One Minute Mentor: Process Control in Nitriding Systems

Modern gas nitriding and nitrocarburizing furnaces are equipped with sensor systems and a process control unit that allow the measurement and automatic control of the nitriding potential (KN). The figure shows an example of how the process control can be carried out. 

Defined amounts of ammonia, nitrogen, and—for nitrocarburizing processes—carbon dioxide, can be chosen for each step in the program and fed into the furnace via mass flow controllers. The gas composition in the retort is measured via a nitriding probe. For the measurement of nitrocarburizing processes two different probes are needed. The control unit calculates the nitriding potential according to the measured values and controls the mass flow of ammonia to meet the requested set point of KN. During the nitriding process the gasifying amount of ammonia can just be reduced to a certain limit. To keep the KN value low, therefore, precracked ammonia must be added. It must be mentioned that there are some more simple control systems available, which also produce good results.

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 25. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014  https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005958

One Minute Mentor: Gas Nitriding Equipment

Gas nitriding and nitrocarburizing can be processed in horizontal or vertical chamber furnaces with refractory insulation. However, to allow a quick change of the atmosphere and to avoid influences resulting from previous processes in the same furnace, retort furnaces are preferred.

To enable an acceptable production capacity, large vertical retort furnaces are used. Figure 23 shows a schematic sketch of a vertical retort furnace with a compensator for sealing against atmosphere. Nowadays large horizontal retort furnaces are also used. Horizontal retort furnaces of different size and execution are preferred for nitrocarburizing processes. Figure 24 shows a schematic of a typical horizontal retort furnace. Similar to the vertical execution, a good circulation of the process gas is needed to get uniform results, which can be reached by the use of a muffle and a high circulation rate. Indirect cooling is performed with an external cooling fan, blowing cold air along the retort. Other designs allow direct cooling of the process gas with an external heat exchanger.

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 23. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014  https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005958

One Minute Mentor: Salt Bath Nitrocarburizing Equipment

Modern salt bath nitrocarburizing units can be arranged as fully automated and contained lines and usually consist of an air-preheating furnace, one or several salt bath nitrocarburizing furnaces, which can either be heated electrically or by gas combustion, and a cooling unit that can be an oxidizing salt bath. Such oxidizing posttreatment builds up a thin and dense oxide layer on top of the compound layer that significantly increases the corrosion resistance. 

Online monitoring of the chemical composition is not required due to the high stability of the melt and the automatic supply of refill salt and regenerators. The nitrocarburizing line usually ends with three- to four-step washing cascades that also act as a regeneration system for the salt.

Gas nitriding and nitrocarburizing is the most sensitive process regarding passivation effects typical for medium- to high-alloy tool steels. Therefore special attention must be paid to cleaning and pretreatment processes such as preoxidation, controlled oxinitriding, or the use of chemicals such as hydrazine. On the other hand, gas processes have the best accessibility for boreholes and thin gaps.

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 21. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014  https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005958

 

ACME spearheads eco-friendly transition in district heating across the EU

ACME, Canada, is spearheading the Eurpean Union’s transition from fossil fuel systems to advanced, high-efficiency electrode boilers. This transition not only promises a significant reduction in carbon emissions but also enhances the energy efficiency of district heating networks across the EU.

District heating, crucial for centralized heat generation and distribution in urban areas, is undergoing a transformation with the installation of cutting-edge electrode boilers. These boilers are praised for their ability to operate on electricity derived from renewable sources such as solar, wind, and hydro power, marking a significant step towards sustainable energy use.

Robert Presser, vice president of Acme Engineering, explains the technological superiority of electrode boilers, “Unlike traditional gas or oil-fired boilers, electrode boilers can achieve full capacity in about 90 seconds with a 100% turndown ratio, ensuring that no energy is wasted. This rapid responsiveness, coupled with the absence of combustion, makes these boilers highly efficient and environmentally friendly.”

The electrode boilers utilized in these upgrades, such as Acme’s CEJS and CEJW models, are capable of converting nearly 100% of electrical energy into heat, eliminating losses typically associated with stack or heat transfer. With capacities ranging from 6MW to 68MW, these boilers are designed to meet the rigorous demands of large-scale heating needs while occupying minimal space.

