Titanium carbide nanoparticles infused into aluminum alloy 7075 enable strong welds
January 27, 2019
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Engineers at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering announce that they have developed a way to weld aluminum alloy AA 7075 by infusing titanium carbide nanoparticles into welding wires, which results in welded joints with a tensile strength up to 392 MPa. (By comparison, AA 6061 has a tensile strength of 186 MPa in welded joints.) According to the study, post-welding heat treatments could further increase the strength of AA 7075 joints up to 551 MPa, which is comparable to steel.
"The new technique is just a simple twist, but it could allow widespread use of this high-strength aluminum alloy in mass-produced products such as cars or bicycles, where parts are often assembled together," said Xiaochun Li, UCLA's Raytheon Professor of Manufacturing and the study's principal investigator. "Companies could use the same processes and equipment they already have to incorporate this super-strong aluminum alloy into their manufacturing processes, and their products could be lighter and more energy efficient, while still retaining their strength."
The researchers already are working with a bicycle manufacturer on prototype bike frames that would use the alloy; and the new study suggests that nanoparticle-infused filler wires could also make it easier to join other hard-to-weld metals and metal alloys.
“Nanoparticle-enabled phase control for arc welding of unweldable aluminum alloy 7075,†was published in the January 9 issue of Nature Communications.
Engineers at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering announce that they have developed a way to weld aluminum alloy AA 7075 by infusing titanium carbide nanoparticles into welding wires, which results in welded joints with a tensile strength up to 392 MPa.
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Desktop Metal’s single-pass jetting is four times faster than other binder jet 3D printers
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Desktop Metal, Burlington, Mass., announces several major advances and expanded capabilities to its Production System, the world’s fastest metal printer, delivering the lowest cost per part with the highest capacity of any metal 3D printing system available. Low-cost MIM powder, high throughput, and simple post-processing deliver per-part costs that are competitive with traditional manufacturing processes—and up to 20x lower than today’s metal 3D printing systems.
The installation of the first Production System is scheduled for Q1 2019 to a Fortune 500 company among Desktop Metal’s early Pioneer customers. Additional customer installations at major automotive, heavy duty, and leading metal parts manufacturers will follow throughout 2019, with broad availability in 2020.
Powered by Single Pass Jetting technology, the Production System is the first and only metal 3D printing system for mass production that delivers the speed, quality, and cost-per-part needed to compete with traditional manufacturing processes. It is more than four times faster than any binder jet competitor and offers a 100 times speed improvement over any laser-based system. Since it was first introduced, advancements to the technology and capacity of the Production System have expanded to include:
â–º Accelerated printing speeds to 12,000 cm3 per hour, making it the fastest metal 3D printer in the world with the highest capacity;
► The company’s flagship configuration now features an expanded build volume of 750 x 330 x 250 mm, a 225 percent improvement, designed for higher throughput and efficiency;
â–º Two full-width print bars, advanced powder spreaders, and anti-ballistic system that work to spread powder and print in a single quick pass across the build area - making it the most sophisticated single pass inkjet print head ever installed in a binder jet system;
â–º 32,768 piezo inkjet nozzles that enables the broadest range of binder chemistries to print an array of metals - including tool steels, low alloy steels, titanium, and aluminum - at a rate of 3 billion drops per second;
â–º First and only binder jet system with an industrial inert environment, including gas recycling and solvent recovery, to safely print reactive metals in mass production; and
â–º Capability to print more than 60 kilograms of metal parts per hour.
www.desktopmetal.com
Desktop Metal, Burlington, Mass., announces several major advances and expanded capabilities to its Production System, the world’s fastest metal printer, delivering the lowest cost per part with the highest capacity of any metal 3D printing system available.
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Wisconsin Oven dual-chamber heat treating furnace preheats up to 4000 pounds of steel
January 24, 2019
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Wisconsin Oven Corp., East Troy, has shipped a natural gas-fired Heavy Duty Batch Series furnace for preheating dies to a customer in the automotive industry. The dual-chamber die heating furnace has a maximum operating temperature of 1250°F and work chamber dimensions of 6 x 4 x 6 feet. Guaranteed temperature uniformity of ±15°F at 800°F and 1100°F was verified through a nine-point profile test conducted in an empty furnace chamber under static operating conditions.
