Laser shock peening improves fatigue and durability of aircraft structures
May 20, 2015
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The University of Cincinnati reports that its researchers and Airbus engineers have developed a laser shock peening technology in which several lasers simultaneously focus beams of infrared light on sections of aluminum, titanium, or nickel-base superalloy components. The laser beams deeply compress and change the structure, altering the physical and mechanical properties and increasing strength, durability, and corrosion resistance.
When the metal is processed, a ridged, geometric grid patterns its surface; that's the section of the sample that is enhanced for fatigue and corrosion resistance. Each sample goes through a rigorous series of manipulations and tests for stress, heat, and environmental effects. Structural and chemical properties are assessed right down to its nanostructure.
UC is said to be the only university in the United States to offer LSP for use in research and development and prototyping efforts through the Ohio Center for Laser Shock Processing for Advanced Materials and Devices. The center was recently established with a $3 million grant from the State of Ohio Third Frontier Program. General Electric, which developed and patented the process, gifted its original equipment and know-how to the university in 2005.
"Critical aircraft components are subjected in service to high stresses, fatigue, and corrosion. We hypothesize that the LSP processes impart deep, compressive, residual stresses to these components, strengthening the metal in a very deliberate way, which makes it less likely to fail," explains S.R. ‘Manny' Mannava, professor in the department of mechanical and materials engineering in the College of Engineering and Applied Science.
"When we have confirmed that the metal itself won't fail due to fatigue, cracking, or corrosion, we will fortify huge pieces of metal for use in prototypes and, eventually, mass production," says Vijay K. Vasudevan, professor in the department of mechanical and materials engineering in the College of Engineering and Applied Science. "We will also conduct basic research to understand the effects of the process on material behavior, in order to optimize the process for specific future applications."
http://www.uc.edu
http://www.ucri.org
The University of Cincinnati reports that its researchers and Airbus engineers have developed a laser shock peening technology in which several lasers simultaneously focus beams of infrared light on sections of aluminum, titanium, or nickel-base superalloy components.
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Ipsen TurboTreater heat treats castings for aerospace applications
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Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., recently shipped a horizontal TurboTreater vacuum furnace with two-bar gas quenching to a metal-casting company in Texas. This specific TurboTreater features a 36 x 36 x 48-inch graphite hot zone with a carbon steel gas distribution plenum and a 3000-pound load capacity. It operates at temperatures of 1000 to 2400°F, with ±10°F temperature uniformity. The furnace is also equipped with a 20-inch Varian diffusion pump and Ipsen's CompuVac control system.
The Texas company will use the furnace to process parts for the aerospace industry, as it is capable of meeting the strict requirements of applicable AMS 2750E standards. In addition, this TurboTreater is equipped with a motion sensor on the mechanical pump with software that isolates the diffusion pump if it should fail or if the maximum allowable foreline pressure were exceeded.
A variable-frequency drive on the gas fan cooling motor provides controlled cooling. Other additions include a barcode scanner/reader, a paperless recorder with a channel for recording the dew point, and a spare parts starter kit – which helps users prevent unnecessary downtime by supplying them with essential parts and consumables.
Other possible modifications include variations on the hot zone insulation package, heating elements, pumping systems, and control system. Overall, the Ipsen TurboTreater line allows customers to order heat treatment furnace systems specified to their unique needs.
In addition, this multi-purpose vacuum furnace offers patented mechanical features such as Ipsen's unique quarter-twist graphite heating element support hanger, which provides metallic support for ceramics; the flare locking rim for molybdenum cooling gas nozzles, which secures them in place into a rounded extrusion in the plenum wall; and the cooling system design, which generates the highest heat transfer coefficient of any vacuum furnace on the market.
www.IpsenUSA.com/Products
Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., recently shipped a horizontal TurboTreater vacuum furnace with two-bar gas quenching to a metal-casting company in Texas.
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Bodycote expands operations in Houston
May 15, 2015
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Bodycote, U.K., announces that it will expand its services at its two locations in Houston. In the third quarter, new offerings in north Houston will include nitriding, vacuum heat treatment, and vacuum brazing, to provide customers with comprehensive and efficient services from a single facility. Bodycote is also investing in more capacity at its second Houston location.
