A strong R&D department is key to implementing modern metal heat treatment technologies. Today’s industry (e.g., aerospace, defense, medical, energy) requires tailor-made solutions. For years, the SECO/WARWICK Group has provided Partners with access to advanced R&D centers (in Poland, the U.S., and more recently, China), where technologies can be tested on a microscale.
Research infrastructure and the scope of processes carried out
The R&D Center at SECO/WARWICK features both full-scale industrial furnaces and laboratory equipment, enabling process trials on materials and parts supplied by the customer. The center carries out, among other things, low-pressure carburizing (LPC FineCarb), high-pressure gas quenching (HPGQ), gas nitriding ZeroFlow, ferritic nitrocarburizing (FNC), aluminum brazing in a protective atmosphere (CAB) and vacuum (VAB), as well as the production of castings with equiaxed grain structure (EQ) using conventional methods, and directional solidification (DS) and single-crystal (SC) castings using the Bridgman method. The team of experienced engineers also offers a broad range of engineering calculation services, including simulations in thermal analysis, fluid mechanics, and the strength of materials and structures.
“In practice, this means that the furnace and the process technology used must make it possible to achieve the required properties of the treated part, such as surface and core hardness, the depth of the hardened case (e.g., CHD/ECD), wear and corrosion resistance, dimensional stability after treatment, and the desired microstructure, including phase distribution, grain size, and the presence of precipitates. This approach minimizes implementation risk, allows potential nonconformities to be identified quickly, and provides confidence that the final product will meet the requirements for the treated part in its target application. It is precisely testing under conditions close to actual operating conditions that enable the optimal preparation and tailoring of the technology to individual production requirements,” said Łukasz Piechowicz, Director of the SECO/WARWICK R&D Center.
The role of the metallographic laboratory
An integral part of process trials and the implementation process is the metallographic laboratory, where tests are carried out on samples cut from treated parts as well as witness samples. The analyses include microstructure evaluation using optical and electron microscopy, micro- and macrohardness measurements, determination of hardened case depth (CHD/ECD), and analysis of carbon and nitrogen profiles in the surface layer.
“These tests make it possible to verify whether the properties obtained meet the customer’s requirements—both in terms of mechanical parameters and microstructure. This is crucial for assessing whether the treated part will meet the requirements of its target application. As a result, it is possible not only to confirm the effectiveness of the selected technology, but also to optimize it for a specific use case,” adds Ł. Piechowicz.
The importance of process trials for industrial implementation
Conducting process trials and laboratory tests on real parts enables not only the precise tailoring of process parameters to Partners’ expectations but also the identification of potential risks, optimization of costs, and reduction of implementation risks.
When a customer faces a challenge that requires a non-standard approach, the RETECH R&D infrastructure in the U.S. steps in to help. The team supports the development of new materials and the technologies used to manufacture them—from titanium, zirconium, cobalt, and nickel-based alloys and superalloys to chromium- and silicon-based materials, as well as other advanced alloys that require specialized or exceptionally precise melting methods. This enables moving from concept and process trials to finished products with superior performance parameters.
Retech enables companies and research institutions to test advanced materials and metallurgical processes on full-scale systems at its R&D center in Buffalo, New York. With support from the engineering team—from process concept development through results analysis—Partners can validate process assumptions more quickly, reduce investment risk, and establish a safe path to scaling up for production.
Available technologies include plasma arc melting, vacuum induction melting, electron beam processes, and plasma atomization of reactive and refractory metal powders. This is a solution for industries where purity, repeatability and process control matter—from aerospace, defense, and energy to medical, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. The Retech R&D laboratory can verify a technology before a capital investment decision, shortening the path from idea to implementation.
“We offer melting and atomization services carried out on operating installations at our Buffalo headquarters, giving Partners fast access to advanced vacuum metallurgy without the need to immediately purchase their own equipment. It is a practical solution for companies that want to validate a new process, increase alloy production, accelerate time-to-market, or maintain project momentum while waiting for their own equipment. With systems such as PAM-5, R&D Electron Beam, PGA200, and PGA300, it is possible to conduct trials as well as pilot and production runs under controlled conditions. This reduces risk and increases flexibility,” says Earl Good, Managing Director of Retech, a company within the SECO/WARWICK Group.
At the same time, the CAB Brazing Center (in Poland and China) supports customers in testing, validating and refining heat exchanger prototypes. It is a space where trials can be carried out for a wide range of solutions, including automotive, energy, HVAC&R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration) and electronics. This means faster concept verification, reduced implementation risk, and a better fit between the technology and the specific industry’s requirements.
The ability to carry out comprehensive testing—from parameter selection and process execution to detailed laboratory analysis — is the foundation for the successful implementation of modern heat treatment technologies, ensuring investment security and competitive advantage.
Innovations that move from the lab to industry
The SECO/WARWICK Group consistently invests in research and development, treating R&D as one of the foundations of the Group’s competitive advantage. The scale of these activities is reflected in the R&D projects underway, the number of patents, implementations, studies conducted and collaborations with technical universities and research institutions.
An example of current R&D investment is the Free High Pressure Gas Quenching project, with a total cost of PLN 9.59 million, including PLN 5.24 million in co-financing from European Funds. The project includes the development and construction of a prototype device for free-quenching steel parts in high-pressure gas, using CAE simulations, a digital twin, thermal imaging cameras, a 3D scanner, and process trials under conditions close to real-life operation.
The SECO/WARWICK Group obtained debt financing in the form of a long-term loan of USD 10 million,
i.e., approximately PLN 39.81 million. The funds raised were allocated to the development of powder metallurgy technology, including the design and installation of Plasma Gas Atomizer (PAM) furnaces (plasma arc melting) based on Retech’s proprietary technology, as well as the expansion and outfitting of the production and assembly hall. The investment, with a total estimated value of PLN 45 million, is being carried out at the facilities of Retech
in Buffalo, New York, USA. The development of powder metallurgy technology is intended to strengthen the SECO/WARWICK Group’s position in the global vacuum metallurgy market, especially in the rapidly growing area of metal 3D printing (additive manufacturing).
R&D at SECO/WARWICK does not stop at the laboratory. A good example of knowledge transfer to industry is the DeepCaseMaster Evolution—a next-generation expert self-diagnosis system for a pit furnace, developed in cooperation with the Institute of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Zielona Góra. The solution was developed through joint R&D, supports high-performance, low-pressure carburizing processes, and helps increase energy efficiency while reducing pollutant emissions.
SECO/WARWICK develops innovation through a partnership model—in cooperation with technical universities, research institutes, industry organizations, and expert associations. As a result, scientific knowledge is effectively transferred to industry, and the company co-creates technological standards in heat treatment, metallurgy, and industrial process automation. This position is confirmed by numerous distinctions, including the title “Distinguished for Inventiveness”, multiple “Innovation Leader” honors, Best of Industry awards, Most Innovative Metallurgical Equipment Specialist for RETECH, and the titles Innovative Company and Symbol of Innovation. RETECH, a company within the SECO/WARWICK Group, was also recognized as the “Most Innovative Metallurgical Equipment Specialist in 2022 for the USA.”
SECO/WARWICK’s innovative spirit, therefore, has a practical dimension: it begins with investment in research, patents, and collaboration with science, and ends with ready-to-use technologies operating at customer sites around the world. It is precisely the combination of in-house R&D infrastructure, demonstration projects, engineering expertise, academic partnerships, and international recognition that enables SECO/WARWICK not only to respond to industry needs but also to actively shape its development direction.
