6th Sealing Workshop – Extremes

“Pushing the limits of sealing technologies”

Palais des Papes, Avignon, France
June 9–10, 2026

Event Overview

The Sealing Workshop is a high‑level technical event bringing together equipment end‑users, research institutes, universities, and sealing experts from across the international sealing community.
Co‑organized by 기술, CEAMAESTRAL (their joint sealing lab), the workshop offers a unique environment to exchange knowledge, share feedback from real industrial applications, and explore emerging technical challenges shaping the future of sealing technologies.
CEA‑ISEC is the Institute for a Circular Economy of Low‑Carbon Energies, located at CEA Marcoule and involved in process engineering, materials science, modelling and eco‑design.
It collaborates closely with Technetics through the MAESTRAL joint lab, dedicated to sealing science, product qualification and advanced simulation.

2026 Theme: ‘Extremes’

Today’s industrial and scientific challenges are pushing sealing solutions far beyond conventional operating limits.
Increasing performance requirements, harsher environments, longer service lifetimes, and more demanding safety or reliability expectations are redefining what reliable sealing means.
In this context, ‘Extremes’ refers to any limiting operational, environmental, performance, or lifetime condition that may impact sealing performance-under both normal and accidental conditions.
This edition of the workshop will highlight approaches, developments, and critical applications designed to address these challenges across a wide range of industries.
Programme Highlights
  • Five technical sessions covering key industrial domains
  • Contributions from CERN, ITER, BGZ, CETIM, KIT, Technetics, CEA, and others
  • Interactive roundtable discussions
  • Friendly evening event
  • Optional technical training session
Why Attend
  • Gain insight into sealing challenges under extreme conditions
  • Learn from real‑world industrial and research feedback
  • Exchange directly with experts, researchers, and end‑users
  • Explore emerging technologies and qualification approaches
  • Strengthen your network within the sealing community

Provisional agenda of the 6th Maestral Workshop

Start
End
Session training
Speaker
9:00
12:00
From Requirement to Qualification: Building a Reliable Sealing Solution
TECHNETICS TLA
Welcome
Session H2
13:30
14:00
Experiments on an advanced liquid hydrogen cryostat for truck applications
KIT
14:00
14:30
Characterize and qualify the performance of sealing systems for hydrogen applications
CETIM
14:30
15:00
Sealing challennges for H2 industry
CEA
15:00
15:30
Session Aero – Space
15:30
16:00
Carburant HEFA : effet sur le matériau élastomère FKM
ELANOVA
16:00
16:30
Material conditions and weld type, and their affect on load required to compress X-750 O-Flex seals
TECHNETICS
16:30
17:00
Nuclear space : critical sealing between fission and the void – (Nucléaire spatial : étanchéité critique entre fisssion et espace)
TECHNETICS
Round table
17:00
18:00
Extremes , risks & opportunities
19:30
21:30
Networking Dinner : cruise on the Rhone river
Start End Session training Speaker
Start End Session big science
08:30 09:00 Helicoflex Radial Seals with Mating Material Aluminium EN AW6061 T6 inNuclear Applications TUM
09:00 09:30 Helium sealing performance at high temperatures and pressures UKAEA
09:30 10:00 Performance assessment of a QDS sealing junction for the ITER Test Blanket Module Helium Cooling System ITER & CEA
10:00 10:30 Dark Matter experiment STFC
Session materials
11:00 11:30 Extension of temperature and pressure operating range of HELICOFLEX by surface texturization. TECHNETICS
12:00 12:30 High-temperature thermal energy storage using liquid metals – materials and components testing KIT-ITES
12:30 13:00 Elastomer under extreme radiation : material behaviour and sealing performance CERN & TECHNETICS
13:00 14:30 Lunch
Session durability
14:30 15:00 Evaluation of the Long-term Performance of Metal Seals Used in HLW Transport and Storage Casks BGZ
15:00 15:30 Advanced Analysis and Performance Characteristics of Materials Exposed to Extreme Environments TECHNETICS
15:30 16:00 Evolution of the microstructure and mechanical behavior at moderate temperatures of metallic materials used in sealing systems Ecole des Mines de Paris
16:00 16:15 Closing
Optional Technical Training Session
This optional half‑day training session introduces the fundamental principles of static sealing and supports reflection on key questions related to functional requirements, design choices, and qualification strategies.
Participants will benefit from open discussions with subject‑matter experts covering integration, calculations, qualification, testing, and implementation.
A shared meal is included.
Limited number of seats.

Who Should Attend
  • Equipment end‑users
  • Engineering and R&D teams
  • Universities and research laboratories
  • Sealing specialists and experts
  • Industry stakeholders facing extreme operating conditions
Venue
The workshop will take place at the Palais des Papes, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the heart of Avignon, France.
This exceptional venue provides an inspiring setting for high‑level technical exchange and networking.
Practical Information
  • June 9–10, 2026
  • Palais des Papes, Avignon, France
  • $200 excluding the optional training; pricing to be communicated later)
Previous Edition
Discover highlights from the previous Sealing Workshop held in Pierrelatte, France, at the maestral® R&D Sealing Laboratory.