Ipsen USA launches service HUB Model for improved customer support

October 14, 2024
Source: ASM International

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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Nitrex celebrates 40 Years of innovation in heat treatment solutions


Source: ASM International

Nitrex celebrates 40 Years of innovation in heat treatment solutions

Nitrex, Quebec, announced that it is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, marking four decades of growth and innovation in the heat treatment industry. Founded in 1984, Nitrex has evolved from a pioneer in controlled nitriding to a global leader offering end-to-end heat treatment solutions. The company’s technological advancements have expanded its capabilities to encompass metallurgy, engineering, process optimization, and automation.

Since 2019, under the current leadership, Nitrex has broadened its portfolio to include advanced vacuum furnaces and introduced technology for improved brake rotor performance. The company has also launched digital platforms such as QMULUS, aimed at optimizing customer processes and boosting operational efficiency.

In addition to its own milestone, Nitrex is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its UPC-Marathon office in Germany, recognizing the long-standing contributions and achievements of its global team. These anniversaries reflect Nitrex’s ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence.

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Bodycote presented aerospace materials solutions at Farnborough International Airshow

September 30, 2024
Source: ASM International

Bodycote presented aerospace materials solutions at Farnborough International Airshow

Bodycote, Macclesfield, U.K., participated in the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow, held this summer.

Bodycote showcased its advanced thermal processing solutions specifically designed for the aerospace industry. The airshow, a key event for aerospace innovation, emphasizes themes like sustainability, future flight, and workforce development, providing Bodycote with a platform to highlight its role in enhancing the performance and reliability of aerospace components.

At the event, visitors could explore Bodycote’s range of services, including heat treatment, metal joining, and specialized thermal processes such as hot isostatic pressing and thermal spray coatings. These processes are essential for improving the properties of metals and alloys in aerospace applications, helping them withstand the stringent requirements of the industry.

Bodycote’s presence at the Farnborough Airshow underscores its expertise and ongoing commitment to fostering collaborations that drive progress in the aerospace, aviation, and defense sectors.

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SECO/WARWICK supplies vacuum furnaces to Huake Casting Control Technology Co., Ltd.


Source: ASM International

SECO/WARWICK supplies vacuum furnaces to Huake Casting Control Technology Co., Ltd.

SECO/WARWICK, Meadville, PA, will provide a horizontal vacuum heat treatment furnace equipped with a graphite heating chamber and a 15 bar absolute gas quenching system. The furnace will be used by the Chinese manufacturer to produce components for the aviation and energy industries.

The Vector furnace, known for its versatility and modular design, is a widely used solution in over 70 countries. It offers a broad range of heat treatment processes, making it adaptable to specific manufacturing needs. Its low energy consumption and minimal emissions make it environmentally friendly, aligning with SECO/WARWICK’s commitment to sustainability.

The furnace also guarantees precise, repeatable results due to uniform temperature control, ensuring high-quality components and surface protection. Vector furnaces are popular for metal heat treatment worldwide, particularly for industries requiring precision and reliability.

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Ipsen announces launch of field service engineer academy

September 16, 2024
Source: ASM International

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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ECM USA announces partnership with PAI Industries for in-house furnace system

September 2, 2024
Source: ASM International

ECM USA announces partnership with PAI Industries for in-house furnace system

ECM USA,  Pleasant Prairie, WI, announced a partnership with PAI Industries to enhance manufacturing capabilities by introducing an in-house carburizing vacuum furnace system. PAI Industries, a leading provider of parts for the heavy-duty truck industry, will integrate the ECM NANO vacuum furnace into its 112,000 sq. ft. facility in Suwanee, GA, moving away from outsourced heat treatment.

This addition enables PAI Industries to perform low-pressure carburizing and through-hardening processes continuously, improving production speed and capacity. The ECM NANO system, featuring an external loader, three-position temper oven, and queuing positions, offers benefits such as no internal oxidation (IGO), zero CO2 emissions, reduced fire risk, and improved metallurgical outcomes. Testing was conducted at ECM USA’s Synergy Center to validate these advantages before project acceptance.

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Researchers overcome manufacturing challenges in aluminum alloys with nano-treatment

May 6, 2024
Source: ASM International

Researchers overcome manufacturing challenges in aluminum alloys with nano-treatment

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have achieved a significant breakthrough in the field of metal additive manufacturing (AM), specifically with Al–Cu alloys like AA2024, which are prevalent in the aerospace and automotive industries. 

