Boeing commits $7 million CAD to Vac Aero for vacuum furnace purchase

Boeing announced a $7 million CAD commitment to Vac Aero International Inc., a Canadian aerospace and defence supplier with operations in Ontario and Quebec, as part of the CP8A Poseidon Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) program. Boeing will purchase two vacuum furnaces for its Tube, Duct and Reservoir Center in Algona, Washington, where they will heat treat tube and duct assemblies critical to various Boeing airplane programs and select space and defense work. “This ITB investment underscores Boeing’s commitment to Canada following the CP8A Poseidon selection and to modern manufacturing and Canadian small businesses,” said Al Meinzinger, Boeing Canada President. Vac Aero CEO Michael Miasek noted the purchase commitment will allow the company to further expand its Canadian manufacturing capacity.

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Harper International promotes new CEO and COO

Harper International, Buffalo, New York, announced the promotion of Janelle Camesano to Chief Executive Officer and John Schenk to Chief Operating Officer. Camesano, who holds an MBA and PHR certification, has been with Harper for 13 years, rising through human resources and administration roles before assuming the top leadership position. Schenk has been part of the Harper team for over 14 years, most recently serving as Vice President of Operations. The leadership transition reflects an internal succession at the global thermal processing equipment manufacturer, which provides customized furnace, kiln, and oven systems for production of advanced materials including carbon fiber, battery materials, and technical ceramics.

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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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Constellium announces significant weight savings in EV Battery enclosures through ALIVE project

Constellium, based in Paris, announced that its collaborative research project, Aluminium Intensive Vehicle Enclosures (ALIVE), has achieved weight savings of 12 to 35 percent for electric vehicle (EV) battery enclosures. The project, led by Constellium’s University Technology Center at Brunel University London, focused on optimizing the design and manufacturing processes for structural aluminum enclosures in EVs.

Launched in 2020, the £15 million initiative was partially funded by the UK government through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). The project involved six industrial partners, including BMW, Volvo, and Innoval Technology, along with university technology partners from Brunel University London and the University of Warwick.

The ALIVE team developed new aluminum designs using Constellium’s high-strength alloys, HSA6® and HCA6®, while implementing advanced joining and forming technologies. Full-scale prototypes were produced and successfully passed rigorous testing for performance, safety, and fire resistance. The project also generated cost models to support future industrialization of the designs.

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Multi-furnace heat treat project for major steel forger

Nutec Bickley, Mexico, has been awarded a contract to manufacture and install five new lift-up furnaces, along with a fully modernized combustion system, for a leading U.S. manufacturer of high-quality alloy steel and carbon steel closed-die forgings. The project will take place between May and December 2023, with onsite work completed one furnace at a time to ensure the customer’s production schedules are not impacted. Two of the new furnaces will be used for tempering, while the remaining three will be used for austenitizing. Each furnace will be fitted with the latest control systems, complete fiber flues, and new exhaust and pressure control systems, along with insulation.

Nutec Bickley’s state-of-the-art combustion packages will be fully compliant with NFPA 86 standards, incorporating a fuel-only control system to allow maximum temperature uniformity potential for all cycles. The retrofitted furnaces will benefit from high-velocity nozzle mixing burners fitted with high-temperature burner blocks. The combustion systems will also feature automatic air control valves to adjust the maximum air volume used and to ensure proper burner ignition conditions.

The project will involve careful teamwork between the customer and Nutec Bickley to ensure successful delivery and highest quality outcomes. Rodrigo González, VP Metals at Nutec Bickley, emphasized the importance of constant communication and status updates with customers for a dynamic and mutually beneficial project result.

 

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One minute mentor: Quenching and Tempering

The as-quenched properties of powder metallurgy steels depend on the cooling medium and the steel’s hardenability. Quenching in water, salt, brine, and water-based polymer solutions improves the rate of heat transfer, leading to a faster quench. However, in many cases, it accelerates corrosion due to the residual quenchant trapped in surface pores.

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