Ford heat treatment nearly doubles strength of aluminum parts in Ford F-150
May 28, 2014
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Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Mich., says that the aluminum door panels and box panels in its new Ford F-150 pickup truck are more resistant to dents than the previous steel panels. The reason is said to be the high-strength 6000-series aluminum alloys in the panels, which are heat treated using proprietary technology "that nearly doubles the strength." Starting with the signature fully boxed frame, Ford engineers increased the use of high-strength 70,000-psi steel from 23% to 77% of the frame. This improves stiffness and durability while reducing weight. The new frame is up to 60 pounds lighter than the previous frame.
Thanks to its high-strength military-grade aluminum-alloy body, coupled with the high-strength steel frame, the all-new F-150 is nearly 700 pounds lighter, resulting in increased towing and hauling capability and better efficiency.
"Our objective was to find materials that allowed us to design the truck to be as tough – or tougher – than the current model, yet could help it be hundreds of pounds lighter for better capability and fuel economy," said Pete Friedman, manager, Ford manufacturing research. "Out of all the materials we tested, we carefully selected only certain grades of aluminum that met our high performance standards in all of our tests, while allowing us to trim hundreds of pounds from the truck."
Ford engineers have also filed patent applications for spot welding methods, adhesives, and hydroforming.
www.media.ford.com.
Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Mich., says that the aluminum door panels and box panels in its new Ford F-150 pickup truck are more resistant to dents than the previous steel panels.
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Metal Technology to build precision parts via additive manufacturing
May 19, 2014
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Metal Technology Inc., Albany, Ore., has purchased a ProX 300 Direct Metal Sintering production 3D printer to build precision functional metal parts layer by layer with metal powder. The powder is melted by a powerful 500-watt laser to exact geometry dictated by 3D CAD models. Parts are built in an argon environment at elevated temperatures, resulting in high-purity stress-relieved components with material properties better than cast and comparable to those of wrought material.
The company will initially focus on building geometries from 17-4 stainless steel, titanium, Inconel, and molybdenum, and their future plans include testing of other alloy powders including tantalum, niobium, and tungsten
"The ProX 300 is a complementary technology to our existing deep draw and precision machining capability and will allow us to offer an even broader range of unique solutions to our customers," says Gary Cosmer, CEO of Metal Technology. "We intend to leverage our experience working with exotic reactive and refractory metals for over forty years to create additive manufacturing parameters that will allow us to offer significant savings in cost, weight, and time for a number of our customer projects."
www.mtialbany.com
Metal Technology Inc., Albany, Ore., has purchased a ProX 300 Direct Metal Sintering production 3D printer to build precision functional metal parts layer by layer with metal powder.
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Severstal to sell its steel plants in Michigan and Mississippi
May 13, 2014
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Severstal, Russia, reportedly plans to sell its North American steel operations in Mississippi and Michigan for about $1.5 billion. According to the Wall Street Journal, at least two potential buyers have expressed interest. U.S. Steel is said to be most interested in Severstal's Dearborn mill, which supplies long steel coils to auto makers in Detroit.
Severstal bought the Dearborn plant in 2003 from Rouge Industries for $285.5 million. It has spent over $1 billion upgrading the facility. Severstal's plant in Columbus, Miss., is a minimill that makes steel from scrap.
Brazil's CSN, which recently lost a bid to buy a plant in Alabama from ThyssenKrupp AG, has reportedly expressed interest in buying both assets.
A successful sale of the two plants would leave no Severstal plants in the United States. In 2011, Severstal sold three unprofitable U.S. plants—in Maryland, Ohio, and West Virginia—to family-owned Renco Group Inc.
Severstal, Russia, reportedly plans to sell its North American steel operations in Mississippi and Michigan for about $1.5 billion.
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SSAB high strength steels and wear plates meet all requirements for laser cutting
April 30, 2014
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SSAB, Sweden, reports that both its Hardox and Domex high-strength steels meet all demands for laser cutting and can be processed with the same cutting parameters as unalloyed steel grades such as S235. All Hardox and Domex steels can be perfectly laser cut because of their consistent steel properties, tight thickness tolerances, outstanding flatness, and surface finish, as well as optimized chemical composition. The high steel quality also allows for smaller radii and ensures accurate results when bending.
"Contrary to popular belief, a laser beam has the same effect regardless of whether a material is soft or hard," explains Anders Ivarson, a thermal cutting and welding specialist at the SSAB Knowledge Service Center. Since a laser beam is bundled light made up of a certain wavelength, it does not matter whether the light is directed at a hard or a soft steel, the material is heated regardless.
"For example, the melting temperature of our High Strength Steel Domex 700 is exactly the same as that of S235GR, which includes no alloying elements of any kind. This is why a laser cutting machine with the same parameters can cut Domex 355, 420 or 700 equally well," explains Mr. Ivarson.
