Embodiments of the disclosure provide a system including: an enclosure having an interior sized to enclose and the workpiece and form a vacuum and pressurized atmosphere within the interior. A plurality of thermal applicators may be in thermal communication with first and second portions of the interior. First and second thermal applicators may independently heat and cool the first and second portions of the interior. The first thermal applicator may apply a first thermal treatment to a first portion of the workpiece in the first portion of the interior. A second thermal applicator may apply a second thermal treatment to a second portion of the workpiece in the second portion of the interior independently of the first thermal treatment.

An alloy structure having a low magnesium content surface includes an alloy layer having an original magnesium content and a magnesium-deficient layer formed on the alloy layer, and the magnesium-deficient layer has a low magnesium content surface.

An alloy structure having a low magnesium content surface includes an alloy layer having an original magnesium content and a magnesium-deficient layer formed on the alloy layer, and the magnesium-deficient layer has a low magnesium content surface.

A method of refining a microstructure of a titanium material can include providing a solid titanium material at a temperature below about 400° C. The titanium material can be heated under a hydrogen-containing atmosphere to a hydrogen charging temperature that is above a β transus temperature of the titanium material and below a melting temperature of the titanium material, and held at this temperature for a time sufficient to convert the titanium material to a substantially homogeneous β phase. The titanium material can be cooled under the hydrogen-containing atmosphere to a phase transformation temperature below the β transus temperature and above about 400° C., and held for a time to produce α phase regions. The titanium material can also be held under a substantially hydrogen-free atmosphere or vacuum at a dehydrogenation temperature below the β transus temperature and above the δ phase decomposition temperature to remove hydrogen from the titanium material.

A method of refining a microstructure of a titanium material can include providing a solid titanium material at a temperature below about 400° C. The titanium material can be heated under a hydrogen-containing atmosphere to a hydrogen charging temperature that is above a β transus temperature of the titanium material and below a melting temperature of the titanium material, and held at this temperature for a time sufficient to convert the titanium material to a substantially homogeneous β phase. The titanium material can be cooled under the hydrogen-containing atmosphere to a phase transformation temperature below the β transus temperature and above about 400° C., and held for a time to produce α phase regions. The titanium material can also be held under a substantially hydrogen-free atmosphere or vacuum at a dehydrogenation temperature below the β transus temperature and above the δ phase decomposition temperature to remove hydrogen from the titanium material.

A method for heat treating metal materials by passing electrical current through a metallic workpiece to heat the workpiece via Joule heating to a preselected temperature for a preselected period of time, based upon the formula I.sup.2×R×t, wherein I is current, R is resistance and t is time. The current may be a direct or an alternating one. Various configurations of the method are envisioned wherein multiple current inputs and outputs are attached to the metal material so as to selectively heat specific portions of the piece including irregular shapes and differing diameters.

A method for heat treating metal materials by passing electrical current through a metallic workpiece to heat the workpiece via Joule heating to a preselected temperature for a preselected period of time, based upon the formula I.sup.2×R×t, wherein I is current, R is resistance and t is time. The current may be a direct or an alternating one. Various configurations of the method are envisioned wherein multiple current inputs and outputs are attached to the metal material so as to selectively heat specific portions of the piece including irregular shapes and differing diameters.

A method for preparing an alternating arrangement silver-copper lateral composite ingot, including: using a concave roller set; manufacturing a copper frame having a fixed width according to a negative tolerance of a width of the grooves of the concave roller, and corresponding copper bars and silver bars, and performing a surface treatment on the copper frame, the copper bars, and the silver bars; and then arranging different number of copper bars and silver bars at internals as needed and tightly placing into the copper frame to form a composite blank, i.e., a composite ingot. A method for preparing an alternating arrangement silver-copper lateral composite strip is further provided, and the silver-copper lateral composite ingot prepared by the method for preparing the alternating arrangement silver-copper lateral composite ingot is used to prepare the silver-copper lateral composite strip.

A method for preparing an alternating arrangement silver-copper lateral composite ingot, including: using a concave roller set; manufacturing a copper frame having a fixed width according to a negative tolerance of a width of the grooves of the concave roller, and corresponding copper bars and silver bars, and performing a surface treatment on the copper frame, the copper bars, and the silver bars; and then arranging different number of copper bars and silver bars at internals as needed and tightly placing into the copper frame to form a composite blank, i.e., a composite ingot. A method for preparing an alternating arrangement silver-copper lateral composite strip is further provided, and the silver-copper lateral composite ingot prepared by the method for preparing the alternating arrangement silver-copper lateral composite ingot is used to prepare the silver-copper lateral composite strip.

A method for producing a metal film from an over 50% nickel alloy melts more than one ton of the alloy in a furnace, followed by VOD or VLF system treatment, then pouring off to form a pre-product, followed by re-melting by VAR and/or ESU. The pre-product is annealed 1-300 hours between 800 and 1350 C. under air or protection gas, then hot-formed between 1300 and 600 C., such that the pre-product then has 1-100 mm thickness after the forming and is not recrystallized, recovered, and/or (dynamically) recrystallized having a grain size below 300 m. The pre-product is pickled, then cold-formed to produce a film having 10-600 m end thickness and a deformation ratio greater than 90%. The film is cut into 5-300 mm strips, annealed 1 second to 5 hours under protection gas between 600 and 1200 C. in a continuous furnace, then recrystallized to have a high cubic texture proportion.