Braidy Industries acquires nanostructured aluminum producer NanoAl
September 23, 2018
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Braidy Industries Inc., Ashland, Ky., announces that it has acquired NanoAl LLC, a world leader in the science of nanocrystalline strengthening technology applied to sheet aluminum, as a third wholly owned subsidiary. NanoAl will join the Braidy Atlas aluminum rolling mill and Veloxint in the Braidy Industries company portfolio of holdings.
NanoAl was founded out of the Department of Materials Science at Northwestern University to commercialize the science of developing stronger aluminum alloys through control of key structural features at the nanoscale. Braidy believes the technology has the potential to significantly enhance the specific strength of aluminum to be produced by its Braidy Atlas mill, creating a competitive advantage within the automotive and aerospace OEM marketplace.
“We believe NanoAl’s innovative approach will enable sheet aluminum 20 percent stronger than conventional grades, while maintaining lower cost. The technology also applies to powder metallurgy, including 3D printing applications, allowing additional synergies between the Braidy Atlas mill and Veloxint,†said Dr. Alan Lund, Veloxint CEO and Chief Technology Officer of Braidy,. “This is another step towards our goal of rebuilding Appalachia with cutting edge technology focused on lightweighting solutions.â€
According to Dr. Nhon Q. Vo, Chief Executive, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of NanoAl, “Our new partnership with Braidy Industries and Veloxint provides the opportunity to scale our research and development capabilities and become the innovation leader in nano-science technology of light metals.â€
Craig T. Bouchard, Braidy Industries Chairman and Chief Executive said, “We have the opportunity to grow our powder metallurgy business via acquisition. And, we have been approached by numerous parties to consider building our second rolling mill. We intend to pursue these opportunities.â€
www.braidyindustries
Braidy Industries Inc., Ashland, Ky., announces that it has acquired NanoAl LLC, a world leader in the science of nanocrystalline strengthening technology applied to sheet aluminum, as a third wholly owned subsidiary.
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Surface Combustion: “Endothermic Atmosphere Monitoring and Control for Carburizing”
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Surface Combustion, Maumee, Ohio, announces that on Thursday, September 28th, at 3:30 p.m., Ben Bernard, VP of Global Sales, will present “Endothermic Atmosphere Monitoring and Control for Carburizing.†A bilingual speaker, Ben will be giving his presentation in Spanish and will be able to address questions in both Spanish and English. Having native Spanish speakers within sales, engineering, and aftermarket services at Surface is just another way that we bring value to our customer relationships.
“Surface is once again excited to support this bi-annual event. The inaugural conference in 2016 was well planned and well attended, and we are anticipating another great event by the ASM Heat Treating Society. Whether it’s on the expo floor, at one of the many social gatherings, or during technical sessions we look forward to connecting with you in Queretaro,†says Mr. Bernard.
www.surfacecombustion.com
Surface Combustion, Maumee, Ohio, announces that on Thursday, September 28th, at 3:30 p.m., Ben Bernard, VP of Global Sales, will present “Endothermic Atmosphere Monitoring and Control for Carburizing.”
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Ben Crawford appointed CEO and President of Contour Hardening
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Contour Hardening, Indianapolis, announces the appointment of ASM Heat Treating Society member Ben Crawford as its new CEO and President. Ben’s proven leadership abilities and more than twenty-five years of experience in the heat treat industry, will prove invaluable as Contour Hardening enters a new phase in the company’s development.
Contour Hardening, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, with additional operations in Silao, Mexico, is an innovation-driven company with a strong portfolio of products and services that significantly improve heat treat processing techniques for products across multiple industries around the globe.
The appointment of Ben Crawford follows the recent passing of Contour Hardening’s founder, CEO and President, John Storm.
Ben Crawford officially took the helm of Contour Hardening on July 30th. Prior to that, Ben was involved with three of North America’s largest providers of heat treat services: Bodycote, Bluewater, and Paulo. With those companies, Ben held a number of titles, including COO, Vice President and Regional Operations Manager and was responsible for directing up to $100 million in revenues, twenty-facilities and seven-hundred employees in three-countries.
When addressing his plans for Contour’s future, Ben Crawford said, “To lead Contour as a global provider of heat treat services is exciting. Contour Hardening has an extensive team of scientific problem solvers including metallurgical, controls, mechanical and electrical engineeringâ€.
