Thermo-Calc and QuesTek partner for advanced modeling and materials design
October 28, 2016 Source: ASM International
Thermo-Calc Software AB, Stockholm, and QuesTek International LLC, Evanston, Ill., have partnered to establish a joint company, QuesTek Europe AB, which will offer Integrated Computational Materials Engineering modeling services and novel materials design and development to the European market.
Continue readingBright annealing furnace heat treats stainless steel under inert gas
October 19, 2016 Source:
Ajax Tocco Magnethermic, Warren, Ohio, recently shipped a bright annealing induction furnace to a major stainless steel tube manufacturer in the Northeast United States. This bright annealing system progressively heats the stainless steel tube to high temperatures in an atmosphere of inert gases, and then anneals the tube in a cooling chamber, reducing the hardness to achieve ductility for further processing. Special features include the ability to produce a high-quality product with a ready-to-ship surface finish.
The equipment supplied consists of a hydrogen atmosphere heating and cooling system, utilizing an Ajax Tocco 75 kW Pacer T IGBT induction power supply. The system is capable of processing tubing from 0.25 - 0.625 inch outside diameter.
Ajax Tocco is a leader in providing induction heating and processing solutions for bar and tube applications, including bright annealing. Its experience in providing this type of system was a key factor in the tube manufacturer's decision to choose Ajax Tocco Magnethemic as the supplier.
Ajax Tocco Magnethermic, Warren, Ohio, recently shipped a bright annealing induction furnace to a major stainless steel tube manufacturer in the Northeast United States.
Continue readingCompact atmosphere box furnace heat treats medical device components
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Lindberg MPH, Riverside, Mich., has shipped an atmosphere box furnace to a leading supplier of the medical device industry for heat treating parts. The Treet-All light industrial box furnace was supplied with a programmable temperature controller and is ideal for heat treating small batches of parts. Its compact design saves on valuable floor space while offering premium performance and efficiency with fast heat-up rates and low outer shell temperatures.
This Treet-All atmosphere box furnace with retort offers a broad temperature range of 1400 to 2050°F, with a work area temperature uniformity of ±25°F. The work chamber dimensions of the box furnace are 12 x 18 x 12 inches. The retort minimizes the amount of oxygen within the chamber by purging with nitrogen. To ensure quick heating and low heat storage, the box furnace utilizes a vacuum-formed ceramic fiber insulation.
The furnace includes an alloy hearth plate and is heated by retained alloy resistive elements positioned on the roof, floor, and both sidewalls to surround the workspace. The unit features a double side hinged insulated door plug that keeps the inner hot surface away from the operator when the doors are opened. A door limit switch is in place for power cutoff when opening the doors to charge or unload the work.
"The modular, stackable, and space saving design of the Treet-All makes this box furnace an ideal solution for any workspace," says Jason Dobberstein, Sales Engineer
Unique features of this Treet-All Box Furnace include:
• Vacuum formed ceramic fiber modules with low heat storage for fast heat up rates
• Prewired, side mounted, forced air-cooled control console
• Programmable temperature controller with 256 steps and 40 profiles available for ramp and soak programs
Lindberg MPH, Riverside, Mich., has shipped an atmosphere box furnace to a leading supplier of the medical device industry for heat treating parts.
Continue readingMaterion supplies beryllium for retrofit of Belgium’s nuclear test reactor
October 13, 2016 Source:
Materion Corp., Mayfield Heights, Ohio, reports that beryllium components supplied by Materion Performance Alloys and Composites are helping Belgium's BR2 nuclear test reactor to continue operation and contribute to the world's supply of radiopharmaceuticals. The BR2 reactor plays an important role in producing materials for nuclear medicine and accounts for nearly one quarter of the world's production of radiopharmaceuticals used for medical nuclear imaging.
Materion's beryllium rods and reflectors were needed to refurbish critical components in Belgium's BR2 nuclear test reactor. These components are used in many test reactors because beryllium, with its low atomic number and weight, is the most efficient neutron donor of any metallic element. In order to function, nuclear reactors need a concentration of neutrons in the core. These neutrons are created by the uranium in the nuclear fuel, but at an energy not useful for the reactor. Beryllium is capable of reducing the neutron energy and multiplying the neutrons so the compact reactor core keeps running. These unique properties make beryllium the material of choice for nuclear test components at the heart of research reactors.
In 2013, operators of Belgium's nuclear research center (SCK-CEN), asked Materion to facilitate the production and fabrication of beryllium irradiation channels required for the 55-year-old reactor's retrofit project. Launched in 2014, the successful two-year project was completed on June 1, 2016, as the reactor became fully operational once again.
"BR2 is a major supplier of radioisotopes, and the global medical community relies heavily on its production to diagnose and treat cancer as well as many other medical conditions," said W. Glenn Maxwell, President, Materion Performance Alloys and Composites. "It was essential for us to produce high quality materials and deliver them on time to SCK-CEN so they could keep supply available to meet demand."
The photo shows beryllium reflector rods made by Materion shining through the center of the partly assembled mock-up for the BR2 matrix refurbishment.