The experiences of Bystronic, one of the leading manufacturers of laser cutting machines also confirms this. "During our in-house exhibition, we processed Hardox and Domex exclusively and were able to show around 900 visitors from 50 countries that it is possible to cut and bend this material perfectly, even in larger thicknesses. Currently there is still a certain level of reluctance by our customers to use such high strength material – but without cause," says Mario Duppenthaler, Product Manager Laser & Automation at Bystronic.
www.ssab.com
SSAB, Sweden, reports that both its Hardox and Domex high-strength steels meet all demands for laser cutting and can be processed with the same cutting parameters as unalloyed steel grades such as S235.
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Zimmer to acquire Biomet in transaction valued at $13.35 billion
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Zimmer Holdings Inc. and Biomet Inc., both of Warsaw, Ind., have approved a definitive agreement under which Zimmer will acquire Biomet in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $13.35 billion, including the assumption of net debt. The merger will position the combined company as a leader in the $45 billion musculoskeletal industry and is aligned with Zimmer's strategic framework, which focuses on growth, operational excellence, and prudent capital allocation.
The combined company is expected to deliver attractive growth by offering a more comprehensive and scalable portfolio of solutions with enhanced cross-selling opportunities. In addition, the combined company is expected to advance innovation to benefit healthcare stakeholders, and stockholders are expected to benefit from a more diversified and predictable revenue mix consistent with the comprehensive portfolio.
Upon closing, the transaction is expected to be double-digit accretive to Zimmer's adjusted diluted earnings per share in the first year. Cash flows from operations are expected to increase by 1.5 times Zimmer's stand-alone estimates.
"This is a milestone combination that brings together two highly complementary organizations and is consistent with our mission to lead the industry in delivering value to healthcare providers, their patients and stockholders," said David Dvorak, Zimmer President and CEO. "The transaction positions the combined company as a leader in the musculoskeletal industry with a broad portfolio of products, technologies and services, enabling us to help shape how solutions are developed and delivered.
According to Jeffrey R. Binder, Biomet's President and Chief Executive Officer, "The combination with Zimmer will prepare us to compete as a stronger entity in the medical device industry of the future. Our combined scale will extend the reach and influence with which we pursue our common passion: delivering products and services that benefit our customers and the patients we ultimately serve."
www.zimmer.com
Zimmer Holdings Inc. and Biomet Inc., both of Warsaw, Ind., have approved a definitive agreement under which Zimmer will acquire Biomet in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $13.35 billion, including the assumption of net debt.
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Duplex stainless steel yacht is lighter than aluminum
April 22, 2014
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Sandvik Materials Technology, Sweden, has built a prototype stainless steel yacht manufactured entirely of Sandvik SAF 2507 duplex stainless steel. Construction is based on a thin hull with internal ship-length reinforcements. It is lighter than traditional aluminum boats, and consumes half as much fuel. SAF 2507 provides excellent corrosion properties and very high mechanical strength. It is particularly well-suited for service in aggressive environments such as warm chlorinated seawater and acidic, chloride-containing media.
Suitable for service in highly corrosive conditions and where high strength is required, the properties of Sandvik SAF 2507 are being widely used in offshore oil and gas exploration and production, and in heat exchangers in petrochemical and chemical processing. The grade is also a good choice for hydraulic and instrumentation applications in tropical marine environments.
The external surface is manufactured and delivered under license from Outokumpu, while Sandvik delivers the boat's details, such as strip steel for hull reinforcements, welding wire, tubes, and propeller-shaft rods.
www.smt.sandvik.com
Sandvik Materials Technology, Sweden, has built a prototype stainless steel yacht manufactured entirely of Sandvik SAF 2507 duplex stainless steel.
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Global stainless steel production for third quarter 2013 was all-time high
February 26, 2014
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Preliminary figures released by the International Stainless Steel Forum, Brussels, show that global stainless crude steel production increased by 5.5% for the first nine months of 2013 year-over-year. Production for the first nine months of 2013 totaled 28 million metric tons (mmt), up 1.4 mmt in comparison to the same period of 2012. Production for the third quarter 2013 was 9.3 mmt, a new all–time third quarter high. However, significant differences in regional development prevail.
Asia, excluding China, recorded a stainless crude steel production of 6.5 mmt during quarters 1–3 of 2013, corresponding to a year-over-year decrease of 1.4%. The development of this region shows a mixed picture ranging from +5% (India) to -6% (Taiwan, China). In the PR of China stainless steel production increased by 1.9 mmt or +15.7% to 13.7 mmt during the first nine months in comparison to 2012. China now accounts for roughly half of global production.
The development of Western Europe/Africa was distinctly different with a year-over-year decrease of 5.6% (-0.336 mmt) and a total stainless steel production of 5.7 mmt for the first nine months of 2013. Here too the development is heterogeneous, fluctuating from +1 to +3% in Belgium and France, to double digit negative values in Italy and Germany, with the UK trailing behind at -15%.
Stainless steel production in the Americas for the first three quarters of 2013 is stable in comparison to last year at 1.8 mmt, with an upward trend during this period. Central and Eastern Europe display a strong growth at +8% and 0.30 mmt, up from 0.27 mmt.
http://www.worldstainless.org/news/show/1618
Preliminary figures released by the International Stainless Steel Forum, Brussels, show that global stainless crude steel production increased by +5.5% for the first nine months of 2013 year-over-year.