Asked about his strategy for Contour Hardening’s immediate future, Ben said, “With the installation of robotics, Contour Hardening will advance treatment applications with controlled and repeatable processing methods. Our recent award of General Motors- Supplier of the Year demonstrates our commitment to processing to the strictest standards by eliminating variationâ€.
Ben Crawford has proven track record of excelling in diverse management positions. We are confident that Ben’s background will be an asset for Contour Hardening going forward and extend a warm welcome to him.
www.contourhardening.com
Contour Hardening, Indianapolis, announces the appointment of ASM Heat Treating Society member Ben Crawford as its new CEO and President.
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One Minute Mentor: Steel Selection for Heat Treated Parts
September 21, 2018
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In practice, it is difficult to separate part design from steel selection because the two steps are interdependent. In general, any steel grade that requires liquid quenching demands very conservative, careful design. In contrast, air-hardening (high-hardenability) steels tolerate some design and manufacturing aspects that could never be tolerated with a liquid quench.
When the required yield point or tensile strength is known, the minimum carbon content and necessary hardness can be determined from this chart. In the example, a selected yield point of 200,000 psi (point 1) is equivalent to a final hardness (after temper) of 48 HRC (point 2). The recommended as-quenched hardness should be at least five points higher, or 53 HRC (point 3). A minimum carbon content of 0.40% (point 4) is recommended.Selecting the correct steel is part of the overall design process in meeting the engineering requirements of a part. The step, of course, is determining the overall engineering requirements by the designer. For a given application, requirements may include a wide variety of characteristics in terms of properties (strength, toughness, wear resistance, etc.), part geometry, dimensional tolerances, and stresses within a part.
When service requirements include loading (tension, bending, torsion, fatigue), certain hardness values can be specified for critical locations on or in the part based on the approximate correlation of steel hardness with tensile properties.
When strength or the combination of strength and toughness cannot be met by steel in the as-rolled, forged, normalized, or cold-drawn condition, then quench hardening and tempering must be used to obtain the necessary properties. Carbon steel is always lower in cost, but processing conditions may require alloying to improve hardenability.
The cost of alloying is usually justified only to develop improved strength and toughness by quenching and tempering. There are exceptions, however. The most important exceptions are low-alloy steels that require forming or welding characteristics similar to those of low-carbon structural steels but with improved mechanical properties.
When quenched and tempered steels are needed to obtain strength and toughness requirements, the first step is to determine the minimum carbon to obtain the required hardness. Hardness is a function of carbon and the amount of martensite after quenching, and the minimum carbon to provide required strength with a microstructure of 95% tempered martensite is plotted in the figure. This percentage provides an optimum combination of mechanical properties. Whichever carbon content is selected above the minima shown in the figure, the corresponding 95% minimum martensite hardness shown should be required in the as-quenched parts.
Volume 4D, Heat Treating of Irons and Steels -> Heat Treatment Problems Associated with Design and Steel Selection -> Steel Selection for Heat Treated Parts
In practice, it is difficult to separate part design from steel selection because the two steps are interdependent.
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Nanosteel spins out 3D printing business to commercialize steel alloy powders
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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€
www.nanosteelco.com
Nanosteel Corp., Providence, announces the spinout of its additive manufacturing business unit into a new corporation named Formetrix.
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Federal research ship discovers new methane hydrate deposits along the Atlantic coast
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The U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, reports that an interagency federal research ship recently sailed along the Mid-Atlantic margin to characterize methane hydrate deposits. The researchers collected 2000 km of Multi-Channel Seismic System data that confirmed previously detected methane hydrates, and also discovered new deposits.
Methane hydrate is a cage-like lattice of ice that contains trapped molecules of methane, the chief constituent of natural gas. If a methane hydrate is warmed or depressurized, it reverts to water and natural gas. When brought to the earth's surface, one cubic foot of gas hydrate releases up to 180 cubic feet of natural gas, making it a potentially massive new energy source. Hydrate deposits occur under Arctic permafrost and beneath the ocean floor along continental margins.
Researchers acquired six seismic lines running down the continental slope from the shelf-break to waters as deep as about 12,100 feet offshore New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. The work of the cruise fills a gap in modern seismic data acquisition along the U.S. Atlantic margin and will be used by academic collaborators and other researchers.
