Lindberg/MPH ships cyclone pit furnace for heat treating aerospace parts
May 17, 2016
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Lindberg/MPH, Riverside, Mich., announces the shipment of a cyclone pit furnace for heat treating aircraft components to a supplier of the aerospace industry. The cyclone design has historically provided optimum heat distribution and exceptional temperature uniformity, which makes it ideal for applications such as tempering, normalizing, annealing, and solution treatment of aluminum.
This heat treating pit furnace has a maximum temperature rating of 1250°F, and the work chamber has a diameter of 16 inches with a depth of 20 inches. This cyclone pit furnace is a direct replacement of an existing piece of Lindberg/MPH equipment the customer already had in place.
Lindberg/MPH provided a centralized control system with a programmable logic controller to control this equipment and six other furnaces. The cyclone pit furnace design utilizes a heater plug assembly that is easily lifted out and replaced externally without having to pull elements out through the furnace walls.
"This customer was looking to improve operating efficiency of the furnace line," says Jason Dobberstein, Inside Sales Manage. "By providing a control system that allows operators to monitor and control multiple units, it greatly simplifies the process and fulfills data acquisition needs."
Unique features of this cyclone pit furnace:
An alloy liner that protects the work chamber from high-velocity flow and prevents damage while loading/unloading; Easily replaceable heater plug assembly; Recirculating fan with variable frequency drive; Workload support; Lid limit switch.
www.lindbergmph.com
Lindberg/MPH, Riverside, Mich., announces the shipment of a cyclone pit furnace for heat treating aircraft components to a supplier of the aerospace industry.
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Superior Tube receives Nadcap accreditation for heat treating
May 16, 2016
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Superior Tube Company Inc., Collegeville, Pa., has been awarded Nadcap accreditation for heat treating by the Performance Review Institute.
"We have had Nadcap accreditation for our nondestructive testing program for many years, and also for our quality system, but this is the first time we have gained accreditation for our heat treatment processes," says Bill Keohane, Director of Quality & New Product Development for Superior Tube. "This will certainly open up new business opportunities for us and provide our existing customers with even greater assurance about the strength of our commitment to quality in everything we do."
"A lot of people put in a great deal of time and effort into preparing for this," he added, "including Debbie Kamertz, Quality Systems Manager; CJ Mukherjee, Director of Process Engineering; and Ken Richards, Senior Metallurgist."
"Congratulations to Superior Tube on successfully passing what may be the aerospace industry's most stringent process capability assessment audit," said Joe Pinto, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Performance Review Institute. "Nadcap audit criteria are widely acknowledged to be hard to meet, and companies like Superior Tube, which succeed at doing so, rightfully deserve recognition."
Superior Tube, together with its sister company, UK-based Fine Tubes, is part of Ametek Specialty Metal Products. Between them, the two companies have supplied high-quality tubular products to the civil aerospace, defense, and space industries since their inception, and have extensive experience working with a range of materials from stainless steels through exotic nickel and titanium alloys.
Superior Tube is a long-standing, qualified supplier to Boeing, and recently was awarded a contract to provide tubing to Airbus, to which Fine Tubes already supplies both stainless steel and titanium tubing for the A320, A330, A350 XWB, and A380 aircraft.
www.superiortube.com
Superior Tube Company Inc., Collegeville, Pa., has been awarded Nadcap accreditation for heat treating by the Performance Review Institute.
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Penn State to lead $20 million NETL coalition for fossil energy research
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The DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), South Park Township, Pa., has selected Pennsylvania State University, State College, as the lead institution to establish the six-year, $20 million University Coalition for Fossil Energy Research. The Coalition will bring together a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from participating universities to address the fundamental challenges that impede advancement of fossil energy-based technologies.
Research will directly support the Office of Fossil Energy's Coal and Oil and Gas programs by focusing efforts in a variety of pertinent areas that include, but are not limited to, advanced energy systems, carbon dioxide capture and storage, natural gas resources and infrastructure, and onshore and offshore oil and gas technology. The Coalition will facilitate basic and applied energy research and promote multidisciplinary collaboration among the member universities and NETL.
Penn State, the lead institution, will leverage expertise, facilities, and resources from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Texas A&M University, University of Kentucky, University of Southern California, University of Tulsa, University of Wyoming, and Virginia Polytechnic and State University.
The coordination structure is flexible, allowing for new university members to provide additional research capabilities and collaborations as needed throughout the research lifespan. Members of the Coalition will actively seek industry participation in research projects and promote technology transfer to the private sector.
The research completed throughout the six-year initiative is expected to accelerate the development and deployment of fossil fuel-based technologies, enabling the continued use of our nation's abundant natural resources.
http://news.psu.edu/story/410564/2016/05/13/research/under-pressure
The DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), South Park Township, Pa., has selected Pennsylvania State University, State College, as the lead institution to establish the six-year, $20 million University Coalition for Fossil Energy Research.
