ALD develops a new powder recycling process for a sustainable circular economy

ALD Vacuum Technology, Germany, has developed an additive manufacturing solution, the EBuild 850 that can process powder with a wide distribution, enabling it to be used not only in industrial-scale part production, but also in powder recycling efforts. 

Using selective electron beam melting to create powder-filled ingots, ALD achieves an unprecedented build rate of over 1000 cm³ per hour. These ingots can be seamlessly converted into new powder, for example in ALD’s EIGA Premium systems, promoting a sustainable circular economy.

ALD’s approach not only reduces waste, but also offers versatile options for downstream processes. The powder-filled solid cased ingots are much safer to handle and process than loose powder. This flexibility increases the overall efficiency of the recycling process and enables integration into established processing routes.

By adopting ALD’s innovative approach, industries can now achieve economical production while contributing to a circular economy. ALD remains committed to driving sustainable practices within the industrial sector, paving the way for a greener future.

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Quintus cold isostatic press delivered to China’s Lingchuang Special Material Co

Qunitus, Västerås, Sweden, delivered a supersized Cold Isostatic Press (CIP) to China’s Henan Lingchuang Special Material Co. to raise the bar for domestically produced high-quality Isostatic Graphite. 

With its sights set on securing a place as market leader in both product quality and production efficiency, Lingchuang will install a Quintus press model QIC 2.4 x 4.5 – 2000 to maximize operation and output capabilities. The press itself is setting new standards, with its world’slargest vessel dimension—2400 mm x 4500 mm (7.87’ x 14.7’)—along with a new energy management system that offers energy savings of more than 30 percent compared to conventional intensifier solutions.

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Bodycote appointments Group Chief Executive

Bodycote, Macclesfield, U.K, announced the appointment of Jim Fairbairn as the new Group Chief Executive, succeeding Stephen Harris upon his retirement. Fairbairn is set to join the company and its Board in March 2024 and will assume the role of Group Chief Executive in May 2024, following a structured transition period. Stephen Harris will retire and step down from the Board at the Annual General Meeting on May 31, 2024.

Jim Fairbairn, 54, brings a wealth of experience in managing engineering businesses. His career, spanning over thirty years, includes significant roles at John Wood Group, PE-owned Clyde Bergemann, Howden Group, and Megger Group, culminating in substantial experience as both a Divisional and Group CEO.

Fairbairn’s most recent position was Group CEO at Megger Group, a test and measurement specialist based in Dover, which he joined in 2017. Under his leadership, the company saw significant revenue growth to £325m and a notable increase in operating margins. He also played a pivotal role in evolving Megger’s strategy and culture. Before Megger, he held executive roles at Howden Group in Glasgow from 2009 to 2017, ending his tenure there as President of the Howden Power, Environment and Process business, overseeing global product and service revenues exceeding $1 billion across 19 sites worldwide.

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Ipsen completes ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation for pyrometry services

Ipsen, Cherry Valley, IL, has successfully achieved ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation for calibrations, enhancing its pyrometry services. This accreditation is particularly significant for customers operating under the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP) and Aerospace Material Specifications (AMS) 2750G.

A key update in AMS2750G, revised in 2022, mandates that calibration service providers must hold ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation. This requirement encompasses temperature controller calibration, system accuracy testing (SAT), and temperature uniformity surveys (TUS).

Cavan Cardenas, Ipsen’s calibration and pyrometry coordinator, emphasized the importance of this certification: “Obtaining this lab certification reassures our customers of our capability to accurately conduct these tests. It’s crucial for us to verify the precision of our calibration equipment to provide superior support to our clients.”

Ipsen has appointed a dedicated technician for its Calibrations Lab, located at the Vacuum Technology Excellence Center in Cherry Valley, IL. This addition strengthens the company’s commitment to providing advanced calibration solutions.

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Solar Atmospheres South Carolina facility orders 10 bar vacuum furnace

Solar Atmospheres, Greenville, SC, has announced the acquisition of a new 10-bar vacuum furnace for its Greenville, SC facility. Manufactured by Solar Manufacturing, this new horizontal vacuum furnace measures 48 inches wide, 48 inches high, and 96 inches deep. It is designed to handle loads up to 12,000 pounds and is scheduled for installation in late 2024.

