Norsk Titanium’s Rapid Plasma Deposition 3D printing process wins ITA award
October 4, 2018
Source:
Norsk Titanium, Norway, announces that it has been named the recipient of the International Titanium Association’s 2018 Titanium Application Development Award.
As reported last year, Norsk Titanium began delivering the structural, additive manufactured aerospace parts to industry giant Boeing. These first OEM-qualified components are now flying on the Boeing 787. Norsk utilizes its Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD) wire-fed process to produce near-net-shape titanium parts at its production facilities in Hønefoss, Norway, and Plattsburgh, New York.
“Norsk Titanium is honored to be recognized by ITA for the 2018 Titanium Applications Development Award,†says Michael Canario, chief executive officer of Norsk Titanium. “This achievement by our dedicated team follows the vision of our Norwegian founders to revolutionize the titanium manufacturing industry with our Rapid Plasma Deposition technology. We expressly thank our research and development partners for their support in promoting new titanium applications.â€
According to Norsk officials, the technology has demonstrated it can produce parts weighing over 100 pounds. They add that RPD is 50 to 100 times faster than powder-based additive manufacturing systems and uses 25 to 50 percent less titanium than incumbent forging processes. In addition to producing parts for commercial jets, the RPD process can be used to manufacture structural parts for the space, transportation, oil and gas, and maritime business sectors.
The ITA sponsors the TAD award to recognize: significant achievement towards improving and expanding the use of titanium; promoting titanium products into new applications or enhancing the performance of titanium in an existing application; unveiling a technical breakthrough that specifically expands the use of titanium; inaugurating or influencing outstanding research or marketing programs leading to the expansion of the titanium market or titanium products; initiating or creating important new and imaginative uses for titanium.
www.Titanium.org
www.norsktitanium.com
Norsk Titanium, Norway, announces that it has been named the recipient of the International Titanium Association’s 2018 Titanium Application Development Award.
Continue reading
AIST names flash bainite, nanotexturing, and steel foam as T.C. Graham Prize finalists
Source:
The Association for Iron & Steel Technology, Warrendale, Pa., has disclosed the three finalists for the third annual T.C. Graham Prize, which was established in 2014 through an endowment from one of the steel industry’s most successful and innovative executives, Tom C. Graham Sr. The purpose is to recognize innovative applications for steel that may lead to the development of new markets. The winning entry will receive $20,000.
One of the three finalists is Flash Bainite, a heat treating technology developed by Gary Cola of the Flash Bainite Co., Washington Twp., Michigan. Said to be capable of producing 1600 MPa sheet in just five seconds, Flash 1600 has reportedly been proven in automotive OEM test labs to reduce mass by 20 to 58 percent, while maintaining performance and reducing cost. This process is an entirely new field of ferrous metallurgy that leverages the natural heterogeneity of steel to create a highly complex, nanorefined microstructure with unparalleled mechanical properties.
The second finalist is Nanotexturing Stainless Steel, developed by Professors Julie Champion and Dennis Hess of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Creation of nanotexture on stainless steel by electrochemical etching decreases attachment of bacteria and kills bacteria, while simultaneously improving corrosion resistance. The goal is to scale up and establish the feasibility of translating electrochemical etching as a method of creating nanotexture on stainless steel food and beverage equipment, biomedical devices, and a variety of surfaces to prevent bacterial infection.
The third finalist is Steel Composite Metal Foam, developed by Prof. Afsaneh Rabiei of North Carolina State University, Raleigh. Steel-steel composite metal foam is a low weight, high-strength metal foam manufactured using hollow steel spheres embedded in a steel matrix. This material has shown superior mechanical properties under loading, fire, radiation and even blast and fragments impact. Such properties have made steel-steel composite metal foams strong candidates for applications in structural components.
www.flashbainite.com
www.ncsu.edu
www.gatech.edu
The Association for Iron & Steel Technology, Warrendale, Pa., has disclosed the three finalists for the third annual T.C. Graham Prize, which was established in 2014 through an endowment from one of the steel industry’s most successful and innovative executives, Tom C. Graham Sr.
