Bodycote Specialist Technologies Deutschland GmbH

Bodycote has decades of experience creating complex, high integrity components from powdered metal. Bodycote Powdermet® technologies are a group of manufacturing processes used in the production of complex components using powder metallurgy.

Bodycote Powdermet® technologies now incorporate new, patent-pending techniques that combine 3D printing with well-established net shape and near net shape techniques. This new technology dramatically reduces the manufacturing time and production cost of a part compared to producing the same part using 3D printing alone.

Powdermet® technologies ensure complete powder consolidation, achieve structural homogeneity, and eliminate internal porosity and unconsolidated powder flaws. The process can produce components with varying surface features and thicknesses, with higher structural integrity than alternative production techniques. The need for brazing or welding parts together to form larger structures is eliminated. Instead, the finished article can be produced as one seamless component and largely avoid the size limitations imposed by the constraints of 3D printing. Different parts of a component can be formed from different alloys presenting the ideal and most cost-efficient solution. Component design can be tailored to the actual requirements for performance and not limited by subsequent machining operations.

Properties and advantages of Powdermet® technologies include:

- Single piece construction of highly complex components
- Can combine multiple material in one component
- One-off or high volume productions
- Substantial elimination of machine operations
- Scalable to large components
- Able to meet exacting tolerances
- Design flexibility and freedom
- Weight optimisation
- Fine and homogeneous grain size
- High cleanliness and no segregation
- Isotropic mechanical properties
- Superior stress corrosion properties
- Reduced welding and machining
- 100% ultrasonic inspectability
- Short delivery times
- Material and total cost savings

Powdermet® is a registered trademark owned by Bodycote.

Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) is a form of heat treatment that uses high pressure to improve material properties. That pressure is applied by an inert gas, usually argon. Time at elevated temperature and pressure allows plastic deformation, creep and diffusion to occur. Castings for critical applications are HIPed to eliminate internal microporosity thereby improving mechanical properties by removing defects. Hot isostatic pressing also enables the bonding, or cladding, of two or more materials together, either in the solid or powder form.

Hot isostatic pressing plays an important role in powder metallurgy and 3D printing as well. Bodycote has decades of experience creating both simple to complex components from powdered metal. Bodycote Powdermet® technologies are a group of manufacturing processes used in the production of complex components; and now incorporate new, patent-pending techniques that combine 3D printing with well-established near net shape and selective surface net shape techniques. These solutions dramatically reduce the manufacturing time and production cost of a part compared to producing the same part using 3D printing alone.

As the global leader in specialist thermal processing, Bodycote offers an extensive range of hot isostatic pressing services. Our facilities process a wide variety of component sizes to exacting standards with reliable, repeatable results. Our hot isostatic pressing operations are managed by some of the best engineers and technicians in the industry, with the experience and expertise to provide vital support and a real understanding of customer requirements.

Heat treatment is a controlled process used to alter the microstructure of metals and alloys such as steel and aluminium to impart properties which benefit the working life of a component, for example increased surface hardness, temperature resistance, ductility and strength.

Heat treatment processes include case hardening, tempering, solution and aging treatment, Specialty Stainless Steel Processes (S3P), annealing and normalising.

As the global leader in heat treatment, Bodycote offers an extensive range of thermal processing services. Our facilities process a wide variety of component sizes to exacting standards with reliable, repeatable results. Our heat treatment operations are managed by some of the best engineers and technicians in the industry, with the experience and expertise to provide vital support and a real understanding of customer requirements.

Surface technology is a process used extensively to prolong the working life of components and protect them from environmental factors such as corrosion and abrasion.

Bodycote are technology specialists in the provision of high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF), plasma, organic, ceramic and polymer coatings. Built upon this competence and backed by a customer-driven service, the company provides a vast array of surface technology coating solutions to suit your specific needs. We can even develop specific surface coatings based on your application environment. Surface technology products and services range from coating services; coating and application development; specialist coating sealing technologies; complete manufacture, through to the supply of coating materials and technology transfer.

As the global leader in thermal processing, Bodycote surface technology has been at the forefront of surface engineering technologies, developing a world-class range of thermal spray, thermal diffusion and slurry coatings. Our surface technology operations are managed by some of the best engineers and technicians in the industry, with the experience and expertise to provide vital support and a real understanding of customer requirements.

Metal joining is a controlled process used to fuse metals. There are several techniques of metal joining of which welding is one of the more basic forms. Expertise and technological advances have enabled metal joining innovations, which in turn have lead to component advances in many industrial sectors, including aerospace.

Metal joining includes specialised processes such as electron beam welding, vacuum, and honeycomb brazing – complex operations requiring a fusion of expertise and technology.

As the global leader in thermal processing, Bodycote has extensive expertise in the field of metal joining techniques. Our facilities process a wide variety of component sizes to exacting standards with reliable, repeatable results. Our metal joining operations are managed by some of the best engineers and technicians in the industry, with the experience and expertise to provide vital support and a real understanding of customer requirements to deliver our services.

Specialty stainless steel processes (S3P) featuring Kolsterising®  technology offer unique surface hardening solutions for austenitic stainless steel, nickel-based alloys and cobalt-chromium alloys producing increased mechanical and wear properties without adversely affecting corrosion resistance.