Premier Furnace Specialists Inc., Farmington Hills, Mich., recently received an order from a large Commercial Heat Treater in the state of Michigan to design, manufacture, and install an endothermic gas generator.

Proto Labs Inc., Maple Plain, Minn., has introduced magnesium injection molding into its current rapid manufacturing services.

Seco-Warwick, Meadville, Pa., has supplied a traveling aluminum homogenizing furnace to Aisin Light Metal, Marion, Ill., as part of an expansion project.

Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, announces that a third-generation high-strength steel being developed by Missouri S&T metallurgical engineers should be lighter and easier to make, while being strong enough to address automotive safety concerns.

ThyssenKrupp Carbon Components, Germany, and Maxion Wheels, Novi, Mich., announce a cooperative agreement to develop and market ultra-lightweight aluminum and carbon fiber hybrid wheels for the premium vehicle OEM market.

Sandvik Materials Technology, Sweden, announces that its Kanthal division introduced Superthal FeCrAlMo heating elements at the Thermprocess show held last week in Dusseldorf.

Worthington Industries, Cleveland, announces that its tailor welded blanking joint venture, TWB Company LLC, is opening a new facility in Nashville, Tenn.

EFD Induction USA, Madison Heights, Mich., reports that a major U.S. tier-one automotive supplier recently ordered an EFD Induction Rotary Table (HardLine RT 550) hardening system for treating sun gears, and a vertical scanner system (HardLine VM 1000) for hardening output shafts.

Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Wash., in partnership with General Motors, Alcoa, and the Tailor Welded Blank (TWB) Co., have developed a friction stir welding technique that is said to be ten times faster than current FSW techniques.