Patent ID: 8557063

Claim:
A method for heat treating a turbine part, said method comprising: positioning a serviced turbine part, prior to crack initiation, and including a surface damage layer, in a vacuum furnace configured to limit surface oxidation, wherein the surface damage layer includes the outermost surface of the turbine part, and wherein positioning the turbine part comprises positioning the turbine part in contact with a support configured to facilitate preventing distortion of the turbine part; controllably heating the turbine part to a peak heat treatment temperature of between about 1750° F. to about 1900° F. to prevent distortion, wherein controllably heating the turbine part comprises: heating the turbine part to a first holding temperature of between about 1000° F. to about 1100° F.; and stabilizing the turbine part at the first holding temperature for a predetermined amount of time to facilitate substantially equalizing a temperature of an outer surface and a temperature of an interior region of the turbine part; recrystallizing the surface damage layer at the peak heat treatment temperature into a fine grain structure to prevent fatigue crack initiation; and controllably cooling the turbine part to prevent distortion.