FEI’s third-generation Helios DualBeam FIB/SEM adds workflow-specific configuration
September 10, 2014
Source:
FEI Co., Hillsboro, Ore., has released the third generation of its Helios NanoLab DualBeam FIB/SEM microscope, which provides unmatched image contrast and resolution, while at the same time adding a new, easy-to-use user interface. The new Helios comes in two different workflow-specific configurations for materials science research.
"This third generation of the Helios family continues to provide the high resolution and strong image contrast that the family is known for, but adds a new interface that can actually guide the user through typical operations," said Trisha Rice, vice president and general manager of Materials Science for FEI. "We have optimized each of the configurations for a particular class of workflows, based on customer feedback and our long and deep involvement in DualBeam analysis."
The CX configuration of the Helios NanoLab G3 DualBeam includes more versatile sample handling and positioning for fast, flexible analysis, sample preparation and characterization. The UC configuration delivers the ultimate imaging capability with increased sensitivity to surface detail and improved performance on soft, non-conductive or beam-sensitive materials.
www.fei.com/helios-g3
FEI Co., Hillsboro, Ore., has released the third generation of its Helios NanoLab DualBeam FIB/SEM microscope, which provides unmatched image contrast and resolution, while at the same time adding a new, easy-to-use user interface.
Continue reading
Renault Samsung develops magnesium sheet alloy for auto body applications
Source:
Renault Samsung Motors, Korea, announces that its engineers have succeeded in developing magnesium-base sheet metal for vehicles together with POSCO, and will be the first car company in the world to use it in mass-produced automobiles. The two companies invested $1.9 million over two years to develop magnesium sheet suitable for a car body.
Renault Samsung plans to use magnesium sheet for the first time for the walls of VIP back seats and the trunks of an upgraded SM7 to be introduced this month. This proof of the applicability of magnesium sheet metal will help expand its applications throughout the automobile component market.
The weight of the magnesium sheet metal component is only 1.4 kg, 2.2 kg lighter than an equivalent steel component, a 61% decrease in weight. Although magnesium sheet metal is relatively expensive, POSCO has developed new capabilities to make the process cheaper. Integrated with the component design and processing technologies of Renault Samsung Motors, magnesium sheet metal now has the appropriate qualities and standards to be automobile component. Magnesium is the only usable natural resource with large reserves in Korea.
http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/article/6128/magnesium-materials-renault-samsung-motors-develops-magnesium-sheets-vehicles#sthash.p9lFqDEL.dpuf
Renault Samsung Motors, Korea, announces that its engineers have succeeded in developing magnesium-base sheet metal for vehicles together with POSCO, and will be the first car company in the world to use it in mass-produced automobiles.
Continue reading
Multi-element high-entropy metal alloys crystallize as a single phase
Source:
The Department of Energy' s Lawrence Berkeley and Oak Ridge National Laboratories announce that a new concept in metallic alloy design – called "highâ€entropy alloys" – has yielded a multiple-element material that has been demonstrated to be not only very tough at room temperature, but also strong and ductile at cryogenic temperatures. By deï¬nition, HEAs are multi-component alloys having at least five principal elements, and all the principal elements are mixed in equiatomic or close-to-equiatomic ratios.
"We examined CrMnFeCoNi, a highâ€entropy alloy that contains five major elements rather than several minor elements and one that dominates," says Robert Ritchie of Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division. "Our tests showed that despite containing multiple elements with different crystal structures, this alloy crystallizes as a single phase, faceâ€centered cubic solid with exceptional damage tolerance. Furthermore, its tensile strength is above one gigapascal, and fracture toughness values are off the charts, exceeding that of virtually all other metallic alloys."
Dr. Ritchie is the corresponding author, along with ORNL's Easo George, of a paper in Science describing this research. The paper is titled "A fracture resistant highâ€entropy alloy for cryogenic applications." Co-authors are Bernd Gludovatz, Anton Hohenwarter, DhirajCatoor, and Edwin Chang.
