MTS introduces its most energy-efficient hydraulic power unit
September 15, 2015
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MTS Systems Corp., Eden Prairie, Minn., announces the release of the new MTS SilentFlo 515 hydraulic power unit. It offers smart monitoring capabilities, as well as new power modules, manifolds, and cooling options. It is also compatible with previous MTS SilentFlo HPU models. The new model is up to 8% more energy-efficient than its predecessors, while maintaining a compact footprint and easy access for operation and maintenance.
Originally released in 1998, the MTS SilentFlo line features some of the quietest HPU's available today, and this new pump is even quieter than the previous model.
MTS Systems Corporation's testing hardware, software and services solutions help customers accelerate and improve their design, development, and manufacturing processes and are used for determining the mechanical behavior of materials, products, and structures. MTS' high-performance position sensors provide controls for a variety of industrial and vehicular applications.
www.mts.com
MTS Systems Corp., Eden Prairie, Minn., announces the release of the new MTS SilentFlo 515 hydraulic power unit.
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Constellium to invest $35 million in Ravensport plant for advanced aluminum alloys
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Constellium N.V., Amsterdam, announces that it will invest $35 million at its Ravenswood aluminum plant in West Virginia to improve quality and increase output production across the entire product range. In particular, a new 800 Kt pusher furnace will increase pre-heating capacity, and will be primarily dedicated to the manufacture of advanced aluminum alloys.
"The pusher furnace will be a breakthrough for our plant in terms of homogenization capacity," emphasized Buddy Stemple, CEO of Constellium Rolled Products LLC. "Moreover, it demonstrates the confidence and value we place in the expertise of our employees and the confidence the group has in the Ravenswood plant, which is helping us pave the way for sustainable growth in the future."
Constellium's Ravenswood plant is one of the world's largest facilities for the manufacturing of rolled aluminum products, offering customers the world's most powerful plate stretcher and one of the world's largest cold rolling mills. The plant supplies aluminum to a wide range of international industries, including leading aerospace, marine vessels, and military vehicle manufacturers.
The West Virginia Economic Development Authority has approved financing of $15 million of Constellium's investment. "We are pleased to partner with the WVEDA and the State of West Virginia in this significant investment in Ravenswood," says Mr. Stemple.
www.constellium.com
Constellium N.V., Amsterdam, announces that it will invest $35 million at its Ravenswood aluminum plant in West Virginia to improve quality and increase output production across the entire product range.
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Vac Aero sells vertical vacuum furnace to U.S. aerospace components manufacturer
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Vac Aero, Burlington, Ontario, reports that it has sold a VAV5448 HV-2 vacuum furnace to a major U.S. manufacturer of components for the aerospace industry, thereby increasing heat-treating capacity to meet growing demand. The vertical bottom-loading furnace utilizes 2-bar gas quenching and features a 54-in. diameter x 48-in. high graphite hot zone, with a 2500-lb. load capacity.
This is the facility's first Vac Aero furnace, and it is capable of meeting applicable AMS 2750E requirements. It is equipped with Vac Aero's advanced Honeywell HC900 interactive hybrid control package with SCADA complete network integration capabilities and remote monitoring and control. Decades of experience operating aerospace heat treating facilities allows the company to provide turnkey customer solutions such as training, technology transfer, and hands-on instruction and collaboration.
www.vacaero.com
Vac Aero, Burlington, Ontario, reports that it has sold a VAV5448 HV-2 vacuum furnace to a major U.S. manufacturer of components for the aerospace industry, thereby increasing heat-treating capacity to meet growing demand.
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NASA engineers begin welding Orion spacecraft
September 9, 2015
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The NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans announces that engineers have welded together the first two segments of the Orion crew module that will fly atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket on a mission beyond the far side of the moon. The primary structure of Orion's crew module is made of seven large aluminum segments that must be welded together in a specific order. For example, the first weld connects the tunnel to the forward bulkhead, which is at the top of the spacecraft. Orion's tunnel, with a docking hatch, will allow crews to move between the crew module and other spacecraft.
Through collaborations across design and manufacturing, teams have been able to reduce the number of welds for the crew module by more than half since the first test version of Orion's primary structure was constructed and flown on the Exploration Flight Test-1 last December. The Exploration Mission-1 structure will include just seven main welds, plus several smaller welds for start and stop holes left by welding tools. Fewer welds will result in a lighter spacecraft.
Engineers have undertaken a meticulous process to prepare for welding. They have cleaned the segments, coated them with a protective chemical, and primed them. They then outfitted each element with strain gauges and wiring to monitor the metal during the fabrication process.
Prior to beginning work, technicians practiced their process, refined their techniques, and ensured proper tooling configurations by welding together a pathfinder, a full-scale version of the current spacecraft design. NASA's prime contractor for the spacecraft, Lockheed Martin, is doing the production of the crew module at Michoud.
http://www.nasa.gov/orion
The NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans announces that engineers have welded together the first two segments of the Orion crew module that will fly atop NASA’s Space Launch System rocket on a mission beyond the far side of the moon.
