Category: News Articles

Distortion in tool steels encompasses all irreversible dimensional changes. There are two main types: size distortion and shape distortion. Size distortion involves expansion or contraction in volume or linear dimensions without changes in geometrical form. Shape distortion entails changes in curvature or angular relations, as in twisting, bending, and/or nonsymmetrical changes in dimensions. In most cases both types of distortion occur during a heat-treatment operation. Some of the main interactions occur between temperature, microstructure, and

Cold-walled (double-walled water-cooled) systems were the first generation of plasma nitriding furnaces. This technology is also a vacuum-based process but employs the principle of glow discharge to provide energy for heating and nitriding at one time. Therefore, the independent control of the temperature stability and the nitriding intensity is not possible because both processes are using the same energy source—the plasma. The hot-wall plasma nitriding furnaces, the next generation of cold-wall ion nitriding systems, are

Seco/Warwick, Meadville, Pa.,  received another order for the supply of a Vector vacuum furnace to a South American international manufacturer of weapons and military equipment. The furnace will process various components including barrels, reels, locks, and firearm magazines, which are expected to be reliable, of the highest quality, and perform with outstanding resistance to negative external conditions. This will be the second solution of this type in the South American defense industry leader’s internal hardening

Constellium, Paris,  announced that it signed a binding agreement with Vaessen Aluminium for the sale of three of Constellium’s soft alloy extrusion facilities located in Landau, Crailsheim and Burg in Germany for a total cash consideration of €48.8 million. With nearly 450 employees, the three Constellium plants specialize in soft alloy extruded products for the Building & Construction, Transportation and Industry markets in Europe. Vaessen Aluminium belongs to a longstanding family-owned industrial group, headquartered in

Solar Atmospheres, Souderton, Pa., hosted over 40 high school students enrolled in the Summer Engineering Institute (SEI) at Lehigh University. The SEI program, under the guidance of Director Dr. Laura Moyer, is a two-week residential program, running two sessions back to back.  Students are nominated by faculty of local high schools, and the program specifically targets under-represented groups including girls, first-generation students, and students who might otherwise have limited opportunities to study in the fields

Solar Atmospheres, Souderton, PA, hosted over 40 high school students enrolled in the Summer Engineering Institute (SEI) at Lehigh University. The SEI program, under the guidance of Director Dr. Laura Moyer, is a two-week residential program, running two sessions back to back.  Students are nominated by faculty of local high schools, and the program specifically targets under-represented groups including girls, first-generation students, and students who might otherwise have limited opportunities to study in the fields