The dual chamber furnace has sufficient capability to heat 4000 pounds of steel from 70°F to 1100°F within four hours when loaded into a preheated furnace, with guaranteed temperature uniformity of ±15°F at 800°F and 1100°F. Each chamber features a carbon steel die support structural frame to accommodate two dies, one above the other. Each structural frame is designed to support a 2000-pound load.
“This furnace was sold to a repeat customer in the automotive industry,†says Jim Lucas, Senior Sales Engineer. “A majority of the equipment we ship is to our repeat customer base, which is a testament to our customer service. We look forward to continuing to do business with this customer for years to come.â€
www.wisoven.com
Wisconsin Oven Corp., East Troy, has shipped a natural gas-fired Heavy Duty Batch Series furnace for preheating dies to a customer in the automotive industry.
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Wisconsin Oven ships mix of custom and standard ovens in 2018 to many industries
January 8, 2019
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Wisconsin Oven, East Troy, reports that 2018 was another year of strong growth, as the company shipped 224 pieces of equipment to customers in industries such as composites, aerospace, technology, and automotive.
This equipment included a mix of custom and standard batch and conveyor ovens that were used for curing composites, treating aluminum castings, post curing refractory material, and stress relieving automotive springs. This year the Wisconsin Oven team installed the world’s largest composite cure oven, a significant accomplishment in the drive to be the leading supplier of composite curing ovens in the world.
Dave Strand, President, and CEO, had been noticing for years the need for more skilled trades workers in the job market, and in 2018 made his dream of Wisconsin Oven Universal Training Center (WOC-U) a reality. At the new WOC-U center, experienced Wisconsin Oven production personnel and engineers provide specialized training to help prepare the workforce of the future. The students are paid during their training and many are hired to full time upon graduation.
www.wisoven.com
Wisconsin Oven, East Troy, reports that 2018 was another strong year of growth, as the company shipped 224 pieces of equipment to customers in industries such as composites, aerospace, technology, and automotive.
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Lindberg ships 130 heat treating systems to automotive, aerospace, and other industries
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Lindberg MPH, Riverside, Mich., reports that in 2018 the company shipped a total of 130 units to companies in industries such as automotive, aerospace, foundry, electronics, R&D, oil & gas, and technology. Some examples of applications include soldering parts for computers, casting parts for recreational vehicles, and stress relieving drill heads for the oil & gas industry.
"Our strategic growth plan has been paying off, as we realized significant growth in equipment orders,†says Steve Kempowski, President, Lindberg/MPH. “We have added many jobs to our work force to support our growth. As we continue to execute our growth initiatives, we expect 2019 to be another very good year.â€-
www.lindbergmph.com
Lindberg MPH, Riverside, Mich., reports that in 2018 the company shipped a total of 130 units to companies in industries such as automotive, aerospace, foundry, electronics, R&D, oil & gas, and technology.
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AK Steel uses neutron spallation source at Oak Ridge to improve manufacture of AHSS
January 3, 2019
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AK Steel Corp., West Chester, Ohio, accepted an award of up to $1.2 million last October from the U.S. Department of Energy under the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office program to investigate novel low-density steels that could ultimately be used in automotive structural applications.
Specifically, scientists from AK Steel are using neutrons at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) to discover how different manufacturing processes affect the performance of the company's new advanced high-strength steel (AHSS), called Nexmet 1000. Neutrons, unlike electrons or X-rays, are highly penetrating, nondestructive, and sensitive to lighter elements, making them an ideal probe for this novel category of steel materials.
"The Vulcan instrument at the SNS provides information about the crystal structure of AHSS during different stages of the stamping process that we cannot get anywhere else in the United States," said Wei Wu of AK Steel. "This data will be vital to improving our manufacturing methods and will make it easier to quickly identify the best new materials to blend with Nexmet 1000 to produce lighter, safer, and more durable automotive components."
The three-year project is being conducted in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory Materials Science and Technology Division, and the Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center in the Department of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines.