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Bodycote expands electron-beam welding capacity at Cambridge facility
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Bodycote, U.K., announces the installation of further electron beam welding (EBW) capacity at its facility in Cambridge. EBW creates high-integrity joints with minimal distortion by using a focused stream of high-energy electrons to apply very localized heating. The new machine, with its larger work chamber, complements the existing EBW capacity and will help service a growing customer base.
The new capacity addition is in response to an increase in demand driven by regional manufacturers and their markets. Customers include scientific, pharmaceutical, and research companies in and around the South East of England.
A long-established center of excellence for metal joining processes, the Cambridge facility has recently secured continued ‘Merit' status following a recent Nadcap audit by PRI. The Nadcap Merit program exists to reward superior performance in Nadcap audits, underlining the high standards of quality achieved at Bodycote Cambridge.
www.bodycote.com.
Bodycote, U.K., announces the installation of further electron beam welding (EBW) capacity at its facility in Cambridge.
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Alcoa to invest $60 million to develop its Ampliforge 3D-printing plus forging process
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Alcoa, Pittsburgh, is investing $60 million in its R&D center to accelerate the development of advanced 3D-printing materials and processes. Its Ampliforge process combines advanced materials with additive and traditional manufacturing processes. For example, Alcoa engineers could design and 3D-print a nearly complete part, then increase the strength of the final part with a traditional manufacturing process such as forging.
The company says that the process can enhance the properties of 3D-printed parts by adding such properties as higher toughness and strength, versus parts made solely by additive manufacturing. Furthermore, the Ampliforge process is said to significantly reduce material input and to simplify production compared with traditional forging processes. Alcoa is piloting the technique in Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
Alcoa will produce materials designed specifically for a range of additive technologies to meet increasing demand for complex, high-performance 3D-printed parts for aerospace and other high-growth markets such as automotive, medical, and building and construction. The $60 million expansion is under construction at the Alcoa Technical Center near Pittsburgh.
Alcoa's materials scientists will produce proprietary aluminum, titanium, and nickel powders designed specifically for 3D-printing. These powders will be tailored for various additive manufacturing processes to produce higher-strength 3D-printed parts, and to meet other quality and performance requirements.
With the industry's longest-running history of certifying aerospace components and qualifying processes, Alcoa will use its testing and process control expertise to overcome challenges with certifying new 3D-printed parts, starting with aerospace applications.
Construction of the new facility is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2016. The project will create more than 100 full-time positions—including materials specialists, design experts, and process and inspection technologists—by 2017, and approximately 45 temporary jobs during construction.
www.alcoa.com
Alcoa, Pittsburgh, is investing $60 million in its R&D center to accelerate the development of advanced 3D-printing materials and processes.
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Contour Hardening receives ISO/TS certification of heat treating facility in Mexico
September 8, 2015
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Contour Hardening Inc., Indianapolis, the developer of patented Micropulse induction heat treating technology, announces the recent ISO/TS 16949:2009 certification of its heat-treating service facility in Guanajuato, Mexico. The company's U.S. heat-treating facility has been ISO/TS 16949:2009 certified since 2004, and the new designation for its Contour Hardening Operaciones S.de R.L. de C.V. provides greater levels of convenience, capability, and cost-effectiveness.
The rapid expansion of vehicle and related component manufacturing in Mexico has resulted in a local deficit of TS-certified suppliers in general, and induction heat treating process service providers specifically. With its new TS certification, Contour Hardening will have rare, in-country capabilities to deliver direct-to-line parts, components, and assemblies that meet the industry's mandated heat-treating standards.
The Micropulse Process rapidly hardens gear teeth and other irregularly shaped parts requiring a high degree of case-depth hardening and pattern accuracy. Contour Hardening's patented processes have dramatically altered the traditional methods of heat treating gears and other irregularly shaped, complex parts that demand rigorous dimensional integrity. Parts heat-treated by CHI's patented processes exhibit less distortion, provide higher strength and durability, and enable parts with quality superior to that of other heat-treating methods.
Patented Micropulse induction heat-treating equipment is built to ISO standards and has been the industry's gold standard since Contour Hardening invented the technology almost 30 years ago. Today, the company's Micropulse equipment continues to process parts for virtually every major automotive manufacturer in the world.
By offering ISO/TS 16949:2009 certified contract processing, the company enables suppliers to meet stringent OEM heat treating requirements, while avoiding the initial capital expenditures associated with equipment and staffing. Once mature production volumes have been realized, suppliers can purchase the same Micropulse equipment that has been successfully processing their parts.
http://www.contourhardening.com
To view videos of the Micropulse Process, please visit:
http://www.contourhardening.com/videos.html
Contour Hardening Inc., Indianapolis, the developer of patented Micropulse induction heat treating technology, announces the recent ISO/TS 16949:2009 certification of its heat treating service facility in Guanajuato, Mexico.
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Custom furnace maker Thermcraft launches first standard lab furnace line
September 1, 2015
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Thermcraft Inc., Winston-Salem, N.C., a manufacturer of custom furnaces, announces the release of ExpressLine, the company's first standard-size laboratory furnace, with the goal of cutting delivery time to just two weeks. The ExpressLine furnaces will provide a degree of customization via controller options, data acquisition and communication options, and gas purging and exhaust options.
