Solar atmospheres South Carolina facility earns approval from Parker Aerospace

Solar Atmospheres, Greenville, SC, announced that its facility has received approval from Parker Aerospace, further expanding the company’s capabilities to meet aerospace industry demands. With this new certification, Solar Atmospheres now operates five locations capable of fulfilling Parker Aerospace’s specific thermal processing requirements.

Steve Prout, president of Solar Atmospheres’ Greenville site, highlighted the value this approval brings to customers in the Southeastern U.S., providing them with a local, efficient option for aerospace and defense thermal processing services. He noted that this addition will help customers reduce costs and lead times while ensuring the high quality that Solar Atmospheres consistently delivers. Solar Atmospheres offers comprehensive vacuum thermal processing services, handling loads up to 50,000 pounds and temperatures reaching 2400°F. With AS9100 and Nadcap accreditations, the company maintains rigorous standards to ensure reliable and precise heat treatments, meeting the exacting requirements of the aerospace sector.

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One Minute Mentor: Distortion of Ledeburitic Cold-Work Tool Steels

The different effects of steel composition on the dimensional change of plates made of ledeburitic cold-work tool steels and a working hardness of 61 HRC can be taken from the figure. Typical representatives of the new generation of improved toughness 8-9%Cr-steels show slightly higher growth in dimension than the classical 12%Cr-D2 steel. 

The growth in thickness (in the rolling direction) is always significantly higher than in width, confirming again the generally known behavior. Salt-bath heat treatment results in higher distortion than various vacuum heat treatments with high-pressure gas quenching, but the results indicate that there is also a significant scatter for gas quenching depending on the detailed quenching conditions. 

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 12. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014  https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005980

Ipsen USA launches service HUB Model for improved customer support

Ipsen USA, Cherry Valley, Illinois, announced the launch of its new Service HUB model, aimed at enhancing customer support across the United States. The HUB system, developed over the past two years under the leadership of Ipsen Global CEO Geoffrey Somary and currently overseen by Chief Service Officer John Dykstra, is now fully operational across the Midwest and Southeastern regions.

The HUBs are designed to offer quicker response times, with dedicated teams that provide tailored service for customers in close geographic proximity. This model allows Ipsen to optimize service efficiency, reducing downtime for heat-treating operations and improving customer experience.

In addition to benefiting customers, the HUB model also enhances the work-life balance of Ipsen’s Field Service Engineers (FSEs) by reducing travel time. The initiative is led by Lu Chouraki, Manager of Business Development, who emphasized the goal of minimizing response times and improving support for customers facing operational outages.

This strategic shift reflects Ipsen’s commitment to service excellence, offering personalized, regional expertise that both empowers its team and delivers enhanced support to customers.

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Nitrex celebrates 40 Years of innovation in heat treatment solutions

Nitrex, Quebec, announced that it is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, marking four decades of growth and innovation in the heat treatment industry. Founded in 1984, Nitrex has evolved from a pioneer in controlled nitriding to a global leader offering end-to-end heat treatment solutions. The company’s technological advancements have expanded its capabilities to encompass metallurgy, engineering, process optimization, and automation.

Since 2019, under the current leadership, Nitrex has broadened its portfolio to include advanced vacuum furnaces and introduced technology for improved brake rotor performance. The company has also launched digital platforms such as QMULUS, aimed at optimizing customer processes and boosting operational efficiency.

In addition to its own milestone, Nitrex is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its UPC-Marathon office in Germany, recognizing the long-standing contributions and achievements of its global team. These anniversaries reflect Nitrex’s ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence.

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Bodycote presented aerospace materials solutions at Farnborough International Airshow

Bodycote, Macclesfield, U.K., participated in the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow, held this summer.

Bodycote showcased its advanced thermal processing solutions specifically designed for the aerospace industry. The airshow, a key event for aerospace innovation, emphasizes themes like sustainability, future flight, and workforce development, providing Bodycote with a platform to highlight its role in enhancing the performance and reliability of aerospace components.

At the event, visitors could explore Bodycote’s range of services, including heat treatment, metal joining, and specialized thermal processes such as hot isostatic pressing and thermal spray coatings. These processes are essential for improving the properties of metals and alloys in aerospace applications, helping them withstand the stringent requirements of the industry.

Bodycote’s presence at the Farnborough Airshow underscores its expertise and ongoing commitment to fostering collaborations that drive progress in the aerospace, aviation, and defense sectors.

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Constellium celebrates the grand opening of its new recycling center in France

Constellium, Paris, announced the grand opening of its new advanced recycling center in Neuf-Brisach, France. The €130 million investment, supported by a grant from the France Relance investment program, is aimed at boosting Constellium’s presence in the automotive and packaging industries while fostering a circular, sustainable economy. The new facility will increase the plant’s recycling capacity for automotive and packaging products by up to 75%, adding 130,000 metric tons of capacity.

