BZN

Bay Zoltan Alkalmazott Kutatasi Kozhasznu Nonprofit Kft. (BZN)

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Description of the legal entity

 
The predecessor of Bay Zoltán Nonprofit Ltd. for Applied Research (BZN) the Bay Zoltán Foundation for Applied Research was established in 1992 as the first non-profit research organization, characterized by market like features and its R&D activity is carried out in its six institutes and in 2015 has been organized three divisions from these institutes. At the focal points of the activities of the divisions are the projects that are needed in practice and that are suitable for implementation, to support the innovation of industrial companies. At this time the company has three divisions. The Departments of the Engineering Division are located in Miskolc and Budapest, Hungary. At the beginning, the main fields of the Bay Zoltán Foundation were logistics, production engineering, informatics and recycling. Since then several new fields of research have been started and strengthened, like structural integrity (safe operation of structures), environment management, mechatronics, and further new departments were founded, like energetic, RES (Renewable Energy Sources) and material development, in the last few years. Accordingly, the number of people in the staff of the Division has increased, at present nearly 55 people work in the Division including PhD student.
 The Engineering Division has participated successfully in different types of international programs: PECO-program, COPERNICUS, INCO-COPERNICUS, NATO, TEMPUS, EU 5th and 6th Framework programs; and also participate already in several projects funded by the 7th FP.
Bay Zoltán Ltd. obtained the ISO 9001 qualification in 2006, and the Department of Structural Integrity and Production Technologies and the Material Testing Laboratory have had special qualification from Paks Nuclear Plant Ltd. since 2007. The Mechanical Testing Laboratory has got its accreditation in 2005 according to ISO/IEC 17025.

Main tasks in the project:

 

  • Supply non-irradiated model material
  • Design and produce different type of specimens from same material, from normal to small size.
  • Characterization of the toughness properties of the sub‐sized specimens. Improve measurement technic on small size specimens by DIC.
  • Fractographic examinations (SEM) of fracture surfaces of different scale specimens
  • Predict the fracture mechanical behaviour of the sub‐sized specimens
  • Study of applicability of invers FEM to determination of flow curve based on small punch tests and micro hardness tests. Determination of the parameters of local models.
  • The Department of Structural Integrity and Production Technologies is the most recognised research team in Hungary in the field of application and development of numerical methods for structural integrity. The department deals with problems related to reliable and safe operation of different structures and components. This activity includes the examination and analysis of damage processes in the engineering materials and structures under different operational conditions, and defect assessment applying up-to-date fracture mechanical principles, and also the simulation of complex operational conditions of structures and equipment (including thermal, mechanical and dynamic modelling) for assessment of operational reliability and lifetime.

 

The Department of Material Testing performs destructive and non-destructive testing of different types of raw materials, structural elements, and parts in various environmental conditions to determine their mechanical – static or fatigue - properties.

To be able to perform unique testing tasks, the experienced staff at the Department developed novel testing procedures and methods. Furthermore, its areas of activity include damage analysis, expert advisory activities based on industrial orders, and the development and improvement of tests and testing methods. Currently, the Mechanical Testing Laboratory can be considered a uniquely well-equipped facility not just in Hungary, but even in Eastern Europe.

Profile of staff members involved

 