Presser also highlights the economic and operational benefits of these boilers, “Electrode boilers are not only cleaner but also more compact and easier to install compared to conventional systems. They require fewer components and minimal maintenance, reducing long-term costs and enhancing reliability.”

EU municipalities and businesses are increasingly recognizing the value of integrating these advanced technologies into their district heating frameworks. As the effects of climate change intensify, the shift towards these efficient, renewable-energy-powered systems is seen as critical in meeting both current and future energy needs while adhering to stringent decarbonization targets.

Read further here 

One Minute Mentor: vacuum furnace setup

A simple but most effective and very flexible vacuum furnace setup, the single-chamber furnace, consists of one chamber in which the workpiece is both heated (convectively, through vacuum heating) and cooled. Cooling or quenching is accomplished by a closed-loop cooling system.

The pressure vessel is filled with inert gas. This gas is circulated inside the chamber, blowing the inert gas across the workpieces to pick up heat and for further recooling across an internal or external heat exchanger. In order to quench rapidly enough to obtain the desired microstructure of tool steels in various sizes and shapes, it is necessary to increase the pressure and/or flow patterns of the quench gas (usually nitrogen). This is accomplished by high-velocity, high-pressure blowers that have reported cooling gas pressures of up to 20 bar. Turbine powers up to 450 kW are necessary to handle these quenching processes.

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 15. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014  https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005958

Kuźnia Jawor installs Nitrex forging systems

Nitrex, Quebec, has announced that Kuźnia Jawor S.A, a European company specializing in the production of hot forged and CNC machined components for the automotive, machinery, mining, and piping industries, has installed a Nitrex nitriding system and a vacuum hardening furnace.

 Located in the southwestern region of Poland, Kuźnia Jawor has solidified its position as a leading provider of forged and CNC automotive parts within Poland, as well as mining parts in international markets such as Czechia and Türkiye.

Kuźnia Jawor leverages its in-house capabilities to design and manufacture forging tools, a crucial element of the production process. This is necessary for obtaining repeatable strength parameters in steel and ensuring their resistance to geometric changes or abrasive wear, factors that are addressed through heat treatment. Building on this foundation, the company recently revamped its heat-treating operations by introducing cutting-edge equipment and technologies, aiming to streamline operations for improved efficiency and to elevate the quality of its forged and machined products. The current production line has been designed using a Nitrex nitriding system and a vacuum hardening furnace.

https://www.nitrex.com/en/kuznia-jawor-elevates-forging-expertise-with-nitrex-installation/

Norman Noble introduces Noble DryEPolish

Norman Noble,  Highland Heights, Ohio,  introduced Noble DryEPolish to innovate the finishing process of nitinol-based medical implants. Noble DryEPolish has the ability to deburr, smooth, and polish intricate features on metallic-based implants made from nitinol, stainless steel, titanium, and cobalt chrome.

Norman Noble’s COO, Chris Noble said, “We are one of the first contract manufacturers to utilize this technology for finishing. Noble DryEPolish has many advantages over our current deburring, cleaning, electropolishing, and passivation methods. I want to thank our finishing process development team for its research and diligent testing in its quest to improve our capabilities.”

Noble DryEPolish is a dry electropolishing system for high performance nitinol next-gen implant designs. The system can improve corrosion resistance and custom polishing on selective part geometry to meet functional requirements. Noble DryEPolish encompasses the benefits of mechanical and electro-chemical processes in one single process. Straight channels or right and obtuse angles with a minimum diameter of 4 mm can be internally polished. Noble DryEPolish also increases efficiency and quality through single operation full batch processing, resulting in decreased variation from part to part. Lastly, it can provide equivalent or better surface finish results compared to traditional liquid electropolishing, with less material removal, allowing for better preservation of geometry, lower surface roughness, and improved corrosion resistance.

Read further here.

Process and parameters for laser assisted localized heat treatment in manufacturing applications

University of Azurem, Portugal, presents information and results relevant for the development of a laser heat treatment process suitable to improve manufacturing in high strength steel and high strength aluminum alloys.

