A Chinese manufacturer of gas turbine and aircraft engine components has once again selected SECO/WARWICK technology. The Vector vacuum furnace will be equipped with an all-metal hot zone that will be used for the heat treatment of turbine blades made from high-temperature alloys. This is the second delivery of a Vector single-chamber furnace to this customer in recent months and another example of a project in which a standard solution has been tailored to very precise process requirements.
Credit: SECO/WARWICK
This Partner operates in one of the most demanding areas of industry: the production, repair, and technical servicing of turbine blades made from high-temperature alloys. These components operate under extreme temperature, load, and material fatigue conditions. In such applications, the quality of metal heat treatment has a direct impact on the durability, microstructure stability, and the operational safety of the finished part.
/ A proven technology
SECO/WARWICK’s cooperation with this Partner began with the delivery of a vacuum furnace with a graphite hot zone in 2023. Another production need emerged in 2025, this time involving a furnace with an all-metal hot zone, higher gas cooling pressure, and even more rigorous temperature uniformity. The new requirements went beyond the standard furnace configuration. The customer expected gas cooling at pressures of up to 12 bar and temperature uniformity of ±3°C (±5.4°F). By comparison, the standard configuration for this type of furnace with a metal hot zone assumes 10 bar gas cooling and temperature uniformity of ≤±5°C (≤±9°F).
“In this project, the key was to combine two things: the proven design of the Vector vacuum furnace and a very specific adaptation to the customer’s process. We are talking about parts that operate in the hot section of turbines, where the margin for error is minimal. High vacuum, very good temperature uniformity, and fast, controlled gas cooling create the conditions for stable, repeatable heat treatment of high-temperature alloy blades,” says Maciej Korecki, Vice President of the Vacuum Segment at the SECO/WARWICK Group.
/ A metal hot zone for a clean process
The furnace will operate at temperatures of up to 1400°C (approx. 2550°F). The equipment will ensure a temperature uniformity of ≤±3°C (≤±5.4°F) and gas cooling under pressure of up to 12 bar. The maximum gross load weight will be 600 kg (approx. 1300 lb.), enabling high process quality to be combined with efficient production. The furnace has been designed to operate in a high-vacuum range of 10⁻³ Pa. Such a low pressure level helps reduce the risk of intergranular oxidation and supports the achievement of high surface quality of the treated parts. For turbine components, this is particularly important because even minor process deviations can affect the component’s long-term durability and in-service performance.
An all-metal hot zone is particularly important in processes that require a highly clean environment and a reduced risk of contamination. Combined with high temperature accuracy and controlled gas cooling, it enables the equipment to perform the processes required for advanced aerospace, energy, medical and additive-manufactured components. “The first unit we delivered to this Partner proved its value in everyday production. That is why the order was repeated. However, the new furnace is more technically demanding. For this reason, SECO/WARWICK’s Teams in China and Poland jointly prepared a solution tailored to the customer’s process. This project demonstrates that local presence and global technological resources can work like a system of connected vessels,” says Pan Gaojun, Managing Director of SECO/WARWICK China.
The turbine blade market is developing in line with growing demand for efficient gas turbines, aircraft engines and technologies operating at high temperatures. According to industry analyses, the global gas turbine blade market was valued at USD 10.02 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach approximately USD 21.01 billion by 2034.* In this segment, high-temperature materials, process stability, and production repeatability are particularly important.
* Fortune Business Insights report: “Gas Turbine Blades Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis”.