Intertek, U.K., a leading total quality assurance provider to industries worldwide, has expanded its materials testing capabilities with the opening of a new lab at its Transportation Technologies facility in Plymouth, Michigan.
Continue reading
Northeast Ohio has been selected as one of 12 National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines, making the region eligible for up to $160 million in funding over the next decade to advance manufacturing through materials research, artificial intelligence and workforce development. Led by Case Western Reserve University, the NEO-SMART coalition includes more than 70 partners from industry, academia, philanthropy and government and emerged from a highly competitive national process involving hundreds of proposals. ASM International is proud to be a partner in the NEO-SMART coalition.
The federal investment over 10 years will be subject to meeting performance milestones along the way. It begins with $7.5 million in each of the first two years, followed by $15 million annually for three years and $20 million annually during the final five years.
Partners have committed another $120 million during the first two years of the effort and hope to attract more than $500 million in combined public, private and philanthropic investment.
“This is great news for Northeast Ohio and for the entire state of Ohio,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
“When federal dollars come to our state to strengthen manufacturing and build up our workforce, every Ohioan benefits. And I am grateful for the extensive partnership effort that made this award possible.”
The initiative, known as NEO-SMART — Northeast Ohio Strengthening Manufacturing for American Resilience through Technology — aims to capitalize on the region’s strengths in metals, polymers, chemicals and coatings.
Organizers envision Northeast Ohio becoming a national hub for advanced manufacturing by accelerating research discoveries from laboratories into commercial products while training workers needed to support that growth.
Julie Edgar, Lubrizol’s chief technology officer and a NEO-SMART governing board member, said Northeast Ohio’s concentration of technical talent gives companies an advantage in global competition.
“We compete globally every day, and the depth of technical and scientific talent in this region helps us continue to compete and grow,” Edgar said. “We must actively develop the next generation of chemists, engineers and advanced manufacturing technicians. This funding creates the opportunity to do that at scale.”
The effort also seeks to strengthen domestic supply chains serving multiple industries, including automotive, aerospace, defense and medical devices.
“The manufacturing challenges of the next decade will be solved by academic researchers, industry partners and factory floor teams who work in collaboration to turn scientific insight into commercial reality,” Case Western Reserve University President Eric Kaler said.
“Together, we will advance the region’s growth and prosperity.”
The National Science Foundation established its Regional Innovation Engines program in 2022 to strengthen American competitiveness of technologies considered critical to the nation’s economic and national security interests.
This is the second round of awards.
From an original pool of 71 applicants, NEO-SMART was named one of 29 semifinalists last July before advancing in September to the final round of 15.
A seven-member Science Foundation team visited Cleveland in January for presentations and breakout sessions with about 100 leaders, including executives from Sherwin-Williams and Lubrizol, the mayors of Akron and Cleveland, and Gov. DeWine.
The NEO-SMART coalition grew on the premise that Northeast Ohio already possesses many of the ingredients needed for an advanced manufacturing ecosystem, including major industrial employers, research universities, community colleges and specialized expertise in materials science.
Image: Johnny Vanderford, program coordinator in Mechatronics at Lorain County Community College, shows a microscopic image of a semiconductor.
A high-performance steel developed at MIT has come full circle, moving from success in Formula One and Baja 1000 race cars to its latest use in the 2026 electric race car built by the student-run MIT Motorsports team. The computationally designed material is now part of the university’s entry in the Formula SAE Electric competition, where the car is set to compete against teams from other universities in June.
Designing materials
Gregory B. Olson, professor of the practice in the MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering, founded the MIT Steel Research Group (SRG) in 1985 with the goal of using computers to accelerate the hunt for new materials by plumbing databases of those materials’ fundamental properties. It was the beginning of a new field — computational materials design — that would eventually lead to the Materials Genome Initiative, a national program announced by President Barack Obama in 2011.
In 1985, however, “nobody knew whether we could really do this,” says Olson. Olson and colleagues eventually showed that the approach worked, and around 1990 the Army Research Office funded an SRG project aimed at developing high-performance steels for the gears in helicopters. That work came to the attention of producers at “Infinite Voyage,” a science documentary that ran on the Public Broadcasting System.
“When “Infinite Voyage” came to see me about the helicopter gear steels,” Olson remembers, “we got into a discussion about my interest in race cars” and whether the steels might have an application there.
The answer was yes, and Olson found himself connecting with the Newman/Haas racing team that Michael and Mario Andretti were driving for. Newman/Haas was also featured in the “Infinite Voyage” program, so “my first discussion with their chief engineer was on live television,” says Olson, who is also affiliated with the MIT Materials Research Laboratory.
