One Minute Mentor: Duplex hardening of bearing steels
October 14, 2019 Source: ASM International
Duplex hardening of M-50 and M50NiL provides a hard, wear-resistant surface that exhibits high damage tolerance and damage resistance to hard-particle contamination.
Continue readingInteger announces acquisition of US BioDesign assets for its biomedical structures
October 13, 2019 Source: ASM International
Integer Holdings Corp., Plano, Texas, announces that it has purchased certain assets of US BioDesign, a manufacturer of complex braided biomedical structures for disposable and implantable medical devices headquartered in Quakertown, Pa.
Continue readingFort Wayne engineers evaluate NiTi matrix composite with tantalum fiber reinforcement
Source: ASM International
Engineers from Fort Wayne Metals, Indiana, reported in a presentation during SMST 2019 that they recently evaluated a composite comprised of a nickel-titanium matrix and varying amounts of tantalum fibers.
Continue readingAdmedes scientists investigate influence of heat treating on fatigue behavior of Nitinol
Source: ASM International
Researchers from Admedes GmbH, Germany, discussed how heat treating during shape setting influences fatigue behavior of the part at SMST 2019 in May.
Continue readingASM International’s Heat Treat 2019 will turn up the Heat on Networking and Entertainment
October 11, 2019 Source: ASM International
Register today for the can’t-miss event for heating treating professionals in North America.
Continue readingUnited States Steel invests $700 million in joint venture with Big River Steel
October 10, 2019 Source: ASM International
United States Steel, Pittsburgh, announces that it has formed a joint venture partnership agreement under which it has taken the first step toward acquiring Big River Steel through the purchase of a 49.9% ownership interest at a purchase price of approximately $700 million in cash, with a call option to acquire the remaining 50.1% within the next four years.
Continue readingAir Products develops procedures to optimize furnace atmospheres for annealing
October 7, 2019 Source:
Engineers from Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Allentown, Pa., discuss the proper specification, measurement, and control of annealing furnace atmospheres, which are critical to achieving the required metallurgical and microstructural results, at Heat Treat 2019. With proper process control, annealing plants can reduce or eliminate some common problems, such as sooting, oxidation, sticking, and distortion.
Usually, an atmosphere control system can help heat treaters improve the quality and consistency of their processes. Air Products has been serving this industry for many years and provides the customers with ideal atmosphere solutions and troubleshooting knowledge/capability.
This paper reviews years of field experience with nitrogen and hydrogen-based atmosphere systems, and includes case studies of Air Products’ innovative atmosphere monitoring and control solutions.
Title: “Trouble Shooting and Optimization of Nitrogen-Hydrogen Furnace Atmospheres for Annealing.â€
Authors: Dr. Liang He, Mr. Thomas Philips, Mr. Donald Bowe, Dr. Ranajit Ghos, Mr. Mark K. Weise, Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Allentown, Pa.
https://www.asminternational.org/web/heat-treat-2019
Engineers from Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Allentown, Pa., discuss the proper specification, measurement, and control of annealing furnace atmospheres, which are critical to achieving the required metallurgical and microstructural results, at Heat Treat 2019.
Continue readingNitrex Metal studies influence of standard deviations on nitriding, ferritic nitrocarburizing
Source:
Jack Kalucki, Nitrex Metal Inc., Montreal, Quebec, discusses how standard allowed deviations in control parameters affect actual results in controlled nitriding and ferritic nitrocarburizing, in a presentation at Heat Treat 2019. These technologies have become commonly used to improve wear resistance, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance. The framework for process control is based on standards such as AMS 2759/10 and 2759/12A. In all cases, these standards allow for a tolerance in control parameters.
This work presents the influence of standard allowed deviations in control parameters, for example, nitriding potential and temperature for a given furnace class, on actual results when comparing Iron, carbon steel, 4140, and H13 samples. Comparative results point to interesting variations in white layer thickness.
We also discuss other potential factors such as the shift of actual results due to carbon and alloying elements, and the subsequent alteration of results between expected and actual as demonstrated by shifting boundaries on the Lehrer diagram.