Beyond SCK-CEN, Materion supplies a number of nuclear test reactors, for both materials research and medical isotope production. New applications, refurbishments, and upgrades to other reactors are scheduled over this year and into 2017, including the RP-10 Reactor in Peru.
Materion Corp., Mayfield Heights, Ohio, reports that beryllium components supplied by Materion Performance Alloys and Composites are helping Belgium’s BR2 nuclear test reactor to continue operation and contribute to the world’s supply of radiopharmaceuticals.
Continue readingTitanium 2016 conference to focus on world demand trends
August 24, 2016 Source:
The International Titanium Association, Northglenn, Colo., announces that the Titanium 2016 conference and exhibition will focus on the global titanium industry. The event will be held September 25th - 28th at the J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge Golf Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, providing nearly 1000 attendees with valuable insights, timely information and networking opportunities in the global titanium industry.
The conference will host numerous speaker sessions to address titanium business trends and manufacturing technology innovations, along with presentations by a number of accomplished individuals. Special guest speakers include Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis at the Teal Group; Allan McArtor, the chairman and chief executive officer of Airbus Group Inc.; award-winning author, journalist and international correspondent Robin Wright; American inventor and electrical vehicle pioneer William Morrison (Chip) Yates, who serves as vice president of marketing for Norsk Titanium; and pilot, author and photographer Brian Shul, one of only 93 men in history to fly the legendary, titanium-intensive SR-71 spy plane, the fastest jet ever built.
Henry Seiner will deliver a presentation on "Trends in the Defense Market: A Titanium Perspective," as a member of the World Titanium Industry Demand Trends segment. Henry will address aerospace, marine and land-based titanium applications and their market drivers. Seiner will frame his remarks in the larger scope of defense budgets and increasing global tensions. China and United States continue to have the world's two largest defense budgets. However, the gap is closing as the U.S. defense budget declined for the fifth consecutive year in a row and its ratio of outspending China has dropped from 10:1 to 3:1 in the last decade. The decline in value of the euro, the ruble and the price of oil has caused a shake-up of ranking for the remaining top 15 military spenders.
The International Titanium Association, Northglenn, Colo., announces that the Titanium 2016 conference and exhibition will focus on the global titanium industry.
Continue readingBodycote Ipswich heat treating facility earns MedAccred status
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Bodycote, England, announces that its facility in Ipswich, Mass., has earned MedAccred accreditation, underlining its high standards of quality.
MedAccred, administered by the Performance Review Institute (PRI), is an industry-managed approach to ensuring critical manufacturing process quality throughout the medical device supply chain. It establishes stringent consensus audit criteria based on industry and specific OEM requirements that ensure compliance and quality. Adherence to these requirements leads to greater process discipline, operational efficiency and ongoing improvement which results in higher quality and performance.
Strategically located in New England, Bodycote's plant in Ipswich is fast becoming a center of excellence for the region's medical device and implants market, offering heat treatment services to process and strengthen medical implants, surgical and dental tools, and other medical devices. The plant's close proximity to Bodycote's hot isostatic pressing (HIP) plant in Andover makes it an ideal source for a complete thermal processing solution.
Bodycote continues to invest in new capacity and technology to support opportunities within the growing medical industry for classic heat treatment and HIP, along with its Specialty Stainless Steel Processes (S3P) in North America. For Bodycote, the benefits of MedAccred to the supplier are evident. The process provides for consistent and standardized critical process audits, which result in fewer redundant onsite audits by multiple OEMs and first tier customers. The MedAccred certification reinforces customer confidence in Bodycote as a premier quality provider of heat treating.
Bodycote, England, announces that its facility in Ipswich, Mass., has earned MedAccred accreditation, underlining its high standards of quality.
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 readingAdvanced Heat Treat completes Phase I of plasma nitriding evaluation
May 21, 2016 Source:
Advanced Heat Treat Corp. (AHT), Waterloo, Iowa, announces that it has completed Phase I of a grant to evaluate plasma nitriding for improved life of forging dies by generating a hard case on tribological surfaces. AHT, along with Ohio State University's Manufacturing Research Group, received a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration SBIR Program and the Defense Technical Information Center. The grant was issued in August 2015 to research "Plasma Enhanced Nanostructures for Improved Life of Forging Dies," and Phase I was completed on April 30th, 2016.
Forging die failure affects the entire economy of forging companies, including the cost of tooling, repair, press downtimes, and production lead times, to name a few. According to a recent survey, as the batch sizes increase, machine setup costs go down (economy of scale); however, tooling costs rise.
This technological challenge is the prime driver for this proposed research, where plasma-enhanced nanostructured surface treatments will be explored to increase die life by up to five times its current life. Plasma nitriding is widely used to generate a hard case on engineering surfaces for enhanced performance of many tribological components.
Recently, this process has found wider applications in advanced surfaces in aerospace, electronics, and power systems for corrosion protection. In addition, plasma nitrided surfaces are being investigated for the emerging areas of alternate power generation such as fuel cells, and in human implants. The potential impact of this research is not only in the current fields of application, but also in the emerging areas vital to the energy and industrial future of our country.
