Instron HDT and Vicat materials testing systems boost efficiency
April 27, 2016
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Instron, Norwood, Mass., announces a new generation of HDT and Vicat Testing Systems designed to significantly reduce workload and increase efficiency in the testing lab.
The new Instron HV Series includes three different systems — the entirely manual HV3S with two (optionally three) testing stations plus two systems with larger bath size and higher automation level (HV6M and HV6X) for up to six testing stations. All feature advanced electronics that automatically zero the position of the LVDT measuring sensors before starting a test, reducing test time and human errors.
With its manual lifting station and weights application, the HV3S is a first choice for laboratories that carry out HDT or Vicat tests at a low volume. Furthermore, its compact size makes it an ideal system for busy laboratories with a lot of test equipment. Where HDT or Vicat testing is part of the daily activity, the HV6M features manual weights application on up to six stations with a motorized lifting mechanism designed to significantly reduce operator effort.
Where time is absolutely crucial, the HV6X system offers both motorized lifting station and weights application on all of its up to six testing stations, making it suitable for laboratories with a continuous backlog of specimens.
Its interlocked cover shield restricts access during test execution, protecting the user from moving parts. Together with its optionally integrated fume filtering and extracting system, the HV6X perfectly fits into work environments where safety procedures are extremely strict and extracting system automation is required.
The intuitive design of weights eliminates the risk of selection mistakes. The weights are stackable and enable the user to handle them with confidence. A wide range of stress values can be achieved without the need for any additional tools. Users of the HV3S benefit from the smooth lifting mechanism of the stations, combined with the ergonomic position of the handle. This allows for raising and lowering the stations safely and easily. The user-friendly touch screen, which is standard for all three systems, has a simple and clean look and allows for operation without a computer. The intuitive workflow offers a seamless interaction with the system for a quick test setup and data export.
All three systems use silicone oil as heat transfer medium — 2.4 USA gal for HV3S, 4.2 USA gal for HV6M and HV6X – to cover a temperature range from 20 °C to 300 °C with a resolution of 0.1 °C. A continuous oil monitoring routine helps reduce the risk of running invalid tests as well as increase productivity, alerting when the bath level is out of range or oil degradation could adversely affect test results. Rapidly bringing the oil temperature back to its starting level after a test run allows the user to start the next test with minimal waiting time and reduces water consumption.
The optional Instron Bluehill HV Software allows technicians to run tests, edit methods, analyze results, or configure the system with a few mouse clicks. It secures the test methods, preventing inadvertent changes, to ensure repeatability and ISO as well as ASTM standards compliance over multiple shifts and numerous operators. Bluehill HV also allows for creation of specific user profiles based on the operator's level of expertise. The software simplicity allows for running tests with even further minimized effort, raising laboratory efficiency and throughput to a new level.
www.instron.com
Instron, Norwood, Mass., announces a new generation of HDT and Vicat Testing Systems designed to significantly reduce workload and increase efficiency in the testing lab.
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Nanosteel delivers first advanced high-strength steel sheet to General Motors
April 26, 2016
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Nanosteel, Providence, has delivered its first advanced high strength steel (AHSS) sheet to General Motors for initial evaluation of its role in vehicle lightweighting to meet rising global fuel-economy regulations. The steel is the result of a multi-year joint development program between NanoSteel and AK Steel Corp., West Chester, Ohio.
NanoSteel's commercially produced automotive sheet steel overcomes the historical tradeoff between strength and formability by delivering exceptional levels of both properties at the same time (approximately 1200 MPa tensile strength and 50% elongation). The high strength allows designers to create parts utilizing thinner-gauge material, while the high elongation allows manufacturers to produce the newly designed parts without expensive processing techniques, employee retraining, or additional capital costs. The unique combination of properties also allows engineers the design freedom to create novel part shapes, which further reduce weight.
"Many advanced materials with outstanding properties end up abandoned because they are too hard to use or too expensive to make," says NanoSteel CEO and president David Paratore. "NanoSteel's advanced high strength steel is designed to be both easy to produce—using conventional alloying elements with standard slab casting equipment; and easy to use—enabling the stamping and forming of parts at room temperature without additional manufacturing infrastructure or investment, such as that required for ‘hot' stamped parts."
AK Steel CEO Roger Newport commented, "We are pleased to partner with Nanosteel to bring this exciting new product to the market. As the first steel producer to manufacture this unique product using traditional slab casting, we are proud to add this accomplishment to our long and successful track record of innovation."