The company says that these furnaces provide the same high quality and durability of its custom furnaces, with the fast shipment and affordability of standard furnaces. Thermcraft has been designing and engineering custom lab furnaces for over four decades.
"Researchers and manufacturers who rely on grant money or government funds have always been asking for quality lab furnaces that fit their tight budget and can be delivered within a short span of time, and our answer is creating our own line of standard size furnaces that will fit their needs perfectly," said Tom Crafton, President of Thermcraft.
"We take pride in the accuracy and toughness of our custom furnaces; however, we are also aware that the steep cost is preventing many small and medium laboratories from getting the furnaces they need. Through standardization, we are able to offer our ExpressLine laboratory furnaces at significantly lower prices, as they can be made at a lower cost while also having a faster turnaround," says Mr. Crafton.
Thermcraft's ExpressLine Laboratory Furnaces are available now with pricing that starts at $2018.00. The Thermcraft website has also been updated with ecommerce capabilities to eliminate the need for users to talk to a sales representative when making a purchase.
www.thermcraftinc.com
Thermcraft Inc., Winston-Salem, N.C., a manufacturer of custom furnaces, announces the release of ExpressLine, the company’s first standard-size laboratory furnace, with the goal of cutting delivery time to just two weeks.
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Seco-Warwick Allied commissions two aluminum melting and holding furnaces
August 31, 2015
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Seco-Warwick Allied, India, recently commissioned two 60-metric-ton aluminum melting and holding furnaces for Hindalco Industries Ltd. The furnace design was prepared in conjunction with Seco-Warwick Corp. (USA). The furnaces are electrically heated with a hydraulic mechanism for tilting, and are designed for a melting rate of 1.3 metric tons per hour (minimum) each.
High inputs of fuel are required when melting aluminum; smaller amounts are required for holding the molten metal. Special attention is given to combustion control of fuel/air mixtures, furnace pressure, and temperature. Each system is equipped with solid state safety protection, high-temperature limits, and an alarm system.
The furnaces feature rugged steel construction reinforced with structural members at various key points. Points of localized stress such as door openings, tap and drain locations, and openings into external wells, receive additional reinforcement.
Burner placement is carefully analyzed to provide maximum coverage while providing the fastest melt rate possible. Special care is taken to select the correct burner so that just enough heat is applied to the furnace to do the job, but not too much as to cause problems with metal quality, high metal loss, or short furnace lining life.
The furnaces have been provided with doors for charging of solid metal or for skimming, and a door for charging of liquid metal by overhead crane. The scope of supply includes the furnace with heating, hydraulic system, PLC, and SCADA, with launders to feed an ingot casting machine. The launders lids have been designed for operation through a pneumatic cylinder arrangement.
Hindalco Industries Ltd., the flagship company of the Aditya Vikram Birla Group, seeks to be the growth engine of the group in the nonferrous metals business. A $41 billion corporation, the Aditya Birla Group is in the league of Fortune 500.
www.secowarwick.com
Seco-Warwick Allied, India, recently commissioned two 60-metric-ton aluminum melting and holding furnaces for Hindalco Industries Ltd.
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Carl Zeiss Microscopy celebrates fifty years of scanning electron microscopes
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Carl Zeiss Microscopy Ltd., England, marked the 50th anniversary of the first sale of a commercial scanning electron microscope with an event in Cambridge. Customers and specialists from many disciplines had the chance to meet scientists who worked on its development. Between 1951 and 1961, a team of engineering PhD students led by Sir Charles Oatley built the world's first five SEMs. In 1965, they built the first commercial SEM, the StereoScan (photo), with the Cambridge Instrument Company, a Zeiss predecessor.
With 50 years of continuous growth and development, the SEM has become ever more versatile, and is now firmly established as an indispensable tool for advanced research across many scientific disciplines. With new industrial applications emerging every year, the SEM is also a vital part of research & development, and quality control and analysis across an extensive range of industries.
From its early home in materials science, the SEM established itself in the disciplines of electronics, forensics, and archaeology. Over the years it has evolved into a key tool for food technologists, biologists, geologists and petrologists in the natural resources industries, adapting to fulfill the discrete requirements of these individual applications. Use of SEMs for process control and failure analysis is now widespread, with routine analysis on SEMs an integral part of the semiconductor and automotive industries, and manufacture more broadly.
Development still goes on: A direct descendant of the first microscopes produced in Cambridge in 1965 is the ZEISS EVO family. First launched in 2004, and widely accepted as the industry leading analytical platform, there are some developments soon to be unveiled for EVO offering more flexibility, ease of use, and further development of detectors. The new ZEISS Gemini SEM family comes with a novel optical design. Users achieve better resolution, especially at low voltage. With 20 times greater in-lens detection signal, they always acquire crisp images fast and with minimum sample damage.
http://www.photonics.com/Article.aspx?AID=20667
http://www.zeiss.com/semiconductor-manufacturing-technology/en_de/news-events.html
Carl Zeiss Microscopy Ltd., England, marked the 50th anniversary of the first sale of a commercial scanning electron microscope with an event in Cambridge.
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