He and colleagues went on to design a novel gear steel that could withstand the extreme conditions associated with a race car. They did the work over a weekend. “The surface hardness was the same as for a conventional gear steel, but we gave it the core properties of an armor steel,” Olson says.
Introducing Ferrium C61
That steel, which became known as Ferrium C61, was commercialized through QuesTek Innovations, the materials-design company Olson co-founded. It became the company’s first product.
Although it was never used in Newman/Haas cars, QuesTek pitched it to Baja 1000 off-road racers.
“We particularly focused on the 1600 class of those racing dune buggies. They would go flying over a sand dune with the wheels spinning in the air. And when they land, there would be a tremendous jolt to the drive gears,” Olson says. The result: The racers’ gears made with conventional steel regularly failed.
“The average life for conventional drive gears was point-six race,” says Olson (meaning on average they lasted for only 60 percent of a race). “With Ferrium C61, we changed it from point-six to six races.” The gears could now complete an average six races before failing.
QuesTek brought that data to meetings with different Formula One teams “to try to get C61 into other racing classes,” Olson says.
Enter Red Bull, the British-licensed Formula One team. “The leading mechanical failure in Formula One racing is gearbox failures,” Olsen says. The gearbox houses the gearset, or collection of gears, in a car’s engine. “Once Red Bull adopted our steel for the gearset, they never had any gearbox failures, and they were world champions four times in the last decade.”
MIT Motorsports heard of this history and within the past year approached Olson about getting a sample of C61. “QuesTek had some stock available, and sold it at a high discount to the MIT team with, of course, instructions on how to heat-treat it,” Olson says.
Because, of course, the students, who are mostly undergraduates, made the gears — and the car — themselves.
For more information: MIT
Image: Gearset for the 2026 race car made by the MIT Motorsports team. It is made of a high-performance steel with MIT origins. Credits: Photo courtesy of MIT Motorsports.
Fraunhofer ICON Project “UltraGRAIN” demonstrates local microstructure control in metallic components during laser-based directed energy deposition, using pulsed-laser-induced melt pool excitation with potential for tailored products.
Continue readingAdeka Corp., Japan, has developed a single-component type additive for TSV (Through Silicone Via) copper plating that will bring a reduction in costs, prevent defects, and enable versatility. Semiconductor manufacturers have recently been attempting to achieve a smaller size and higher performance of devices by stacking multiple chips into the 3D structure.
Continue reading
Researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and Florida State University’s Center for Advanced Power Systems and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory developed a cable design that uses multiple strands of superconducting tape, minimizing the chance of failure from defective spots within a wire.
Continue reading
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, Calif., and CEA-Leti, France, announced the next phase of their longstanding collaboration to accelerate innovation in specialty semiconductors, expanding their joint lab and developing materials engineering solutions to address emerging infrastructure challenges in AI data centers.
Continue reading
Bodycote, Macclesfield, UK, announced its membership with the Energy Industries Council (EIC), a leading global trade association for the energy sector. This move strengthens Bodycote’s strategic alignment with the evolving needs of the industry and reinforces its role as a provider of heat treatment and specialist thermal processing services across power generation and energy infrastructure markets.
Through its membership, Bodycote gains broader access to key industry stakeholders, enabling stronger supply chain collaboration and the pursuit of new business opportunities within the energy sector. The company serves a wide range of EIC members, fostering synergies that support innovation and operational excellence.
Bodycote’s engagement with the EIC supports its commitment to sustainability, particularly in nuclear and renewable energy markets. The partnership enhances customer access to Bodycote’s services via EIC platforms and events, further promoting solutions that improve performance, efficiency, and reliability in critical energy applications.
Read more
Heat treatment of tool steels means several phase transformations. Every phase transformation must be described by start amount, end amount, and kinetics (change of phases depending on temperature and time). Start and end amount can be calculated with different thermodynamic software. For example, Thermocalc is well validated for tool steels. All of the aforementioned data are used as input data for a finite-element-method (FEM) model. In any case the first step of simulation models is validation, which means the comparison of experiments and mathematical simulation. The better the input data and the better the model formulation, the better are the results and the fewer loops have to be made for an appropriate model (reference model). This reference model is then used for process optimization. All these steps of model development are illustrated in the figure.
