Olympus videoscope provides resilient insertion tube and ultrabright illumination
May 4, 2016
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Olympus Corp., Tokyo, has launched its new Iplex NX videoscope, featuring excellent image quality, maneuverability, and intuitive operation to streamline the location, identification, and measurement of previously undetectable flaws.
It combines a high-pixel CCD chip, an ultra-bright laser diode light system, and the Olympus PulsarPic processor, to reduce signal noise and deliver clear, bright images. Operators can identify and measure flaws from twice as far from the specimen as possible with conventional videoscopes.
The image quality and ultrabright illumination make it easy to inspect a large area for small, subtle flaws. The videoscope can capture crisp images even in hard-to-access spaces, such as the interior of gas turbines, where external lighting cannot reach. Furthermore, by illuminating a wide area, the Iplex NX improves an inspector's efficiency and productivity.
The resilient TaperedFlex fine tungsten mesh insertion tube combines superb scope maneuverability with optimized rigidity and flexibility, making it easy to navigate in tight spaces while maintaining outstanding abrasion resistance. The distal end of the insertion tube is highly flexible and capable of making complex bends to arrive at hard-to-reach areas.
TrueFeel electric articulation is enhanced with reduced mechanical lag and greater sensitivity, giving the NX ultra-responsive articulation and an increased range of articulation in four directions. The TrueFeel design maximizes the use of buttons and a joystick, so that the device is comfortable and easy to use, even for long periods of time.
www.olympus-ims.com
Olympus Corp., Tokyo, has launched its new Iplex NX videoscope, featuring excellent image quality, maneuverability, and intuitive operation to streamline the location, identification, and measurement of previously undetectable flaws.
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ASM forms strategic alliance with SVC
Source: ASM International
The new strategic alliance brings the complementary strengths of both organizations together to better serve their global members and the community at large.
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Commercial Metals to build steel micromill in Oklahoma for long products
May 3, 2016
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Commercial Metals Co., Irving, Texas, announces that it has begun construction of an electric-arc-furnace steel micromill in Durant, Okla., to produce long products by its continuous-continuous manufacturing process in which steel is melted, cast, and rolled from a single uninterrupted strand. The technology produces higher yields and consumes less energy than the traditional minimill process.
The company says that the new mill will produce low-cost, high-quality long steel products that will complement CMC's recycling and fabrication plants, and will enable it to better serve markets in Texas, Oklahoma, and surrounding states.
The Oklahoma micro mill is to be commissioned in the fall of 2017, and is expected to create approximately 300 jobs in the Durant area.
Commercial Metals Company and its subsidiaries manufacture, recycle, and market steel and metal products, related materials, and services through a network of steel minimills, steel fabrication and processing plants, construction-related product warehouses, metal recycling facilities, and marketing and distribution offices in the United States and in strategic international markets.
http://www.cmc.com
Commercial Metals Co., Irving, Texas, announces that it has begun construction of an electric-arc-furnace steel micromill in Durant, Okla., to produce long products by its continuous-continuous manufacturing process in which steel is melted, cast, and rolled from a single uninterrupted strand.
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Ipsen Argos low-pressure carburizing plus 20-bar nitrogen quenching increases hardness
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Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., announces that its Global Development Team in Kleve, Germany, recently celebrated the first build and testing of the Argos heat treating system, in which low-pressure carburizing combined with 20-bar nitrogen quenching reportedly provides metallurgical properties never before seen in gas quenching systems. One industry visitor who witnessed the test run commented, "The Argos is likely the fastest inert-gas quench furnace in the world."
This initial test was carried out on one of the most difficult to quench vacuum carburized components: layshafts for large gears. Until now, helium gas, which is both expensive and declining in availability, was required to fully transform parts with very high cross-sectional thicknesses.
Test outcomes showed that the shafts processed in the Argos system with 20-bar nitrogen quenching achieved higher surface hardness and core hardness values than shafts processed in the existing vacuum heat-treating furnaces with 20-bar helium quenching.