Continue reading
NASA announces call for proposals for Combustion Science and Materials Science
October 2, 2018
Source:
NASA has released a NASA Research Announcement titled “Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System – Appendix E,†which solicits ground-based research proposals to generate new scientific insights by utilizing experimental data residing in NASA’s Physical Sciences Informatics (PSI) system.
This online database provides investigators access to the raw and processed experimental data from physical science reduced-gravity flight experiments conducted on the International Space Station, Space Shuttle flights, Free Flyers, or commercial cargo flights to and from the ISS, and from related ground-based studies.
The current call for proposals solicits proposals in the five research areas – Combustion Science, Complex Fluids, Fluid Physics, Fundamental Physics, and Materials Science – for which eligible experimental data will be available in the PSI by the proposal due date of December 14, 2018. Data from 55 investigations are eligible for this NRA.
The call is open to two types of investigators: established researchers and graduate students. Anticipated award amounts, eligibility requirements, and further instructions for both types of investigators are provided in the solicitation document, which is available at https://tinyurl.com/NASA-PSI-E.
NASA has released a NASA Research Announcement titled “Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System – Appendix E,” which solicits ground-based research proposals to generate new scientific insights by utilizing experimental data residing in NASA’s Physical Sciences Informatics (PSI) system.
Continue reading
Japanese scientists develop molybdenum-base high-temperature high-strength alloy
October 1, 2018
Source:
Tohoku University, Japan, reports that its researchers have developed a titanium carbide-reinforced, molybdenum-silicon-boron (Mo-Si-B)-based alloy, or MoSiBTiC, whose high-temperature strength was identified under constant forces in the temperature ranges of 2550 to 2900°F.
The study was published in Nature's open access journal Scientific Reports in July 2018. "Our experiments show that the MoSiBTiC alloy is extremely strong compared with cutting-edge nickel-base single crystal superalloys, which are commonly used in hot sections of heat engines such as jet engines and gas turbines for electric power generation," says lead author Prof. Kyosuke Yoshimi of Tohoku University's Graduate School of Engineering.
"This work suggests that the MoSiBTiC, as ultrahigh temperature materials beyond nickel-based superalloys, is one promising candidate for those applications," added Yoshimi.
Yoshimi and colleagues report several parameters that highlight the alloy's favorable ability to withstand disruptive forces under ultrahigh temperatures without deforming. They also observed the alloy's behavior when exposed to increasing forces and when cavities within MoSiBTiC formed and grew, resulting in to microcracks and final rupturing.
The researchers assessed the alloy's creep in a stress range of 100 to 300 MPa for 400 hours. All experiments were performed in a computer-controlled test rig under vacuum in order to prevent the material from oxidizing, or reacting with the any potential air moisture, which could ultimately result in rust formation.
Furthermore, the study reports that, contrary to previous studies, the alloy experiences larger elongation with decreasing forces. This behavior, they write, has so far only been observed with superplastic materials that are capable of withstanding against unexpected premature failure.
These findings are an important indicator for MoSiBTiC's applicability in systems that function at extremely high temperatures, such as energy conversion systems in automotive applications, power plants, and propulsion systems in aircraft engines and rockets. The researchers say that several additional microstructural analyses are needed in order to fully understand the alloy's mechanics and its ability to recover from exposure of high stresses such as large forces under high temperatures.
http://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/press/metal_withstands_ultra_high_temperature.html
Tohoku University, Japan, reports that its researchers have developed a titanium carbide-reinforced, molybdenum-silicon-boron (Mo-Si-B)-based alloy, or MoSiBTiC, whose high-temperature strength was identified under constant forces in the temperature ranges of 2550 to 2900°F.
