, and 2-100 ppm of calcium; with the remainder of Fe and other inevitable impurities.

The invention relates to a method for the heat treatment of a metallic product (P), in particular a strip or sheet, in which the product (P) is controlled and/or regulated by means of a control and/or regulating device (100) controlled and/or regulated furnace device (110) is carried out at a predetermined speed in a conveying direction (F), the product (P) being heated up to a first point (I) and then up to a second location (H) or is cooled down to a third location (III). The method according to the invention is characterized in that an austenite content of the product P is predicted for the second location (H) or for the third location (III) and it is then checked whether this austenite proportion is within a desired target range, in which case If a deviation from this is found, for example a zone temperature of the furnace device 110 is adjusted and preferably regulated in such a way that the austenite proportion of the product P predicted for the second location (II) or for the third location (III) is within a desired quality window for the target value of the austenite content.

The invention relates to a method for the heat treatment of a metallic product (P), in particular a strip or sheet, in which the product (P) is controlled and/or regulated by means of a control and/or regulating device (100) controlled and/or regulated furnace device (110) is carried out at a predetermined speed in a conveying direction (F), the product (P) being heated up to a first point (I) and then up to a second location (H) or is cooled down to a third location (III). The method according to the invention is characterized in that an austenite content of the product P is predicted for the second location (H) or for the third location (III) and it is then checked whether this austenite proportion is within a desired target range, in which case If a deviation from this is found, for example a zone temperature of the furnace device 110 is adjusted and preferably regulated in such a way that the austenite proportion of the product P predicted for the second location (II) or for the third location (III) is within a desired quality window for the target value of the austenite content.

A post-heating treatment device includes a detecting device for a height variation of a surface of the rail at every, predetermined pitch along a length direction of the rail, a control unit for defining a position of the rail to be a starting point of the welded section when the height variation detected by the detecting device at every predetermined pitch exceeds a predetermined threshold for the number of a predetermined times consecutively and defining a position of the rail to be an end point of the welded section when the height variation detected by the detecting device at every predetermined pitch is below the predetermined threshold for the number of the predetermined times consecutively, and a heating unit for heat treatment based on a position of the welded section detected by the detecting device. A post-heating treatment method using the post-heating treatment device is provided.