Surface Engineering Association

Information/advice

The principal role of the Centre is to provide impartial information and advice on heat treatment processing.

The knowledge and expertise of the Centre's staff is supplemented by a vast library of information from world-wide sources on all aspects of heat treatment. Relevant technical and trade literature is monitored, abstracted and indexed on an on-going basis; computerised systems enable rapid retrieval of data appropriate to an enquiry.

The aim is to give speedy and comprehensive guidance on questions of heat treatment selection, operation and control. Typical short-term enquiries encompass:

• Real-time advice on production problems relating to process or material performance;
• Detailed literature searches on particular aspects of processing;
• Identification of standard, non-standard and proprietary materials, with details of their heat treatment and properties;
• Location of suppliers of furnaces, equipment, materials and services, using specially-compiled databases (including the widely-publicised FAST database of contract heat treatment facilities).