Continue reading
Hardline Heat Treating to invest $3.2 million to renovate buildings and expand operations
Source:
Hardline Heat Treating Inc., Southbridge, Mass., announces that Southbridge city council has approved a ten-year tax increment financing (TIF) agreement that will allow the company to invest $3.2 million and add ten jobs to its 36-person workforce. It will spend $1 million to purchase the two buildings it occupies, pay $1.8 million for construction, and $400,000 for new equipment, according to company president, Robert Chalue.
The company thermally treats metals to improve wear, toughness and aesthetics, has 36 employees and operates from 134 and 73 Ashland Ave., in a combined 18,000 square feet. The company plans to first expand and renovate one building from more than 25,000 square feet to more than 41,000 square feet. Then it will do the same for the second building, at least a year after the other building is completed and operational.
The tax exemption schedule would be 100 percent the first two years, 70 percent in years 3 and 4, 50 percent in years 5 and 6, 40 percent in year 7, 30 percent in year 8, 20 percent in year 9, and 10 percent the final year of the agreement.
www.hardlineheattreating.com
Hardline Heat Treating Inc., Southbridge, Mass., announces that Southbridge city council has approved a ten-year tax increment financing (TIF) agreement that will allow the company to invest $3.2 million and add ten jobs to its 36-person workforce.
Continue reading
Lucifer Furnaces supplies metal stamping company with heat treating furnace/oven
September 30, 2018
Source:
Lucifer Furnaces, Warrington, Pa., has delivered a large dual chamber unit to a metal stamping manufacturer in the Midwest. Model HL82-P24 is a hardening furnace over tempering oven, built as a space saving combination for multipurpose heat treating. The upper hardening chamber heats to 2300°F with 6.5†multilayer insulation throughout the chamber. Heat is supplied through heavy gauge, coil wound wire elements in easy-to-replace holders on sides, back and door of the furnace.
The vertical lift, hand-crank operated door provides for smooth operation with a tight seal. A heavy duty ceramic hearth plate protects floor elements and insulation. The lower chamber tempering oven heats to a uniform 1200°F with a rear mounted high cfm fan circulating air past the side mounted heating elements. A 16 gauge stainless steel liner forms the work chamber. Both chambers are controlled with digital time proportioning temperature controllers with timers and alarms.
Safety features on this unit include high limit controllers on each chamber which provide auto shut-down in the event of a high temp excursion. Door switches are designed to shut off power and fan, protecting users from electric shock as well as heat hazards. Both chambers are 18 inches high x 24 inches wide x 24 inches long.
www.luciferfurnaces.com
Lucifer Furnaces, Warrington, Pa., has delivered a large dual chamber unit to a metal stamping manufacturer in the Midwest.
Continue reading
Wisconsin Oven annealing furnace heat treats parts for firearms manufacturer
Source:
Wisconsin Oven Corp., East Troy, Wis., has shipped an electrically heated annealing furnace to a firearms manufacturer for annealing an assortment of brass and bronze firearm caps. The annealing furnace has a maximum temperature rating of 1400°F and a normal operating temperature of 572 to 1202°F. The work chamber dimensions are 3 x 9 x 0.5 feet. The conveyor furnace, when preheated, has the sufficient capacity to heat 225 kg of product per hour from 23° C to 650° C.
The recirculation system was designed with bottom-up airflow. The continuous conveyor system utilizes a pintle chain driven wire mesh belt and variable frequency drive for adjustable conveyor speeds. High-temperature profile curtains with external vestibules on both ends of the conveyor reduce heat spill-out and improve temperature uniformity. A guaranteed temperature uniformity of ±18° F at 572° and 1202° F for a minimum of 33 minutes has been documented.
“This conveyor furnace was designed with features to maximize temperature uniformity throughout the work chamber to ensure optimal results for the customer,†says Tom Trueman, Senior Application Engineer.
www.wisoven.com
Wisconsin Oven Corp., East Troy, Wis., has shipped an electrically heated annealing furnace to a firearms manufacturer for annealing an assortment of brass and bronze firearm caps.