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Materion introduces zirconium-base metallic glass alloys
February 19, 2014
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Materion Corp., Mayfield Heights, Ohio, has introduced a bulk metallic glass product line based on zirconium. Also known as Vitreloy, or Liquidmetal alloys, they are now available from Materion in volume quantities. Bulk metallic glasses are amorphous alloys derived from unique alloy combinations whose disparate atoms retain a random structure when they solidify. As a result, these alloys can be formed into a finished product as if they were plastic.
Amorphous alloys have unique properties, including very high specific strength (often twice that of titanium and stainless steel), relatively high hardness (> 50 Rc), high elastic range (~2%), and unparalleled corrosion resistance. Amorphous alloys often enable lower production costs because they require fewer steps than conventional crystallline metals.
Liquidmetal Technologies Inc. Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., is a leading developer of bulk metallic glass technology. Materion is a Certified Liquidmetal Partner (CLP) for the production of BMGs. Materion's BMG alloys are also available for Liquidmetal and its licensees under their respective Liquidmetal alloy trade names, LM1b, LM105, LM601, and LM106a.
www.materion.com
Materion Corp., Mayfield Heights, Ohio, has introduced a bulk metallic glass product line based on zirconium.
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Allegheny Technologies acquires Dynamic Flowform for capabilities in the aerospace and oil/gas industries
February 12, 2014
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Allegheny Technologies Inc., Pittsburgh, has acquired Dynamic Flowform Corp., Billerica, Mass., which fabricates thin-walled tubular components in net or near-net shapes by a precision flowforming process. Multiple alloy systems are flowformed, including nickel-base alloys and superalloys, titanium and titanium alloys, zirconium alloys, and specialty and stainless alloys. Major markets are Aerospace and Defense, and Oil and Gas/Chemical Process Industry.
Some examples of Dynamic Flowform's major products include: airframe and jet engine components, and oil and gas drilling and completion tools from hollows.
"The acquisition of Dynamic Flowform is consistent with our strategy to create value by expanding our capabilities to produce specialty materials parts and components," said Rich Harshman, ATI's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Dynamic Flowform is a technology leader in the manufacture of unique parts and components using the alloy systems that are core competencies of ATI. The innovative and entrepreneurial Fonte family established Dynamic Flowform and has successfully operated and grown the business for nearly 40 years. We are pleased and proud to welcome Matt and Nick Fonte to the ATI team."
"This acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to ATI," he says. "We have identified significant growth opportunities for Dynamic Flowform's products, especially in the Aerospace and Oil and Gas markets. These opportunities are expected to benefit from ATI's existing global marketing and sales capabilities, and ATI's supply chain experience and relationships with OEMs."
www.ATImetals.com
Allegheny Technologies Inc., Pittsburgh, has acquired Dynamic Flowform Corp., Billerica, Mass., which fabricates thin-walled tubular components in net or near-net shapes by a precision flowforming process.
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IBC Advanced Alloys to collaborate with Nu-Cast on Be-Al investment casting projects for aerospace
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IBC Advanced Alloys Corp., Vancouver, has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Nu-Cast Inc., Londonderry, N.H., to collaborate on new beryllium-aluminum investment casting projects and opportunities, initially for the aerospace sector. The goal is to increase manufacturing capacity and improve production efficiencies of IBC's proprietary near-net-shape beryllium-aluminum castings.
The two companies have identified opportunities for beryllium aluminum castings to support future growth. Nu-Cast has extensive experience with aluminum investment castings that will complement IBC's beryllium aluminum casting expertise. Pursuant to the MOU, the parties will initially evaluate and develop opportunities to expand IB-EMC's proprietary Beralcast alloys for aerospace applications.
The parties will also focus on joint business development initiatives aimed at increasing market share for IBC's castings, which offer significant cost savings and improved delivery times compared to the existing production methods.
"Nu-Cast has successfully served the aerospace sector for almost three decades and is an excellent complement to IBC's technology and corporate vision," said Don McKitterick, President of Nu-Cast. "By combining IBC's propriety and cost effective castings with Nu-Cast's manufacturing and marketing experience, we believe there is enormous potential for growth and we look forward to working with IBC on this opportunity."
Beralcast alloys can be used in virtually any high performance application requiring complex, lightweight and high-stiffness parts and can be substituted for aluminum, magnesium, titanium, metal matrix composites as well as pure beryllium or powder metallurgy beryllium-aluminum. Beralcast's principal alloys are more than three times stiffer than aluminum with 22% less weight and can be precision-cast for simple and complex three-dimensional stability. These high-modulus alloys are ideal for high-performance industrial and high-tech components, as well as for a wide range of aerospace applications.
www.ibcadvancedalloys.com
IBC Advanced Alloys Corp., Vancouver, has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Nu-Cast Inc., Londonderry, N.H., to collaborate on new beryllium-aluminum investment casting projects and opportunities, initially for the aerospace sector.
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