Wisconsin Oven designs solution heat treat/chiller system for aerospace company
April 16, 2019
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Wisconsin Oven Corp., East Troy, announces that it has shipped an electrically heated horizontal solution treat system with a chiller system to a manufacturer in the aerospace industry.
The system has an operating temperature of 1100°F and work zone dimensions of 12.25 feet wide x 3.9 feet long x 4.5 feet high. It was designed to heat a 2840-pound gross load, consisting of a mixture of aluminum and steel, to 1000°F operating temperature, then to provide a soak at temperature, and finally to quickly move the load into a quench tank. A hydraulically operated load/unload system lowers and raises the load for quenching. Time from when the oven door starts to open until the load is fully submerged is seven seconds.
The glycol chiller system is located outdoors and is rated to remove 580,000 BTU per hour from the quench tank water. The system also includes an indoor heat exchanger located between the chiller and quench tank. Sequence control is provided by an Allen-Bradley Compact Logix processor with a Panel View Plus 7 standard 10.4-inch color touch screen
“Wisconsin Oven has supplied thousands of standard and custom ovens to the aerospace industry,†says Doug Christiansen, Application Engineer. “With the aerospace industry being such a diverse field, a majority of the equipment we provide is unique. This particular system achieved a quench time of seven seconds due to the custom- requested hydraulic mechanisms.â€
www.wisoven.com
Wisconsin Oven Corp., East Troy, announces that it has shipped an electrically heated horizontal solution treat system with a chiller system to a manufacturer in the aerospace industry.
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ATI extends purchase agreement with Rolls-Royce for rotating-disc-quality nickel alloys
April 11, 2019
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Allegheny Technologies Inc., Pittsburgh, announces that it has extended its Long-Term Purchase Agreement (LTPA) with Rolls-Royce to supply rotating-disc-quality nickel-base and other specialty alloys for its Trent engine family. The ten-year LTPA extends through 2029.
“This agreement covers the production of a wide range of critical products used to make Rolls-Royce’s next-generation jet engines as well as spare parts for in-service engines,†says John Sims, Executive Vice President, High Performance Materials and Components Segment. “It supports ATI’s market-leading alloy development and broad production capabilities, including our iso-thermal forging operations.â€
ATI also announces that it anticipates maintaining its current production and shipping schedules for all materials and components supplied to the Boeing 737 MAX and CFM LEAP 1-B programs during the recently announced temporary aircraft production slowdown.
“We are in daily contact with our key customers and we will continue to reliably meet our supply commitments that support their production schedules for the 737 MAX, LEAP 1-B and other major aerospace programs,†says Robert S. Wetherbee, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We continue to prioritize operational and delivery reliability to allow our partners to focus on mitigating the impact of this production adjustment without concern. We have full confidence in Boeing and its global engine supply chain to continue building on momentum gained over the last year to meet the historic ramp up for this important aircraft.â€
www.atimetals.com
Allegheny Technologies Inc., Pittsburgh, announces that it has extended its Long-Term Purchase Agreement (LTPA) with Rolls-Royce to supply rotating-disc-quality nickel-base and other specialty alloys for its Trent engine family.
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Lindberg MPH aluminum melting-holding furnace has melt rate of 3000 pounds/hour
March 29, 2019
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Lindberg MPH, Riverside, Mich., announces that it has designed a melting and holding furnace with an aluminum melt rate of 3000 pounds per hour and the capacity to hold up to 40,000 pounds of aluminum. An exterior discharge well and working tap are included with the furnace as a means of aluminum removal. The equipment also features a circulation well for improved temperature and alloy uniformity.
This custom furnace will be used in the production of aluminum powder. Temperature of the metal is controlled through digital temperature controllers. Flue gases are controlled with a mechanical flue damper, reducing flue losses during low-fire operation. A totalizing gas meter is also included to accurately measure gas usage.
“The Lindberg/MPH engineering team worked closely with the customer on a custom design that met their application requirements. A factory trained technician supervised the installation and performed the initial start-up to ensure that everything went smoothly,†says Andrew Paul, Sales Representative.
www.lindbergmph.com
Lindberg MPH, Riverside, Mich., announces that it has designed a melting and holding furnace with an aluminum melt rate of 3000 pounds per hour and the capacity to hold up to 40,000 pounds of aluminum.
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Seco Warwick CAB furnace enables auto parts maker to cut costs, control brazing quality
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Seco Warwick, Meadville, Pa., has delivered and commissioned the first-ever vacuum purging semi-continuous Active Only CAB furnace for a North American automotive aftermarket manufacturer. It is the company’s first furnace of any type, and simultaneously its largest capital equipment investment to date.
The new semi-continuous Active Only CAB furnace, equipped with vacuum purging in the loading and unloading chamber, is one of its kind in the industry. It allows for the reduction of nitrogen consumption and cost, and it provides extraordinary control of brazing atmosphere quality. This applies in particular to heat exchangers with joints brazed in a closed space. Vacuum purging allows for the perfect removal of oxygen from these spaces before brazing, which cannot be achieved by traditional purging.
