Alcoa aluminum flies high on Embraer aircraft
July 13, 2016 Source: ASM International
Alcoa, Pittsburgh, announces a multiyear agreement with Embraer, Sao Paulo, in which Alcoa will supply aluminum sheet and plate for Embraer’s new E2, the second generation of its E-Jets family of commercial aircraft, a narrow-body medium-range jet airliner.
Continue readingMB Aerospace acquires Vac Aero Poland for heat treating and thermal spray
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MB Aerospace, East Granby, Conn., has acquired Vac Aero (Poland) from its Canadian parent company, Vac Aero International, for its extensive range of special process capabilities, including heat treatment and vacuum brazing, vacuum carburizing, air plasma spray (APS), and high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray coatings, as well as corrosion and oxidation-resistant paint coatings. The former Vac Aero subsidiary has a range of customer approvals and will continue to serve key customers in Europe, including UTC, Pratt & Whitney, and Siemens.
The business, which employs over 100 people at two sites in Kalisz (central Poland) and Rzeszow (south-east Poland), specializes in providing protective and performance-enhancing coatings for aero-engine and industrial gas turbine components. These OEM-licensed and proprietary coatings provide resistance to wear, corrosion, and heat across performance-critical compressor, combustor, and turbine components.
The business will remain at its two current sites and will be immediately rebranded as MB Aerospace Technologies (Poland). In order to support the existing customer base and the growing aerospace market in Eastern Europe, MB Aerospace is planning to invest across the business with particular focus on its surface coating services, including thermal and plasma coatings and a range of paint capabilities, as well as heat treatment and brazing processes.
According to Craig Gallagher, MB Aerospace chief executive officer, "With thermal and plasma coating capabilities now available to us in the region, we can provide customers with fast, responsive lead times for aero-engine and industrial gas turbine component treatments, whilst mitigating the logistics, and cost, of shipping products long distances to have such critical work done."
"We have inherited a well-established and respected business in Poland with highly skilled employees and a wide range of customer approvals," says Dave Farmery, managing director of MB Aerospace Poland. "Working closely with the existing team, we will invest heavily to provide the local market with the capabilities and capacity required to ensure customers continue to receive a world-class service."
MB Aerospace, East Granby, Conn., has acquired Vac Aero (Poland) from its Canadian parent company, Vac Aero International, for its extensive range of special process capabilities, including heat treatment and vacuum brazing, vacuum carburizing, air plasma spray (APS), and high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray coatings, as well as corrosion and oxidation-resistant paint coatings.
Continue readingAichelin Group acquires AFC-Holcroft for its heat treating furnace equipment
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Aichelin Group, Austria, announces that it has acquired U.S.-based Atmosphere Group, the holding company of AFC-Holcroft, said to be the U.S. market leader in the production of industrial furnace equipment for ferrous and nonferrous metals. According to Aichelin, the two groups are a perfect fit: Both are leading market players with a long-standing history and state-of-the-art technologies and services in the industrial area of heat treatment solutions.
Aichelin Group's business model covers all stages of the lifecycle: From design, engineering, manufacturing and installation at customer sites, to comprehensive maintenance and spare part services. By combining the networks of Aichelin Group and AFC-Holcroft, customers will get the best of two worlds: An enlarged, high quality product portfolio as well as an innovative, worldwide service network.
As the next step, a process will start to integrate AFC-Holcroft and its sister companies into Aichelin Group's network in the coming months. AFC-Holcroft's headquarters will remain in Wixom, Michigan. The current top management stays in place and most customers will keep their key account managers.
Aichelin Group includes manufacturing companies Aichelin, EMA Indutec, Safed, Bosio, and Noxmat, which provide plants and systems.
In addition to AFC-Holcroft, the Atmosphere Group includes Atmosphere Heat Treating and Austemper Inc. Until now, Atmosphere Group was privately held. The parties agreed not to disclose details or the price of the transaction.
The acquisition complements the geographic presence of Aichelin Group and strengthens the Group's overall market position as one of the leading global heat treatment groups. It is now the largest provider of atmosphere furnaces worldwide. With a strong presence in Europe, North America, and Asia, the joint annual turnover generated by 1100 employees amounts to over $216 million (2015). The group operates a network in 32 countries.
Aichelin Group, Austria, announces that it has acquired U.S.-based Atmosphere Group, the holding company of AFC-Holcroft, said to be the U.S. market leader in the production of industrial furnace equipment for ferrous and nonferrous metals.