  • Dr Gy. B. Lenkey (female): MSc in Mechanical Engineering, MSc in Physics and Material Sciences, PhD. Director of the Engineering Division. She has 25 years experience in higher education and university research. As for her professional activity, she has been dealing with welding, strength of materials, applied fracture mechanics, risk based inspection and maintenance in several national and international R&D and industrial projects. She has been involved in several European research projects (INCO, PECO, TEMPUS, NATO SfP, EU) in the scientific activity, as well as in the project management and co-ordination. She has extensive experience in managing R&D projects not only at national, but also at international level.
  • Mr Péter Rózsahegyi (male): MSc in Mechanical Engineering. He is the head of Department of Material Testing. He has been participating international co-operation projects for more than 10 years. He has more than 20 years experiences of the material testing on the area of the static and fatigue properties of different materials, fracture mechanics, metallographic, dynamic properties, low and high temperature properties, etc. Elaboration of several different test methods in our laboratory can be connected to his name in the last 10 years.
  • Dr Szabolcs Szávai (male): MSc in Mechanical Engineering, PhD, BSc in Economist. He is head of the Department of Structural Integrity and Production Technologies. He has 10 years’ experience in higher education and university research. As for his professional activity, he has been dealing with numerical modelling, tribology, applied fracture mechanics, structural integrity and fitness for service analysis in several national and international R&D and industrial projects since 1995. He has extensive experience in managing R&D projects at national level. He also has been involved in several European research projects (NATO SfP, EU FP5-FP7, NESC VI-VII) in the scientific activity, as well as in the project co-ordination.
  • Mr Zoltán BÉZI, scientific co-worker, simulation expert (male): MSc in Mechanical Engineering, Simulation expert. He is expert of finite element modelling on the area of the plastic deformation simulation like hot - cold forging and rolling, and on the area of nonlinear analysis like welding and heat treatment simulation, UT simulation, and acoustic analysis, etc. He also has several years’ experience on the area of non-destructive testing simulation.
  • Dr Judit Dudra (female): MSc in Mechanical Engineering, PhD. She is a Senior Key Expert at Bay Zoltán Nonprofit Ltd., Department of Structural Integrity and Production Technologies. She has been participating international co-operation projects for more than 10 years. Her activities have been focused on applied fracture mechanics, structural integrity and fitness for service analysis in several national and international R&D and industrial projects.

Relevant publications, and/or products, services

 

  • Beleznai R., Szavai Sz., “Application of the Beremin Model for Cruciform Specimen to Determine the Fracture Probability in Case of WPS” (2013), Strength Of Materials 45: pp. 489-494
  • Szávai Sz., Beleznai R., “Numerical Determination of J-Integral Value And Its Crack Size Sensitivity In Case Sub-Clad Flaw For WWER Reactor Pressure Vessel Integrity Evaluation” (2009), 20th International Conference on Structural Mechanics In Reactor Technology: SMiRT 20. Espoo: VTT Finland: 1-7 (DVD)
  • Simonovski I., Oliver M., Gangadhar M., Szávai Sz., Beleznai R., “J Value Estimation of Specimen Containing Dissimilar Metal Welds” (2014), Igor Jenčić (szerk.), Proceedings of the International Conference Nuclear Energy for New Europe: NENE 2014. Konferencia helye, ideje: Portoroz, Szlovénia, 2014.09.08-2014.09.11. Ljubljana: Nuclear Society of Slovenia, 2014. pp. 1203.1-1203.9, ISBN:978-961-6207-37-9
  • Lenkey G.B., Szavai Sz., Rozsahegyi P., Koves T., Jonas Sz., Beleznai R., “Determination of Mechanical Properties of Aged NPP Components Using Instrumented Hardness Testing and Other Miniature Specimen Testing Techniques” (2013),
     Strength of Materials 45, 4: 433-441,
     DOI: SpringerLink WoS Scopus Teljes dokumentum Sz. Szávai, Z. Bézi, P. Rózsahegyi: Material Characterization and Numerical Simulation of a Dissimilar Metal Weld,
     Procedia Structural Integrity 2: 1023-1030 (2016),
     21st European Conference on Fracture, ECF21. Catania, Olaszország: 2016.06.20 -2016.06.24
  • Szávai Sz., Rózsahegyi P., Dudra J., Beleznai R., Bézi Z., Jónás Sz., “Determination of Mechanical Properties of Operating Components Using Instrumented Hardness Testing, Small Punch and Small Size Tensile Testing Techniques” (2017), Pluvinage, Guy; Milovic, Ljubica (szerk.) Fracture at all Scales,
    Cham (Svájc), Svájc : Springer International Publishing, (2017): 135-150.