The Argos system offers several additional benefits:
Flexible installation with a selectable number of carburizing, nitriding, subzero, and high-vacuum process chambers with a nitrogen gas and/or oil quench module;
Excellent temperature uniformity during heating and cooling;
Minimal and controllable distortion due to temperature homogeneity throughout the entire load, and the reversible gas flow during cooling;
Extremely high gas velocity and volume due to Ipsen's unique cooling system design.
Overall, the Argos furnace line represents a significant milestone in the growing trend to operate low-pressure carburizing (LPC) lines in combination with inert gas quenching.
www.ipsen.de/en/argos
Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., announces that its Global Development Team in Kleve, Germany, recently celebrated the first build and testing of the Argos heat treating system, in which low-pressure carburizing combined with 20-bar nitrogen quenching reportedly provides metallurgical properties never before seen in gas quenching systems.
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Space telescope boasts a dozen flight mirrors
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One dozen flight mirrors are now installed on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, out of the eighteen mirror segments that make up the primary mirror. The assembly of the primary mirror is an important milestone for the Webb telescope, but is just one component of this huge and complex observatory.
Since December 2015, scientists and engineers have been working tirelessly to install all the primary mirror segments onto the telescope structure in the large clean room at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. The twelfth mirror was installed on January 2, 2016.
"This milestone signifies that all of the hexagonal shaped mirrors on the fixed central section of the telescope structure are installed and only the three mirrors on each wing are left for installation," says Lee Feinberg at NASA Goddard. "The incredibly skilled and dedicated team assembling the telescope continues to find ways to do things faster and more efficiently."
Each hexagonal-shaped segment measures just over 4.2 ft (1.3 m) across and weighs approximately 88 lb (40 kg). After being pieced together, the 18 primary mirror segments will work together as one large 21.3-ft (6.5-m) mirror. The primary mirror will unfold and adjust to shape after launch. The mirrors are made of ultra-lightweight beryllium. The mirrors are placed on the telescope's backplane using a robotic arm, guided by engineers. The full installation is expected to be completed soon.
The mirrors were built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colorado. Ball is the principal subcontractor to Northrop Grumman, Falls Church, Va., for the optical technology and lightweight mirror system. The installation of the mirrors onto the telescope structure is performed by Harris Corp., Rochester, N.Y. Harris Corp. leads integration and testing for the telescope.
While the mirror assembly is a very significant milestone, there are many more steps involved in assembling the Webb telescope. The primary mirror and the tennis-court-sized sunshield are the largest and most visible components of the Webb telescope. However, there are four smaller components that are less visible, yet critical. The instruments that will fly aboard Webb—cameras and spectrographs with detectors able to record extremely faint signals—are part of the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM), which is currently undergoing its final cryogenic vacuum test and will be integrated with the mirror later this year.
The near infrared spectrograph (NIRSpec) has programmable microshutters which enable observation up to 100 objects simultaneously. The near infrared camera (NIRCam) is equipped with coronagraphs, instruments that allow astronomers to take pictures of very faint objects around a central bright object, like stellar systems.
The Webb telescope also has a cryocooler for cooling the mid-infrared instrument (MIRI) to a very cold 7 K so they can work. MIRI has both a camera and a spectrograph that sees light in the mid-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, with wavelengths that are longer than our eyes see. There's also the Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) allows Webb to point precisely, so that it can obtain high-quality images.
Over the next two years in preparation for launch, various components of the Webb telescope will endure rigorous environmental and optical testing. The sunshield will be joined with the spacecraft bus (main structure) followed by more testing. The Webb telescope is planned for launch in 2018.
The James Webb Space Telescope is the scientific successor to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. It will be the most powerful space telescope ever built. Webb is an international project led by NASA with its partners, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency.
Image caption — One dozen (out of 18) flight mirror segments that make up the primary mirror on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have been installed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Courtesy of NASA/Chris Gunn.
One dozen flight mirrors are now installed on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, out of the eighteen mirror segments that make up the primary mirror.
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One Minute Mentor: Effect of Cooling Rate on Toughness of Mold Steels
April 29, 2016
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This graph shows the effect of different cooling rates on the toughness properties (un-notched samples) of AISI 420 and the nitrogen alloyed M333 (AISI 420 Mod). The cooling parameter used is λ8/5, which is the cooling time from 1470 to 930°F in seconds, divided by 100.