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CarTech PremoMax alloy steel designed for downhole oil/gas drilling
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Carpenter Technology Corp., Wyomissing, Pa., introduces PremoMax, a premium melted, quenched and tempered, cost-effective alloy steel that provides high strength, excellent impact toughness, and good hardenability in large section sizes. Developed for use in multiple downhole drilling applications such as mud motor shafts and related components, it demonstrates superior performance in challenging environments.
PremoMax composition is C 0.22, Mn 2.0, Si 1.0, Cr 2.0, Ni 0.70, Mo 0.20, V 0.35, Cu 0.50. Its moderate carbon content facilitates weldability, while vacuum arc remelting ensures superior cleanliness, excellent high-cycle fatigue strength, and outstanding fracture toughness. Machinability and weldability, coupled with strength, hardness, and fatigue resistance, make PremoMax alloy a cost-effective and durable drilling solution for rigid formation and high-rotation penetration demands. PremoMax is considered to be a superior alternative to 4330 V.
http://www.cartech.com
Carpenter Technology Corp., Wyomissing, Pa., introduces PremoMax, a premium melted, quenched and tempered, cost-effective alloy steel that provides high strength, excellent impact toughness, and good hardenability in large section sizes.
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Bodycote to open new heat treatment facility In Mexico
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Bodycote, Macclesfield, England, announces that the company will open a new, 100,000-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art heat treatment plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
Mexico is one of the largest automotive manufacturing countries in the western hemisphere, with many of the world's leading car manufacturers investing in manufacturing and assembly plants.
Bodycote's latest investment, established to serve the country's extensive and growing automotive supply chain, will be capable of supporting large automotive projects and providing the necessary heat treatment services for technologically advanced components such as complex transmissions.
The plant will be TS 16949 certified, and holds all required OEM quality approvals. It will offer a wide range of heat treatment processes, including low-pressure carburizing, ferritic nitrocarburizing, and Bodycote's proprietary Corr-I-Dur process.
The San Luis Potosi facility will be Bodycote's third plant in Mexico, including the existing Silao and Empalme plants, and will be able to provide customers with complementary services and qualified backup to the existing sites, if needed. It is scheduled to be fully operational by fourth quarter.
www.bodycote.com
Bodycote, Macclesfield, England, announces that the company will open a new, 100,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art heat treatment plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
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FTC approves Air Liquide acquisition of Airgas
May 15, 2016
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Air Liquide, Paris, announces that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has granted clearance for it to acquire Airgas, Radnor, Pa., satisfying the final regulatory condition to the closing of the pending acquisition. The companies anticipate closing the acquisition on May 23, subject to the satisfaction of the remaining customary closing conditions.
The FTC's clearance is subject to certain conditions, to be satisfied following the closing of Air Liquide's acquisition of Airgas, which Air Liquide has agreed to undertake, including the sale of certain assets. A divestiture package has been prepared and the divestiture process is well underway.
FTC clearance is the last major step towards acquisition closing, and follows Airgas shareholder approval on February 23, and the decision by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States on March 10 that the proposed acquisition poses no national security concerns.
As announced on November 17, 2015, combining Air Liquide and Airgas will bring together two highly complementary businesses to deliver greater value, service, and innovation to customers in North America and around the world.
This acquisition will give Air Liquide a greater presence in the U.S. market, the largest for industrial gases worldwide, and will ideally position the company for future growth, using the Airgas footprint to accelerate the deployment of Air Liquide's new offerings, technologies, and innovations. It will also extend Air Liquide's customer base by more than one million customers through a unique multi-channel distribution network in the United States, and a nationwide presence of more than 1100 locations across the country, including approximately 900 branches and retail stores.
The FTC decision is accessible via the following link: https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/cases-proceedings/161-0045/american-air-liquide-holdings-inc-matter
www.airliquide.com.
www.airgas.com
Air Liquide, Paris, announces that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has cleared the acquisition of Airgas, Radnor, Pa., by Air Liquide, satisfying the final regulatory condition to the closing of the pending acquisition.
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One Minute Mentor: Metallurgy of Ferritic Stainless Steels
May 12, 2016
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One Minute Mentor: Metallurgy of Ferritic Stainless Steels
Chromium stabilizes the ferritic structure at high temperatures, but some austenite can form at high temperature in steels with 12% chromium and a low or medium percentage of carbon, as shown in the graph. The graph shows the effect of chromium additions on the extent of the austenite phase field in the iron-carbon system.
Carbon and nitrogen added together also produce about the same effect as carbon alone, which means that a fully ferritic stainless steel at elevated temperatures is not possible below 20% chromium without refining to remove carbon and nitrogen.
In addition, because chromium is a strong carbide former, the presence of carbon causes the formation of chromium carbides. This depletes the amount of dissolved (in solution) chromium that is needed to create the corrosion-resistant oxide layer of a stainless steel.