Mr. Paratore added, "We are confident that the exceptional properties of NanoSteel's sheet will enable automakers to affordably meet the ever-changing requirements of vehicle design and foster a new era of steel competitiveness in the battle of material choice."
Nanosteel, Providence, has delivered its first advanced high strength steel (AHSS) sheet to General Motors for initial evaluation of its role in vehicle lightweighting to meet rising global fuel-economy regulations.
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Solar Atmospheres to heat treat Ferrium C61 drive train for Venus robot
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Solar Atmospheres, Souderton, Pa., announces that it has been selected by Honeybee Robotics to provide heat treating for the robotic Venus explorer on drive train components comprised of a specialized alloy, Ferrium C61. The alloy is designed as a high strength, high fracture-toughness carburizing grade steel capable of high-temperature applications in corrosive environments.
Solar Atmospheres developed the difficult processing conditions required to optimize the properties for the specialty alloy and satisfy the demanding heat treat requirements. The drive train components are vacuum carburized at 1825°F, high-pressure nitrogen-gas quenched, cooled to −150°F, and tempered in a vacuum at 900°F.
Honeybee Robotics, Brooklyn, N.Y., received NASA funding to contribute to developing future planetary exploration, space mining, and in-situ resource utilization. One of the projects is the High Temperature Venus Drill and Sample Delivery System to provide drilling and sampling operations in the challenging environmental conditions of the planet Venus.
Romans named the planet after Venus, their goddess of love and beauty, but conditions on the planet are anything but lovely and beautiful. Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system at a constant 895°F with an atmospheric pressure 90 times higher than the air pressure on Earth.
www.solaratm.com
Solar Atmospheres, Souderton, Pa., announces that it has been selected by Honeybee Robotics to provide heat treating for the robotic Venus explorer on drive train components comprised of a specialized alloy, Ferrium C61.
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Lindberg/MPH pit furnace designed for steam heat treating tool steel
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Lindberg/MPH, Riverside, Mich., has shipped a pit furnace to a leading manufacturer of mechanical components for steam treating tool steels. Steam treating produces an oxide film on the surface of the part, which improves wear resistance and corrosion resistance, and provides a uniform blue-black finish.
The heat treating furnace has a maximum temperature rating of 1250°F. The work chamber has diameter of 39 inches with a depth of 36 inches and a total load capacity of 3700 pounds. Vacuum-formed ceramic fiber modules have low heat storage and allow for fast heat-up rates. The pit furnace utilizes a high limit controller to protect from over-temperature conditions, and an actuator for atmosphere flow control.
This furnace utilizes nickel-chromium heating elements on the interior of an alloy retort to efficiently heat treat parts in a steam atmosphere. A thermocartridge recirculating fan and solid wall baffle provide uniform atmosphere and heat distribution.
This new Lindberg/MPH design features a maintenance-friendly fan and motor assembly, which allows for reliable and easy maintenance when needed, compared to the old Leeds and Northrup furnace design.
www.lindbergmph.com
Lindberg/MPH, Riverside, Mich., has shipped a pit furnace to a leading manufacturer of mechanical components for steam treating tool steels.
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Dual-beam laser spike anneal system enables process flexibility in chip production
April 24, 2016
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Ultratech Inc., San Jose, Calif., announces a follow-on order from a major foundry for its LSA101 laser spike anneal system equipped with the dual-beam option, which provides a second low-power laser that adds flexibility to chip production. The dual beam enhances yield and enables low thermal budget processing that is required for advanced applications such as gate stack formation, silicide, or post-silicide anneal.
The system will be used for 28nm production, and is expected to ship in the second quarter of 2016.
The industry is experiencing a second wave of growth in the advanced planar node technologies, including 28nm logic. This is due to the high cost and challenges to manufacturing chips at leading-edge FinFET nodes; lithography alone represents close to 45% of the overall spending when considering triple patterning and other advanced lithography techniques. As a result, many foundries, especially those in China, are expanding their 28nm capacity as end customers take advantage of the optimal performance-to-cost ratio at this node. This trend may extend the 28nm node longer and at larger volumes than previously expected.