"Highâ€entropy alloys represent a radical departure from tradition," Dr. Ritchie says, "in that they do not derive their properties from a single dominant constituent or from a second phase. The idea behind this concept is that configurational entropy increases with the number of alloying elements, counteracting the propensity for compound formation and stabilizing these alloys into a single phase, like a pure metal."
Although highâ€entropy alloys have been around for more than a decade, it has only been recently that the quality of these alloys has been sufficient for scientific study. Dr. George and his research group at ORNL combined highâ€purity elemental starting materials with an arc-melting and drop-casting process to produce high quality samples of CrMnFeCoNi in sheets roughly 10 mm thick. After characterizing these samples for tensile properties and microstructure, the ORNL team sent them to LBL for fracture and toughness characterization.
Tensile strengths and fracture toughness values were measured for CrMnFeCoNi from room temperature down to 77 Kelvins, the temperature of liquid nitrogen. The values recorded were among the highest reported for any material. That these values increased along with ductility at cryogenic temperatures is a huge departure from the vast majority of metallic alloys, which lose ductility and become more brittle at lower temperatures.
Researchers believe that the key to its remarkable cryogenic strength, ductility and toughness is a phenomenon known as "nano-twinning," in which during deformation, the atomic arrangements in adjacent crystalline regions form mirror images of one another.
http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2014/09/04/a-metallic-alloy-that-is-tough-and-ductile-at-cryogenic-temperatures/#sthash.6dCRaR2t.dpuf
The Department of Energy’ s Lawrence Berkeley and Oak Ridge National Laboratories announce that a new concept in metallic alloy design – called “high?entropy alloys” – has yielded a multiple-element material that is strong at cryogenic temperatures.
Continue reading
Ipsen builds small-footprint heat treating system for Mercedes-Benz
Source:
Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., developed and delivered a special atmosphere three-row pusher heat treating system that required comparatively little floor space and power consumption for a Mercedes-Benz facility. The system included a furnace for the thermal processing of gearbox parts, crown wheels and drive pinion wheels, with the entire system installed in a limited space.
Ipsen continued to provide solutions during this installation, utilizing the available space by carefully linking the high- and low-temperature furnaces, cleaning systems and quenching equipment – all of which provided flexibility for the various types of parts and minimized the space needed. In the end, Ipsen used a highly integrated transfer machine to service the entire system and required components in the compact area.
The pusher furnace utilizes three rows in all of its main operating zones and is the first continuous heat treatment furnace from Ipsen to feature the new, patented Lock up system. This system incorporates an entrance vestibule and an oil bath, both of which are separated from the Pusher furnace's heat treatment chamber by gas-tight doors. The furnace atmosphere thus fluctuates less in terms of temperature and carbon potential, resulting in precise, steady characteristics which are easy to monitor and can be adjusted accurately.
The pusher system also employs time-tested, durable Ipsen masonry consisting of refractory bricks for hot face insulation and microporous material for backup insulation. Compared to conventional designs, this results in up to a 30% reduction of waste heat, as demonstrated by comparatively lower process costs.
http://bit.ly/3RowPusher
Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., developed and delivered a special atmosphere three-row pusher heat treating system that required comparatively little floor space and power consumption for a Mercedes-Benz facility.
Continue reading
Flexible grid and segmented silver fingers cut cost and weight in solar panels
September 8, 2014
Source:
GT Advanced Technologies Inc., Merrimack, N.J., announces that solar modules incorporating its new Merlin metallization and interconnect technology have met the requirements of several PV industry certification standards. With Merlin technology, segmented silver fingers are printed onto the cell, and a flexible plated copper grid is attached to the segmented fingers on top of the solar cell, replacing the three traditional silver busbars and cutting panel weight by almost 50%.
A key component of Merlin is the flexible grid that replaces the three silver bus bars. The novel attributes of the technology are expected to significantly reduce the amount of expensive silver paste while improving panel efficiency. The resulting modules are expected to be more reliable and durable and enable form factors that are lighter and easier to handle, resulting in lower shipment and installation costs.
