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.

ASB Industries, Barberton, Ohio, has developed and patented an advanced high pressure cold spray system and related equipment that enables 3D printing and 3D painting. In this system, metal powders are sprayed onto part surfaces at high velocities to repair the surface and restore the part to its original dimensions. Applications can also include the manufacture of new parts, without the need for casting or bulk material removal.

Alcoa, Pittsburgh, has developed ProStrength Finishing Technology, a surface treatment that allows mobile device manufacturers to design clear or color-anodized durable surfaces of high-strength, heat treatable aluminum alloys. High strength alloys could reduce the thickness and weight of a device by more than 50%.

Nucor Corp., Charlotte, N.C., announces the successful start-up of production at its direct reduced iron (DRI) facility in St. James Parish, Louisiana. Production began on Tuesday, December 24, and has continued at planned ramp-up levels since that time. Within the first 24 hours of operation, output quality began matching the best-in-class levels routinely achieved at the DRI plant in Trinidad.

Instron, Norwood, Mass., announces digital image correlation (DIC) hardware and software designed to optically detect strain and displacement. The DIC system enables users to visualize these changes in real-time on a computer screen, so that they can be traced over the entire duration of the test. The associated DIC-software provides visualization and also saves the data at an adjustable rate of up to 50 Hz.

Granta Design, U.K., announces Granta MI—Version 7, which includes its latest advances in simulation and materials information management for additive manufacturers to improve research, design, testing, and simulation. These developments are the result of Granta’s involvement in two European Framework Seven (NanoMicro and AMAZE) projects focused on the field of additive manufacturing.

3D-Micromac AG, a leading provider of laser micromachining systems, and EOS GmbH, a leader in additive manufacturing, both of Germany, are joining to form a new corporation called 3D MicroPrint GmbH. Its goal is to advance the development and commercialization of micro laser sintering (MLS) technology, and to identify and establish more solutions in the field of micro technology.

AP&T North America Inc., Monroe, N.C., has introduced a new energy-efficient modular furnace with automation for press hardening. The Multilayer Feeder Furnace reduces heat loss by two thirds compared to conventional roller hearth furnaces. It features several modules stacked on top of each other. Blanks are added and removed using SpeedFeeders, and stay completely motionless during the heating process.

Michigan Tech’s (Houghton) ASME student chapter gathered 30 strong on the softball field and began to roll snow in hopes of getting back into the Guinness Book of World Records.