ECM establishes new vacuum furnace entity in mexico under MEXVAC ECM name

ECM USA, Pleasant Prairie, WI, announced the official launch of its new Mexican subsidiary, ECM Mexico, operating as MEXVAC ECM, S.A. DE C.V. This development marks a significant step in expanding ECM’s presence and service capabilities within the Mexican heat treatment industry.

The ECM Mexico team is led by operations manager Juan Cruz and field service and PLC engineer José López, under the direction of Pierre-Loic Rousset and Dennis Beauchesne. The team will work closely with ECM USA to provide localized support, reflecting ECM’s long-term commitment to strengthening service infrastructure for customers across Mexico.

The new entity will serve as a dedicated supplier of vacuum furnace technologies and support services, aiming to meet growing demand in the region for high-performance thermal processing equipment.

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Bodycote joins energy industries council to expand engagement with global energy sector

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.

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Pyromaitre delivers integrated heat-treating solution to GKN driveline Mexico

Pyromaitre, Lévis, Québec, announced the completion of assembly for its P-208E oven system for GKN Driveline Mexico, marking a total of four systems delivered to the client. The company developed a fully integrated solution that includes a high-speed tempering furnace, a post-treatment cooling chamber, automated loading and unloading systems, and a smoke collection unit. Each component was configured to meet the customer’s specific production requirements.

Pyromaitre specializes in resolving convective heat transfer challenges with precision and efficiency. The company focuses on driving innovation and operational performance, aiming to be a recognized leader in stress relief and tempering solutions. Its core values—integrity, innovation, customer satisfaction, and teamwork—guide its approach to delivering high-performance thermal processing systems.

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Constellium and renault group complete r&d project advancing lightweight aluminium solutions

Constellium, Paris, announced the successful completion of the “ISA3” R&D project, an initiative launched in 2021 to advance lightweight aluminium solutions for automotive applications. Conducted in collaboration with Renault Group, ESI Group, the Institut de Soudure, and the University of Lorraine, the project was supported by a grant from the France Relance investment program. The research focused on developing cost-efficient, recyclable aluminium components to enhance vehicle performance and sustainability.

A key achievement of the project was the development of a lightweight aluminium door in partnership with Renault. Utilizing Constellium’s proprietary uni-alloy 6xxx rolled and extrusion-based solutions, the door design achieved a 14% weight reduction compared to existing aluminium doors used in compact battery electric vehicles. By employing a single alloy series, the project streamlined closed-loop recycling, reducing the door’s overall carbon footprint. This innovation resulted in a 33% reduction in Global Warming Potential (GWP), reinforcing the project’s emphasis on sustainability.

Beyond material advancements, the project also explored more efficient and flexible production processes to enhance performance while optimizing costs. Ludovic Piquier, senior vice president, manufacturing excellence and chief technical officer at Constellium, emphasized that the results highlight the company’s commitment to providing sustainable, high-performance aluminium solutions for the automotive sector.

Patrice Belliard, expert in flat products at Renault Group, noted that the project demonstrated how aluminium can support both weight reduction and cost efficiency in automotive manufacturing. Mathilde Chabin, manufacturing product director at ESI Group, added that the use of advanced pre-certification and validation technologies eliminated the need for physical prototypes, accelerating innovation while reducing costs and environmental impact.

The completion of Project ISA3 underscores the potential of aluminium to contribute to the automotive industry’s decarbonization efforts while delivering economic and environmental benefits.

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Wisconsin Oven ships composite curing oven to Defense Industry

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.

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Solar Manufacturing ships Mentor Pro furnaces for renewable energy applications

Solar Manufacturing, Sellersville, Pa., announced that it has shipped two Mentor Pro vacuum furnaces to a customer focused on developing advanced renewable energy technologies for large-scale industrial applications. The furnaces were selected after a collaborative process with the customer’s engineers, supported by the Research and Development team from Solar Manufacturing’s affiliate, Solar Atmospheres. The customer valued the furnace’s capabilities and compact design.

The Mentor Pro furnaces feature a molybdenum shielded hot zone, a maximum temperature capacity of 2500°F, and a workload capacity of up to 1000 pounds. They are equipped with SolarVac Essentials, a PLC-based control system, and include an internal gas quenching system with a 50 HP motor and variable frequency drive (VFD), offering flexibility in using nitrogen or argon gas for optimal metallurgical results. These features make the Mentor Pro well-suited for a variety of metallurgical applications in renewable energy development.

