SECO/WARWICK USA delivers second vacuum tempering furnace to aerospace manufacturer

SECO/WARWICK USA, Meadville, Pa., announced that a leading international aircraft motion-control manufacturer has placed a repeat order for an identical low-temperature vacuum tempering furnace, following the success of the first unit installed at the customer’s facility. The new furnace is designed for tempering, ageing, and other sub-critical heat-treat processes, with a maximum operating temperature of 1380°F, a 24-by-24-by-36-in. work zone, and a load capacity of 1750 pounds. It meets AMS2750F Class 2 temperature uniformity requirements (±10°F) and supports nitrogen convection heating and cooling, with final cooling handled by an internal recirculation blower and a water-cooled heat exchanger. The repeat unit adds to the customer’s existing SECO/WARWICK installed base, which includes multi-chamber CaseMaster Evolution furnaces in double- and triple-chamber configurations and a Vector single-chamber high-pressure gas-quench vacuum furnace deployed across multiple sites. “This customer’s continued investment in SECO/WARWICK equipment reflects their trust in the quality and reliability required for aerospace applications,” said Piotr Zawistowski, managing director of SECO/WARWICK USA. “Their repeat business underscores the strength of our technology and our long-term customer relationships.” SECO/WARWICK Group is a global manufacturer of vacuum and atmosphere heat-treatment equipment, with headquarters in Świebodzin, Poland, and US operations based in Meadville, Pennsylvania, serving aerospace, automotive, medical, energy, and tool steel markets.

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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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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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OMM: Material aspects of Distortion

Size distortion in ledeburitic cold-work tool steels is always higher in longitudinal direction (the direction of main deformation, which is the direction of the elongated carbide stringers). The figure shows the effect in three different cases. 

If plates for cutting tools made from ledeburitic cold-work tool steels are taken from small bar materials in the longitudinal direction, the main direction of distortion will also be in the longitudinal direction of the plate (case I). If the same plate is taken in the transverse direction from a wide bar material, the main direction of distortion will be in the transverse direction of the plate (case II). Finally, if the plate is taken as a slice from a large-cross-section thick bar, the carbide orientation and the main direction of distortion will be in the direction of the plate thickness (case III).

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 7. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014  https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005980

Nitrex announces new system installation at Volkan Steels

Nitrex, based in Quebec, announced the installation of a new nitriding/nitrocarburizing system at Volkan Steels (V’Steels), a prominent tool steels supplier in Istanbul, Turkey. The new system, model NX-1015, has a 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) capacity, enhancing V’Steels’ ability to provide value-added heat treatment services to its customers.

This advanced Nitrex system supports nitriding, nitrocarburizing, and post-oxidation processes using Nitreg, Nitreg-C, and ONC technologies, crucial for increasing the wear resistance, fatigue strength, and durability of tooling. The upgrade is expected to improve the performance of various tooling applications, such as aluminum extrusion dies, die-casting dies, forging dies, and plastic injection molding dies. This installation reflects V’Steels’ dedication to delivering top-quality tool and stainless steels to industries like energy, petrochemistry, defense, and maritime, meeting the growing demand for high-performance materials.

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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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