Continue readingFacility dedicated to heat treating Mg and Al aerospace parts is Nadcap certified
July 12, 2016 Source:
Wallwork Heat Treating Co., England, announces that it has a dedicated, Nadcap-certified heat treatment facility for magnesium and aluminum components ranging from small parts to large fabrications. Aluminum and magnesium are seen by some thermal processors as difficult to treat, but over the last four years Wallwork has increased capability and steadily expanded these services.
Starting with commercial work and now extending Nadcap approvals to meet the needs of aerospace customers, the company treats a wide variety of parts, from small metal pressings to large cast, fabricated, or machined components. These are destined for applications as varied as aerospace and satellites, to sports cycles.
The main furnace has a capacity of up to 1760 pounds and can process components occupying up to 70 cubic feet. Variable quench facilities including air, water, and polymers are available to meet different technical requirements. With these methods, quench cycles can be as short as ten seconds.
In aerospace particularly, post treatment validation is vital. Our in-house laboratories are able to perform key tests and provide documentation to certify conformance to specifications. With a dedicated fleet of over 40 vehicles, we provide a national service.
Wallwork Heat Treating Co., England, announces that it has a dedicated, Nadcap-certified heat treatment facility for magnesium and aluminum components ranging from small parts to large fabrications.
Continue readingTest instrument with friction-free motor integrates with torsion actuator
July 7, 2016 Source:
TA Instruments, New Castle, Del., introduces the ElectroForce 3310, which delivers 1 kN of force capacity and can be integrated with a torsion actuator that provides simultaneous axial-torsion loading. For static tests that require displacements that exceed 25 mm, the 3310 can incorporate extended stroke (ES) capability.
In addition, environmental chambers such as saline baths or hot/cold chambers, can be used in conjunction with the 3310 to test a range of materials under a variety of conditions. Utilizing its patented, friction-free, electromagnetic linear motor, the 3310 provides the control needed to run a wide range of material characterization and fatigue testing protocols.
Although capable of running cyclic tests to 1000 N, the ElectroForce 3310's capability extends to much lower forces, controlling applied force to less than 1 N. The 3310 also utilizes TA's High Accuracy Displacement sensor (HADS), which provides a calibrated displacement accuracy of ±5 microns and a resolution of one nanometer.
"ElectroForce technology has consistently set the standard for leveraging electromagnetics in materials testing," says Troy Nickel, TA Product Manager. "With the ElectroForce 3310, we again deliver unmatched ability to test over a wide range of forces and a wide range of frequencies. This versatility can now enable even better results for tests that previously landed between our smaller and larger test systems."
http://www.tainstruments.com/new-electroforce-3310-test-instrument/
TA Instruments, New Castle, Del., introduces the ElectroForce 3310, which delivers 1 kN of force capacity and can be integrated with a torsion actuator that provides simultaneous axial-torsion loading.
Continue readingIpsen delivers heat-treating solutions across the United States
July 6, 2016 Source:
Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., has shipped 11 heat-treating systems to eight different states from California to Massachusetts over the past quarter, for processing parts for companies in the aerospace, energy, commercial heat treating, and coating industries.
Among the equipment was a Titan H6 vacuum furnace, which was rented to fill a company's immediate need for increased capacity. Two other Titan systems were shipped with Ipsen's PdMetrics software platform, which provides advanced predictive maintenance and connects customers to critical information they need to optimize operations and minimize unplanned downtime.
These recent equipment shipments also included a horizontal MetalMaster vacuum furnace with a 72x 156x92-inch radiation-shielded hot zone. This custom vacuum furnace system delivers cleanliness and uniform cooling for efficient, high-quality results.
Other furnaces shipped included VFS HEQ (external quench) and HIQ (internal quench) furnaces, as well as Titan LT (low temperature) furnaces and H2-, H6-, and H8-size furnaces from Ipsen's Titan line.
In addition to multiple vacuum furnaces, Ipsen also shipped a complete atmosphere heat-treating system designed to provide increased flexibility and help streamline production. This system included an Atlas integral quench batch furnace and its ancillary equipment: temper, washer, loader, endo generator, and load table.
Regardless of the industry, requirements, or location, the global Ipsen Customer Service Team facilitates system installations and provides expert training, startup assistance, and 360-degree support throughout the entire lifespan of the equipment.
Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., has shipped 11 heat-treating systems to eight different states from California to Massachusetts over the past quarter, for processing parts for companies in the aerospace, energy, commercial heat treating, and coating industries.
