Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, collaborated with the U.S. Air Force to enhance fleet safety by developing advanced risk and damage tolerance analyses that led to a more effective inspection schedule for the T-38 Talon-helping detect cracks before they become critical.
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The UK Battery Industrialization Center, United Kingdom, opened its new upgraded and extended Battery Development Laboratory, greatly increased the facility’s capabilities in key areas of battery materials characterization, cell analysis, and forensic activities.
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JEOL USA, Peabody, Mass., released its new broad ion beam milling instruments, Cross Section Polisher and Cooling Cross Section Polisher, for preparing high quality, artifact-free cross sections for imaging and microanalysis by SEM, EPMA, or Auger.
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Imina Technologies, Switzerland, is now the exclusive supplier of Electrical Failure Analysis solutions from point electronic GmbH, Germany.
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TESCAN Group, a.s, Czech Republic, a leading global manufacturer of electron microscopes and advanced scientific instruments, has acquired EXpressLO LLC, Lehigh Acres, Fla., a provider of innovative FIB lift-out solutions for specimen preparation in STEM and other analytical techniques.
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Researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories and Bucknell University, have found that insight from muscovite mica and earthquake statistics can help quantify how hostile environmental interactions impact the degradation of materials used in advanced solar panels, geological carbon sequestration, and infrastructure.
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A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Washington, D.C., analyzes the causes of the 2020 collapse of the National Science Foundation’s telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, where NSF maintained research operations for its National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, and draws lessons learned for other unique, critical science facilities.
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Photonics Management Corp., Bridgewater, N. J., a subsidiary of Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Japan, has purchased the stock of BAE Systems Imaging Solutions, Inc. a subsidiary of BAE Systems, Inc., Falls Church, Va.
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The different effects of steel composition on the dimensional change of plates made of ledeburitic cold-work tool steels and a working hardness of 61 HRC can be taken from the figure. Typical representatives of the new generation of improved toughness 8-9%Cr-steels show slightly higher growth in dimension than the classical 12%Cr-D2 steel.
The growth in thickness (in the rolling direction) is always significantly higher than in width, confirming again the generally known behavior. Salt-bath heat treatment results in higher distortion than various vacuum heat treatments with high-pressure gas quenching, but the results indicate that there is also a significant scatter for gas quenching depending on the detailed quenching conditions.
For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 12. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014 https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005980
Constellium, Paris, announced the grand opening of its new advanced recycling center in Neuf-Brisach, France. The €130 million investment, supported by a grant from the France Relance investment program, is aimed at boosting Constellium’s presence in the automotive and packaging industries while fostering a circular, sustainable economy. The new facility will increase the plant’s recycling capacity for automotive and packaging products by up to 75%, adding 130,000 metric tons of capacity.
With the expanded capabilities, the Neuf-Brisach plant expects to raise the recycled content of its products, meeting the growing demand for sustainable materials. This investment brings Constellium’s global recycling capacity to approximately 735,000 metric tons and will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 400,000 metric tons, aligning with the company’s goal of a 30% emissions intensity reduction by 2030 and increasing recycled input to at least 50% by the same year.
The facility incorporates energy-efficient technologies designed to minimize environmental impact, including reduced water consumption and air emissions, and biodiversity studies were conducted to protect the local ecosystem during construction.
Size distortion in ledeburitic cold-work tool steels is always higher in longitudinal direction (the direction of main deformation, which is the direction of the elongated carbide stringers). The figure shows the effect in three different cases.
If plates for cutting tools made from ledeburitic cold-work tool steels are taken from small bar materials in the longitudinal direction, the main direction of distortion will also be in the longitudinal direction of the plate (case I). If the same plate is taken in the transverse direction from a wide bar material, the main direction of distortion will be in the transverse direction of the plate (case II). Finally, if the plate is taken as a slice from a large-cross-section thick bar, the carbide orientation and the main direction of distortion will be in the direction of the plate thickness (case III).
For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 7. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014 https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005980
Oxford Instruments plc, United Kingdom, a leading provider of high technology products and services to industry and scientific research communities, completed the acquisition of FemtoTools AG, Switzerland. The acquisition was first announced on 11 June 2024, and has been completed following the satisfactory conclusion of closing conditions.
FemtoTools specializes in measuring and imaging the properties (primarily the hardness and stiffness) of materials for research and semiconductor applications at very high resolution via a technique called nanoindentation. It joins Oxford Instruments’ Imaging & Analysis division, where its products will be sold in conjunction with the Group’s existing range of materials analysis tools, including electron microscope micro-analyzers and Raman microscopes.
