Wisconsin Oven ships composite curing oven to Defense Industry

October 14, 2024
Source: ASM International

Wisconsin Oven ships composite curing oven to Defense Industry

Wisconsin Oven, East Troy, WI, has announced the shipment of a gas-fired walk-in batch oven to a prominent manufacturer in the defense industry. The oven is designed for curing filament wound composite materials and is capable of processing a 78,000-pound load on a 40-foot long mandrel carried by a load car.

The work chamber measures 10 feet wide, 42 feet long, and 9 feet high, with a qualified work zone of 8 feet by 40 feet by 8 feet. The oven includes a rotation system to prevent drooping of uncured composites during the heating process, offering speed control flexibility through a variable frequency drive.

This oven operates at a maximum temperature of 500°F, with temperature uniformity of ±10°F at multiple setpoints. Equipped with a PLC-based Wisconsin Oven Premium Control System and an IoT system, it allows for real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and remote fault diagnosis.

Additional features include split-line construction for easier shipping, two powerful recirculation blowers, interior lighting, and safety-compliant railings and ladder access.

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Constellium announces significant weight savings in EV Battery enclosures through ALIVE project

September 16, 2024
Source: ASM International

Constellium announces significant weight savings in EV Battery enclosures through ALIVE project

Constellium, based in Paris, announced that its collaborative research project, Aluminium Intensive Vehicle Enclosures (ALIVE), has achieved weight savings of 12 to 35 percent for electric vehicle (EV) battery enclosures. The project, led by Constellium’s University Technology Center at Brunel University London, focused on optimizing the design and manufacturing processes for structural aluminum enclosures in EVs.

Launched in 2020, the £15 million initiative was partially funded by the UK government through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). The project involved six industrial partners, including BMW, Volvo, and Innoval Technology, along with university technology partners from Brunel University London and the University of Warwick.

The ALIVE team developed new aluminum designs using Constellium’s high-strength alloys, HSA6® and HCA6®, while implementing advanced joining and forming technologies. Full-scale prototypes were produced and successfully passed rigorous testing for performance, safety, and fire resistance. The project also generated cost models to support future industrialization of the designs.

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Multi-furnace heat treat project for major steel forger

April 5, 2023
Source: ASM International

Multi-furnace heat treat project for major steel forger

Nutec Bickley, Mexico, has been awarded a contract to manufacture and install five new lift-up furnaces, along with a fully modernized combustion system, for a leading U.S. manufacturer of high-quality alloy steel and carbon steel closed-die forgings. The project will take place between May and December 2023, with onsite work completed one furnace at a time to ensure the customer’s production schedules are not impacted. Two of the new furnaces will be used for tempering, while the remaining three will be used for austenitizing. Each furnace will be fitted with the latest control systems, complete fiber flues, and new exhaust and pressure control systems, along with insulation.

Nutec Bickley’s state-of-the-art combustion packages will be fully compliant with NFPA 86 standards, incorporating a fuel-only control system to allow maximum temperature uniformity potential for all cycles. The retrofitted furnaces will benefit from high-velocity nozzle mixing burners fitted with high-temperature burner blocks. The combustion systems will also feature automatic air control valves to adjust the maximum air volume used and to ensure proper burner ignition conditions.

The project will involve careful teamwork between the customer and Nutec Bickley to ensure successful delivery and highest quality outcomes. Rodrigo González, VP Metals at Nutec Bickley, emphasized the importance of constant communication and status updates with customers for a dynamic and mutually beneficial project result.

 

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Elvial purchases a second furnace from Nitrex

November 26, 2021
Source: ASM International

Elvial purchases a second furnace from Nitrex

Nitrex Metal, Canada, has sold a second NX-815 E furnace to Elvial, one of the largest aluminum extrusion companies in Greece. This will help ELVIAL meet the needs created by their plant expansion and to increase their manufacturing capacity.

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One minute mentor: Quenching and Tempering

November 1, 2021
Source: ASM International

One minute mentor: Quenching and Tempering

The as-quenched properties of powder metallurgy steels depend on the cooling medium and the steel’s hardenability. Quenching in water, salt, brine, and water-based polymer solutions improves the rate of heat transfer, leading to a faster quench. However, in many cases, it accelerates corrosion due to the residual quenchant trapped in surface pores.

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Harper expands product offering with new lab-scale rotary furnace


Source: ASM International

Harper expands product offering with new lab-scale rotary furnace

Harper International, Buffalo, N.Y., has launched a lab-scale rotary furnace. The furnace allows producers of advanced materials to optimize their process parameters on a small scale to ensure capability and quality requirements are achieved prior to investment in production-scale thermal process equipment.

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Air Products signs $12 billion joint venture in Jazan, Saudi Arabia

October 18, 2021
Source: ASM International

Air Products signs $12 billion joint venture in Jazan, Saudi Arabia

Air Products, Allentown, Pa., has signed and finalized definitive agreements for the asset acquisition and project financing of the $12 billion air separation unit (ASU)/gasification/power joint venture (JV) with Aramco and ACWA Power in Jazan Economic City.

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Solar Atmospheres vacuum hardens 16,000 pound aluminum extrusion liner

November 9, 2020
Source: ASM International

Solar Atmospheres vacuum hardens 16,000 pound aluminum extrusion liner

Solar Atmospheres of Western Pennsylvania, Hermitage, successfully vacuum hardened one of the largest aluminum extrusion liners ever produced by Lake Park Tool and Machine located in Youngstown Ohio. The 10 bar vacuum furnace was completed by Solar Manufacturing and is one of the fastest cooling large vacuum furnaces in the industry.

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Nitrex supplies Alugen Aluminum with nitriding system

October 14, 2020
Source: ASM International

Nitrex supplies Alugen Aluminum with nitriding system

Nitrex Metal Inc., Montreal, has supplied the Turkish aluminum extrusion company, Alugen Aluminium, with a high-performance compact nitriding/nitrocarburizing system allowing the company to bring all manufacturing operations in-house for more optimal work planning and quality control. Founded in 2012, Alugen is a dynamic company and the only business of its kind in Turkey operating in a free trade zone, with customers in various European countries.

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