"This LSA system order is an example of the growing manufacturing opportunities for cost-effective nodes such as 28nm and above," says Arthur W. Zafiropoulo, Ultratech Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "When comparing the different nodes, 28nm was the last strong planar node and provided the lowest cost per transistor. As a result, customers around the world are increasing their 28nm capacity." Built on the customizable Unity Platform, LSA101 with the dual beam option expands the process space by adding a second low-power laser beam that adds process flexibility and enables millisecond annealing with a low thermal budget process.
Inserting a millisecond anneal step post-junction formation, such as gate stack formation, silicide, or post-silicide anneal, has been shown to improve leakage and device reliability, while reducing contact resistance and improving both performance and yield.
Compared to competing millisecond annealing technologies, LSA with dual beam offers the lowest thermal budget millisecond anneal process, along with superior within-die uniformity for different layouts. This performance is provided at a significantly lower cost of ownership, due to higher throughput and low cost of consumables. The LSA101 delivers high flexibility and extendibility for advanced annealing applications, and is currently in high-volume production for 28nm and below logic devices.
www.ultratech.com
Ultratech Inc., San Jose, Calif., announces a follow-on order from a major foundry for its LSA101 laser spike anneal system equipped with the dual-beam option, which provides a second low-power laser that adds flexibility to chip production.
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One Minute Mentor: Carburizing Tool Steels
April 22, 2016
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P20 mold steel is seldom carburized for molds used in compression molding, particularly for molding the more abrasive plastics. Carburizing temperatures no higher than 1650°F are recommended for this steel because higher temperatures may impair polishability; otherwise, conventional carburizing practice is used, and molds may be quenched in oil directly from the carburizing temperature. A common working range is 54 to 58 HRC.
The graph shows tempering characteristics of carburized mold steels.
(a) Upper curve represents steel carburized in hardwood charcoal 1675 to 1700°F for 8 hours, air cooled in pack, reheated at 1725 to 1750°F, cooled in air, and tempered. Middle curve represents steel carburized in cast iron chips at 1725 to 1750°F, removed from pack, cooled in air, and tempered.
(b) Surface hardness after heating at temperature for 2 hours in carburizing compound, followed by oil quenching and tempering.
Volume 4D, Heat Treating of Irons and Steels ⇒ Tool Steels ⇒ Heat Treating of Mold Steels and Corrosion-Resistant Tool Steels ⇒ Recommended Heat Treating Practices
P20 mold steel is seldom carburized for molds used in compression molding, particularly for molding the more abrasive plastics.
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SSAB introduces five steel product families for specific applications
April 20, 2016
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SSAB, Stockholm, introduces five steel product families tailored for production processes and maximized end-product performance: SSAB Domex, SSAB Boron, SSAB Form, SSAB Laser Plus, and SSAB Weathering. The new SSAB brand families include hot rolled plate, hot and cold rolled strip, metal coated, and tubes and sections.
SSAB Domex comprises a wide range of versatile structural steels with excellent cold-forming properties for high productivity and reliable performance.
SSAB Boron is a hardenable steel made for the easy and consistent production of wear-resistant products quenched in the customer's own workshop.
SSAB Form is the right choice for stamping, stretching, deep drawing, bending, metal spinning, and other forming procedures, particularly in high-volume production requiring exact and consistent properties.
SSAB Laser Plus (shown in photo) is a structural steel for efficient laser, water, and plasma cutting, improving yield and product quality thanks to guaranteed flatness after cutting, low internal stresses, and smooth surface.
SSAB Weathering and COR-TEN provide customers with an exceptionally wide choice, and flexible ordering of high-strength corrosion-resistant steel grades.
"Customers want to know what a product can offer, so it makes sense to group our products according to how they are used," says Olavi Huhtala, Head of SSAB Europe. "This will make it much easier to identify the right product for the right application. We have created these optimized offers by combining recently-developed products with a selection of the best products from our earlier ranges."
The new product ranges also provide SSAB´s customers with direct access to the company´s extensive services and support. Customers are welcome to contact SSAB for workshop recommendations and technical support on how to improve productivity.
The merger between SSAB and Ruukki has resulted in a restructuring of SSAB's steel portfolio. Last year, SSAB announced some new offerings, and this product launch, together with a forthcoming relaunch of the Docol brand for the automotive industry, will complete SSAB´s new product portfolio.
www.ssab.com
SSAB, Stockholm, introduces five steel product families tailored for production processes and maximized end-product performance: SSAB Domex, SSAB Boron, SSAB Form, SSAB Laser Plus, and SSAB Weathering.