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.a0005980
Researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee are leveraging advanced manufacturing techniques, such as Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) Powder Metallurgy and Additive Manufacturing, to produce parts weighing over 4,500 kg. ORNL highlights the urgent need for these large-scale components across various sectors, including aerospace, defense, nuclear, oil, gas, renewables, and construction. This demand is particularly pressing in the US, where traditional manufacturing methods like casting and forging have declined and moved overseas, leading to supply-chain shortages.
Senior research scientists Jason Mayeur and Soumya Nag are hoping to add Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), hybrid manufacturing, in-situ monitoring and advanced computational modeling to HIP technology to create molds faster and more accurately whilst leveraging the PM technology American manufacturers may be more acquainted with.
“PM-HIP is a vital pathway for diversifying the supply chain for producing large-scale metal parts that are becoming more difficult to source via conventional means,” Mayeur explained. “The technology is of particular interest to the nuclear and hydroelectric industrial sectors, as well as the Department of Defense.”
In contrast with traditional casting and forging techniques, PM-HIP involves fabricating pre-formed, hollow molds for each large-scale component and filling them with metal powder. Once the additively manufactured mold (aka a ‘can’ or ‘capsule’) receives an initial seal, any gas remaining inside is pumped out. Then, a more permanent hermetic seal is applied.
At this point, the capsule is heated and pressurized in prescribed cycles within a Hot Isostatic Press (essentially a pressurized furnace). Without melting, these cycles facilitate the consolidation of the metal powder into the required shape in a process exchange of heat and pressure known as solid-state bonding. When bonding is complete, acid leaching or machining is used to remove the exterior can, revealing the intended part.
Jason Mayeur works in the Deposition Science and Technology Group at ORNL, where he applies his knowledge in computational solid mechanics to manufacturing challenges. His two-decade research career began with the use of computational models to understand the relationships between materials microstructure and performance. He has since segued into the analysis of the structural material performance of metals and alloys.
In this arena, Mayeur develops theory, writes code to implement his theories, and then performs simulations of solids under various loading conditions to determine their suitability for use in a variety of applications. In short, Mayeur’s code can be used to improve the PM-HIP process, thus making it a more attractive alternative to traditional casting and forging.
Soumya Nag, Mayeur’s colleague at ORNL, works in the Materials Science and Technology Division, applying his own two decades of research experience in materials and manufacturing. Nag is a metallurgist with expertise in evaluating lightweight, high-temperature structural alloys fabricated via conventional and advanced manufacturing techniques.
“Jason is an expert in predictive modeling of deformation characteristics of Hot Isostatic Pressing canisters. I am more involved in the experimental side of things. Jason and I complement each other, and really, our two efforts are very much intertwined and critical toward the overall success of the task,” Nag said.
Nag’s research centers on the processing and materials science of HIP capsule fabrication, using various additive manufacturing techniques and assessing the quality of the resulting component parts.
“Additive Manufacturing offers unique design flexibility, which, combined with the reliability of PM-HIP, can pave the path toward precise manufacturing of large-scale, custom and complex, energy-related parts while also taking advantage of multi-material builds,” he explained.
Nag collaborates with Mayeur to design and perform experiments that characterize the metal powder material’s behavior and its mechanical properties in pursuit of a better, more accurate build while providing the necessary material property inputs for Mayeur’s computational models.
Mayeur’s work targets many technological challenges posed by the PM-HIP process, striving for quality and consistency in geometry to achieve dimensional accuracy at a very large scale. One challenge is shrinkage. During PM-HIP, the volume of metal powder within the can shrinks by approximately 30%, but not uniformly.
To address these inconsistencies, Mayeur’s computational models work to predict how the shrinkage occurs for different part geometries and capsule designs. This is an iterative process that occurs after initial capsule design, using the simulation results as a guide to modify the final design.
For more information: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Image: This additively manufactured PM-HIP will be used to create an impeller for a hydropower impeller, demonstrating a new approach for creating large-scale clean energy components. (Courtesy Carlos Jones/ORNL, US DoE)
Wisconsin Oven, East Troy, WI, has announced the shipment of a gas-fired walk-in batch oven to a prominent manufacturer in the defense industry. The oven is designed for curing filament wound composite materials and is capable of processing a 78,000-pound load on a 40-foot long mandrel carried by a load car.
The work chamber measures 10 feet wide, 42 feet long, and 9 feet high, with a qualified work zone of 8 feet by 40 feet by 8 feet. The oven includes a rotation system to prevent drooping of uncured composites during the heating process, offering speed control flexibility through a variable frequency drive.
This oven operates at a maximum temperature of 500°F, with temperature uniformity of ±10°F at multiple setpoints. Equipped with a PLC-based Wisconsin Oven Premium Control System and an IoT system, it allows for real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and remote fault diagnosis.