The certification testing was performed by RETC (Renewable Energy Test Center), an independent certification testing provider. Conformance to the certification standards was verified by the Canadian Standards Association and TUV-Sud. The results confirm that cells and modules incorporating Merlin's novel approach to metallization and module interconnect meet the performance, safety, and quality requirements outlined by the IEC 61215, 61730-1, -2 and UL1703 tests. The tests are designed to determine long-term reliability of silicon-based modules.
"Meeting these industry standard reliability criteria is an important milestone as we move toward commercial availability of our Merlin metallization and interconnect technology," said Venkatesan Murali, senior vice president and general manager of advanced systems development at GT. "Going forward, we plan to continue reliability testing these modules to failure to validate that the Merlin-based modules are substantially more robust by design than what is required."
www.gtat.com
GT Advanced Technologies Inc., Merrimack, N.J., announces that solar modules incorporating its new Merlin metallization and interconnect technology have met the requirements of several important PV industry certification standards.
Continue reading
Austempering firm Applied Process takes on equity partner
September 3, 2014
Source:
Applied Process Inc., Livonia, Mich., has taken on a majority-interest equity partner, High Street Capital of Chicago. AP provides austemper-focused technologies and services. "Austempering offers our customers a cost effective way to obtain stronger, lighter and less expensive parts," says John Wagner, AP's President. "With High Street Capital as our new capital partner, we have the added resources to expand our capabilities."
In 1984, Applied Process Inc. was incorporated as a stand-alone division of Atmosphere Group in Wixom, Michigan, with John R. Keough as President. In 1993 Mr. Keough spun AP out of Atmosphere Group., and it has since expanded into AP Westshore in Oshkosh, and recently acquired the Monster Parts plant in Oshkosh. AP also established plants and licensees in Australia, England, Canada, China, and India.
High Street Capital is investing in AP because they believe in the management, the people, and the business. Dick McClain, (an HSC Principal) says that, "The High Street Capital partners are looking forward to working with the world-class leadership team and employees at AP to continue AP's mission ‘to grow the pie for austempering'."
www.appliedprocess.com
Applied Process Inc., Livonia, Mich., has taken on a majority interest equity partner, High Street Capital of Chicago.
Continue reading
Battelle elects ASM Fellow Subra Suresh to its Board of Directors
Source:
Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, announces the election of Carnegie Mellon University President Subra Suresh to its Board of Directors. A Fellow of ASM International, Dr. Suresh holds the distinction of being the only sitting university president to have been elected to all three national academies—the Institute of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Academy of Engineering. He also is the former director of the National Science Foundation.
"Battelle has a distinguished history of scientific innovation and a legacy of contributing to the betterment of society," Dr. Suresh said. "I'm honored to have the opportunity to help guide its future success as a member of its Board of Directors. The company has broad reach, with numerous technologies under development that will help solve some of the world's most difficult challenges."
Prior to joining the NSF, Dr. Suresh was the dean of the School of Engineering and the Vannevar Bush Professor of Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A materials scientist, he is the co-author of more than 240 journal articles, registered 21 patents and written three widely used materials science books.
"We're thrilled to welcome Dr. Suresh to our Board of Directors," said Battelle President and CEO Jeff Wadsworth, also a Fellow of ASM International. "Battelle will surely benefit from the experience he brings from the National Science Foundation, his perspective as a university president, and his stature as a scientist."
www.battelle.org.
Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, announces the election of Carnegie Mellon University President Subra Suresh to its Board of Directors.
Continue reading
Two EFD Induction systems ordered for brazing generator stator bars and windings
Source:
EFD Induction, Skien, Norway, announces that one of Japan's largest manufacturing multinationals has recently ordered two of its Minac mobile induction heating systems. The systems will be installed at a facility in Japan, and used for brazing generator stator bars and windings. The Minac systems are compact, mobile induction heating systems that feature automatic electronic matching, robot compatibility and user-friendly controls.
EFD Induction has long been active in Japan, and has supplied induction heating systems that were used to help build the country's famous ‘bullet' trains. EFD Induction has also sold its Terac deck-straightening systems to Japanese shipbuilders, and recently notched a major order from the country's leading automotive bearing maker.