Together, these enhancements ensure that Bodycote's customers experience better service, superior quality and faster turnaround time. The company continues to play a vital role in the area's oil & gas, power generation and general industrial supply chains.
With more than 180 accredited facilities in 26 countries, Bodycote is the world's largest provider of thermal processing services. Through heat treatment, metal joining, surface technology, and Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP), Bodycote improves the properties of metals and alloys, extending the life of vital components for a wide range of industries, including aerospace, defense, automotive, power generation, oil & gas, construction, medical, and transportation.
www.bodycote.com
Bodycote, U.K., announces that it will expand its services at its two locations in Houston.
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Ametek acquires Global Tubes for its high-precision small-diameter tubing
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Ametek Inc., Berwyn, Pa., has acquired Global Tubes, a leading manufacturer of high-precision, small-diameter metal tubing, for approximately $200 million. Global Tubes manufactures highly customized metal tubing from a wide variety of metals and alloys, including stainless steel, nickel, zirconium, and titanium. Its products are used in highly engineered applications in the aerospace, energy, power generation, and medical markets.
The business has annual sales of approximately $120 million. Global Tubes is comprised of two businesses: Fine Tubes, based in Plymouth, U.K.; and Superior Tube, based in Collegeville, Pa.
"Global Tubes metallurgical capabilities, processing capabilities, and alloy ranges are complementary to our existing Specialty Metals businesses and give us the opportunity to expand our offerings both internationally and in attractive growth markets," says Frank S. Hermance, Ametek Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Global Tubes joins Ametek as part of its Electromechanical Group (EMG) -- a differentiated supplier of electrical interconnects, precision motion control solutions, medical components, specialty metals, thermal management systems, and specialty motors.
www.ametek.com
Ametek Inc., Berwyn, Pa., has acquired Global Tubes, a leading manufacturer of high precision, small diameter metal tubing, for approximately $200 million.
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Linde launches compact hydrogen generators with high natural-gas conversion rate
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The Linde Group, Holly Springs, Ga., launches its Hydroprime plant line of innovative, cost-effective compact hydrogen generators based on proven steam methane-reforming technology. Hydro-Chem, a division of Linde Engineering North America, has tested and proven the reliability and suitability of these units in various applications. The company is now launching the mass-production release of Hydroprime as a competitive and reliable local production alternative to trucked-in bulk gases.
Hydroprime plants have a capacity of 0.15 - 0.9 MMSCFD (165 - 1000 Nm3/h) and produce ultrahigh-purity hydrogen (99.999+ %) at 200 psi (13.8 bar), reducing the need for product compression in most uses. The new product line has a very high natural-gas conversion rate and is highly heat integrated, which translates into low operating cost.
The plants are ideally suited for customers who expect high reliability and superior environmental and safety performance. The plants are fully automatic with fail-safe controls, allowing unattended operation, remote start-up, and monitoring. In addition, they feature a modular open skid design and a small footprint. This facilitates easy installation while providing good access for routine maintenance.
Recognizing the diverse needs of a global market place, Linde offers Hydroprime as a build-own-operate solution to simplify ownership and maintenance for the end user and eliminate customer-owned capital investment. Alternatively, plants can be owned and operated by the end user with various support models by Linde, if desired. Linde is able to offer even more flexible solutions for hydrogen supply to an extensive range of industries, including glass, chemicals, foods, metals, electronics, photovoltaics, and energy.
www.linde.com
The Linde Group, Holly Springs, Ga., launches its Hydroprime plant line of innovative, cost effective compact hydrogen generators based on proven steam methane reforming technology.
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Ipsen shaft-sealing mechanism enables placing motor outside the vacuum chamber
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Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., was recently awarded a U.S. patent for the development of a new shaft-sealing mechanism. This invention enables motors to be located outside of the vacuum chamber, thus placing it in a cooler and more stable environment. Relocation of the motor has numerous advantages, including extended motor life and a longer interval between rebuilds.
In addition, placing the motor outside in ambient air means that a step-down transformer for argon cooling gas is no longer needed. Maintenance has also been simplified, with users able to easily grease bearings, monitor vibration, and perform routine maintenance checks. Combined with Ipsen's unique, innovative production and assembly process that integrates premium components, this lowers the cost of ownership.