Besides the general trend of falling toughness with rising cooling time, it is clearly evident that the nitrogen-alloyed steel grade M333 (420Mod), which has a lower carbon content, shows significantly higher toughness values. These can be further improved by lowering the austenitizing temperature. This behavior correlates well with the reduced tendency to form proeutectoid carbides at grain boundaries. A similar correlation can be found for the steel grades AISI 440B and, for example, the nitrogen-alloyed M340 (440Mod).
Volume 4D, Heat Treating of Irons and Steels ⇒ Tool Steels ⇒ Heat Treating of Mold Steels and Corrosion-Resistant Tool Steels ⇒ Recommended Heat Treating Practices
This graph shows the effect of different cooling rates on the toughness properties (un-notched samples) of AISI 420 and the nitrogen alloyed M333 (AISI 420 Mod).
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Rick Sisson Wins Trustees Research & Creative Scholarship Award
April 28, 2016
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ASM Fellow Richard D. Sisson has received Worcester Polytechnic Institute's 2016 Board of Trustees' Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Scholarship. The award recognizes continuing excellence in research and scholarship by faculty members over a period of at least five years.
Prof. Sisson is the George F. Fuller Professor of Mechanical Engineering, director of Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Manufacturing and Materials Engineering Programs, and technical director of the WPI Center for Heat Treating Excellence.
He is internationally recognized for his research in materials science and engineering, as well as manufacturing. His pioneering work spans several areas of physical metallurgy, and he has written more than 250 journal articles and 250 technical presentations.
Prof. Sisson is currently principal investigator for a multi-million-dollar, multi-institution project aimed at developing new metallurgical methods and new lightweight alloys to help the military build more effective and durable vehicles and systems. He has won numerous national and international awards, and has served as president of the ASM Heat Treating Society.
wpi.edu/+chte
ASM Fellow Richard D. Sisson has received Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s 2016 Board of Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Scholarship.
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Instron HDT and Vicat materials testing systems boost efficiency
April 27, 2016
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Instron, Norwood, Mass., announces a new generation of HDT and Vicat Testing Systems designed to significantly reduce workload and increase efficiency in the testing lab.
The new Instron HV Series includes three different systems — the entirely manual HV3S with two (optionally three) testing stations plus two systems with larger bath size and higher automation level (HV6M and HV6X) for up to six testing stations. All feature advanced electronics that automatically zero the position of the LVDT measuring sensors before starting a test, reducing test time and human errors.
With its manual lifting station and weights application, the HV3S is a first choice for laboratories that carry out HDT or Vicat tests at a low volume. Furthermore, its compact size makes it an ideal system for busy laboratories with a lot of test equipment. Where HDT or Vicat testing is part of the daily activity, the HV6M features manual weights application on up to six stations with a motorized lifting mechanism designed to significantly reduce operator effort.
Where time is absolutely crucial, the HV6X system offers both motorized lifting station and weights application on all of its up to six testing stations, making it suitable for laboratories with a continuous backlog of specimens.
Its interlocked cover shield restricts access during test execution, protecting the user from moving parts. Together with its optionally integrated fume filtering and extracting system, the HV6X perfectly fits into work environments where safety procedures are extremely strict and extracting system automation is required.
The intuitive design of weights eliminates the risk of selection mistakes. The weights are stackable and enable the user to handle them with confidence. A wide range of stress values can be achieved without the need for any additional tools. Users of the HV3S benefit from the smooth lifting mechanism of the stations, combined with the ergonomic position of the handle. This allows for raising and lowering the stations safely and easily. The user-friendly touch screen, which is standard for all three systems, has a simple and clean look and allows for operation without a computer. The intuitive workflow offers a seamless interaction with the system for a quick test setup and data export.
All three systems use silicone oil as heat transfer medium — 2.4 USA gal for HV3S, 4.2 USA gal for HV6M and HV6X – to cover a temperature range from 20 °C to 300 °C with a resolution of 0.1 °C. A continuous oil monitoring routine helps reduce the risk of running invalid tests as well as increase productivity, alerting when the bath level is out of range or oil degradation could adversely affect test results. Rapidly bringing the oil temperature back to its starting level after a test run allows the user to start the next test with minimal waiting time and reduces water consumption.
