For some people, nothing can top a morsel of luxuriously rich, premium chocolate. But until now, other than depending on their taste buds, chocolate connoisseurs had no way of knowing whether they were getting what they paid for.

Nitrex Metal, St. Laurent, Quebec, reports that Polish aircraft engine and gear transmission manufacturer WSK “PZL- Kalisz” has started production on its new NXK-609 nitriding system from Nitrex Metal. The self-contained turnkey system, which has a diameter of 24 in. and a height of 36 in., nitrides gears and housings supplied to many world-leading aerospace firms. Nitriding with Nitreg technology meets the company’s requirement for precise control of the white layer thickness on Nitralloy parts, including zero white layer.

The Nanotechnology Systems Division of Hitachi High Technologies America Inc., Clarksburg, Md., announces that its latest VP-SEM system, Model SU3500, is now available with a four-axis motorized stage, in addition to the existing five-axis motorized stage system. The new four-axis version is targeted for smaller sample applications (max. 200 mm in diameter and 70 mm in height).

Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., announces that it shipped a large vertical vacuum aluminum brazing furnace to a major aerospace company, a longstanding customer. This furnace, the customer’s second vertical furnace, will be installed in Mexico. Two other TurboTreaters will be shipped to Southeast Asia for the same aerospace company. One of these furnaces will be used for high-pressure gas quenching; the other includes AvaC for low-pressure vacuum carburizing.

Centorr Vacuum Industries, Nashua, N.H., has developed the MIM-Vac, a custom-engineered high temperature vacuum/ controlled-atmosphere furnace designed specifically for metal injection molding. Tight partial pressure control and even gas flow in conjunction with effective event-based programming and sound retort design allow the entire load to undergo the same series of conditions as a function of time.

Dynalloy, Tustin, Calif., offers state-of-the-art shape-memory Flexinol alloy actuator technology. Flexinol actuator springs are designed for applications with low force and high travel requirements. These springs can contract and relax multiples of their length. When Flexinol actuator springs are used within the correct range, repeatable motion from the springs for millions of cycles is reasonable.

Metlab, Philadelphia, recently heat-treated custom fabricated leaf springs of an antique 1932 Alfa Romeo sports car. The springs were made for a Pennsylvania-based automobile restorer. The leaf springs, made from HR-5160 steel, were patterned after the original springs, which were too worn to be reused. The replacement springs were hardened and press quenched into the shape of the spring, and were tempered to a final hardness of HRC 28–32, duplicating the hardness as measured on the originals.

Bruker Elemental, Kennewick, Wash., introduces the second generation of its S1 Titan handheld XRF analyzer platform. Based on extensive customer feedback, enhancements include a weatherproof IP54-rated housing, and optional integrated camera and small spot collimator. In addition, the protective Titan Detector Shield has been made standard for all models. The patented SharpBeam collimator technology remains a standard feature in all S1 TITAN models.

QuesTek Innovations LLC, Evanston, Ill., announces that its ultra high-strength, high-toughness Ferrium M54 steel has been approved for inclusion in the aerospace industry’s Metallic Materials Properties Development & Standardization (MMPDS) Handbook. QuesTek accelerated M54 steel from a clean sheet design to a precise chemical composition in less than one year, and produced the first 10-ton ingot the following year.

ThyssenKrupp AG, Germany, in collaboration with partners from research and industry, is initiating a cross-sector technology transfer project focused on converting process gases from steel production into valuable chemicals. The goal for this collaboration between the steel and chemical industries is to permit cost-effective carbon recycling into fertilizers or fuel.

ASM is pleased to announce that Zi-Kui Liu, FASM, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, is the 2014 J. Williard Gibbs Phase Equilibria Award recipient.

Researchers in Uppsala, Sweden accidentally left a reaction running over the weekend and ended up resolving a century-old chemistry problem.

The NanoSteel Company, Providence, R.I., announces that its Super Hard Steel weld hardfacing alloy has been selected by Trimay Wear Plate Ltd. as cladding within the steel piping of a concrete slick line to provide wear protection at an underground mine in northern Canada. The alloy has been shown to improve wear rate by a factor of 30 over the previous solution. Combined with Trimay’s unique casing design, this project represents the second line of identical configuration for the customer and will be installed during the first quarter of 2014.

3D Systems, Rock Hill, S.C., has completed the acquisition of Xerox’s Oregon solid ink engineering and development teams, state- of-the-art development labs, and relevant patent portfolio for $32.5 million in cash. As part of this agreement, 3D added more than 100 experienced Xerox engineers and contractors specializing in product design and materials science to its global R&D team.