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SECO/WARWICK announces expansion of Meadville facilities

SECO/WARWICK, Meadville, PA, has announced plans to expand its manufacturing facilities to enhance service for North American customers. The expansion involves relocating part of its manufacturing operations and a metallurgical lab for vacuum furnaces from Poland to Crawford County, PA.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) will support this initiative with a $2 million grant under the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), which SECO/WARWICK will match. Additionally, $69,000 in matching funds will be provided for job training through the Workforce & Economic Development Network (WEDnet).

The expansion will occupy a 120,000 sq. ft. facility in the Crawford Business Park, a site redeveloped from the former American Viscose Corporation mill. This development is expected to benefit the community and bolster SECO/WARWICK’s capabilities in producing heat-treating and aluminum melting furnaces.

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Constellium Ravenswood to receive $75 million for zero carbon technology

Constellium, Ravenswood, WV, announced that it has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to begin award negotiations for up to $75 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act funding as part of the Industrial Demonstrations Program (IDP). This investment will help fund the implementation of breakthrough low-to-no emissions technologies in Constellium’s Ravenswood facility, supporting the decarbonization of the casthouses, the plant’s most energy intensive operation.
This investment will support the installation of low-emissions SmartMelt furnaces that can operate using a range of fuels, including clean hydrogen, paving the way towards a zero carbon casthouse. In addition to reducing carbon emissions, the project is expected to help maximize recycled scrap intake, and to improve worker safety with the introduction of a hands-free casting process.
The project will also contribute to the local communities around Ravenswood with a dedicated budget to build a new training and wellness center for all employees and an onsite childcare, and to provide financial and technical resources for local schools and universities.
Constellium Ravenswood will now enter negotiations on the specific terms of the investment, including operational milestones, and timing of access to funds throughout the life of the project, estimated to be approximately five years. The final details of the project investment are subject to these negotiations.

https://www.constellium.com/news/constellium-ravenswood-selected-by-us-doe-to-receive-usd75million-investment

Harper Furnace Technology enables high performance silicon anodes

Harper Furnace Technology, Buffalo, NY, announced the development of high temperature thermal process solutions to enable production at several silicon anode battery material companies in 2024. Silicon anode material offers significantly higher specific capacity than traditional graphite anode materials enabling higher power density, faster charge times and smaller carbon footprint than current batteries. 

 

Harper has entered engineering design and equipment supply contracts for pilot and production scale equipment with its USA-based customers, many of whom are funded in part by grants from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Harper technology includes indirect electrically heated, continuous rotary, vertical and horizontal conveyor furnace systems for each customer’s unique thermochemical processes. The Harper furnaces include tight control of the process atmosphere enabling safe and reliable continuous operation, are rated for temperatures between 800˚C and 1,800˚C and will have capacity up to 1,000 metric tons per year. Beyond the pilot-scale equipment projects, Harper is actively engineering the next generation of equipment solutions for these customers whose commercial scale plants will require capacity of 20,000 – 40,000 metric tons per year for the electric vehicle (EV) market.

 

https://www.harperintl.com/app/uploads/2024/02/Silicon-Anodes-Press-Release-February-2024.pdf

Constellium to showcase cutting-edge solutions for aluminium automotive structures at CES 2024

Constellium, Paris, exhibited its latest innovations in aluminium Automotive Structures at CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 9-12. A leading supplier of advanced lightweight aluminium automotive components, Constellium highlighted its sustainable solutions for automakers and consumers. 

Constellium showcased a diverse range of aluminium solutions designed to address the industry’s growing demand for lightweight materials and more sustainable solutions. These components contribute to enhanced vehicle performance and play a pivotal role in reducing carbon emissions, aligning with the global trend toward eco-friendly mobility. Among the products displayed are:  

  • Innovative Crash Management System for electric vehicles
  • Structural Sill providing stiffness and crash resistance
  • Lightweight Battery Enclosure solutions
    • Laser-Welded Battery Enclosure for Cell-to-Module applications
    • Adhesive-Bonded Battery Enclosures for Cell-to-Module or Cell-to-Pack applications
    • Structural Battery Enclosure for Cell-to-Pack or Cell-to-Body applications 

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