The objective of the project is to conduct alloy design, laboratory validation, and testing of low density steels that are alternatives to currently available advanced high strength steels and other lightweight metals. These low density steels are expected to generate energy savings by bringing efficiencies in manufacturing and lifetime savings in automotive structural applications.
www.aksteel.com
AK Steel Corp., West Chester, Ohio, accepted an award of up to $1.2 million last October from the U.S. Department of Energy under the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office program to investigate novel low-density steels that could ultimately be used in automotive structural applications.
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Mettech launches NanoFeed nanopowder suspension feeders for thermal spray torches
December 31, 2018
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Northwest Mettech, Vancouver, announces that its NanoFeed line of liquid and suspension feeders for the thermal spray industry has been developed to enable delivery of submicron powders to thermal spray torches. The powders are homogenously suspended in an easy-to-transport liquid medium, which is then delivered to the torch with a precisely controlled rate. Nanofeed units are available either standalone or integrated with a spray system.
Integration of Mettech's Axial III plasma system with a NanoFeed suspension delivery device resulted in new technology, Axial III Suspension Plasma Spray (SPS). Axial III SPS is capable of producing a large variety of unique nanostructured coatings with characteristics completely different from those deposited from powders of the same chemistry.
Uniqueness of Axial III SPS derives from its axial injection principle. This form of injection is the only one that allows nano-size (<1µm) particles and droplets to enter the plasma plume.
One family of coatings where Axial III SPS has proven to be a viable alternative to existing technologies are thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) for high-temperature turbine components.
High end TBCs are generally produced by slow and very expensive vacuum process called electron beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD). Low end TBCs are thermally sprayed in atmosphere in the process called Atmospheric Plasma Spraying (APS). Axial III SPS produces TBCs with equivalent properties to that of EB-PVD coatings, but at much lower operating and capital costs, whereas Axial III APS can economically do the low end ones. Other areas of interest that can benefit from Axial III SPS are nano-ceramics and nano-cermets for power generation, fuel cells, and electronics.
www.mettech.com
Northwest Mettech, Vancouver, announces that its NanoFeed line of liquid and suspension feeders for the thermal spray industry has been developed to enable delivery of submicron powders to thermal spray torches.
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SSPC, AWS, NACE announce Public Review Period for revised thermal spray standard
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The Society for Protective Coatings, the American Welding Society, and NACE International announce a public review period for its proposed Joint Standard/Standard Practice, “Specification for the Application of Thermal Spray Coatings (Metallizing) of Aluminum, Zinc, and Their Alloys and Composites for the Corrosion Protection of Steel.â€
Draft #1 of a proposed revision to this joint standard (SSPC-CS 23.00/AWS C.2.23/NACE No. 12), is being issued for consensus committee ballot by SSPC, NACE, and AWS in early January 2019.
Interested stakeholders (especially those in the “general interest†category who neither apply nor specify thermal spray coatings) may contact Aimée Beggs, Standards Development Specialist, at [email protected] (phone 412-288-6042) to obtain a copy of the draft for review purposes.
This SSPC/AWS/NACE joint standard contains requirements for best industry practice in the application of zinc and aluminum alloys to steel substrates for the preservation and maintenance of steel structures and components. It also may be used by thermal spray coating inspectors to assess the quality of surface preparation and coating application, and by thermal spray contractors to develop project work plans.
Comments should be received no later than March 1, 2019, and should be sent to [email protected], using “Draft #1 SSPC/AWS/NACE Thermal Spray Standard 2019â€as the subject line for the e-mail.
The Society for Protective Coatings, the American Welding Society, and NACE International announce a public review period for its proposed Joint Standard/Standard Practice, “Specification for the Application of Thermal Spray Coatings (Metallizing) of Aluminum, Zinc, and Their Alloys and Composites for the Corrosion Protection of Steel.”
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Ford’s $45 million Advanced Manufacturing Center has 23 additive manufacturing machines
December 14, 2018
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Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Mich., announces that it has opened an Advanced Manufacturing Center dedicated to developing advanced technologies for improving the company’s approach to building cars and trucks. The $45 million complex houses 100 experts working on integration strategies for various cutting-edge manufacturing technologies, including 3D printing, augmented reality and virtual reality robotics, and digital manufacturing.