The optional Instron Bluehill HV Software allows technicians to run tests, edit methods, analyze results, or configure the system with a few mouse clicks. It secures the test methods, preventing inadvertent changes, to ensure repeatability and ISO as well as ASTM standards compliance over multiple shifts and numerous operators. Bluehill HV also allows for creation of specific user profiles based on the operator's level of expertise. The software simplicity allows for running tests with even further minimized effort, raising laboratory efficiency and throughput to a new level.
www.instron.com
Instron, Norwood, Mass., announces a new generation of HDT and Vicat Testing Systems designed to significantly reduce workload and increase efficiency in the testing lab.
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Nanosteel delivers first advanced high-strength steel sheet to General Motors
April 26, 2016
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Nanosteel, Providence, has delivered its first advanced high strength steel (AHSS) sheet to General Motors for initial evaluation of its role in vehicle lightweighting to meet rising global fuel-economy regulations. The steel is the result of a multi-year joint development program between NanoSteel and AK Steel Corp., West Chester, Ohio.
NanoSteel's commercially produced automotive sheet steel overcomes the historical tradeoff between strength and formability by delivering exceptional levels of both properties at the same time (approximately 1200 MPa tensile strength and 50% elongation). The high strength allows designers to create parts utilizing thinner-gauge material, while the high elongation allows manufacturers to produce the newly designed parts without expensive processing techniques, employee retraining, or additional capital costs. The unique combination of properties also allows engineers the design freedom to create novel part shapes, which further reduce weight.
"Many advanced materials with outstanding properties end up abandoned because they are too hard to use or too expensive to make," says NanoSteel CEO and president David Paratore. "NanoSteel's advanced high strength steel is designed to be both easy to produce—using conventional alloying elements with standard slab casting equipment; and easy to use—enabling the stamping and forming of parts at room temperature without additional manufacturing infrastructure or investment, such as that required for ‘hot' stamped parts."
AK Steel CEO Roger Newport commented, "We are pleased to partner with Nanosteel to bring this exciting new product to the market. As the first steel producer to manufacture this unique product using traditional slab casting, we are proud to add this accomplishment to our long and successful track record of innovation."
Mr. Paratore added, "We are confident that the exceptional properties of NanoSteel's sheet will enable automakers to affordably meet the ever-changing requirements of vehicle design and foster a new era of steel competitiveness in the battle of material choice."
Nanosteel, Providence, has delivered its first advanced high strength steel (AHSS) sheet to General Motors for initial evaluation of its role in vehicle lightweighting to meet rising global fuel-economy regulations.
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Solar Atmospheres to heat treat Ferrium C61 drive train for Venus robot
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Solar Atmospheres, Souderton, Pa., announces that it has been selected by Honeybee Robotics to provide heat treating for the robotic Venus explorer on drive train components comprised of a specialized alloy, Ferrium C61. The alloy is designed as a high strength, high fracture-toughness carburizing grade steel capable of high-temperature applications in corrosive environments.
Solar Atmospheres developed the difficult processing conditions required to optimize the properties for the specialty alloy and satisfy the demanding heat treat requirements. The drive train components are vacuum carburized at 1825°F, high-pressure nitrogen-gas quenched, cooled to −150°F, and tempered in a vacuum at 900°F.
Honeybee Robotics, Brooklyn, N.Y., received NASA funding to contribute to developing future planetary exploration, space mining, and in-situ resource utilization. One of the projects is the High Temperature Venus Drill and Sample Delivery System to provide drilling and sampling operations in the challenging environmental conditions of the planet Venus.
Romans named the planet after Venus, their goddess of love and beauty, but conditions on the planet are anything but lovely and beautiful. Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system at a constant 895°F with an atmospheric pressure 90 times higher than the air pressure on Earth.
www.solaratm.com
Solar Atmospheres, Souderton, Pa., announces that it has been selected by Honeybee Robotics to provide heat treating for the robotic Venus explorer on drive train components comprised of a specialized alloy, Ferrium C61.
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