Chief Engineer Craig Moller, Chief Operating Officer Jake Hamid, and Dr. W. Hendrik Grobler, the named inventors on the patent, began formulating this design seven years ago for Ipsen's Titan vacuum furnace lines. Today, this innovative shaft seal is present in every Titan furnace in the field – almost 200 total to date. Since the installation of this shaft seal on the first Titan unit in 2009, the furnaces have experienced thousands of hours of trouble-free operation.
With more than 120 approved and 50 pending patents worldwide, Ipsen's shaft seal is just one invention among many that helps improve day-to-day operations.
www.IpsenUSA.com/titan
Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., was recently awarded a U.S. patent for the development of a new shaft-sealing mechanism.
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SMST is proud to announce that a fellowship has been funded in support of basic research!
May 14, 2015
Source: ASM International
The fellowship is intended for use in a graduate basic research effort, specifically addressing shape memory materials such as nitinol. It is intended to be the foundation for a future funding grant or research funding mechanism award.
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NASA Langley recognized for advancing helicopter research
May 7, 2015
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NASA Administrator Charles Bolden was at NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va., on May 8 to participate in a ceremony recognizing Langley's decades of contributions to improving helicopters and other vertical flight aircraft.
During the ceremony, the (AHS) International formally named Langley a Vertical Flight Heritage Site. Bolden and Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate in Washington, accepted the designation on behalf of the agency. Hampton Mayor George Wallace and AHS International executive director Mike Hirschberg also attended.
AHS International presented Langley with a plaque that states: "Since its establishment in 1917 as the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, the Langley Research Center has performed groundbreaking research to advance the state of the art in vertical flight."
Image caption — NASA's Langley Research Center has done research on helicopters and other vertical flight aircraft almost since the laboratory was founded in 1917, including this Sikorsky HNS-1 that was tested in the Langley Full-Scale Tunnel in 1944.
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden was at NASA’s Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va., on May 8 to participate in a ceremony recognizing Langley’s decades of contributions to improving helicopters and other vertical flight aircraft.
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Houghton celebrates its 150th anniversary with special issue of The Houghton Line
May 6, 2015
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Houghton International Inc., Valley Forge, Pa., is bringing back its industrial periodical, The Houghton Line, to celebrate the company's 150th anniversary. In 1908, Houghton President Charles E. Carpenter introduced the periodical. The initial target audience was the Houghton agents, but the booklet quickly became popular with customers and eventually reached a circulation of over 200,000. By the time it was retired in 2008, it had become the longest-running industrial publication in history.
In addition to Houghton product information and advertisements, it included public interest stories and provocative opinions. "We are thrilled to bring this issue back for our 150th anniversary and take a trip down memory lane with articles that span the 100 year history of The Line."
The special anniversary issue of The Houghton Line contains a collection of material from past issues, including wise and witty quotations, social and political commentary, letters to the editor, a Prohibition-era short story, articles on such topics as war, marriage, and the 1952 presidential election, and a biography of "A Most Remarkable Business Woman" who helped lead Houghton at the turn of the 20th century.
http://houghtonintl.com/pdirectory13/Houghtonline.html
Houghton International Inc., Valley Forge, Pa., is bringing back its industrial periodical, The Houghton Line, to celebrate the company’s 150th anniversary.
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Solar Atmospheres adds large advanced vacuum furnace to California facility
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Solar Atmospheres of California (SCA), Fontana, has added a large furnace to its facility equipment. Uniquely designed for SCA, Solar's new furnace offers new features and characteristics that will enhance its ability to add a multitude of diverse processing parameters that currently exist in the vacuum heat treating industry. The furnace will also enable planning for future material advances and specification modifications that require strict adherence to process controls. The furnace has the ability to control heating/cooling rates, process vacuum levels, and temperature uniformity.
Key performance characteristics include an 84-in. diameter by 144-in. long hot zone; Maximum operating temperature of 2650°F; Hearth that can support in excess of 30,000 lb.; Energy-efficient all-graphite hot zone; and Solar Manufacturing's state-of-the-art furnace control package, SolarVac 5000.
"SCA has worked very closely with our sister company Solar Manufacturing to design this furnace," says President Derek Dennis. "It will add a competitive advantage by allowing us to expand our vacuum processing capabilities in the large-parts market."
http://solaratm.com/news
Solar Atmospheres of California (SCA), Fontana, has added a large furnace to its facility equipment.
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