Vyzkumny a zkusební ustav Plzen
Vyzkumny a zkusební ustav Plzen

Overview

Research and Testing Institute Pilsen (Vyzkumny a zkusebni ustav Plzen s.r.o. in the Czech Republic, hereinafter VZU Plzen) builds on for more than a hundred years long tradition in research and innovations of Skoda Company. The Company operated under brand name of SKODA RESEARCH s.r.o. until 2011. Our Company VZU Plzen currently employs 85 employees and we are a part of the Nuclear Research Group (UJV), a leading research organization in the Czech Republic. Our Company operates accredited laboratories according to CSN EN ISO / IEC 17025: 2005, the quality management system is certified according to CSN EN ISO 9001: 2009.

VZU Plzen provides services for industries such as energy, manufacturing of transportation vehicles and provides industrial services in field of thermally sprayed coatings.

Among main areas of our competences are: complex material diagnostics and accredited testing, measurement of noise and vibrations, strength and thermodynamic modelling and calculations, development and application… Thermal Spraying laboratory

Thermal spraying laboratory fully equipped for R&D and commercial production up to maximum size of thermally sprayed parts: length 6 m, diameter 1.8 m and weight 6 t. The available spraying technologies includes:

Smart-ARC twin wire arc spray apparatus by Oerlikon Metco and Model 9000 by TAFA Incorporated
HP/HVOF WokaJet high pressure, high velocity oxy fuel apparatus from Oerlikon Metco and JP 5220 from TAFA Incorporated
6P-II flame spray apparatus by GTV and Oerlikon Metco
Sinplex Pro and F4 plasma spray apparatus by Oerlikon Metco

Heat Treatment laboratory

Comprehensive services in the field of the heat and chemical treatment includes treatment of metal semi finished products and machine parts, consultations and selection of an appropriate material.

Nitriding furnaces with 150 kg max weight of nitrided components
KOP furnace Ø 500 mm, height 500 mm
Silitka furnace 420 mm x 420 mm x 600 mm
Ripoche furnace 260 mm x 260 mm x 600 mm
Equipment…. Research and Testing Institute Pilsen provides the R&D activities in close cooperation with partners from academia and industry.  The offered services are mainly focused on: 

Thermal Spraying - Application of protective coatings highly resistant to wear, abrasion, erosion, corrosion exposed to high temperatures, chemically aggressive environment, etc., which prolong life of machinery parts significantly. Industrial scale application of protective coatings, development and testing of protective coatings for the specific needs of our partners.

Heat Treatment - Heat and chemical-heat treatment of metal semi-finished products and machine parts, manufactured also of stainless.

Mechanical testing - Standard testing as Tensile test, Charpy Tests, Creep Tests, Hardness, Impact Test

Metallographic and chemical testing – The services includes accredited testing in the field of metallography, determination of macro- and micro-structure of materials, chemical analyses of metals, alloys and other inorganic…. Yes. service.