Additional features include split-line construction for easier shipping, two powerful recirculation blowers, interior lighting, and safety-compliant railings and ladder access.
A team at Pohang University of Science and Technology has unveiled a groundbreaking single-crystal synthesis technique. This innovation significantly boosts the resilience of cathode materials, a key component in electric vehicle batteries.
Professor Kyu-Young Park from the Graduate Institute of Ferrous & Eco Materials Technology and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, along with PhD candidate Kyoung Eun Lee and alumna Yura Kim from the same institute at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), collaborated with the POSCO Holdings N.EX.T Hub.
Lithium (Li) secondary batteries, widely employed in electric vehicles, function by converting electrical energy into chemical energy during charging and reversing the process to release electrical energy during discharge. This process involves the movement of Li+ ions between a cathode and an anode.
The cathode materials in these batteries typically include nickel (Ni) due to their high lithium-ion storage capacity. However, traditional nickel-based materials exhibit a polycrystalline structure composed of numerous small crystals. This structure is prone to structural degradation during charge and discharge cycles, leading to a considerable reduction in battery lifespan.
To tackle this issue, one proposed solution involves producing the cathode material in a “single-crystal” form. This approach aims to enhance the structural, chemical stability, and durability of nickel-based cathode materials by synthesizing them into large, single particles or “single crystals.”
Single-crystal materials are typically synthesized at high temperatures, where they undergo a process of becoming rigid. However, the precise mechanisms of this hardening process during synthesis and the specific conditions under which it occurs are still not fully understood.
To enhance the durability of nickel cathode materials for electric vehicles, the researchers concentrated on identifying a critical temperature threshold conducive to synthesizing high-quality single-crystal materials. They conducted experiments across different synthesis temperatures to pinpoint the optimal conditions for producing single crystals in the synthesis of a specific nickel-based cathode material (N884). The team systematically evaluated how varying temperatures affected the material’s capacity and long-term performance.
The researchers found that conventional polycrystalline materials synthesized below a specific critical temperature degrade over time when used in secondary batteries. In contrast, synthesizing these materials above this critical temperature enables the production of high-quality single crystals through a process known as “densification.”
During densification, the internal grain size of the material increases, and empty spaces within the structure are densely filled. This transformation results in single crystals that are exceptionally hard and resistant to degradation over prolonged periods, significantly enhancing their durability.
Based on these insights, the team confirmed that synthesizing single crystals above the critical temperature represents a more advantageous strategy for material design. They also proposed an effective method for synthesizing high-quality single crystal materials.
For more information: POSTECH
inTEST Corporation, Mt. Laurel, N. J., launched the Acculogic patent-pending hover sense non-contact technology for electric vehicle battery testing, representing a significant leap forward in validating the quality and reliability of EV battery interconnects.
Continue reading
GKN Powder Metallurgy, Cinnaminson, N.J., announces a strategic collaboration with HP Inc. in which GKN will be the first to deploy the just-launched HP Metal Jet, based on binder jetting technology, into its factories to produce functional metal parts for auto and industrial leaders, including Volkswagen and Wilo, and for companies around the world.
Continue reading
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Japan, and Siemens AG, Germany, announce the beginning of operations of their joint venture Primetals Technologies Ltd., headquartered in London.
Continue reading
Achieving the auto industry’s stringent zero-defect goals is becoming a big challenge for makers of silicon carbide substrates, which are struggling to achieve sufficient yields and reliability as they migrate from 150 to 200 mm wafers and shift their focus away from pure silicon.
Continue reading
The Annual Global Automotive Lightweight Materials Congress is taking place August 18-20, 2015 in Detroit.
Continue reading
ASM Fellow Dr. Paul J. Bania, titanium metallurgist, researcher, and inventor, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Titanium Association during the organization’s 30th annual conference in Chicago, September 21-24, 2014.
Continue reading
Magnesium alloys, known for their lightweight and high strength, face limitations due to poor corrosion resistance. The innovative Al/Mg/Al laminates combine the benefits of magnesium alloy and aluminum, offering a solution with enhanced mechanical properties and corrosion resistance, critical for aerospace, automotive, and electronic applications.
Magnesium alloys are prized in aerospace, automotive, and electronics for their lightness and strength but are limited by poor corrosion resistance. To overcome this, researchers have developed Al/Mg/Al laminates, cladding magnesium with aluminum to combine their strengths: lightweight with better corrosion resistance. Various methods like co-extrusion, casting, and welding have been explored, with rolling emerging as a preferred technique for its flexibility and efficiency.