The challenges with manufacturing of such materials include springback effect and localized fracture. The study details heat cycle and their effect in metallurgical state and mechanical properties. Such laser induced heat treatment process is intended to improve the forming behavior of metal parts in challenging metal forming conditions, in particular for the delay or avoidance of localized fracture. Results for strength, hardness and elongation properties are presented. It was concluded that it is possible to locally modify yield strength and hardness using process duration suitable for industrial applications. Suitable process temperature ranges and target heat cycles were identified. 

A positive effect of material softening was observed in both hardness and strength properties. However, in some cases a reduction of ductility is apparent which must be considered for targeted industrial applications. The dimension of the heat-affected zone was also considered as design variable for the industrial process development. Preliminary results were obtained in a development forming tool.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/09544054221135684

One Minute Mentor: Vacuum Furnaces

Driven by the development of new tool steels—which were property-wise tailor made for applications such as aluminum die casting, drilling, and tools and dies for the plastic industry—but also due to rising dimensions of the tools, the demands on vacuum-hardening technology have changed in recent decades. One of the most important considerations that must be met is the accomplishment of highest dimensional stability with optimal microstructural properties and minimal change of the surface of the workpieces. Minimizing exposure to air during the heat treatment by reducing the quantity of oxygen in a heat treatment furnace, as with creating a vacuum, is an excellent method for preventing changes in surface appearance and chemical composition.

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 14. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014  https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005958

Ipsen Launches “Ipsen Connect,” to Streamline Customers’ Operations

Ipsen, Cherry Valley, IL, announced a new digital gateway, Ipsen Connect. The customer service portal simplifies access to essential resources, including order history, service requests, and furnace documentation.

Key features of Ipsen Connect include:

  • Convenient part management: Request or reorder parts, view order history, and access furnace documentation seamlessly.
  • Streamlined service requests: Schedule maintenance, troubleshooting, or calibration appointments in just a few clicks.
  • Best practices and expert insights: Access troubleshooting guides, online training videos, and answers to frequently asked questions.
  • Real-time updates: Keep your operations informed and on track with live updates, including order status, active quotes, planned maintenance, and scheduled service appointments.

https://ipsenglobal.com/knowledge-center/ipsen-launches-a-cutting-edge-digital-platform-ipsen-connect-to-streamline-customers-operations/

L&L special furnace company ships large box furnace for investment castings company

L&L Special Furnace Company, Aston, PA, delivered a large floor-standing box furnace to the heat-treating department of an investment castings supplier. The furnace will be used as support in the customer’s tool and die production along with tempering of finished castings.

 

The L&L model XLE3436 box furnace has an effective work zone of 34” wide by 22” high by 32” deep. It is equipped with a direct-lift vertical door with a floor switch to activate. The cantilevered vertical door eliminates the need for the upright structure to reduce the overall height of the equipment.

 

The furnace includes a program control and overtemperature protection. A four-zone SSR control with digital biasing is provided to balance temperature gradients. The XLE3436 also features a paperless chart recorder with six thermocouple inputs, a heavy-duty Inconel sheathed thermocouple, a recirculation fan, and an atmosphere-sealed case for deployment with inert atmospheres.

 

The inert blanketing gas enables the part to be heat-treated with minimal surface de-carb. A stack light indicates the furnace status via an audible and visual indicator light mounted on top of the control.

 

Additionally, the furnace is equipped with a pyrometry package that has reference control thermocouple ports along with corner locations to record the high and low points within the unit as indicated by the latest temperature uniformity survey.

 

All L&L models can be designed with various options and be specifically tailored to meet your thermal needs. The company also offers furnaces outfitted with pyrometry packages to meet ASM2750. Options include a variety of control and recorder configurations. A three-day, all-inclusive startup service is provided with each system within the continental US and Canada. International startup and training service is available by factory quote.If precise temperature control and uniformity is key to your process, then L&L is a great choice.

 www.llfurnace.com

Harper Furnace Technology enables high performance silicon anodes

Harper Furnace Technology, Buffalo, NY, announced the development of high temperature thermal process solutions to enable production at several silicon anode battery material companies in 2024. Silicon anode material offers significantly higher specific capacity than traditional graphite anode materials enabling higher power density, faster charge times and smaller carbon footprint than current batteries. 