Many business owners are starting to figure out that not all services should be outsourced. One such industry group is automotive aftermarket manufacturers, who, with Seco Warwick technology, gain an opportunity to rein in their costs by saving money on outsourcing, as well as reduction of nitrogen expenses. The new furnace allows customers to braze their own heat exchangers, control their own quality, and manage their production schedules more reliably to improve deliveries to their customers.
www.secowarwick.com
Seco Warwick, Meadville, Pa., has delivered and commissioned the first-ever vacuum purging semi-continuous Active Only CAB furnace for a North American automotive aftermarket manufacturer.
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AFC Holcroft integral quench batch furnace enables heat treater to expand production
Source: ASM International
AFC-Holcroft, Wixom, Mich., reports that Modern Heat Treat, Richland Hills, Texas, added several UBQ (Universal Batch Quench) furnaces and companion equipment to its installed base throughout the year in 2018, including equipment similar to that already in operation in its facility.
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Nucor to invest $1.35 billion for new mill producing 1.2 million tons of steel plate per year
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Nucor Corp., Charlotte, N.C., announces that it will build its new state of the art steel plate mill in Brandenburg, Kentucky, located along the Ohio River southwest of Louisville. The company will invest approximately $1.35 billion to build the mill, which will be capable of producing 1.2 million tons per year of steel plate products. The plate mill will employ more than 400 full-time teammates at an average annual salary of $72,000, and is expected to be fully operational in 2022, pending permit and regulatory approvals.
"This strategic investment will enable us to build a clear market leadership position in the U.S. plate market. Kentucky is an excellent location for this mill, right in the center of America's largest plate consuming region," says John Ferriola, Chairman, CEO & President of Nucor Corporation. "Our acquisition of the Gallatin sheet mill in Ghent, Kentucky, five years ago has been a tremendous success, and we are pleased to add a second mill in the state."
The new plate mill will significantly strengthen Nucor's plate product portfolio, giving the company the ability to produce 97 percent of the products demanded in the domestic plate market, including the specialty higher-margin products. The mill will produce cut-to-length, coiled, heat-treated, and discrete plate ranging from 60 to 160 inches wide, and in gauges from 3/16 of an inch to 14 inches. The selected location on the Ohio River will give Nucor logistical advantages in sourcing raw materials and serving customers throughout the Midwest. Nucor currently operates plate mills in North Carolina, Alabama, and Texas.
Nucor has two additional major investment projects underway at its Gallatin sheet mill in Kentucky. Nucor Steel Gallatin's new galvanizing line will be operational during the second quarter of this year. And, its project to increase Gallatin's hot rolled coil capacity at expanded widths of up to 73 inches is expected to come online during 2021. The new plate mill and the projects at Nucor Steel Gallatin represent more than $2 billion in investments in the state of Kentucky.
www.nucor.com
Nucor Corp., Charlotte, N.C., announces that it will build its new state of the art steel plate mill in Brandenburg, Kentucky, located along the Ohio River southwest of Louisville.
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Russian scientists research steel-vanadium-steel laminate for next-gen nuclear reactors
March 24, 2019
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Materials scientists from the Russian National University of Science and Technology (NUST MISIS) announce that they have developed a unique steel-vanadium-steel sandwich material that is able to withstand temperatures of up to 700°C, hard radiation exposure, mechanical stress, and chemical exposure for a long period of time. The material was designed to be used in the shells of nuclear reactor cores.
“The ferritic steel provides corrosion resistance, and the vanadium alloy (V-4Ti-4Cr) provides heat resistance and radiation resistance sufficient to withstand the effects of the ultra-rigid environments of a nuclear reactor," says Aleksandra Baranova, research co-author, post-graduate student of NUST MISIS Department of Metallurgical Science and Physics of Strength.
The maximum operating temperatures of the fuel element shells in the new generation reactors reach 550 to 700°C. Sodium, the liquid metal coolant, acts outside. The loads created are much higher than those that the core shells of existing reactors can withstand.
To close the nuclear fuel cycle in a new generation fast neutron reactor, new structural materials that can provide a higher fuel burn-out are needed. These materials should withstand damaging radiation doses of up to 180-200 dpa (displacements per atom), instead of the maximum 100-130 dpa, that are typical for existing materials.
The researchers say that fabrication problems were solved by the use of complex deformation processes and heat treatment of three-layer billets. The process includes hot co-extrusion (pressing), radial forging, and joint rolling. As a result, a "transition zone" is formed at the boundary of the components, and the alloys diffuse into one another, which provides a high-strength bond.
The research team has reportedly managed to create a prototype of the core shell, which is a monolithic three-layer tube. Laboratory tests are said to show high mechanical strength of the composite at operating temperatures of up to 700°C. In the near future, the team plans to begin long-term studies for radiation resistance.
http://en.misis.ru/
Materials scientists from the Russian National University of Science and Technology (NUST MISIS) announce that they have developed a unique steel-vanadium-steel sandwich material that is able to withstand temperatures of up to 700°C, hard radiation exposure, mechanical stress, and chemical exposure for a long period of time.
