Heat treatment method and apparatus

A method of in-situ heat treatment for de-sensitizing all or predetermined portions of a sensitized 5XXX aluminum-magnesium alloy structure comprising the steps of:

• defining a treatment area within said sensitized structure;
• determining a de-sensitization degree of sensitization [DoS] target value for said treatment area;
• determining a goal temperature for said treatment area;
• temporarily attaching a portable heat treatment device to said treatment area, with said heat treatment device comprising a heat source and at least the sensor portion of a degree of sensitization [DoS] sensor being mounted inside the heat treatment device with said temporarily attaching step further comprising placing said DoS sensor in contact with said treatment area;
• determining the starting DoS of said treatment area;
• turning said heat treatment device on and applying heat to said treatment area to achieve said goal temperature within said treatment area;
• monitoring the DoS of said treatment area on a predetermined schedule during said heat applying step;
• turning said heat treatment device off so that it is no longer applying heat to said treatment area when the monitored DoS of said treatment area reaches the predetermined de-sensitization DoS value for said treatment area;
• and,
• allowing said treatment area to air-cool back to ambient temperature.

A method of in-situ heat treatment for de-sensitizing a predetermined portion of a 5XXX aluminum-magnesium alloy structure which predetermined portion is sensitized and which predetermined portion has at least one non-sensitized boundary area(s) bordering upon said sensitized predetermined portion, without adversely affecting said at least one non-sensitized boundary area(s) surrounding said predetermined portion, and without using any external cooling device to cool said non-sensitized boundary areas, comprising the steps of:

• determining a de-sensitization degree of sensitization [DoS] target value for said predetermined portion;
• determining a goal temperature for said predetermined portion;
• determining a maximum allowable temperature for said at least one non-sensitized boundary area(s);
• providing a portable, point source heat treatment device, with said portable, point source heat treatment device comprising a heat source which can be operated intermittently and providing an associated control means to operate said heat source in an intermittent manner;
• temporarily attaching said portable, point source heat treatment device to said structure such that said point source heat treatment device is placed over said predetermined portion and can apply heat to the part of said predetermined portion which is immediately under said point source heat treatment device;
• providing a degree of sensitization [DoS] sensor comprising a sensor probe and an electronics and control package;
• temporarily attaching at least the sensor probe of said DoS sensor to said predetermined portion;
• using said DoS sensor to determine the starting DoS of said predetermined portion;
• turning said point source heat treatment device on and applying heat to said part of said predetermined portion immediately under said point source heat treatment device to achieve and maintain said predetermined goal temperature within said part of said predetermined portion immediately below said point source heat treatment device;
• monitoring the DoS of said predetermined portion on a predetermined schedule during said heat applying step;
• turning said point source heat treatment device off so that it is no longer applying heat to said predetermined portion when the monitored DoS of said predetermined portion reaches the predetermined de-sensitization DoS value for said predetermined portion;
• and,
• allowing said predetermined portion to air-cool back to ambient temperature.

A method of in-situ heat treatment for de-sensitizing a predetermined portion of a 5XXX aluminum-magnesium alloy structure which predetermined portion is sensitized and which predetermined portion has at least one non-sensitized boundary area(s) bordering upon said sensitized predetermined portion, without adversely affecting said at least one non-sensitized boundary area(s) surrounding said predetermined portion, and without using any external cooling device to cool said non-sensitized boundary areas, comprising the steps of:

• determining a goal temperature for said predetermined portion;
• determining a goal heat maintenance time for said predetermined area;
• providing a portable, point source heat treatment device, with said portable, point source heat treatment device comprising a heat source which can be operated intermittently and providing an associated control means to operate said heat source in an intermittent manner;
• temporarily attaching said portable, point source heat treatment device to said structure such that said point source heat treatment device is placed over said predetermined portion and can apply heat to the part of said predetermined portion which is immediately under said point source heat treatment device;
• turning said point source heat treatment device on and applying heat to said part of said predetermined portion immediately under said point source heat treatment device to achieve said goal temperature;
• maintaining said predetermined goal temperature within said part of said predetermined portion immediately below said point source heat treatment device for the predetermined goal heat maintenance time;
• turning said point source heat treatment device off so that it is no longer applying heat to said predetermined portion;
• and,
• allowing said predetermined portion to air-cool back to ambient temperature.

A method of heat treating a substrate comprising;

• providing a substrate to be heat treated having a known reflectance-radiation wavelength spectral profile with a pre-determined minimum reflectance wavelength range;
• providing a radiant energy emitter which can emit radiant energy over a wide range of wavelengths and, in particular, can provide radiant energy in the pre-determined minimum reflectance wavelength range of the substrate;
• directing radiant energy onto a surface of the substrate by causing the radiant energy emitter to emit radiant energy in the pre-determined minimum reflectance wavelength range of the substrate;
• and,
• thus, maximizing the heat transfer between the radiant energy emitter and the substrate.

A method of heat treating a substrate comprising;

• providing a substrate to be heat treated;
• providing a radiant energy emitter which can emit radiant energy over a pre-determined range of wavelengths;
• coating the substrate with a coating which will increase the radiant energy absorption of the substrate in the pre-determined range of wavelengths emitted by the radiant energy emitter,
• directing radiant energy onto a surface of the substrate by causing the radiant energy emitter to emit radiant energy in the pre-determined range of wavelengths;
• and, thus, maximizing the heat transfer between the radiant energy emitter and the substrate.

A method of heat treating a substrate comprising:

• providing a substrate to be heat treated with said substrate having a pre-determined treatment surface;
• providing a radiant energy emitter which can emit radiant energy over a pre-determined range of wavelengths;
• treating the treatment surface of said substrate in such a way so as to increase the radiant energy absorption of the treatment surface of said substrate in the pre-determined range of wavelengths emitted by the radiant energy emitter;
• directing radiant energy onto said treatment surface of said substrate by causing said radiant energy emitter to emit radiant energy in the pre-determined range of wavelengths;
• and,
• thus, maximizing the heat transfer between the radiant energy emitter and the substrate.