Alexandre Fleurentin

Biography

A metallurgist since 1995 and a graduate of the Institut d’Expertise Judiciaire de Paris, Alexandre Fleurentin specializes in metallic materials and heat and surface treatments. He built up his experience in the automotive industry, as a production engineer optimizing “special” metallurgical processes. Alexandre then became technical manager and international expert in metallurgy, in charge of industrialization and innovation in thermochemical treatments, induction and non-destructive testing. After developing a new approach (P.U.M.P.: Products – Utilization – Materials – Processes) in the automotive world, he became an expert engineer at the Centre Technique des Industries Mécaniques, where he worked in the energy, railway, aeronautics, forging, cutting/stamping, machining, screws and gears and transmissions sectors. In 2004, he received the GKN Driveline Award for innovation for the integration of the low-pressure carburizing process, as well as the first A3TS Innovation Prize in 2012 for his work on the protection of refractory steels against high-temperature carburizing.

Conference: What is the impact of time on the design of metal parts?

In industry, designing a part means complying with current standards and specifications. A thorough understanding of physico-chemical phenomena is essential for taking well-calibrated standards precautions, which guarantee both the technical reliability and profitability of the operation. The time parameter can play a major role through the activation of diffusional mechanisms of atoms under stress or under the effect of temperature rise. A good example is the desensitization to hydrogen embrittlement of steel parts coated for optimized corrosion resistance.