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Metallographic sample mounting system provides durability, speed, ease of use
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Buehler, Lake Bluff, Ill., introduces the SimpliMet 4000, a compression mounting system that eliminates bottlenecks at the mounting stage, rapidly transforming cut samples to specimens ready for grinding and polishing. Designed to be reliable in 24/7 manufacturing environments, the system has undergone rigorous testing to ensure function for long periods and many years.
Throughput time for the lab user is improved with the SimpliMet's fast mounting cycles and specimen duplex capabilities (where two specimens are produced simultaneously in the same mold). It is equipped with the SmartCool intelligent cooling system that optimizes cooling time while also ensuring operator safety and minimal water usage. The intuitive interface sets and stores temperature, pressure, and time, thus shortening set up.
The SimpliMet 4000 is also packaged within a small footprint to relieve overcrowding while producing more mounts. The single-handed closure mechanism engages quickly, and makes moving to the next task a breeze. These time-saving features, combined with rigorous accelerated lifecycle testing to 160,000 cycles, deliver a press that will perform day in and day out.
The SimpliMet 4000 was designed to meet the needs of the most demanding labs. Reliability and speed are critical for production labs, so Buehler designed the product with these features as the primary goal.
www.buehler.co.uk
Buehler, Lake Bluff, Ill., introduces the SimpliMet 4000, a compression mounting system that eliminates bottlenecks at the mounting stage, rapidly transforming cut samples to specimens ready for grinding and polishing.
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Atlas batch atmosphere furnace provides carburizing, neutral hardening, and carbonitriding
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Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., recently shipped an Atlas batch atmosphere furnace and ancillary equipment – temper, washer, loader, endo generator, and load table – to Metal Treaters Inc., St. Paul, Minn. This complete atmosphere system will augment its existing atmosphere equipment and offer a higher level of flexibility, with the ability to provide several processes: carburizing, neutral hardening and carbonitriding.
This Atlas furnace features a 36 x 48 x 38-inch load size with a 3500-pound load capacity. It also operates at temperatures of 1450 to 1800°F, and has a quench-oil capacity of 3500 gallons. Equipped with Ipsen's newest design features and innovations, the furnace is configured for maximum compatibility and reliability to consistently produce quality parts.
With its ability to execute different processes in each sealed-quench furnace, the single-chain model offers a high level of versatility and helps streamline production. It also serves as an ideal option for replacing an older furnace or adding to an existing line to expand production.
www.ipsenusa.com
Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., recently shipped an Atlas batch atmosphere furnace and ancillary equipment – temper, washer, loader, endo generator, and load table – to Metal Treaters Inc., St. Paul, Minn.
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Advanced thermal imaging cameras can detect temperature differences of 1 mK
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Flir Systems, Wilsonville, Oregon, has developed X6000sc and X8000sc series thermal imaging cameras with Lock-In, Transient, and Pulse capabilities for advanced inspections such as nondestructive testing or stress mapping that resolve temperature differences as low as 1 mK.
Thermal imaging cameras offer the ability to detect internal defects through target excitation and the observation of thermal differences on a target's surface. In addition, thermal imaging cameras provide a valuable tool for detecting defects and points of failure in composites, solar cells, bridges, and electronics. They also enable thermal mapping of stress during materials testing.
The FLIR X8000sc/X6000sc Series thermal imaging cameras are designed to provide the best thermal measurement performance. Designed for scientists, engineers and researchers they can provide high resolution thermal images up to 1280 x 1024 pixels (FLIR X8400sc) that enable seeing the smallest of details with excellent measurement accuracy. These advanced thermal cameras detect temperature differences smaller than 25 mK (18 mK typically).
With Flir Systems proprietary "lock-in" process, temperature differences as small as 1mK will become clearly visible. The cameras automatically adjust their temperature range to best fit the thermal scene. Designed to unlock the secrets of almost any application, a Flir X8400sc camera can measure temperatures up to 3000°C with an accuracy of +/- 1°C, or +/- 1%, or faint thermal emissions from areas as small as 3x3 microns. The X8000sc and X6000sc Series cameras work seamlessly together with Flir ResearchIR Max software, enabling intuitive viewing, recording, and advanced processing of the thermal data provided by the camera. Each camera comes standard with this software.
www.flir.com
Flir Systems, Wilsonville, Oregon, has developed X6000sc and X8000sc series thermal imaging cameras with Lock-In, Transient, and Pulse capabilities that can resolve temperature differences as low as 1 mK for advanced inspections.
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