Continue readingNatural-gas three-zone conveyor oven cures adhesives at 350 parts/hour
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Wisconsin Oven, East Troy, Wis., has shipped a natural gas direct-fired three-zone conveyor oven with cool down, to a leading supplier of flooring products for curing adhesives at a rate of 350 parts per hour.
The curing conveyor oven was designed with three heating zones and one cooling zone. Each zone includes a personnel access door for maintenance and service. The curing oven has a maximum temperature rating of 600°F and total work chamber dimensions of 5x45x1 ft.
Guaranteed temperature uniformity of ±10 degrees at 400°F was verified through a temperature profile test using measurements from 30 inches from each opening, in a stabilized oven. An infrared pyrometer monitors the part temperature at the exit of both the final heating and the cooling zone. If the product temperature exceed its setting, an alarm will sound. The conveyor oven is rated for Class A use as defined by NFPA 86, with a solvent rating of 0.14 gallons per hour.
"We strive to design our equipment to provide the best quality part results for our customers," says Gene Vetter, Application Engineer. "In this case, three heating zones followed by a cool down zone resulted in the highest quality cure for their product, while the conveyor system maximized their production rate."
This conveyor oven was fully factory tested and adjusted prior to shipment to and from the facility. All safety interlocks were checked for proper operation, and the equipment was operated at the normal and maximum operating temperatures. A 150-point quality assurance check list was completed to ensure the equipment met all Wisconsin Oven quality standards.
Wisconsin Oven, East Troy, Wis., has shipped a natural gas direct-fired three-zone conveyor oven with cool down to a leading supplier of flooring products for curing adhesives at a rate of 350 parts per hour.
Continue readingBodycote adds nitrocarburizing service at its new Georgia plant
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Bodycote, U.K., announces that it will add nitrocarburizing to its heat treatment services at its new 60,000-square-foot heat treatment plant in Covington, Ga., which replaces the plant in Conyers.
The brand new facility will primarily serve automotive and general industrial customers, offering all of the processes and capabilities which had been offered at the Conyers location, as well as the addition of ferritic nitrocarburizing.
At more than double the size of the plant it replaces, the new Covington facility immediately increases the capacity available to serve the Georgia and Florida marketplaces with a wide range of heat treatment processes.
This investment is part of Bodycote's further expansion in the Southeast United States. Bodycote is committed to offering world-class heat treating services and is investing in improvements as part of an ongoing strategy to provide the best possible capabilities, mix, and geographical network to better serve customers.
Bodycote, U.K., announces that it will add nitrocarburizing to its heat treatment services at its new 60,000-square-foot heat treatment plant in Covington, Ga., which replaces the plant in Conyers.
Continue readingRoger Jones of Solar Atmospheres nominated as ASM Trustee
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Solar Atmospheres, Souderton, Pa., announces that Roger Jones, corporate president, has been nominated as a trustee for the ASM International Board of Trustees, effective October 2016. The board of ASM is comprised of four officers and nine trustees. Three new trustees are elected by the membership every year, and each serves a three-year term.
Roger attended Hocking Technical College (Nelsonville, Ohio) where he studied heat processing technology as a member of the class of 1974. He has also taken selective metallurgical courses from ASM and other technical organizations.
Roger joined Abar Corporation in 1975, and worked in the heat treating division until 1978. He then started work at Vacuum Furnace Systems Corporation at its inception in 1978, along with his father, William R. Jones, FASM, who founded the company. Roger's primary duties included manufacturing vacuum heat treating and brazing furnaces, as well as hot zone installation and field service work.
In 1983, Roger assisted in the founding of Solar Atmospheres Inc., where he held the position of Vice President. He was promoted to President of Solar Atmospheres Inc. in 1993. With the addition of Solar's facility in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, in early 2001, Roger was then promoted to the position of Corporate President. In 1995, he established a strategic management team within Solar Atmospheres. Today, Solar is the largest privately owned vacuum heat treating company in North America, with four facilities: Souderton and Hermitage in Pennsylvania, and Fontana in California. The newest facility is in Greenville, South Carolina, operational in May 2015.
As a member of the Metal Treating Institute since 1983, Roger served as the Chairman of the Atlantic Coast Chapter in 1994. Roger has served as a co-chair of the Program Committee. He has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 1998 and was President of the Institute from 2004-2005. He was called back onto the Board in 2009 for a third term and completed that role in 2012, however remaining as an active Past President including committee involvement.