Continue reading
Abstract from Heat Treat Mexico Conference: Technological Advances in the Control of Nitriding and Nitrocarburizing
Source:
Nitriding/Nitrocarburizing is a thermochemical surface treatment that can be carried out using a variety of technologies. A precise control of the atmosphere and the other parameters guarantees its success. This flexibility allows adapting the properties of the surface and diffusion layer according to demanding specifications.
Nitrex Metal Inc. has developed technologies that allow rigorous control of nitriding/nitrocarburizing parameters, improving quality and reducing manufacturing costs and defects such as deformation. By adapting the treatment to each specific need and material (carbon steels, high alloy tool steels, stainless steels), it is possible to meet the needs of various industries and fulfill specifications.
The presentation will focused on the technological advances in the control of the nitriding/nitrocarburizing mechanisms and the properties obtained in different applications and components.
Jack Kalucki, Nitrex Metal Inc. www.nitrex.com
Nitriding/Nitrocarburizing is a thermochemical surface treatment that can be carried out using a variety of technologies.
Continue reading
Mipar software enables precise and repeatable quantification of nickel alloy precipitates
September 26, 2018
Source:
Mipar Software, Worthington, Ohio, announces that it has developed a software package called Mipar that enables engineers to quantify the size distribution and volume fraction of gamma-prime Ni3Al precipitates in nickel-base superalloys. Nickel-base superalloys are extensively used in high-temperature, high-stress applications. The presence of coherent γ′-Ni3Al precipitates provides the requisite elevated temperature strength and creep resistance in these alloys.
Therefore, quantification of the precipitate size distribution and volume fraction is essential for accurate model predictions and future alloy design. Current γ′ volume fraction characterization techniques lack precision and repeatability. Without a reproducible procedure, unacceptable variations and errors have plagued the past six decades of superalloys research and have inhibited the implementation of accurate precipitation models for these alloys.
Through the use of high resolution, low kV, scanning electron microscopy pioneered at NASA, and state-of-the-art image post-processing, a new, accurate γ′ characterization technique has been developed, and will be demonstrated at MS&T 2018 (booth 407). Using the new technique, secondary γ′ volume fractions in superalloy ME3 were calculated, and confirmed through phase extraction, thus opening the possibility for validation of presently used superalloy precipitation databases.
Using Mipar, along with a new imaging technique, NASA overcame barriers to accurate image analysis that had frustrated the aerospace materials community for decades. This led to published methods which NASA has proposed as a new standard for nickel superalloy analysis.
Link to Paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1044580318304716
www.mipar.us
Mipar Software, Worthington, Ohio, announces that it has developed a software program called Mipar that enables engineers to quantify the size distribution and volume fraction of gamma-prime Ni3Al precipitates in nickel-base superalloys.
Continue reading
Steel Dynamics completes acquisition of Kentucky Electric Steel assets
September 23, 2018
Source:
Steel Dynamics Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind., has completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Kentucky Electric Steel, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Specialty Steel Works Inc., for $5.0 million. The acquired assets are located outside of Ashland, Kentucky, and are comprised of a rolling mill with an annual capacity of 250,000 tons. The operations were closed earlier this year by the prior owner, and Steel Dynamics plans to reopen the rolling mill in November 2018. The facility will be operated as part of Steel Dynamics' Steel of West Virginia (SWVA) operations, which is located within 20 miles of Ashland. The acquisition will provide product diversification for SWVA through the addition of flats and specialty alloy bars.
"KES has been a loyal customer of our SWVA and Roanoke Bar divisions," stated Glenn Pushis, Senior Vice President, Long Products Steel Group. "We believe that the complementary product offerings will provide value to our customers. We currently anticipate that roughly 100,000 to 150,000 tons of billets will be shipped each year from our long products steel mills to be further processed at Ashland, providing additional value-added capability and higher through-cycle utilization for our steel mills."
www.steeldynamics.com
Steel Dynamics Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind., has completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Kentucky Electric Steel, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Specialty Steel Works Inc., for $5.0 million.
Continue reading 