Richard Tyson, chief executive officer, Oxford Instruments plc, said: “We are delighted to have completed the acquisition of FemtoTools. We welcome our new colleagues and look forward to working with them to integrate nanoindentation – a new technique to Oxford Instruments – into our extensive portfolio of materials analysis capabilities.”
Christian Lang, managing director, Materials Analysis, Oxford Instruments plc, said: “We’re so pleased that the FemtoTools team have chosen to join Oxford Instruments. We’ve had a number of very positive meetings since the announcement and are already making plans for our future together.
“I’m looking forward to integrating FemtoTools’ brilliant technology into our wider product range, and to working with this talented group of people.”
Felix Beyeler, co-founder of FemtoTools, said: “The team and I are very excited for the journey ahead as part of Oxford Instruments. Working together will enable us to extend the reach of our technology and provide even richer analysis to our combined customer base. We’re also looking forward to learning from the hugely experienced Oxford Instruments team.”
For more information:
Oxford Instruments plc
https://www.oxinst.com
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, has helped determine the viability of pressure relief valves for liquid natural gas tanks in the event of a train derailment for the Federal Rail Administration.
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Nikon Metrology, Inc., Japan, and Hyundai Motor North America, Fountain Valley, Calif., announced that Hyundai has purchased and installed Nikon’s X-ray computed tomography system in its newly opened $51.4 million Safety Test and Investigation Laboratory in Superior Township, Mich.
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Researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have discovered why and how one of the more promising cathode materials in lithium ion batteries – single crystalline nickel-rich lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide – degrades with use.
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Scientists from the University of New South Wales published a report into passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) and tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar modules, finding that the latter has endured “significant degradation” in damp heat testing.
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NSF, the leading global public health and safety organization in Ann Arbor, Mich., acquired PSILab, Inc., a US-based advanced product testing and consulting laboratory specializing in plastic pipe, pipe materials and other polymeric and composite products.
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Researchers at the University of Vermont developed microchips with a feature that combines anti-counterfeit with a function that causes them to self-destruct if an attempt is made to compromise them.
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The National Institute of Standards and Technology ongoing project will improve time-resolved-emission microscopy by tailoring its’ single-photon detectors and scaling up these sensors to the megapixel level.
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Fractures in the sixth-stage compressor wheel triggered a catastrophic engine failure and caused the April 2022 fatal crash of a Kestrel Helicopters 1981 Hughes 369D during long-line slinging operations in British Columbia, according to a recently released report from Canada’s Transportation Safety Board.
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Johnson Matthey, London, has joined the UK’s Critical Mineral Association (CMA), a leading organisation that connects the critical minerals industry with the UK Government.
As the world’s largest recycler of platinum group metals (PGMs) and a leader in PGM catalytic applications, JM will bring its deep expertise to help inform critical minerals policy development and drive positive change across the critical mineral value chains.
PGMs are industrially extremely powerful and will play a key role in the net zero transition, with applications ranging from hydrogen fuel cells and electrolysers to production of sustainable aviation fuel. And with limited quantities of these critical minerals available, circularity is essential for securing the metal to meet existing and future demand.
JM will leverage its membership of the CMA to educate regulators and other industry leaders about the strategic importance of PGMs and help them navigate the existing PGM supply chain and future landscape. Following publication of the UK Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy, JM will help the government understand the strength of the UK’s position in PGM circularity and the wider network.
Quintus Technologies, Vasteras, Sweden, announced that they will supply a high pressure fluid cell press to France’s LAUAK Group, a Tier 1 supplier to the aerospace industry. The press will be installed at the LAUAK Aerostructures factory in Grandola, Portugal, in September 2023.
Reaffirming its continued commitment to productivity enhancement, LAUAK selected the Quintus model QFC 0.7×1.8-800 press with high pressure technology to bolster its manufacturing efficiency. “The forming press is undoubtedly at the heart of sheet metal production,” says Mikel Charritton, LAUAK Group Managing Director. “Especially in the context of the current aerospace ramp-up, in particular the A320, A350, and B737 programs, LAUAK’s capital equipment investments are strongly influenced by the imperatives of competitiveness. This press significantly increases and secures our production capacity.” Quintus’s proprietary hydroforming process requires only one rigid tool half, an innovation that not only generates significant tool cost savings but also eliminates several forming operations, intermediate heat treatments, and operator dependencies.
Wisconsin Oven, East Troy, is scheduled to ship three custom dryers to a manufacturer in the molded-fiber industry. The ovens will be used for drying thick-walled paper pulp molded fiber packaging material used in a variety of products. Molded fiber packaging is made of 100% recycled materials, making them an environmentally friendly solution for companies looking to use sustainable packaging and reduce their environmental impact.