With the expanded capabilities, the Neuf-Brisach plant expects to raise the recycled content of its products, meeting the growing demand for sustainable materials. This investment brings Constellium’s global recycling capacity to approximately 735,000 metric tons and will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 400,000 metric tons, aligning with the company’s goal of a 30% emissions intensity reduction by 2030 and increasing recycled input to at least 50% by the same year.

The facility incorporates energy-efficient technologies designed to minimize environmental impact, including reduced water consumption and air emissions, and biodiversity studies were conducted to protect the local ecosystem during construction.

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Ipsen announces launch of field service engineer academy

Ipsen, Cherry Valley, IL, has announced the launch of its Field Service Engineer (FSE) Academy, a 20-week training program aimed at strengthening the Ipsen Customer Service (ICS) Team. The program includes both classroom instruction at the company’s TDC facility in Cherry Valley, Illinois, and hands-on field training with veteran technicians. While primarily designed for new hires, experienced engineers can also participate, with regional service managers directing them to specific modules based on their skill level assessments.

The academy will focus on the fundamentals of vacuum furnace repair, giving technicians a comprehensive understanding of Ipsen’s equipment and customer applications. Technical Training Lead Cavan Cardenas noted, “From day one, we want our technicians to grasp how our products work and their purpose in the field.”

In addition to technical training, the program will develop soft skills and address the demands of a service-driven role, preparing recruits for a dynamic, on-the-road service environment.

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ECM USA announces partnership with PAI Industries for in-house furnace system

ECM USA,  Pleasant Prairie, WI, announced a partnership with PAI Industries to enhance manufacturing capabilities by introducing an in-house carburizing vacuum furnace system. PAI Industries, a leading provider of parts for the heavy-duty truck industry, will integrate the ECM NANO vacuum furnace into its 112,000 sq. ft. facility in Suwanee, GA, moving away from outsourced heat treatment.

This addition enables PAI Industries to perform low-pressure carburizing and through-hardening processes continuously, improving production speed and capacity. The ECM NANO system, featuring an external loader, three-position temper oven, and queuing positions, offers benefits such as no internal oxidation (IGO), zero CO2 emissions, reduced fire risk, and improved metallurgical outcomes. Testing was conducted at ECM USA’s Synergy Center to validate these advantages before project acceptance.

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Wisconsin Oven ships electrically heated drop bottom furnace to the aerospace industry

Wisconsin Oven, East Troy, WI, announces that it has shipped an Electrically Heated Drop Bottom Furnace with a traveling quench tank and maintenance platform to the aerospace industry. This system will be used for the solution heat treatment of aluminum parts.

The drop bottom furnace has a maximum operating temperature of 1,100°F and effective workspace dimensions of 3’6” W x 3’6” L x 4’0” H. An OSHA-compliant maintenance platform provides ease of access for personnel to service the equipment. The quench tank has a capacity of approximately 1,700 gallons and includes fluid level control (low, fill, high), a lockable water drain port at the bottom of the tank, and an agitator for water circulation. The traveling quench tank is enclosed with safety fencing for added safety during operation.

This drop bottom furnace is designed with sufficient capacity to heat 600 pounds of aluminum per load and provide a quench delay that does not exceed 5 seconds. The system also includes a slow drop speed program for heating applications that do not require a quench. A video of this system in operation can be viewed online.

“This drop bottom furnace was designed with a 5-second quench delay and a temperature uniformity of +/- 5°F at the set points 850°F and 1,100°F. Additionally, the system was tested to be in compliance with AMS 2750F, Class 1 furnaces, and Instrumentation Type C prior to shipment from our manufacturing facility,” said Mike Grande, Vice President of Sales.

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One Minute Mentor: Distortion in Tool Steels

Some of the main interactions  that occur during the heat treatment of steel alloys including temperature, microstructure, and stress/strain. Especially for tool steels these interactions are mainly influenced by the carbon content in the steel matrix, the types and relative amounts of the alloying elements, and the carbide formation/transformation/precipitation characteristics of the alloy system.

Heat treatment involves changes of temperature with time, which determine changes in microstructure. The rate of temperature change results in a change of microstructure which is described by phase transformation kinetics, as in e.g. TTT (time-temperature-transformation) diagrams; every phase transformation releases/absorbs latent heat, which influences the temperature field. An inhomogeneous temperature distribution, i.e. temperature gradients, within the tool during heat treatment can generate thermal stresses that lead to plastic deformation, if the yield strength of the material at that temperature is exceeded. Every mechanical deformation generates heat which, in turn, influences the temperature field. Furthermore, there is an interaction between the stress state and the microstructure. Phase transformations can result in micro-plastic deformation, which can be globally described using transformation plasticity models.

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 2. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014  https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005980