The furnace will be equipped with a vacuum pumping system capable of achieving an ultimate vacuum of 1×10-6 Torr, essential for processing titanium and other high-grade alloys. It also features advanced designs for the uniform and rapid cooling of large workloads, enhancing the processing capabilities at the Greenville facility.

Steve Prout, president of Solar Atmospheres Southeast, said, “This new furnace will provide an additional option for high-pressure quenching of large components and workloads in the region. It also offers an opportunity for cost-effective thermal processing in the current economic environment.”

https://solaratm.com/solar-atmospheres-south-carolina-facility-orders-10-bar-vacuum-furnace/

Lindberg/MPH completes roller hearth furnace system for the energy industry

Lindberg/MPH, Mich., announced the installation of a roller hearth furnace system for a manufacturer of products used in the energy industry. The heat treat system is comprised of two box furnaces with quench tanks, a dual directional load transfer car, four companion draw batch ovens, and two stationary load/unload tables.

The maximum operating temperature of the box furnaces is 1850°F and they are designed for nitrogen-based atmosphere applications. The load space dimensions of the box furnaces are 48” W x 96” D x 36” H, and the internal chambers are larger to provide clearance for baskets or fixtures. A snake chain pusher assembly is used by each furnace to transfer the loads from the chamber to the quench elevator deck.

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Ipsen ships Turbo Treater vacuum furnace to commercial heat treater in Mexico

Ipsen, Tainan City, Taiwan, has shipped a vacuum furnace to Tratamientos Termicos Avanzados (TTA) in Mexico. Translated to “Advanced Heat Treatments,” TTA is a leader in plasma nitriding services for steel. They serve many industries and boast a clientele that includes John Deere, Caterpillar and Nissan.

Looking to expand their capabilities by adding vacuum processing to their commercial heat-treating business, they chose an Ipsen Turbo2Treater for its process flexibility. The new furnace has a work zone size of 24” x 24” x 36”, 1,600 lb. weight capacity, 2,400 °F maximum operating temperature, and quench pressure up to 12 bar. It will mainly be used for hardening tool steels but can easily be adapted to meet new customers’ needs.

TTA chose Ipsen for their ability to lead them in the right direction to grow their business.

https://ipsenglobal.com/knowledge-center/ipsen-ships-vacuum-furnace-to-heat-treater-in-mexico/

Nitrex and Linde renew their 13-year collaboration

Nitrex, Quebec, and Linde are celebrating their 13-year collaboration, which today covers Europe and North America. Nitrex said that this partnership emphasizes both companies’ positioning in terms of technology, digital, and green footprints. 

The cooperation between Linde (previously Praxair) and UPC-Marathon, a Nitrex company, began in the USA in 2010, when Linde approached UPC-Marathon to build gas panels. Eventually, the company started sending some of its clients who needed technical support in UPC’s direction.

Nitrex supplies Linde with equipment and analyses to control gas atmospheres, thanks to its competence in heat treatment and electrical fields, technical solutions, support, and world-class gas panels.

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Solar Atmospheres of Michigan’s relocation charges forward

Solar Atmospheres, Chesterfield, MI, formerly known as Vac-Met Inc., has successfully reached its first milestone in the relocation phase. Solar invested over $5 million of new equipment installed with all new utilities. 

The new equipment includes two vacuum furnaces, an air tempering furnace, and a freezer. As a result, Solar was able to host their first AS9100D audit at the new facility in Chesterfield Michigan. This quality management system audit for aviation, space and defense organizations which incorporates ISO9001 standards passed with zero findings.After purchasing the company one year ago, the goal was to build a new facility with no impact on the existing customer base. 

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One Minute Mentor: Controlled Atmosphere Furnace Equipment

Heat treatment of tool steels usually requires high flexibility combined with small lots of parts. Seal quench furnaces, executed with a single heating chamber, meet this demand. Figure 5 shows a typical schematic of a single-chamber furnace, executed with a pre-chamber, which is used both for loading and unloading and also for oil quenching or gas cooling. Another execution is shown in Fig. 6, where the load is fed directly into the heating chamber (left side in the drawing). In this case the load is transported through the furnace and received after oil quenching on the right-hand side.

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 5.

R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014, https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005958