Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. acquires Arcelor Mittal USA for its automotive and other markets
September 30, 2020 Source: ASM International
Cleveland Cliffs Inc. announces that it has entered into a definitive agreement with ArcelorMittal S.A., in which Cleveland-Cliffs will acquire substantially all of the operations of ArcelorMittal USA LLC and its subsidiaries for approximately $1.4 billion.
Continue readingGrupo Mess becomes exclusive Buehler distributor for metallographic and hardness equipment in Mexico
January 22, 2020 Source: ASM International
Buehler, an ITW Company, Lake Bluff, Ill., announces a partnership with Grupo Mess, Queretaro City, Mexico, a leading Mexico supplier of scientific equipment and services specializing in metrology. The partnership provides local support to Buehler customers and other manufacturers for all their metallographic product and service needs.
Continue readingDante Solutions heat treatment software models press quenching parameters of a bevel gear
January 7, 2020 Source: ASM International
Engineers from Dante Solutions, Cleveland, discussed the modeling process for press quenching of a bevel gear made of carburized AISI 9310 at the ASM International Heat Treat 2019 conference in Detroit.
Continue readingOne Minute Mentor: Duplex hardening of bearing steels
October 14, 2019 Source: ASM International
Duplex hardening of M-50 and M50NiL provides a hard, wear-resistant surface that exhibits high damage tolerance and damage resistance to hard-particle contamination.
Continue readingSuper Systems completes heat treating modernization of Milacron manufacturing facility
August 16, 2019 Source:
SuperSystems Inc., Cincinnati, recently completed major upgrades to the heat treating assets at Milacron LLC in Mt. Orab, Ohio, installing the latest furnaces and equipment, state-of-the-art controls, and modern SCADA infrastructure.
Included in the scope of work were new control cabinets, atmosphere flow panels, SCADA software, and a new ammonia dissociator. Equipment addressed as part of the upgrade were two pit nitriders, two pit tempers, a pit carburizer, an integral quench furnace, a batch temper furnace, an oil quench system, and the new ammonia dissociator with controls.
All furnaces are capable of running recipes to automate processes, creating an easy to use interface for operators. The furnaces are centrally controlled and operated using the SuperDATA SCADA package, which provides proof of process and quick access to real-time and historical process and load data.
“We enabled gas flow control with our eFlo product line, recipe controls with our 9205 and 9215 products, and data acquisition with SuperDATA,†says “Bob Fincken, National Sales Manager with Super Systems. “All the installation and project management were carried out by our Field Engineering Team.â€
Super Systems Inc., based in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been developing and manufacturing products for the thermal processing industry since 1995. SSi’s products include probes, analyzers, flow meters, controllers, software solutions, and engineered systems. With over 100 years of combined experience, SSi continues to satisfy industry demands with innovative technology, enabling customers to be more efficient and to produce higher quality products.
Milacron is the only global company with a full-line product portfolio that includes hot runner systems, injection molding, mold components and extrusion equipment plus a wide market range of advanced fluid technologies.
SuperSystems Inc., Cincinnati, recently completed major upgrades to the heat treating assets at Milacron LLC in Mt. Orab, Ohio, installing the latest furnaces and equipment, state-of-the-art controls, and modern SCADA infrastructure.
Continue readingOne Minute Mentor: Dimensional Stability in Through-Hardening Bearing Steels
June 27, 2019 Source:
Dimensional stability is a bearing condition of great concern. This means heat treating is conducted to prevent excessive diametral growth in the bearing due to retained austenite transforming to martensite at elevated or subzero service temperatures, or shrinkage due to continued tempering of the martensite at high service temperatures.
Because the entire microstructure of a through-hardening bearing steel is intended to be uniform, it has a homogeneously distributed retained austenite content. If the retained austenite transforms to martensite in service, clearances between bearing rolling elements and raceways can be lost, and the bearing can “lock up,†leading to damage or failure of the machine. This is especially critical for larger diameter bearings, because the size change (diametral growth) is proportionally larger and consumes more of the clearances built into the bearing.
To prevent this, the amount of retained austenite must be carefully measured and controlled. Percent retained austenite in a bearing steel often is accurately measured using x-ray diffraction techniques.The heat treatment of 52100 bearing steel must be controlled to produce a level of retained austenite that the bearing can tolerate in service. This often is considered to be <10% for most applications (nonstabilized) and <3% (stabilized) for superprecision applications.
Figure 2 shows that austenitizing temperature and tempering temperature can be tailored to produce low amounts of retained austenite in the finished bearing. Indeed, the 232 °C (450 °F) A tempering temperature of 230 °C (450 °F) is particularly effective in transforming any retained austenite to tempered martensite. The international standard DIN 623 Rolling Bearings provides a guide for tempering 52100 to achieve adequate dimensional stability at specific service temperatures.
For more information, click on the link below (subscription required), then scroll down the Chapter Contents on the left of the page, and click on Dimensional Stability in Through-Hardening Bearing Steels.
https://dl.asminternational.org/handbooks/book/9/chapter/110017/Heat-Treatment-of-Bearings
Dimensional stability is a bearing condition of great concern. This means heat treating is conducted to prevent excessive diametral growth in the bearing due to retained austenite transforming to martensite at elevated or subzero service temperatures, or shrinkage due to continued tempering of the martensite at high service temperatures.