As a conclusion, the study underlines the fact that while tolerances are allowed, precise control in specific furnace classes is necessary to obtain an ideal repetition of results. Additionally, improved control lowers gas usage and gas flows to a strict minimum, with a direct impact on the cost of quality, cost of treatment, and emissions affecting the environment.
Title: “How Does Precise Control Affect the Outcome of Nitriding and Ferritic Nitrocarburizing Cycles?â€
Jack Kalucki, Nitrex Metal Inc., Montreal, Quebec
Tuesday, October 15, 2019: 11:00 AM
251A (TCF Center), Detroit
https://www.asminternational.org/web/heat-treat-2019
Jack Kalucki, Nitrex Metal Inc., Montreal, Quebec, discusses how standard allowed deviations in control parameters affect actual results in controlled nitriding and ferritic nitrocarburizing, in a presentation at Heat Treat 2019.
Continue readingWPI develops color tint-etching method to quantify percentage of bainite in steel
Source:
Engineers from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Worcester, Mass., will present a discussion of methods to determine the amounts of various microstructures in steel during heat treating, at Heat Treat 2019.
Austempering is a hardening process based on the isothermal transformation of austenite to bainite. The transformation percentage of bainite must be quantified to determine the bainite transformation kinetics. During the austempering process, if the austempering holding time is not long enough, the bainitic transformation will be incomplete, and the residual austenite will transform to martensite during cooling to room temperature. The result may be a microstructure containing bainite, martensite, and retained austenite.
In the present work, color tint-etching was used to distinguish phases in austempered AISI 5160 steel samples. After color tint-etching, the microstructural constituents display different colors under the optical microscope with polarized light to estimate the percentage of each microstructural constituent. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis with Rietveld refinement was also conducted to determine the percentage of each microstructural feature. These experimental results are compared with those determined by tint etching.
Both results show that longer austempering holding time increases the bainite percentage, while the martensite percentage decreases. However, the martensite percentage determined by the tint-etching method is much higher than that determined by XRD analysis.
Title: “Methods for the Determination of Bainite, Martensite, and Austenite Fractions in Austempered Steel.â€
Authors: Prof. Mei Yang, Mr. Hooman Sabarou, Mr. Zhida Chen, Dr. Yangyang Fan, Prof. Yu Zhong, Prof. Richard D Sisson, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Wednesday, October 16, 2019: 2:40 PM, 251C (TCF Center)
https://www.asminternational.org/web/heat-treat-2019
Engineers from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Worcester, Mass., will present a discussion of methods to determine the amounts of various microstructures in steel during heat treating, at Heat Treat 2019.
Continue readingGasbarre modular furnaces allow companies to adapt as their products evolve
Source:
Engineers from Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems, Cranston, R.I., will present a discussion of modular vacuum furnaces that allow companies to adapt as their products evolve, or as their product line expands, at Heat Treat 2019. In today’s manufacturing environment, it is important that companies be agile enough to adapt to a changing landscape.
It may be time to take a closer look at modular vacuum furnaces. Introduced originally in the 1970’s, the modular furnace allows companies to adapt as their products evolve, or as their product line expands. The concept incorporates various modules that can be added or removed over time. The base module consists of a cold-wall vessel with insulation, heating system, pumping system, and control system. Various additional cooling and heating modules can be included, or added or removed as required, to enable annealing, brazing, carbonitriding, carburizing, hardening, quenching, or sintering.
The furnace is suitable for processing a single load, or it can be fitted with a preheat/vacuum module, multiple heating modules, and a cooling module to enable processing multiple loads on a continuous basis to meet increasing demand.
Title “Modular Vacuum Furnaces for an Ever Changing World,†by Patrick Weymer, Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems, Cranston, Rhode Island.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019: 11:40 AM, 251C (TCF Center)
https://www.asminternational.org/web/heat-treat-2019
Engineers from Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems, Cranston, R.I., will present a discussion of modular vacuum furnaces that allow companies to adapt as their products evolve, or as their product line expands, at Heat Treat 2019.
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