Relevant previous projects or activities
 

  • Structural integrity for lifetime management – non-RPV components  - STYLE R&D project (Financed by: EU 7. FP – EURATOM (2010-2014))
  • Structural performance of multi-metal component - MULTIMET R&D project (Financed by: EU 7. FP  - EURATOM (2011-2014))
  • Lifetime analysis of primary circuit concerning material degradation due to thermal aging (Paks NPP)
  • Developing methods for using small- and micro-sized test specimen, with view to obtain information about changes in properties of equipment (Paks NPP);
  • ATLAS+, Advanced Structural Integrity Assessment Tools for Safe Long Term Operation, R&D project (Financed by: H2020 – EURATOM (2017-2021))

Significant infrastructure and/or any major items of technical equipment
 

  • Application numerical simulation in product and technology development (COMSOL, MSC Marc/ Mentat/ Patran/ Nastran) and modelling of forming technology (Simufact Forming), welding process (Simufact Welding, SysWeld), NDT modelling (CIVA)

 

  • All software tools are maintained and the latest version available

 

  • Main related capabilities:
    • Metallic and non-metallic material testing,
    • Elastic- and plastic deformation analysis,
    • Contact problems, dynamical tests,
    • Fracture-mechanics and fatigue analysis,
    • Static and transient thermal conduction problems,
    • Coupled mechanical and thermodynamical analysis,
    • Welding simulation, calculate welding sequences efficiently and to predict distortions of the component realistically, also with regard to microstructural changes
    • Phase transformation processes during thermal treatment can be calculated as well as the recrystallization processes (static and dynamic) and grain growth.
    • UT simulations

 

  • Experimental and theoretical investigations of material behaviour and damage processes of materials and structures; Main mechanical testing machines:
    • INSTRON 8803 universal servohydraulic testing machine (500 kN)
    • INSTRON 8850 universal biaxial (tension/torsion) testing machine (300 kN/2400 Nm)
    • INSTRON 8874 universal biaxial (tension/torsion) testing machine (25 kN/100 Nm)
    • INSTRON E10000 universal biaxial (tension/torsion) electrodynamic system (10 kN/100 Nm)
    • Instrumented hardness test machine
    • Special accessories (Axial and torsion extensometers, high temperature extensometer, clip gauges, video extensometer, environment chamber, furnace, different grips, etc.)
    • Available testing possibilities connected to the planned research projects:
    • Tensile and compression tests on different temperatures with controlled load or strain rate. Temperature range: -150…1200 °C
    • Fracture mechanics tests (KIC, JIC, da/dN, Kth) on ambient and elevated temperature under uniaxial loading on air or in water and seawater. The maximum temperature on air is 500 °C. The compliance method is used for crack length determination.
    • Uniaxial and biaxial (Axial-torsion) high cycle fatigue test (HCF) on ambient and elevated temperature Axial-torsion low cycle fatigue test (LCF) on ambient and elevated temperature with load, strain or plastic strain control; and axial, diameter or torsion control.
    • Static and fatigue, three or four point bending tests on ambient and elevated temperature or in water and sea water.
    • Small Punch Test for determination of mechanical properties on room temperature combination with FEM. The specimen size: ø8x0,5 mm. The small punch test is useable for determination of material properties (Ry, Rm) of bulk material, HAZ, and weld.

 

  • Electronmicroscopy and scanning probe microscopy tests (down to atomic resolution), Raman-spectrometry
    • Metallographic tests with optical microscope (max. 1500x)
    • Scanning electron microscope (SEM+EDX) test with chemical analysis
    • Transmission electron microscope (TEM+EDX) test with chemical analysis
    • Chemical Analysis test of steels is also available:

 

  • ICP spectrometer

 

  • Optical Emission spectrometer (OES)

 

  • XRF spectrometer

 

  • NDT (UT, PAUT, radiography with digital and flat panles, Pulse Eddy Current, Metal Magnetic Memory, LRUT (Long Range Ultrasonic Testing)), Nondestructive test equipment:
    • Olympus Omniscan MX2 Phased array ultrasonic test machine with different probes
    • Traditional Ultrasonic test machine with different heads
    • Olympus Nortec 600 Eddy Current test machine with different probes

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