These paper pulp drying conveyor ovens are designed with four temperature zones, and each has the sufficient capability to remove 850 pounds of water per hour from the molded pulp. The ovens feature a maximum temperature rating of 500°. The work chamber dimensions are 8’ W x 120’ L x 1’ H. A total of twelve personnel access doors with explosion relief latches are located on the sides of each unit. Each unit also has stainless steel sheet metal and structure on the wet end to reduce corrosion.
The conveyor ovens are designed with top-down and bottom-up airflow to maximize the drying rate of the paper pulp shapes. The flat wire belt continuous conveyor system uses a variable frequency drive that is adjustable from 0-3 FPM. Emergency stop buttons are located at the load and unload sections of each oven for operator safety.
Oxford Instruments, England, has brought together the best of its analytical innovations to form the Oxford Instruments Innovation Center, a state-of-the-art facility at its High Wycombe site.
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Plastometrex, an advanced mechanical testing technology provider in Cambridge, England, announced its strategic expansion into the Japanese market in partnership with two leading technology companies, Kobe Material Testing Laboratory (KMTL) and AeroEdge. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Plastometrex’s journey towards transforming the global mechanical testing industry.
Since its inception, Plastometrex has had a clear mission of delivering simpler, faster, and more insightful mechanical testing to materials science and engineering teams the world over. Following the commercial launch of its flagship product, the Benchtop Plastometer, the company has enjoyed rapid global expansion, partnering with some of the most recognizable industrial organizations and research institutions in the world. That expansion now continues with a move into Japan, as KMTL, a leading independent testing laboratory in Asia focusing on materials testing services, took delivery of the country’s first Plastometrex device, as part of the newly formed partnership.
With the Plastometer, KMTL will now be able to obtain metal stress-strain curves, measured by the device from indentation test data, in less than 5 minutes. This unlocks unprecedented testing speed and flexibility for users at all stages of the product lifecycle, from alloy design through to failure analysis. KMTL has now added the Plastometer to its comprehensive range of testing services, further strengthening the organization’s position as a technology-forward testing partner.
“We are delighted to be able to introduce the Plastometer to our client base across Japan,” said Nobuhito Tsurui, Executive Vice President, KMTL. “The technology will allow our customers to measure critical mechanical property data from small and challenging-to-test samples for the first time. This will enable them to design, manufacture, and repair their products with greater efficiency and confidence.”
AeroEdge, an engineering services company specializing in machining and additive manufacturing (AM) technology, will be among the first to use KMTL’s new Benchtop Plastometer. Having significantly grown its capability in the printing of aerospace materials, specifically complex titanium aluminides for demanding high-temperature applications, the Plastometrex technology will enable AeroEdge to accelerate the development of these complex AM materials and parts.
“Plastometrex’s novel testing technology enables us to optimize our AM materials with much less material and in a fraction of the time required by traditional methods,” said Kazuhiro Mizuta, Managing Director, AeroEdge. “We are excited to support the introduction of this transformative testing technology to the Japanese market where it will play an important role in supporting the continued adoption of AM in the region.”
“This strategic collaboration with KMTL and AeroEdge is a testament to our commitment to innovation and to our continued global expansion. Japan represents a vibrant and dynamic market, and our partnership with these two esteemed companies will allow us to deliver cutting-edge solutions that drive progress and transformation in metal testing and additive manufacturing.” Mike Coto, CCO, Plastometrex.
For more information:
AeroEdge
Kobe Material Testing Laboratory
Plastometrex
Intertek, England, a leading total quality assurance provider to industries worldwide, unveiled its new Battery Xcellence Center in Mestre, Italy. Featuring the latest technologies for battery and energy storage systems testing, paired with unrivalled industry expertise, this new center of excellence will meet industry’s increasing need for fast and reliable testing, certification, and assurance services.
The 500 sqm facility is equipped with state-of-the-art battery cyclers, climatic and salt spray chambers, vibration plans, and mechanical testing equipment as well as two ATEX certified anti-fire containers and a dedicated altitude test chamber, enabling it to meet testing needs for transportation and storage safety, functional safety, and performance for a wide range of cells and battery packs.
As one of the world’s fastest growing industry sectors, the battery market is estimated to reach €135 billion globally and €35 billion in the EU by 2030. A pioneer in this space with specialist battery capabilities strategically located in the USA, China, Taiwan, India, Hong Kong, and Europe, Intertek is working at the forefront of the industry, helping its customers to shape the future of energy storage and mobility.