These alloys are known for their high strength and good fatigue resistance but have been notoriously difficult to work with in additive manufacturing due to issues like hot cracking and other solidification defects.

The UCLA team has successfully developed a nano-treated AA2024 deposition that incorporates TiC nanoparticles, leading to a groundbreaking enhancement in the manufacturing process. This new method allows for the additive manufacturing of AA2024 without the occurrence of cracks, a common issue that has hindered broader adoption of these materials in high-precision sectors.

Microstructural analysis conducted by the researchers reveals that the TiC nanoparticles not only reduce the susceptibility to hot cracking but also refine and homogenize the grain structure of the alloy. The grains were significantly refined to an average size of 23.2 ± 0.4 μm. This refinement contributes to the material’s enhanced properties, including its mechanical performance.

These findings highlight the potential of nano-treatment techniques in overcoming the longstanding challenges associated with high-strength aluminum in additive manufacturing. This advancement not only paves the way for more reliable production of critical components in aerospace and automotive applications but also promises to expand the capabilities and applications of metal additive manufacturing technology.

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Solar Atmospheres awarded Lockheed Martin space systems approval

April 15, 2024
Source: ASM International

Solar Atmospheres awarded Lockheed Martin space systems approval

Solar Atmospheres, Greenville, SC, has announced that it has been awarded Lockheed Martin Space Systems approval. With this approval, now all five Solar Atmospheres facilities are an option for our customers with Lockheed Martin requirements for thermal processing services.

Steve Prout, President of Solar Atmospheres’ Greenville facility states: “We are proud to once again provide our customers in the Southeastern U.S. with another regional option for aerospace and defense thermal processes, saving them time and money while continuing to deliver the high level of quality required.”

With the ability to support vacuum thermal processing needs ranging from development cycles to 50,000 pound loads at temperatures of up to 2400°F, Solar Atmospheres provides AS9100 and Nadcap quality accredited heat treatments, providing our customers with the confidence their product is being processed as specified.

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Harper Furnace Technology enables high performance silicon anodes

March 4, 2024
Source: ASM International

Harper Furnace Technology enables high performance silicon anodes

Harper Furnace Technology, Buffalo, NY, announced the development of high temperature thermal process solutions to enable production at several silicon anode battery material companies in 2024. Silicon anode material offers significantly higher specific capacity than traditional graphite anode materials enabling higher power density, faster charge times and smaller carbon footprint than current batteries. 

 

Harper has entered engineering design and equipment supply contracts for pilot and production scale equipment with its USA-based customers, many of whom are funded in part by grants from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Harper technology includes indirect electrically heated, continuous rotary, vertical and horizontal conveyor furnace systems for each customer’s unique thermochemical processes. The Harper furnaces include tight control of the process atmosphere enabling safe and reliable continuous operation, are rated for temperatures between 800˚C and 1,800˚C and will have capacity up to 1,000 metric tons per year. Beyond the pilot-scale equipment projects, Harper is actively engineering the next generation of equipment solutions for these customers whose commercial scale plants will require capacity of 20,000 – 40,000 metric tons per year for the electric vehicle (EV) market.

 

https://www.harperintl.com/

Harper Furnace Technology enables high performance silicon anodes


Source: ASM International

Harper Furnace Technology enables high performance silicon anodes

Harper Furnace Technology, Buffalo, NY, announced the development of high temperature thermal process solutions to enable production at several silicon anode battery material companies in 2024. Silicon anode material offers significantly higher specific capacity than traditional graphite anode materials enabling higher power density, faster charge times and smaller carbon footprint than current batteries. 

 

Harper has entered engineering design and equipment supply contracts for pilot and production scale equipment with its USA-based customers, many of whom are funded in part by grants from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Harper technology includes indirect electrically heated, continuous rotary, vertical and horizontal conveyor furnace systems for each customer’s unique thermochemical processes. The Harper furnaces include tight control of the process atmosphere enabling safe and reliable continuous operation, are rated for temperatures between 800˚C and 1,800˚C and will have capacity up to 1,000 metric tons per year. Beyond the pilot-scale equipment projects, Harper is actively engineering the next generation of equipment solutions for these customers whose commercial scale plants will require capacity of 20,000 – 40,000 metric tons per year for the electric vehicle (EV) market.

 

https://www.harperintl.com/app/uploads/2024/02/Silicon-Anodes-Press-Release-February-2024.pdf