Volume 4D, Heat Treating of Irons and Steels ⇒ Heat Treated High-Alloy Steels ⇒ Heat Treating of Ferritic Stainless Steels ⇒ Metallurgy of Ferritic Stainless Steels
Chromium stabilizes the ferritic structure at high temperatures, but some austenite can form at high temperature in steels with 12% chromium and a low or medium percentage of carbon, as shown in the graph.
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Vac Aero refurbishes hot zone of aerospace heat treatment furnace
May 11, 2016
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Vac Aero, Burlington, Ontario, recently received an order for a complete refurbishment of the all-metal hot zone in a horizontal furnace for a customer in the aerospace heat treatment sector in Canada. The hot zone features unitized construction for easy removal and maintenance, and the lightweight design's low thermal mass enables faster quenching and longer life.
The heat shield package consists of one layer of 0.020-inch lanthanated molybdenum (MoLa) sheet backed by one layer of 0.010-inch molybdenum sheet, and three layers of 0.014-inch stainless steel sheet. The heat shield package is supported by a 14 gauge stainless steel assembly that also acts as a manifold to distribute the quenching gas uniformly throughout the workload.
Built for rugged usage and low maintenance, Vac Aero hot zones feature unitized construction for easy removal and maintenance. Replacement hot zones are constructed using state of the art manufacturing technology and materials for years of reliable service. Both graphite-based and all-metal heat shield construction are available. All hot zone materials and new designs are fully tested in our own heat treating facilities before being offered to our customers.
Vac Aero hot zones contain the following design features: Modular Design: Vac Aero hot zones have unitized construction for easy removal and maintenance; the insulation package is mounted on a stainless steel support ring; support rings are designed in a modular fashion for easy installation and maintenance.
Vac Aero uses layers of graphite felt blanket as the core of the insulation package. Compared to graphite board used by some manufacturers, the blanket is far easier to install and maintain, it won't break, and it does not wear at the edges like board, so there is no risk of heat loss due to gaps developing in the insulation.
www.vacaero.com
Vac Aero, Burlington, Ontario, recently received an order for a complete refurbishment of the all-metal hot zone in a horizontal furnace for a customer in the aerospace heat treatment sector in Canada.
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Wisconsin Oven Introduces the Express Batch Oven for powder coating or finishing
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Wisconsin Oven, East Troy, Wis., introduces the Express Batch Oven, a standardized batch oven that allows a lower price point and shorter lead time without compromising quality. Available in 26 sizes and either electric or gas models, the Express Batch Oven is ideal for businesses that specialize in powder coating or finishing applications. In addition, it can be used for a variety of operations such as drying, epoxy curing, bonding, metal finishing, varnish curing, baking, and adhesive curing.
The recirculation system features a combination air flow pattern that can be fully adjusted via the return and supply ducts to maximize heating rates and temperature uniformity. Other standard features include a maximum temperature rating of 500°F and roof-mounted blowers to save valuable floor space.
The Express Batch Ovens are also backed by Wisconsin Oven's five-year WOW warranty. This warranty covers all materials for all components (less wear items). The oven is available with several additional options. Customers can protect their factory floors by adding floor sheets of 12-gauge aluminum, or reduce the energy consumption by adding an insulated floor. Other popular options include a door limit that shuts down the heat when it senses that the doors are open, to minimize the spill-out of hot air; and upgrading to a controller that can be programmed with up to 25 recipes and up to 500 ramp-and-soak segments.
The Express Batch Oven is fully factory tested and adjusted prior to shipment to help reduce installation and startup times. A 150-point Quality Assurance check list is completed to ensure that the equipment meets all Wisconsin Oven quality standards and helps installation and start-up to go smoothly.
www.wisoven.com
Wisconsin Oven, East Troy, Wis., introduces the Express Batch Oven, a standardized batch oven that allows a lower price point and shorter lead time without compromising quality.
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Sinterite installs custom pusher furnace with low operating temperature
May 9, 2016
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Sinterite, a Gasbarre Furnace Group Company, St. Marys, Pa., announces the installation of a manually operated custom pusher furnace designed for continuous sintering of various material grade parts at a facility in Pennsylvania. The furnace consists of two heat-control zones and one cooling zone, with a maximum operating temperature of 1800°F.
This particular pusher furnace is unique because of its low operating temperature. Typically, these types of furnaces are designed to operate up to 3000°F. However, because of the customer's specialized sintering process and lower temperature requirements, this furnace was customized to meet those unique processing needs.
Sinterite designs, manufactures, and services custom continuous belt and batch furnaces for sintering, brazing, annealing, steam treating, drying, and heat treating applications. The installed base of equipment is in excess of 1300 units in more than 47 countries. Sinterite's quality design includes alloy and ceramic muffle systems, powder-handling equipment, custom fabrications, and the exclusively manufactured HyperCooler sinter-hardening and rapid cooling system.
www.sinterite.com
www.gasbarrefurnacegroup.com
Sinterite, a Gasbarre Furnace Group Company, St. Marys, Pa., announces the installation of a manually operated custom Pusher Furnace designed for continuous sintering of various material grade parts at a facility in Pennsylvania.
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