 

Harper has entered engineering design and equipment supply contracts for pilot and production scale equipment with its USA-based customers, many of whom are funded in part by grants from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Harper technology includes indirect electrically heated, continuous rotary, vertical and horizontal conveyor furnace systems for each customer’s unique thermochemical processes. The Harper furnaces include tight control of the process atmosphere enabling safe and reliable continuous operation, are rated for temperatures between 800˚C and 1,800˚C and will have capacity up to 1,000 metric tons per year. Beyond the pilot-scale equipment projects, Harper is actively engineering the next generation of equipment solutions for these customers whose commercial scale plants will require capacity of 20,000 – 40,000 metric tons per year for the electric vehicle (EV) market.

 

https://www.harperintl.com/app/uploads/2024/02/Silicon-Anodes-Press-Release-February-2024.pdf

Wisconsin Oven ships batch ovens to the manufacturing industry

Wisconsin Oven, East Troy, announced the shipment of two custom-designed Gas Fired Batch Ovens with roll-up doors. The ovens will be used to hold molded urethane wheels prior to a curing process.

The batch ovens have a maximum operating temperature of 350°F and work chamber dimensions of 9’ wide x 4’6” long x 10’6” high. The ovens are designed with electrically operated roll-up doors in the front of the oven constructed from high-temperature fabric. The door controls allow the door to open halfway or all the way by a command from a loading robot. In addition to the roll-up door on the front, a bi-parting, side-hinged, horizontal swing door is located on the rear of each oven.

These batch ovens feature a horizontal airflow arrangement, which is ideal for products arranged in multiple tiers where heated airflow cannot be directed vertically through the product. Both ovens utilize a Watlow F4T digital controller that includes a 4.3″ color touch screen, PID temperature control with adaptive tuning, and Ethernet communication capabilities for temperature control. A remote display for the flame relays is also mounted to each control panel to provide an annunciation of operation along with fault and diagnostic information.

 

https://www.wisoven.com/news/wisconsin-oven-ships-batch-ovens-manufacturing-industry

Nitrex Partners with Telfer School of Management

Nitrex, Quebec,  announced a collaboration with the Telfer School of Management, with the aim of nurturing innovation and cultivating the next generation of visionaries through the new PhD scholarship in Digital Transformation and Innovation (DTI). 

Nitrex said that this partnership echoes their commitment to driving digitalization, not only within the heat treat industry but also within academia. They added that this scholarship marks a significant leap in empowering brilliant minds to spearhead groundbreaking research, shaping the future technological landscape of industrial manufacturing.

Read further here.

Friction testing of electrically heated Nitinol shape-memory alloy wires

TU Dresden, Germany,  has developed a test scenario for the friction testing of electrically heated shape-memory alloy (SMA) wires against polymer surfaces. As alloy, Nickel-Titanium (Nitinol, NiTi) was specially selected due to its high working capacity, the good corrosion resistance and the quick actor response at low bias forces. 

As the materials in contact with the actuator must resist friction forces and elevated temperatures up to 200 °C, a combination with high performance polymers is preferable. In many applications, the actuators use redirections to enhance the actuator capabilities or enable the use in complex structures. To better understand and compare the tribological properties of Nitinol against various polymer materials, it was needed to manufacture a customized testing device.

Read further here.

Norman Noble awarded Encouraging Environmental Excellence award

Norman Noble, OH. has been recognized as a 2023 Class Silver Level Encouraging Environmental Excellence (E3) award winner by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The E3 awards recognize an organization’s exceptional achievements in environmental stewardship.

On Monday, September 18, 2023, Director of Facilities & Environmental Health and Safety at Norman Noble, Julie Bennett Lowry accepted the E3 award from the Ohio EPA Director, Anne Vogel. Under Julie Bennett Lowry’s direction, Norman Noble implemented a recycling program for the spent mixed methanol and sulfuric acid waste which is 100% repurposed at a glycerin manufacturer. Over 125,000 pounds of this material is repurposed each year. In addition, the Norman Noble Team initiated a spent methanol reuse program that has allowed them to reduce methanol purchases by 37%. They have also implemented a range of energy efficiency upgrades, including transitioning to LED lighting, installing occupancy sensors, and installing daylight sensors, among other improvements.

