SSAB launches high-strength steels designed for auto chassis
October 28, 2015
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SSAB, Sweden, announces that during the next 12 months it will release two hot-rolled advanced high-strength steel grades that exceed 800 and 1000 MPa in tensile strength for automobile chassis applications.
"The steels offer a unique combination of properties for maximized hole expansion and edge ductility," says José Puente Cabrero, Portfolio manager, automotive products.
SSAB is a producer of advanced high-strength steels for the transport and automotive industries. These steels help designers and manufacturers meet new, exacting demands from industry and customers to reduce weight and COâ‚‚ emissions, increase cost efficiency, and improve crashworthiness. Through close collaboration with customers, research institutes, and universities, the R&D department at SSAB has created a series of new alloys.
SSAB will also introduce new cold-rolled martensitic steels with improved flatness. The latest Docol martensitic steels for cold-formed applications, with a tensile strength above 1700 MPa, are being designed into upcoming car models.
Up to now, higher tensile strength has affected the ductility of advanced high-strength steel products. "Now we are going to introduce new press-hardening steels. These are optimized to reach tensile strengths above 2000 MPa, but with retained good ductility," says Mr. Cabrero.
www.ssab.com
SSAB, Sweden, announces that during the next 12 months it will release two hot-rolled advanced high-strength steel grades that exceed 800 and 1000 MPa in tensile strength for automobile chassis applications.
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Seco-Warwick case-hardening system reduces distortion in gears
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Seco Warwick, Meadville, Pa., introduces UniCase Master, a single flow, precision case-hardening system said to reduce distortion in gears; and the ZeroFlow gas nitriding process. ZeroFlow is an ammonia-only nitriding process characterized by extremely low gas consumption and low emission of post-process gases. It features a simpler control system and reportedly delivers even better precision than processes with double-component atmospheres.
UniCase Master is said to offer not only a step forward in minimizing production cost and maximizing reliability, but also a real breakthrough in quality and repeatability in case hardening of gears by high-pressure gas quenching. It was created in collaboration with Professor Leszek Małdziński from the Institute of Work Machines and Vehicles of the Technical University in Poznan as a new method of controlled gas nitriding and nitrocarburizing.
The ZeroFlow method is based on performing the nitriding process in a single-component atmosphere: raw ammonia (NH3). The adjustment of nitriding atmosphere chemical composition and therefore control of nitriding potential Kn is performed only by a temporary stop and reactivation of NH3 feeding into the furnace.
www.secowarwick.com
Seco Warwick, Meadville, Pa., introduces UniCase Master, a single flow, precision case-hardening system said to reduce distortion in gears; and the ZeroFlow gas nitriding process.
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Praxair, Atmosphere Engineering sign joint marketing agreement
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Praxair Inc., Danbury, Conn., has signed an agreement with Atmosphere Engineering that will allow customers to access Praxair's industrial gases, application technologies, and supply systems, as well as Atmosphere Engineering's furnace control systems and sensors.
The combined capabilities of the two companies cover a broad spectrum of batch and continuous heat-treating processes such as carburizing, carbonitriding, neutral hardening, annealing, gas quenching, and heat treatment under vacuum.
"The automotive and aerospace industries are expanding technology and material requirements in the heat-treat market," said Steve Mueller, business development manager for Metals and Materials Processing in Praxair's U.S. industrial gases business. "Our team approach will better enable heat-treaters to meet high-quality product needs and reproducible standards in their furnace operations."
"This collaboration with Praxair will help us to build on our global presence while providing our customers with the best solutions to meet their heat-treating requirements," said Eric Jossart, vice president of sales for Atmosphere Engineering.
www.praxair.com
Praxair Inc., Danbury, Conn., has signed an agreement with Atmosphere Engineering that will allow customers to access Praxair’s industrial gases, application technologies, and supply systems, as well as Atmosphere Engineering’s furnace control systems and sensors.
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One Minute Mentor: Isothermal Transformation Diagram for Tool Steels
October 23, 2015
Source: ASM International
The graph shows the isothermal transformation diagram for the steel AISI 1075/DIN EN C75. Cooling curves show three process cycles for molten metal quenching in the time-temperature-transformation plots.