According to Tetsuro Yanagawa, head of EFD Induction Japan, the orders underline the trust and confidence Japan's notoriously choosy manufacturers have in EFD Induction products and services.
"Of course, equipment is only a part of any long-term solution. So our customers in Japan are reassured when they learn of our strong presence in Asia," says Yanagawa. "This presence includes several major manufacturing plants in China and India, as well as a network of sales and service offices right across the continent."
EFD Induction has to date installed thousands of heating solutions for a wide range of industrial applications—bringing the benefits of induction technology to many of the world's leading manufacturing and service companies. EFD Induction has manufacturing plants, workshops and service centers in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Corporate headquarters are in Skien, Norway.
www.efd-induction.com
EFD Induction, Skien, Norway, announces that one of Japan’s largest manufacturing multinationals has recently ordered two of its Minac mobile induction heating systems.
Continue reading
Siemens launches vacuum oxygen decarburization system at Voestalpine Giesserei Linz
Source:
Siemens Metals Technologies, Vienna, announces that a vacuum oxygen decarburization system with a capacity of 50 metric tons has commenced operation at Voestalpine Giesserei Linz GmbH. The Austrian company is thereby adding to its equipment for secondary metallurgical treatment of steel castings for sophisticated applications in the energy and mechanical engineering industries. The plant features electrically driven mechanical vacuum pumps instead of steam injectors and therefore does not require any steam generator.
For the new vacuum oxygen decarburization plant, Siemens handled the configuration and supplied all the core components. These included, for example, a special ladle hood made of copper-plated sheet. This minimizes the occurrence of baked slag on the upper edge of the ladle and on the vacuum lid. The scope of supply also included the vacuum lid, an oxygen-blowing lance system, a gas cooler and filter system, mechanical vacuum pumps, and the hydraulic system. The order also included a water management system matched to the overall plant, as well as the complete automation technology and instrumentation.
As one of the first VOD systems worldwide, the plant in Linz features a combination of electrically driven, mechanical vacuum pumps to generate a vacuum. This includes roots blowers and screw compressors. Unlike conventional steam injectors, these do not require any process steam, so there is no need for any external steam or the installation of a separate boiler to generate steam.
Voestalpine Giesserei Linz GmbH is completing its secondary metallurgical treatment options with the new vacuum oxygen decarburization plant. This enlarges the product portfolio and will play a major part in achieving cost-efficient production.
www.siemens.com/metals
Siemens Metals Technologies, Vienna, announces that a vacuum oxygen decarburization system with a capacity of 50 metric tons has commenced operation at Voestalpine Giesserei Linz GmbH.
Continue reading
Seco-Warwick gas-quench furnace equipped with PreNit to heat treat dies and tool steels
August 25, 2014
Source:
Seco-Warwick Corp., Meadville, Pa., announces that a commercial heat treater in the United States has purchased a 15-bar high-pressure gas quench furnace for its facility in the southeast. The unit will be used for through hardening of molds, dies, and various tool steels. The furnace is to be equipped with PreNit LPC (low-pressure carburizing), pre-nitriding, and LPC vacuum carburizing capability.
PreNit is a patented pre-nitriding option for low pressure vacuum carburizing. PreNitLPC broadens the applications for LPC Vacuum Carburizing by utilizing higher carburizing temperatures. It is a modern, fast, and economical addition to our standard low pressure carburizing system that enhances the process by significantly reducing cycle times.
Through dosing of the nitrogen carrier during controlled heat-up ramp, the furnace can run at higher temperatures (1000°C/1800°F and above), while maintaining a fine grain structure within the case. The strength properties are similar to parts that have been conventionally carburized at lower temperatures.
This technology saves process costs by reducing the carburizing cycle time and reducing the consumption of process gases (C2H2, C2H4, H2, NH3) as measured in liters and not, as in the case of conventional technologies, in cubic meters per hour.
www.secowarwick.com
Seco-Warwick Corp., Meadville, Pa., announces that a commercial heat treater in the United States has purchased a 15-bar high-pressure gas quench furnace for its facility in the southeast.
Continue reading 