Read further here

Confluent Medical Technologies announces REACH and EU MDR compliant polyimide tubing

Confluent, Chattanooga, TN, has announced the offering of REACH and EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) Compliant Polyimide Tubing.

REACH, an acronym for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals, is an EU regulation that imposes stringent limitations on the amount of restricted substances that can be contained in devices sold in the EU. The industry standard polyimide, a material used extensively in medical applications such as vascular catheters, contains one of the restricted solvents.

“Historically, ensuring REACH compliance required extensive post processing to remove the residual solvent and even after this processing, compliance is not guaranteed,” stated Jill Ellison, VP of site operations for Confluent’s Polymer Tubing Center of Excellence. “Confluent’s REACH Compliant Polyimide is made with no restricted substances, therefore, there are no restricted solvents to remove and no extensive and expensive testing is required.”

Confluent’s REACH Compliant Polyimide uses industry standard chemistry resulting in product that looks and performs like traditional polyimide while avoiding the historical hurdles of ensuring EU compliance. Confluent is offering their REACH Compliant Polyimide immediately with lead times of 4 weeks or less.

Read further here

Nitrex installs nitriding system at Akademi Metalurji

Nitrex Vacuum, Quebec, has installed a turnkey nitriding system at Akademi Metalurji, a full-service commercial heat-treating solutions provider located in Turkey. The project includes a mid-sized pit-type furnace, advanced controls, three process technologies along with accelerated cooling. 

The decision to invest in a new nitriding system was driven by the company’s objective to overcome efficiency and quality challenges faced with their previous furnace at the Gebze facility. The prior system consumed excessive amounts of process gases and yielded inconsistent nitriding results. With the addition of a Nitrex NX-1015 pit furnace, Akademi Metalurji can now save on process gases and production time, while also expanding their heat treatment capabilities to accommodate wider-dimensioned parts. The nitriding furnace offers an effective work zone of 39” diameter by 59” high (1000 x 1500 mm) and can handle a load of up to 4400 lbs. (2000 kg). The supplied library of Nitreg-based recipes is tailored to meet different application requirements, resulting in a hardened surface that is highly wear-resistant. For applications like machinery components, tooling, dies, and molds, where Akademi Metalurji specializes, Nitreg delivers improved tooling performance, ensuring longer service life and higher throughput. Ultimately, this leads to tool cost savings for their customers.

The system was successfully installed at the Gebze facility, located southeast of Istanbul, and commenced operations in April 2023. Since then, it has been running smoothly, delivering excellent results.

Read further here.

Processing of nano-reinforced aluminum hybrid metal matrix composites and the effect of post-heat treatment: a review

A review from the School of Engineering and Technology, India, describes the increasing demand for cutting-edge materials with a high strength-to-weight ratio and economic considerations. Lightweight materials such as aluminum (Al) and its alloys are attractive, but some properties such as low thermal stability and high wear rate limit the application of aluminum alloys (AA) to some extent. Many researchers have developed various composites to get around these restrictions and increase the performance of aluminum and its alloy. Metal matrix composites (MMCs) with nanoparticles have revealed greater mechanical and tribological properties compared with micron-sized reinforcements. This review summarizes the latest developments in this field.

Read further here. 

 

One Minute Mentor: Controlled Atmosphere Furnace Equipment

Heat treatment of tool steels usually requires high flexibility combined with small lots of parts. Seal quench furnaces, executed with a single heating chamber, meet this demand. Figure 5 shows a typical schematic of a single-chamber furnace, executed with a pre-chamber, which is used both for loading and unloading and also for oil quenching or gas cooling. Another execution is shown in Fig. 6, where the load is fed directly into the heating chamber (left side in the drawing). In this case the load is transported through the furnace and received after oil quenching on the right-hand side.

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 5.