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LIFT co-locates at Detroit headquarters
October 8, 2015
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Lawrence E. Brown, executive director of LIFT—Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow, welcomed the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) as the two organizations confirmed that IACMI will open a scale-up facility at LIFT's headquarters in Detroit.
The facility will support production-scale composite materials development focused on vehicle lightweighting in collaboration with automotive companies. IACMI and LIFT are both part of President Barack Obama's National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) initiative.
The composites scale-up facility will be run by Michigan State University, which leads IACMI's vehicle technology area in Detroit. LIFT is located at a previously abandoned and distressed facility in Corktown, the oldest neighborhood in Detroit. The 100,000 ft2 facility has been extensively renovated by LIFT through collaborative efforts with Michigan Economic Development Corp., The New Economy Initiative, and Mayor Mike Duggan's office.
"Taking weight out of vehicles will require different approaches; we are focused on metals and IACMI is focused on composites," says Brown. "But we are both working toward the same goal with many of the same industry partners, so it only makes sense for us to be physically together. All of the national institutes are based on collaborations, and we expect this one to be particularly strong."
At a recent event in Detroit, Vice President Joe Biden echoed Brown's lightweighting charge, saying, "Lightweighting is critical to our future. We want to own the 21st century in innovation, and composites are a big part of that goal. That's why this administration is making a $40 million investment in the Composites Institute (IACMI) co-locating in a facility in Detroit."
Michigan has more than 300 industrial technical centers related to automotive technology and conducts more than 70% of U.S. automotive research and development. "IACMI's technology areas are strategically located in America's manufacturing heartland to serve industry needs," says Craig Blue, IACMI's CEO. "Co-locating with LIFT in the Motor City reinforces our commitment to collaboration through partnerships that enhance the entire automotive ecosystem."
Both IACMI and LIFT are identifying applications for lighter materials in next generation vehicles, IACMI via advanced composites and LIFT via lightweight metals. Locating in the same facility provides a unique opportunity for collaboration between NNMI institutes and the transportation industry, which have identified the need of lightweight materials to meet goals for fuel efficiency, safety, and performance.
Support of this co-location is evidenced by numerous federal, state, industry, and local commitments to the city of Detroit and this shared facility. Approximately $12 million in Federal funding will come to Detroit for cost-shared development projects; the state of Michigan has committed $15 million for equipment and staffing; industrial support is valued at $18 million; and the city of Detroit is supporting IACMI's efforts to establish the vehicle scale-up facility.
Several hundred new jobs in the industrial sector are expected as a result of the commercialization successes facilitated by this pilot-scale facility managed by IACMI.
Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) will open a scale-up facility at LIFT.
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Nitrex low-pressure carburizing furnace features precise parameter control
October 6, 2015
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Nitrex Metal Inc., Quebec, began operation of a new low-pressure carburizing (LPC) furnace at its plant in Franklin, Indiana. It was built and installed by vacuum and LPC furnace specialist ECM of France. It features ECM's Infracarb technology, a process that guarantees the reduction of the cycle time, the absence of oxidation, and precise and repeatable control of the carburizing parameters.
The furnace has a nameplate capacity of 1650 pounds and a work chamber of 24 x 26 x 39 inches. The system is fully automated and is currently configured with two heat treat/carburizing cells and a load transfer system that is completely under vacuum. Additionally, this particular setup has the unique capability of quenching in both high-pressure gas (20 bar) and in oil to address most specifications. Because of its modular design, additional process chambers can be simply integrated to this system to meet high volume demand.
The LPC furnace features cold-wall technology, so the exterior surface stays at a low temperature, reducing the amount of heat emitted into the plant. Without any flames or hot walls, the furnace can be located in the middle of the machining area within the plant. This allows for better part flow and eliminates the need for a fireproof wall enclosing the heat-treat area.
With cold-wall technology, dangers specific to hot-wall technology such as open flames and hot surfaces are also eliminated. In addition, the plant does not need ventilation hoods to get rid of the burned gas. For these reasons, the LPC furnace occupies less plant floor space, especially as it allows a higher throughput.