The study developed Al/Mg/Al laminates with large thickness ratios, presenting significant advancements in mechanical properties and interfacial bonding strength.
The team from Taiyuan University of Technology has discussed the development and analysis of Al/Mg/Al laminates with varied initial thickness ratios (ITR) created through a hot-rolling process. By experimenting with ITRs ranging from 5 to 40, the study explored how changing the ITR affects the stress, strain, microstructure evolution, and overall properties of the laminates. Findings indicated that an optimal ITR exists—specifically, an ITR of 20—where the laminates exhibit the best comprehensive mechanical properties. This includes maximizing the ultimate tensile strength and yield strength while also achieving high interfacial bonding strength and optimal elongation. Beyond this optimal point, increases in ITR lead to a decrease in interface bonding strength, affecting the laminate’s overall performance. This research contributes to the understanding of how to manipulate laminate composition for enhanced structural applications, particularly in industries seeking lightweight yet strong materials.
Lead researcher, Tao Wang, emphasizes, “Al/Mg/Al laminates with large thickness ratios not only fully utilize the lightweight advantages of magnesium alloys, but also significantly optimize the laminate’s mechanical properties and corrosion resistance, marking a significant step towards the practical application of these materials in advanced engineering fields.”
This breakthrough hints at a transformative future for aerospace and automotive industries, promising materials that are lighter, stronger, and more corrosion-resistant, setting a new standard in composite material development with wide-reaching industrial implications.
For more information: Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China
Image: Schematic diagram of large thickness ratio Al/Mg/Al laminate rolling process.
Dr. Kathy Hayrynen, FASM, vice president of research and development, Aalberts Surface Technologies, Cleveland, has been awarded the 2023 Fred Linebarger Teaching Award by the Cast Iron Division of the American Foundry Society Technical Council.
The award was established in 2015 and honors the late Dr. Fred Linebarger (Director of Technology for Miller & CO) who devoted his career to the development of treatment alloys and processes for the production of both ductile and compacted graphite iron.
Dr. Fred was known for his teaching skills, namely an ability to take complex concepts and break them down into simple bites that anyone could understand. He served as a mentor to many technical employees in the metalcasting industry.
The award honors Dr. Kathy’s efforts mentoring and sharing her knowledge. It emphasizes her role in and the importance of education in the metalcasting industry. It also recognizes her willingness to share knowledge with others by teaching fundamentals of metalcasting to students, customers and industry peers. She serves as a mentor to the next generation of metalcasting professionals, especially women in the industry.
Ambiq, Austin, TX, a leading developer of ultra-low-power semiconductor solutions that deliver a game-changing, multifold increase in energy efficiency, was named a winner of two 2023 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards by Business Intelligence Group.
Continue readingFisher Barton, Waukesha, Wis., has selected MSI General Corporation for the design and construction of its new industrial building and site development for Accurate Specialties’ Turning Center of Excellence.
Continue reading
ALD Vacuum Technologies, Hanau, Germany, has delivered two low-pressure carburizing plants to GKN Driveline Bruneck AG as part of the latter’s effort to modernize their hardening shop for the development and production of e-powertrains.
Continue reading
Gränges Powder Metallurgy, Germany, a division of Sweden’s Gränges AB, has launched its second aluminum alloy aimed at the additive manufacturing sector.
Continue reading
A research team from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Eastman, developed a new method to ensure consistency and quality in rubber manufacturing. Their novel process—which goes beyond optical microscopy—is likely to show real-world impact on material sustainability and durability for products such as car tires.
Continue reading
Park Systems, Korea, a world-leading supplier of atomic force microscopes announced the opening of its new Eastern Regional Lab at Northeastern University’s 14-acre Innovation Campus in Burlington, Mass.
Continue reading
VRC Metal Systems, Box Elder, South Dakota, a leading developer of advanced cold spray technologies, entered into a memorandum of understanding with Flame-Spray Industries Inc., a leader in thermal sprayed coatings based out of New York.
Continue readingHitachi High-Tech Corp., Japan, announced the development of a remote service to diagnose the degradation status for on-board automotive lithium-ion batteries.
Continue reading
Wall Colmonoy’s Alloy Products U.S. division, Madison Heights, Mich., received Cataler’s Best Quality Award for zero defects in 2021 for its Nicrobraz 30 nickel-brazing powder.
Continue reading
A machine-learning algorithm developed at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, N.M., could provide auto manufacturing, aerospace and other industries a faster and more cost-efficient way to test bulk materials.
Continue reading