It features 23 additive manufacturing machines, and Ford is working with ten AM manufacturing companies to develop applications with a range of different materials, from nylon powder to sand to carbon. One application currently under development has the potential to save the company more than $2 million.
The soon-to-be-released Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 features two 3D-printed brake parts, while the F-150 Raptor includes a 3D-printed interior part. The company believes that as this technology becomes more economical, the use of such parts will become more and more prevalent. Assembly line workers at the Michigan Assembly Plant, where Ford builds the Ranger pickup, use five different 3D-printed tools that played a critical role in the launch of the Ranger. In fact, the company says that these tools knocked off weeks from an already tight timeline.
Engineers are working on augmented and virtual reality to help in simulating and designing assembly lines. With specialized gaming equipment, engineers can configure a virtual reality production line without leaving the center, allowing engineers to identify potentially unsafe processes and fine-tune workflows long before an assembly line is built.
AR and VR can also allow manufacturing teams to work collaboratively in facilities around the world, meaning employees on different continents could work in the same virtual space, at the same time.
https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en.html
Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Mich., announces that it has opened an Advanced Manufacturing Center dedicated to developing advanced technologies for improving the company’s approach to building cars and trucks.
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Massive precipitation of nanoscale AlTi particles strengthens multiple-metal alloy
December 13, 2018
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City University of Hong Kong (CityU) researchers report that they have developed a novel strategy to design new high-strength alloys that are also ductile and flexible. The strategy overcomes the critical issues of the strength-ductility trade-off dilemma, paving the way for developing innovative structural materials in future.
Multiple-principal element alloys, generally referred as high-entropy alloys (HEAs), are designed with equal or nearly equal quantities of five or more metals. They are currently the focus of attention in materials science and engineering due to their potential for structural applications. Yet most of the alloys share the same key detrimental feature: the higher the strength, the less the ductility and toughness.
Recently, a research team led by Professor Liu Chain Tsuan, University Distinguished Professor of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at CityU, has found a breakthrough solution to this daunting decades-long dilemma -- by making high-entropy alloys both strong and yet also very ductile through massive precipitation of nanoscale particles. The research has just been published in the latest issue of the journal Science, titled "Multicomponent intermetallic nanoparticles and superb mechanical behaviours of complex alloys."
"We are able to make a new high-entropy alloy called Al7Ti7 ((FeCoNi)86-Al7Ti7) with a superior strength of 1.5 GPa and ductility as high as 50% in tension at ambient temperature. Strengthened by nanoparticles, this new alloy is five times stronger than that of the iron-cobalt-nickel (FeCoNi)-based alloy," says Professor Liu.
"Most conventional alloys contain one or two major elements, such as nickel and iron to manufacture," he explains. "However, by adding additional elements of aluminum and titanium to form massive precipitation in the FeCoNi-based alloy, both the strength and the ductility have significantly increased, solving the critical issue of the trade-off dilemma for structural materials."
Moreover, high-strength alloys usually face plastic deformation instability, known as the necking problem, meaning that when the alloy is under high pressure, its deformation would become unstable and very easily lead to necking fracture (localized deformation) with very limited uniform elongation. But the team has further found that by adding "multicomponent intermetallic nanoparticles," meaning complex nanoparticles made of atoms of different elements, it can greatly strengthen the alloy uniformly by reducing the deformation instability.
And they have found the ideal formula for these complex nanoparticles, which consist of nickel, cobalt, iron, titanium, and aluminum atoms. Professor Liu explains that each nanoparticle measures 30 to 50 nm only. The iron and cobalt atoms, which replace some of the nickel atoms, help to reduce the valence electron density and improve the new alloy's ductility. On the other hand, replacing some of the aluminum with titanium largely reduces the impact of moisture in air, to avoid induced embrittlement.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181127092520.htm
City University of Hong Kong (CityU) researchers report that they have developed a novel strategy to design new high-strength alloys that are also ductile and flexible by causing massive precipitation of nanoscale particles.
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