This new state-of-the-art facility in Italy complements Intertek’s existing European battery centers of excellence in the Nordics, UK, and Germany, allowing the company to bring its expertise from more mature battery markets to Italy and the wider South Europe region. The Italian team will be supporting businesses across a range of sectors, including automotive, transportation, energy, and consumer goods, to successfully take their products from initial design phases through to compliance evaluation and global market access.
At the official opening of the Mestre Battery Xcellence Centre, André Lacroix, Chief Executive Officer of Intertek, said: “Sustainability is the movement of our time, and we at Intertek are pioneering the global Quality Assurance industry to help our clients on their sustainability journeys. On the road to Net Zero, we know energy storage is more critical than ever, and with the electrification of society moving at pace we are continuously investing in the future of electrification. This new state-of-the-art-facility enables our customers in this exciting region to benefit from our cutting-edge technology and industry-leading experts, helping them navigate the rapidly evolving regulatory environment for batteries and battery-operated products.”
Arianna Fogar, General Manager for Italy’s Electrical business, said: “Italy is the second largest market in the EU for domestic energy storage systems, as well as a key hub for the European automotive supply chain. We are delighted to be able to meet the industry’s need for local assurance, testing and certification services in this dynamic region with the opening of our pioneering battery and energy storage laboratory.”
Lindberg/MPH, Mich., has announced the shipment of a rod overbend box furnace with powered load/unload table to the manufacturing industry. This heat-treating furnace has a maximum temperature rating of 2000°F and a load capacity of 900 lbs.
The workspace dimensions of the furnace are 24” W x 36” D x 18” H and it is designed for air atmosphere applications. The box furnace features an automated actuator to flip the push/pull mechanism on the load table to eliminate the operators need to manually flip it into push position. This option allows the push/pull head to retract from the furnace once the work grid is in the furnace chamber and increase operator safety by removing the need to reach into the hot furnace with a hook to flip the push/pull head and.
The furnace chamber is heated with a radiant heating system the utilizes heavy gauge alloy rod over-bend heating elements mounted along the side-walls and the floor. The furnace temperature is controlled by an Allen Bradley ControlLogix Programmable Logic Controller that includes digital setpoint and display. A Honeywell DC2500 high limit controller disconnects the power to the heating elements and sounds an audible alarm if the temperature exceeds desired set-point.
Seco/Warwick, Meadville, Pa., has been chosen by a recognized manufacturer of wind power plants to deliver a vertical vacuum furnace designed to perform low-pressure carburizing for the large structural elements (gearboxes) used in wind power plants.
The solution on order combines the advantages of two technologies: atmospheric and vacuum processing. The furnace is designed for low-pressure carburizing oversized parts, made possible due to a very large, vertical heating chamber, while the furnace pit structure saves space in the production facility. The Pit-LPC technology is a modern alternative to atmosphere carburizing. Its main advantage is the ability to carry out efficient and effective carburizing in a much shorter time than in atmospheric furnaces. The vacuum processing solution provides more than twice the productivity, and consequently lower process costs and a quick investment return.
The main advantage of this furnace is the ability to open the furnace at process temperature at the end of the cycle. This is the advantage of atmospheric furnace technology implemented within a vacuum furnace. This type of solution combines the advantages of an atmospheric furnace with the advantages of a vacuum furnace, which include: elimination of the oxidation effect at the grain boundary, process purity, and heating uniformity. The product solves the problem of high energy and process gas consumption by the partner’s old furnaces, and shortens the carburizing process, which significantly improves efficiency and production costs.
Lindberg/MPH, Mich., has announced the shipment of an electrically heated, full muffle, mesh belt conveyor furnace. This furnace is designed for treating pressed powdered material.
The furnace is designed for applications with a maximum process temperature of 1000° C (1832° F) that utilize a nitrogen or clean dry filtered air process atmosphere. The unit is configured with 9 temperature control zones and includes a water-cooling section. The conveyor system features a 14 inch wide mesh belt with belt stop alarm to provide an audible and visual indication in case of a conveyor stoppage.
There are purge chambers at the entrance and exit of this conveyor furnace. In these chambers purge gas flows from perforated plenum chambers above and below the belt and exhaust stacks with adjustable butterfly valves are located at the inner ends of each chamber. Load and unload tables at the entrance and exit of the conveyor provide ease of product transfer for the operator.
The furnace zone temperatures are controlled by Eurotherm controllers. These controllers have advanced PID control with variable overshoot inhibition. A hi-limit Eurotherm controller guards against over temperature conditions in each zone of temperature control. A visual and audible alert and removal of power to the heating element occur in the event the monitor temperature exceeds a desired set point.
Universal Scientific Industrial (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., China, developed an advanced electronic component failure analysis technology to meet the increasingly complex and diverse needs of system-in-package miniaturized products.
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