“USGS researchers have been involved for decades in investigations that are helping us understand the full extent of the hydrate resource,†says Skip Pratt, NETL Project Manager. “We are pleased that we were able to support a project that is making important advances in understanding gas hydrates.†Federal agencies, along with the private sector and academic institutions, are all working together to gain a better understanding of the nature and distribution of marine gas hydrates.
https://www.energy.gov/fe/articles/doe-netl-supported-research-cruise-racks-methane-hydrate-data-successes
The U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, reports that an interagency federal research ship recently sailed along the Mid-Atlantic margin to characterize methane hydrate deposits.
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Commercial heat treater Thermetco expands capacity with AFC-Holcroft furnaces
September 14, 2018
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Thermetco, Montreal, announces that it has expanded its heat treatment production capability with the purchase of a new AFC-Holcroft UBQ (Universal Batch Quench) furnace and a UBT (Universal Batch Temper) furnace.
The equipment will be used for general heat treating and offers the capability of providing metallurgical processes such as carburizing, carbonitriding, annealing, tempering, stress relieving, and other processes. AFC-Holcroft UBQ batch furnace equipment is designed not only to encompass a wide range of metallurgical processes, but also to offer flexibility in production capability through its modularity and expandability.
Thermetco is the largest commercial heat treater in Quebec, offering several different heat-treating processes, with well-known customers in the automotive, aerospace, energy and petrochemical industries. Delivery took place in the first quarter of 2018. The equipment was installed and commissioned at the company’s newly built manufacturing facility in Chateauguay (suburb of Montreal).
www.afc-holcroft.com
Thermetco, Montreal, announces that it has expanded its heat treatment production capability with the purchase of a new AFC-Holcroft UBQ (Universal Batch Quench) furnace and a UBT (Universal Batch Temper) furnace.
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Nucor to expand sheet mill in Kentucky from 1,600,000 to 3,000,000 tons per year
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Nucor Corp., Charlotte, N.C., reports that its Board of Directors has approved an investment of $650 million to expand the production capability of Nucor Steel Gallatin, the company's flat-rolled sheet steel mill in Ghent, Kentucky. This investment will increase the production capability from 1,600,000 tons to approximately 3,000,000 tons annually and will increase the maximum coil width to approximately 73 inches. The project is expected to create 70 full-time jobs.
This expansion complements the $176 million investment currently underway to construct a hot band continuous pickle galvanizing line at Nucor Steel Gallatin. The pickle galvanizing line is expected to be operational in the first half of 2019 and will produce approximately 500,000 tons per year of galvanized hot band steel. Nucor continues to evaluate additional expansion projects as part of the company's initiative to further grow its sheet business.
"This investment is another major component of our planned strategy for long-term profitable growth," said John Ferriola, Chairman, CEO & President of Nucor. "Together with the new galvanizing line, this expansion increases our presence in the important Midwest market, specifically in the automotive, agriculture, heavy equipment, and energy pipe and tube sectors." Nucor acquired the former Gallatin Steel Company in late 2014 for a purchase price of approximately $780 million.
www.nucor.com
Nucor Corp., Charlotte, N.C., reports that its Board of Directors has approved an investment of $650 million to expand the production capability of Nucor Steel Gallatin, the company’s flat-rolled sheet steel mill in Ghent, Kentucky.
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Specialty Steel Works invests in advanced process technologies at its Indiana bar plant
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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.
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Aichelin to deliver 80-meter cast link belt furnace to Swedish fastener manufacturer
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Aichelin, Austria, reports that Swedish fastener manufacturer Bulten has commissioned a cast link belt furnace system for the refinement of high-strength-steel screws and nuts. At 80 meters length, the furnace system can produce two tons per hour. It is the second industrial furnace plant for the Swedish Hallstahammar site.
Ten years after its first delivery for this site, Aichelin has now been warded a follow-up order for a second 2000 kg/h cast link belt furnace plant. Thanks to the positive references at Bulten, the current project was finalized within a few months between the first request and the final negotiation. The plant line measures 80 x 10 meters, and weighs around 180 tons. If liquids and components are included, weight is an even 230 tons.
Aichelin is delivering the electrically heated high-temperature hardening furnace and the protective-gas-tight tempering furnace with oil or emulsion hardening baths. Measuring and switching systems are included, as well as the process control system FOCOS 4.0 for the new system (as well as an update of the data acquisition of the existing plant) and a protective gas generator. As with the previous order, the customer provides the loading and unloading device and the component washing machines under its own direction.
www.aichelin.com
http://www.bulten.com
Aichelin, Austria, reports that Swedish fastener manufacturer Bulten has commissioned a cast link belt furnace system for the refinement of high-strength-steel screws and nuts.
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