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GE Aviation’s Catalyst turboprop engine wins award for 3D-printed design
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GE Aviation, Auburn, Alabama, announces that it has been recognized by Aviation Week with a Laureate Award in the Business Aviation category for the GE Catalyst program’s innovative work with additive manufacturing design and implementation.
GE’s Catalyst is the first clean-sheet turboprop engine for the Business and General Aviation market in more than 30 years. It includes more printed components than any production engine in aviation history. More than 800 conventionally manufactured parts have been reduced to 12 additive parts on the engine.
The GE Catalyst engine was chosen by Textron to power the new Cessna Denali and is currently going through certification testing. GE’s work on its newest turboprop has been a worldwide collaboration. It includes 22 GE Aviation facilities in Europe with teams located in the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, and Italy, as well as 1800 engineers.
“For more than six decades, Aviation Week editors have annually awarded Laureates to great achievers in aerospace and aviation,†said Aviation Week Network Editorial Director Joe Anselmo. “GE Aviation and this year’s winners exemplify the spirit and innovations that are transforming our industry to meet the challenges of tomorrow.â€
Additive components reduce the Catalyst’s weight by five percent while contributing a one percent improvement in specific fuel consumption. Thanks to additive manufacturing, the Catalyst program has benefited with a reduction of cycle time, as well as fewer first article inspections, less inventory, fewer defect opportunities, and a reduction in tooling costs.
In addition, GE Aviation is said to be planning a $50 million expansion to its Auburn additive manufacturing capabilities. Increased capacity will allow the high-volume production of a new jet engine component, the 3D-printed bracket for the GEnx-2B engine program. GE has already invested more than $100 million in its Auburn operation, which began producing the additively manufactured fuel nozzle tip for the LEAP jet engine in 2015. As of October 2018, some 30,000 of these parts had been produced.
www.geaviation.com
GE Aviation, Auburn, Alabama, announces that it has been recognized by Aviation Week with a Laureate Award in the Business Aviation category for the GE Catalyst program’s innovative work with additive manufacturing design and implementation.
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Nikon’s XT H 450 CT inspection system includes micro-focus X-ray source for dense parts
Source: ASM International
Nikon Metrology, England, has developed X-ray/CT (computed tomography) systems that inspect the complex inner structures of products and detect any defects within them, all without disassembling the product.
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DOE awards $36 million to develop materials for high-temperature heat exchangers
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The U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, announces $36 million in awards for 18 projects as part of the High Intensity Thermal Exchange through Materials and Manufacturing Processes (HITEMMP). These project teams seek to develop new approaches and technologies for the design and manufacture of high temperature, high pressure, and highly compact heat exchangers and components.
Durable and affordable higher-temperature heat exchangers could make energy conversion much more efficient, which in turn could reduce fuel consumption, system footprint, capital and operational cost, and emissions. HITEMMP projects will target heat exchangers capable of operating for tens of thousands of hours in temperatures and pressures exceeding 1470°F 800°C and 80 bar (1,160 psi) respectively.
Some examples:
General Electric Company, GE Global Research – Niskayuna, New York
Ultra Performance Heat Exchanger Enabled by Additive Technology (UPHEAT) – $2,500,000.
The GE team will develop a metallic-based, ultra-performance heat exchanger enabled by additive manufacturing technology and capable of operation at 900°C (1652°F) and 250 bar (3626 psi).
The Boeing Company – Huntington Beach, California
Highly Compact Metallic Heat Exchangers for Extreme Environments – $2,397,756.52.
Boeing will develop a compact, extreme environment heat exchanger (EEHX) for application in supercritical carbon dioxide power cycles for hypersonic aircraft and distributed power generation.
United Technologies Research Center (UTRC) – East Hartford, Connecticut
Additive, Topology-Optimized Ultra-Compact Heat Exchanger – $2,100,000
UTRC will develop an ultra-compact, topology-optimized 800°C (1472°F), 250 bar (3626 psi) heat exchanger substantially smaller and substantially more durable than current commercial cross-flow heat exchangers.
CompRex, LLC – De Pere, Wisconsin
Compact Heat Exchanger for High Temperature High Pressure Applications Using Advanced Cermet - – $1,455,000.00
CompRex, LLC aims to realize a transformational and disruptive advancement in heat exchange technology for high temperature (>800°C or 1472°F) and high pressure (80 bar or 1160 psi) applications through use of advanced metal and ceramic composite material, development of a new simplified manufacturing approach, and optimization of heat exchanger design.
For a complete list of projects, visit
https://arpa-e.energy.gov/?q=document/hitemmp-project-descriptions
The U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, announces $36 million in awards for 18 projects as part of the High Intensity Thermal Exchange through Materials and Manufacturing Processes (HITEMMP).
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