Continue readingArconic to invest $100 million to expand aluminum hot-mill capability in Tennessee
February 14, 2019 Source:
Arconic Inc., New York, announces an investment of approximately $100 million to expand its hot-mill capability and add downstream equipment capabilities to manufacture industrial and automotive aluminum products in its Tennessee Operations facility near Knoxville.
Customer commitments for the majority of the anticipated increase in capacity are already in place, and the remainder is expected to be filled by projected customer demand. The expansion, which is expected to create 70 new jobs, is already underway and is expected to be complete by the fourth quarter of 2020.
“This investment will add capacity to meet growing demand for industrial products and automotive aluminum sheet,†says Tim Myers, President of Arconic’s Global Rolled Products business. “With this expansion, we are further diversifying the portfolio of one of our largest North American facilities.â€
The industrial market consists of products made with common alloy aluminum sheet, which is used in applications for commercial transportation, appliances, machinery, and construction.
In the automotive market, aluminum is used in applications from bumper to bumper, and demand for automotive aluminum sheet in North America is expected to double in the next ten years, according to a report published in July 2017 by independent research firm Ducker Worldwide. Arconic’s expansion of the Tennessee facility’s capacity continues its growth strategy which originated with its $300 million expansion (completed in 2015) to capture growing demand for automotive aluminum sheet.
Arconic Inc., New York, announces an investment of approximately $100 million to expand its hot-mill capability and add downstream equipment capabilities to manufacture industrial and automotive aluminum products in its Tennessee Operations facility near Knoxville.
Continue readingNanosteel spins out 3D printing business to commercialize steel alloy powders
September 21, 2018 Source:
Nanosteel Corp., Providence, announces the spinout of its additive manufacturing business unit into a new corporation named Formetrix. Led by an industrial leader in additive manufacturing and including investors Cycad Group and SPDG, Formetrix closed its Series A capital raise to accelerate the commercialization of Formetrix steel alloys for 3D printing processes.
Over the past four years, the team has developed novel alloys with exceptional material properties that current 3D printable or metal injection molded alloys do not offer. Leveraging NanoSteel’s decade long expertise in patented steel alloy design, Formetrix metal powder portfolio provides an attractive combination of benefits such as higher hardness, higher ductility, and higher wear resistance than existing alternatives.
The company’s initial industry focus is on materials for hot and cold forming tool and dies (i.e. molding, casting and stamping) within the automotive, oil and gas, and heavy machinery markets. Formetrix patented BLDRmetal powders use conventional steel alloying elements in novel ratios to create a powder platform well suited to the stresses experienced in most additive manufacturing processes.
“Formetrix was formed to provide new, high performance steel alloys to accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing within the tool and die and aluminum die cast industries,†says NanoSteel President and CEO David Paratore. “Growth in these sectors has been limited in part to the lack of suitable materials, and we believe we have developed excellent new options.â€
Nanosteel Corp., Providence, announces the spinout of its additive manufacturing business unit into a new corporation named Formetrix.
Continue readingSpecialty Steel Works invests in advanced process technologies at its Indiana bar plant
September 14, 2018 Source:
Specialty Steel Works Inc., Hammond, Ind., announces a multimillion dollar investment in new high-performance equipment and infrastructure at its Niagara LaSalle Corporation Cold Finish Steel facility in Hammond. The investment will enhance the Hammond facility's operating capabilities and make it the most modern bar-to-bar operation in North America. The Hammond facility processes cold finished steel bars in a wide range of sizes, shapes, grades, finishes and tolerances for a myriad of customer applications, predominately in the transportation, industrial equipment, and agriculture markets.
Joel Hawthorne, Chief Executive Officer of SSWI said: "We continually look for innovative solutions to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our manufacturing platform to achieve high quality, low cost production and superior customer service. The multimillion dollar investment is transformative to our Company and is part of a strategy to build a sustainable portfolio of assets across the Company's operational footprint. Our ability to find innovative solutions is a competitive advantage that helps position the Company for future growth."
Michael Salamon President and Chief Operating Officer of SSWI stated: "This investment demonstrates our commitment to leading edge processing and production efficiencies in order to always be in the best position to respond to our customers' changing needs. Innovation and process automation move SSWI into a market leadership position and we will continue to look for ways to meet our customers' stringent demands through enhancement of our processing capabilities, operational excellence and customer-centric culture." Salamon also noted, "In conjunction with our industry-leading coil-to-bar operation at Corey Steel, this investment solidifies our position as the low cost, high quality provider of engineered specialty steel solutions in North America."
The Hammond facility is the largest single site for cold drawn capacity in North America. The new equipment will be phased in over the next twelve months. This investment will enhance the long-term viability of this facility.
www.specialtysteelworks.com
Specialty Steel Works Inc., Hammond, Ind., announces a multimillion dollar investment in new high-performance equipment and infrastructure at its Niagara LaSalle Corporation Cold Finish Steel facility in Hammond.
Continue readingWieland Metals $25 million expansion to double its U.S. metal tube production
July 11, 2018 Source: ASM International
Wieland Metals Inc., Wheeling, Ill., recently announced plans for a $25 million expansion to build a new 110,000-square-foot plant on 11 acres outside Chicago, creating an estimated 65 new jobs.
Continue reading