Efficiency and energy savings are further advantages of the LPC furnace. Vacuum technology is the most efficient with only 35 kW to maintain 2200 pounds of steel at temperature. Gas usage is reduced because it is used in the most efficient way. LPC furnaces can be ready for production in as little as 90 minutes, and each chamber can be turned on or off at any time to be ready for production in 30 minutes.
www.nitrex.com
Nitrex Metal Inc., Quebec, began operation of a new low-pressure carburizing (LPC) furnace at its plant in Franklin, Indiana.
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Can-Eng to build automated system for heat treating diecast aluminum auto parts
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Can-Eng Furnaces International Ltd., Niagara Falls, Ontario, has been contracted to design, manufacture, and commission an automated system for the heat treatment of thin-walled high pressure diecast aluminum automotive structural components. Its flexible, cost-effective heat treatment technology allows manufacturers to integrate new state-of-the-art processing systems into existing manufacturing cells, avoiding the prohibitive capital costs associated with large-scale continuous processing systems.
Its Precision Air Quench (PAQ) system integrates a unique combination of recirculating air chambers, distribution nozzles, dampers, and directional ductwork that delivers uniformly conditioned quench media, leading to repeatable and uniform property and dimensional results. Quench parameters are developed for each component, and after being validated, they can be integrated as part of the product recipe.
The system also includes a solution furnace with customized structural product fixtures, an artificial aging system, and controls integrated into a Level II SCADA system.
Can-Eng Furnaces focuses on the development of high volume continuous industrial furnaces for challenging applications.
www.can-eng.com
Can-Eng Furnaces International Ltd., Niagara Falls, Ontario, has been contracted to design, manufacture, and commission an automated system for the heat treatment of thin-walled high pressure diecast aluminum automotive structural components.
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Automotive expansion meets strong demand for aluminum vehicles
September 30, 2015
Source: ASM International
Alcoa Inc., New York, completed an expansion at its Tennessee facility dedicated to supplying aluminum sheet to the automotive industry.
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Alcoa to separate into Upstream Company and Value-Add Company
September 29, 2015
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Alcoa, Pittsburgh, announces that it will separate into two companies: the Upstream Company, which will consist of the Bauxite, Alumina, Aluminum, Casting, and Energy businesses; and the Value-Add Company, which will include the current Global Rolled Products, Engineered Products and Solutions, and Transportation and Construction Solutions.
The Upstream Company's asset base will include the world's largest bauxite mining portfolio, with 46 million bone-dry metric tons of production in 2014. It has a low 19th percentile position on the global bauxite cost curve. The company will be the world's fourth largest aluminum producer with a highly competitive second quartile cost curve portfolio. It will have an unrivalled casthouse network in close proximity to customers, and a substantial portfolio of energy assets with power production capacity of approximately 1550 megawatts and operational flexibility to profit from market cycles.
The Value-Add Company will be a premier provider of high-performance multi-material products and solutions with 157 globally diverse operating locations and approximately 43,000 employees. The company will be a differentiated supplier to the high-growth aerospace industry with leading positions on every major aircraft and jet engine platform, underpinned by market leadership in jet engine and industrial gas turbine airfoils and aerospace fasteners. Additionally, the Value-Add Company will be a leader in aluminum commercial truck wheels and will hold the number one market position in North American architectural systems.
The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2016. At that point Alcoa shareholders will own all of the outstanding shares of both the Upstream and Value-Add Companies.
http://www.alcoa.com/two-strong-companies/default.asp
Alcoa, Pittsburgh, announces that it will separate into two companies: the Upstream Company, which will consist of the Bauxite, Alumina, Aluminum, Casting, and Energy businesses; and the Value-Add Company, which will include the current Global Rolled Products, Engineered Products and Solutions, and Transportation and Construction Solutions.
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Ford and Alcoa collaborate to make stronger, more formable Micromill aluminum alloys
September 23, 2015
Source: ASM International
Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Mich., and Alcoa Inc., Pittsburgh, are collaborating to produce next-generation Micromill automotive aluminum alloys that are 40% more formable and 30% stronger.
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