Institute of Precision Mechanics

IMP is equipped with technological and experimental facilities for research and development of heat and thermo-chemical treatment of metallic materials. The technical equipment includes:     

- Universal vacuum furnace with high pressure (12 bar) gas quenching, with integrated deep freezing (cryogenic treatment) system
- Vacuum furnaces  (operating temperature up to max. 1250 °C, vacuum range up to 10-4 mbar);
- Cryogenic chamber (operating temperature range: -190 °C - +300 °C);
- Equipment for PA PVD-Arc technology ;
- Thermo-chemical treatment under direct current and pulsed current glow discharge conditions furnace;
- Controlled gas nitriding installation;
- Ion nitriding furnaces ;
- Endogas atmosphere generators;
- Atmospheric furnaces (silit furnace, pit furnaces, operating temperature up to max. 1200°C);
- Fluidized-bed furnaces (operating temperature up to max. 1000°C);
- Soaking furnaces (operating temperature up to max. 700°C);
- Mass finishing devices (vibratory finishing and tumble finishing devices);
- thermal-spraying technologies equipment.

Furthermore, IMP is equipped with technical facilities for mechanical surface improvement (shot-peening technology) and with mechanical testing laboratory for static and dynamic tests.

Recently opened R&D Laboratory of Functional Alloys and Noble Metal Coatings is equipped with the set of advanced electroplating and electroless devices for metal coating. 

Analytical & Measurement Instrumentation Laboratory is equipped with:
•2D and 3D metallographic optical microscope, 
•X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer (elements from Al to U), 
•UV-VIS Spectrophotometer, 
•microhardness tester (Vickers’ and Knoop’s method, load 0.01-2.0 kG), 
•polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measuring unit for electrochemical characteristics, 
•surface roughness tester, 
•IS-meter for internal stress measurements, 
•glossmeter,
•dial thickness gauge for thin coatings, 
•dial thickness gauge with probe for thick coatings. 

Institute of Precision Mechanics, dealing with issues of materials, coatings and their heat and thermo chemical treatments, environmental protection (including the material recovery), performs research projects in the scope of modern materials technologies:

•  modern technologies of materials for land transportation and aviation,
•  technologies of production of functional composite materials, nanocrystalline, layered and functionally graded materials,
• surface treatment of steel, iron alloys and non-ferrous metals, 
•  technologies of production and application of functional materials for applications in computer science, electronics and energy, including graphene, surface strengthening of light alloys (e.g. titanium and aluminum, functional coatings), 
• technologies used in devices related with the production of renewable energy (photovoltaics panels and wind turbines),
• metallic and conversion coatings for applications in the chemical, machine and food industry, as well as biomedical engineering,
• technologies aimed at effective and eco-friendly (including the elimination of Cr+VI) corrosion protection for mechanical, automotive and construction industry, as well as others,
• technologies and materials for the defense, tools and food industry,
• technologies of implants treatments (coronary stents, implants, surgical probes, chest retractors), including a unique methodology for the quality control of machined materials,
• material recovery technologies by method of organic waste thermal decomposition,
• heat treatment of modern steels, iron alloys and non-ferrous metals,
• mass finishing of metals, 
• advanced methods of electrochemical and electroless deposition of metal and metal alloys coatings,
• deposition of noble metal alloys coatings.