R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014, https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005958

Nitrex and Linde renew their 13-year collaboration

Nitrex, Quebec, and Linde are celebrating their 13-year collaboration, which today covers Europe and North America. Nitrex said that this partnership emphasizes both companies’ positioning in terms of technology, digital, and green footprints. 

The cooperation between Linde (previously Praxair) and UPC-Marathon, a Nitrex company, began in the USA in 2010, when Linde approached UPC-Marathon to build gas panels. Eventually, the company started sending some of its clients who needed technical support in UPC’s direction.

Nitrex supplies Linde with equipment and analyses to control gas atmospheres, thanks to its competence in heat treatment and electrical fields, technical solutions, support, and world-class gas panels.

Read further here.

One Minute Mentor: Indirectly heated fluidized-bed furnace

Most fluidized-bed furnaces are used at temperatures below 1095 °C (2000 °F), although some manufacturers have furnaces capable of treating components to temperatures through 1205 °C (2200 °F). Initially, the gas flows upward through the permeable base to agitate the particles as the pressure is gradually increased. (b) Eventually, the gas flow is sufficient to lift the small particles of refractory materials and to transform the particle movement into a violent turbulent motion.

In the early 1980s, this furnace technology seemed to be on the right track as an alternative to salt bath technology, showing similar advantages and applications but without the environmental hazard of salt compounds, waste disposal, recycling of salts, and so on. Nowadays it can be concluded that salt bath technology was partially substituted by vacuum technology, but especially for bainitic hardening (austempering processes), salt baths are still commonly used and show a slightly growing tendency, whereas fluidized beds are hardly used any more.

This temperature limitation is related to the wear and tear on the retort materials at high temperatures, which was one of the reasons for the reduced interest in this furnace type after the initial hype.

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 8.

R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014, https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005958

Ipsen completes ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation for pyrometry services

Ipsen, Cherry Valley, IL, has successfully achieved ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation for calibrations, enhancing its pyrometry services. This accreditation is particularly significant for customers operating under the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP) and Aerospace Material Specifications (AMS) 2750G.

A key update in AMS2750G, revised in 2022, mandates that calibration service providers must hold ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation. This requirement encompasses temperature controller calibration, system accuracy testing (SAT), and temperature uniformity surveys (TUS).

Cavan Cardenas, Ipsen’s calibration and pyrometry coordinator, emphasized the importance of this certification: “Obtaining this lab certification reassures our customers of our capability to accurately conduct these tests. It’s crucial for us to verify the precision of our calibration equipment to provide superior support to our clients.”

Ipsen has appointed a dedicated technician for its Calibrations Lab, located at the Vacuum Technology Excellence Center in Cherry Valley, IL. This addition strengthens the company’s commitment to providing advanced calibration solutions.

Read further here.

Solar Atmospheres South Carolina facility orders 10 bar vacuum furnace

Solar Atmospheres, Greenville, SC, has announced the acquisition of a new 10-bar vacuum furnace for its Greenville, SC facility. Manufactured by Solar Manufacturing, this new horizontal vacuum furnace measures 48 inches wide, 48 inches high, and 96 inches deep. It is designed to handle loads up to 12,000 pounds and is scheduled for installation in late 2024.

The furnace will be equipped with a vacuum pumping system capable of achieving an ultimate vacuum of 1×10-6 Torr, essential for processing titanium and other high-grade alloys. It also features advanced designs for the uniform and rapid cooling of large workloads, enhancing the processing capabilities at the Greenville facility.

Steve Prout, president of Solar Atmospheres Southeast, said, “This new furnace will provide an additional option for high-pressure quenching of large components and workloads in the region. It also offers an opportunity for cost-effective thermal processing in the current economic environment.”

https://solaratm.com/solar-atmospheres-south-carolina-facility-orders-10-bar-vacuum-furnace/

OMM: Controlled Atmosphere Furnaces

In the past, atmospheric furnaces were used quite often for heat treatment of tool steels. Due to the improved furnace technology of vacuum furnaces and their increased distribution in the market, the percentage of tools heat treated in atmospheric furnaces has fallen significantly over the last 20 to 30 years.

Furthermore, most of the atmospheric furnaces show a maximum temperature of 1100 °C (2000 °F). Therefore, the application of atmospheric furnaces is limited, with the maximum hardening temperature of the tool steel at or below 1050 °C (1925 °F).