Roger has been a member of ASM Philadelphia "Liberty Bell" Chapter since 1983, and chaired nine committees during that time. He became his company's sustaining member representative in 1986. he was Philadelphia Chapter Chairman for the 1993-1994 chapter years. Also, he was an instructor for the chapter-sponsored MEI courses, and he continues to support the local chapter in many ways.
At the ASM International level, Roger chaired and served on numerous committees. He chaired the Membership Committee from 1996-1997; the Heat Treating Society (HTS) Immediate Needs Committee; and the HTS Education Committee. He was a founding member of HTS in August 1994.
Roger served on the Nominating Committee for two separate terms. He is also a member of the HTS T&P Committee, and was co-chair for the Technical Program for the 2011 Heat Treating Conference and Exposition in Cincinnati. In 2005, Roger was appointed to the HTS Board, and served as Vice President from 2011 to 2013, and as the President of HTS 2013-2015.
Roger was presented local awards from the Philadelphia Chapter, including the Young Members Award, 1989, and the Delaware Valley Materials Person of the Year Award, 1998. Roger was the recipient of the Philadelphia Chapter William Hunt Eisenman Award in 2001 and the Distinguished Service Award in 2004.
In 2009, he received the President's Award. Most recently he received the Adolph Schaefer Special Achievement Award in May 2015. Awards from MTI include the President's Award and the Program Service Award in 2002. In 2009, he received the Distinguished Service Award. Other awards from MTI also included the Award of Merit in 2011, and the Exemplary Service Award in 2012. Roger has given talks and published various technical papers in Industrial Heating, Advanced Materials and Processes and Heat Treating Progress.
Since becoming Corporate President of Solar Atmospheres, the company has also received various awards. In 1997, Solar Atmospheres was honored by Industrial Heating and MTI as "Commercial Heat Treater of the Year – Master Craftsman Award." Through Roger's leadership and involvement in the ASM Philadelphia Chapter, Solar Atmospheres received the "Outstanding Company Support Award" in 1996 and again in 2006.
Roger is a life member of Perkasie Fire Company #1. He has held various executive and line officer positions with the company. He is a Past President of the department, serving in that position from 2009 to 2014. Currently he serves as an Engineer, a position he has held for 26 years, and he is currently also a Trustee. In 2006, he received the Burpee Emergency Services Award from the Central Bucks County Chamber of Commerce, Doylestown.
He is a member of Immanuel Leidy's Church in Souderton, and serves on the Lay Visitors Committee and as an usher. Roger has been married to his devoted and supportive wife, Patti, for 40 years. He has three children, and two sons are employed at Solar Atmospheres, making this a third generation business.
Solar Atmospheres, Souderton, Pa., announces that Roger Jones, corporate president, has been nominated as a trustee for the ASM International Board of Trustees, effective October 2016.
Continue readingJuno carries nine instruments, a titanium vault, and 3D printed brackets
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Developed by Lockheed Martin, Sunnyvale, Calif., the Juno spacecraft is hexagonal in shape, is 3.5 meters tall and 3.5 meters in diameter, and has a liftoff mass of about 8000 pounds. It carries a suite of nine instruments capable of observations from radio and microwave through infrared, visible, and ultraviolet frequencies, in addition to particle sensors and magnetometers. To protect the sensitive spacecraft electronics, Juno has a unique titanium vault with walls one centimeter thick, mounted between the spacecraft main structure and its high gain antenna.
The vault acts as shielding to protect the critical spacecraft computers and instrument computers from the high energy particles it encounters when the orbit comes close to the planet. Juno is also the first planetary spacecraft to fly 3D-printed parts. A dozen 3D-printed wave guide brackets are made of a titanium alloy.
Juno is the first solar-powered spacecraft to operate at Jupiter, and it also holds the record as the farthest spacecraft from the sun to operate on solar power.
To power the computer, instruments, and heaters, Juno has three 30-foot-long solar arrays with a combined 18,698 individual solar cells covering an area of 535 square feet. On Earth, the arrays would be capable of generating over 14 kilowatts, yet will provide only about 500 watts at Jupiter.
The spacecraft is designed for one-year science operations with 33 elliptical orbits, and it will purposely de-orbit into Jupiter in early 2018 to protect Jupiter's moons from any spacecraft debris that could impact them.
http://spaceflight101.com/juno/spacecraft-information/
Developed by Lockheed Martin, Sunnyvale, Calif., the Juno spacecraft is hexagonal in shape, is 3.5 meters tall and 3.5 meters in diameter, and has a liftoff mass of about 8000 pounds.
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