A summary of the Phase I findings was issued to the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for their review. Those interested in a full copy of the summary should contact Advanced Heat Treat Corp. at 319-232-5221 or submit requests online at www.ahtweb.com using a "quick contact" form.
Advanced Heat Treat Corp. (AHT), Waterloo, Iowa, announces that it has completed Phase I of a grant to evaluate plasma nitriding for improved life of forging dies by generating a hard case on tribological surfaces.
Continue readingSolar Atmospheres receives first MedAccred re-accreditation
April 13, 2016 Source:
Solar Atmospheres Inc., Souderton,Pa., announces that it has become the first company to receive MedAccred critical process re-accreditation. Furthermore, the company expanded its scope of accreditation to include Hardness Testing and Metallography & Microindentation Hardness. MedAccred is an industry-managed critical process supply chain oversight program developed by leading medical device companies to improve device quality and enhance patient safety.
The effort to establish MedAccred began in 2010 when the Performance Review Institute (PRI) was asked to consider the development of a Nadcap style special process supplier accreditation program for the medical device industry.
An industry roundtable was organized and convened in 2012 among interested medical device companies and PRI. Following this roundtable meeting, briefings were held with the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health's (CDRH) Office of Compliance and the FDA's Office of Global Operations within the Office of the Commissioner. The program purpose and scope was discussed, along with the results of proof of concept audits conducted to demonstrate the program's viability. The FDA provided positive feedback and strong encouragement to pursue the development of the program.
By 2014, several critical process Task Groups were operating on a formal basis. Program documents were drafted, circulated, and approved by the executives of the participating companies, and audit criteria had been published in several critical process areas. Solar Atmospheres committed to hosting the first MedAccred audit. In early 2015, the first MedAccred critical process accreditation was issued to Solar Atmospheres or Heat Treating.
Today's functioning critical process Task Groups include Cable & Wire Harnesses, Heat Treating, Plastics Injection Molding, Printed Circuit Board Assemblies, Sterilization, and Welding. The industry-managed task groups develop audit criteria, conduct audits, and award MedAccred Critical Process Accreditations to leading suppliers at all tiers in the Medical Device Supply Chain. Many companies are seeking MedAccred Accreditation to demonstrate their commitment to quality and patient safety.
Future MedAccred Task Groups under consideration for development include Material Testing Laboratories, Assemblies, PCBs, Batteries, Chemical Processing, NDT, Cleaning, Coating, Optics, and Packaging.
Active OEM and Contract Manufacturer participants include Johnson & Johnson, Philips, Stryker, GE Healthcare, Medtronic, NYPRO Jabil, Steris, etc. The list of participating suppliers is growing steadily.
Solar Atmospheres Inc., Souderton, Pa., announces that it has become the first company to receive MedAccred critical process re-accreditation, an industry-managed critical process supply chain oversight program developed by leading medical device companies to improve device quality and enhance patient safety.
Continue readingAmorphous steel powder metallurgy alloy has highest impact resistance
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The University of California San Diego announces that a team of engineers has developed and tested SAM2X5-630, a type of amorphous steel with a record-breaking ability to withstand impact without deforming permanently. To make the solid materials that comprise the alloy, Prof. Olivia Graeve and her team first mixed iron and other powders in a graphite mold. The powders were then pressurized at 100 MPa or 1000 atmospheres, and exposed to a powerful current of 10,000 amperes at 1165°F during a process called spark plasma sintering.
The process creates an amorphous structure that contains small crystalline regions that are only a few nanometers in size. Researchers believe that these small regions are key to the material's ability to withstand stress. This finding is promising because it shows that the properties of metallic glasses can be fine-tuned to overcome shortcomings such as brittleness, which have prevented them from becoming commercially applicable on a large scale.
Researchers at the University of Southern California, led by Prof. Veronica Eliasson, tested how the alloy responds to shock without undergoing permanent deformation by hitting samples of the material with copper plates fired from a gas gun at 500 to 1300 meters per second. The material did deform on impact, but not permanently.
The Hugoniot Elastic Limit is defined as the maximum shock a material can take without irreversibly deforming. The limit of a 1.5-1.8 mm-thick piece of SAM2X5-630 was measured at 11.76 GPa. By comparison, stainless steel has an elastic limit of 0.2 GPa, while that of tungsten carbide is 4.5 GPa.
The primary focus of future research efforts on these alloys is increasing the weight of the materials to make them more resistant to impacts.
In addition to Prof. Graeve and Prof. Eliasson, co-authors include Prof. Gauri R. Khanolkar and Prof. Andrea M. Hodge at USC, Prof.Michael B. Rauls at Caltech, and Prof. James Kelly from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UC San Diego.
This research was supported by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, grant HDTRA1-11-1-0067.
The full study "Shock Wave Response of Iron-based In Situ Metallic Glass Matrix Composites," published on March 2, can be found online at http://www.nature.com/articles/srep22568
The University of California San Diego announces that a team of engineers has developed and tested SAM2X5-630, a type of amorphous steel with a record-breaking ability to withstand impact without deforming permanently.
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