However, for atmospheric furnaces it is essential to select an atmosphere that will protect the surface of the tool steel against the addition or the depletion of carbon during heat treatment. Therefore, it is desirable to choose one that requires no adjustment of composition to suit various steels. Ammonia-based atmospheres meet this requirement due to the ammonia dissociation at high temperatures, leading to an excess of hydrogen with the advantage of a sufficient reduction of oxidation even of high-chromium steels.

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 4.

R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014, https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005958

Constellium to sell three german extrusion plants to Vaessen Aluminium

Constellium, Paris,  announced that it signed a binding agreement with Vaessen Aluminium for the sale of three of Constellium’s soft alloy extrusion facilities located in Landau, Crailsheim and Burg in Germany for a total cash consideration of €48.8 million.

With nearly 450 employees, the three Constellium plants specialize in soft alloy extruded products for the Building & Construction, Transportation and Industry markets in Europe.

Vaessen Aluminium belongs to a longstanding family-owned industrial group, headquartered in Belgium, active in aluminum billets and profiles (E-Max), in lighting and ceiling (Kreon) and in wall cladding (Limeparts Drooghmans).

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2023 and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval.

Read further here.

Seco/Warwick delivers Vector vacuum furnace to revolver manufacturer

Seco/Warwick, Meadville, Pa.,  received another order for the supply of a Vector vacuum furnace to a South American international manufacturer of weapons and military equipment. The furnace will process various components including barrels, reels, locks, and firearm magazines, which are expected to be reliable, of the highest quality, and perform with outstanding resistance to negative external conditions.

This will be the second solution of this type in the South American defense industry leader’s internal hardening plant. It is a single-chamber gas-cooled vacuum furnace which can be used for a variety of metal heat treatment processes and applications. This solution has been adapted to the customer’s requirements so that it is as effective as possible at delivering the precision heat treatment results required for quality weaponry.

Thanks to the large working space (900x900x1200 mm), the Vector system is designed to process quite large elements. A characteristic feature of the design is convection heating, which improves heat transfer efficiency when heating at lower temperatures, and directional cooling, which enables differentiated cooling of problematic parts in terms of shapes.

Read further here

Enovis recognized as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces 2023 by Newsweek

Enovis Corp., Wilmington, Del., has announced today that it has been recognized as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces 2023 by Newsweek.

Newsweek partnered with Plant-A Insights Group, a market-data research firm, to identify America’s Greatest Workplaces by conducting a large-scale employer study based on over 389,000 company reviews in the United States. “Enovis is proud to provide a positive work environment where employees can thrive through our culture of continuous improvement and a commitment to improving patient outcomes,” said Matt Trerotola, chief executive officer of Enovis. “This award recognizes our passionate drive to create better together every day as we develop the next generation of medical technology, and we are honored to be named one of the greatest workplaces in America.”

Already recognized as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity, Enovis places significant importance on building and sustaining a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment while fostering a collaborative culture that empowers its team of extraordinary talent to reach their full potential.

 

Read further here.

Johnson Matthey signs agreement for hydrogen investment in China

Johnson Matthey, Beijing, China, has signed an investment agreement with the Jiading District in Shanghai to help accelerate the hydrogen economy in China.

At a signing ceremony in Sonning, UK, JM and the Shanghai Jiading District announced plans to build a new catalyst coated membrane (CCM) production facility, providing CCM production capability for multiple proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell applications and PEM electrolysers.

The facility, which will have an initial capacity of up to 5GW, will occupy 22,000m2 in the Jiading district of Shanghai, in a designated Hydrogen industrial zone and is due to be operational in 2025. It will have potential to expand further in line with customer demand.  

The investment, which is backed by customer demand, is part of JM’s £1.1 billion global stated capital expernditure for the three years to 2024/25 and will include government support and incentives. 

The new production facility will enable Johnson Matthey to supply existing Chinese and international customers with locally produced CCMs, and in addition there is a strong pipeline of further customer interest across both fuel cell and renewable (green) hydrogen technologies.

Read  further here.