Seco Warwick introduces Seco Vacuum Technologies to North America
January 26, 2017
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Seco Warwick, Meadville, Pa., announces the creation of Seco Vacuum Technologies, a new company designed to provide standard and custom vacuum furnaces and related professional services to the North America market. Our new company will deliver the best quality, service and support to our American customers.
We achieve this by focusing on North America for sales and support; offering production-size demonstration furnaces for process validation; expediting delivery of all components, controls, and support documentation; and providing United States-based local service teams, including installation and maintenance support.
With nearly 400 vacuum furnaces installed in North America alone, Seco Warwick is already a well-established vacuum furnace brand for commercial and captive heat treaters. Through the creation of a company dedicated to the unique requirements of our North American customers, Seco Vacuum Technologies will improve delivery of the world's best technology and configure it for seamless compatibility to American standard components and controls.
Commented SVT's managing director, Piotr Zawistowski, "Seco Vacuum Technologies is positioned to deliver improved products and services to established customers and new companies as well, by adapting some of Seco Warwick's core products and capabilities for better compatibility with North American expectations. In addition to providing the world's best technology, our key to this strategy will be to compete aggressively on both price and delivery. For example, our Value Incentive Program (VIP), is a platform that offers several standard Vector furnace models configured for fast delivery to USA customers."
Specific Vector models in the most popular sizes and quench pressures will be available through the VIP program.
www.secovacusa.com
Seco Warwick, Meadville, Pa., announces the creation of Seco Vacuum Technologies, a new company designed to provide standard and custom vacuum furnaces and related professional services to the North America market.
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Ipsen concludes record year by shipping 25 furnaces in fourth quarter
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Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., announces that it wrapped up a record year by shipping 25 furnaces during the last three months of 2016. With destinations in six countries and 13 U.S. states, this equipment will support the aerospace, automotive, commercial heat treating, medical and MIM industries. Heat-treating systems ranged from a custom-built debinding and sintering furnace to a horizontal MetalMaster vacuum furnace with a 20,000-pound load capacity.
Included among the shipments were an atmosphere washer and loader, as well as several H2- and H6-sized Titan vacuum furnaces equipped with the PdMetrics predictive maintenance software platform. This exclusive platform helps optimize equipment performance and minimize downtime. Other vacuum furnaces shipped included horizontal and vertical MetalMaster furnaces, Titan DS (debinding and sintering) furnaces, a VerticalTurbo, a Titan LT (low-temperature), a horizontal TurboTreater, and an HEQ (horizontal external quench) from the VFS product line.
To best support these industries, Ipsen's global ICS (Ipsen Customer Service) Team facilitates system installations, as well as provides expert training, startup assistance and 360° support throughout the entire life span of the equipment for any brand.
www.IpsenUSA.com/ICS
Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., announces that it wrapped up a record year by shipping 25 furnaces during the last three months of 2016.
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Sturbridge Metallurgical wins Sikorsky approval for materials testing
January 25, 2017
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Sturbridge Metallurgical Services Inc., Sturbridge, Mass., announces that it has been approved as a Materials Testing Lab for Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. (a Lockheed Martin Corp.) and its manufacturing supplier base. Manufacturers, suppliers and/or vendors of Sikorsky, as well as Sikorsky directly, can now utilize the full scope of Sturbridge Metallurgical's materials testing capabilities. Suppliers can access their approved certification letter through the Sturbridge Metallurgical website and navigate to the quality assurance section.
Sturbridge offers chemical analysis, SEM/EDS analysis, failure analysis, tensile testing, GE grain size ratings, corrosion testing, metallography, hardness and microhardness testing, and a variety of other metallurgical testing services.
"Our team has worked extremely hard to put the systems in place to ensure that organizations such as Sikorsky and their supply chain will want to have their parts tested here," says Brendan Fullam, General Manager and Business Development Manager at Sturbridge. "We have a great team here and everyone works very hard to keep our customers happy. Having Sikorsky grant us approval validates all of the effort and time that they have put into the organization, and keeps us even more focused on demanding the best from ourselves."
www.smslabs.com
Sturbridge Metallurgical Services Inc., Sturbridge, Mass., announces that it has been approved as a Materials Testing Lab for Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. (a Lockheed Martin Corp.) and its manufacturing supplier base.
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One Minute Mentor: Plasma-Immersion Ion Implantation
January 23, 2017
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The fundamental difference between plasma nitriding (glow discharge) and plasma-immersion ion implantation (PIII) is that the latter relies on high-energy pulses (up to 45 kV) that promote a low-energy ion implantation in the target, but that is still less than the energy used in conventional ion implantation (>100 kV). A combination of target temperature and pulse voltage achieve the desired implantation profile.
The PIII process can be seen as a modification of the plasma nitriding process that provides control of individual operational parameters and thus improves the plasma treatment. Most systems use an RF plasma at frequencies up to 2.45 GHz to generate a nitrogen microwave plasma, independent of temperature and bias voltage at the target, in the same beneficial low-pressure atmosphere as the regular RF plasma treatment process.
Volume 4D, Heat Treating of Irons and Steels ⇒ Heat-Treated High Alloy Steels ⇒ Nitriding of Stainless Steels ⇒ Thermochemical Nitriding Treatments
The fundamental difference between plasma nitriding (glow discharge) and plasma-immersion ion implantation (PIII) is that the latter relies on high-energy pulses (up to 45 kV) that promote a low-energy ion implantation in the target, but that is still less than the energy used in conventional ion implantation (>100 kV). A combination of target temperature and pulse voltage achieve the desired implantation profile.
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Ryerson acquires Laserflex for its laser fabrication and welding capabilities
January 20, 2017
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Ryerson Holding Corp., Chicago, announces that it has acquired the Laserflex Corp., which specializes in laser fabrication and welding, and further enhances Ryerson's existing fabrication and metals processing capabilities. Laserflex employs more than 100 at its two locations in Columbus, Ohio, and Wellford, South Carolina, and has annual revenue of approximately $25 million.
"Laserflex and Ryerson share a passion for creating great customer experiences in the advanced fabrication of metal parts for a wide variety of original equipment manufacturers," says Eddie Lehner, Ryerson's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Laserflex is an integral fit to our strategy focused around speed, scale, value-added culture, and analytics."
"The Laserflex management team has built an excellent company over the past 20 years," added Kevin Richardson, Ryerson's President, South-East Region. "We have worked closely with them as both a customer and a supplier of value-added services."
"Our Laserflex team looks forward to growing and expanding our laser processing and other precision metal fabrication services throughout Ryerson's expansive commercial network," says Ken Kinkopf, President and Chief Executive Officer of Laserflex.
www.ryerson.com
Ryerson Holding Corp., Chicago, announces that it has acquired the Laserflex Corp., which specializes in laser fabrication and welding, and further enhances Ryerson’s existing fabrication and metal processing capabilities.
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Outokumpu offers full range of stainless steel rebar products for infrastructure
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Outokumpu Oy, Sweden, announces that after expanding its stainless rebar capabilities in the United States, the company is able to offer a full range of stainless steel rebar products, including coil, cut-to-length, and bent shapes. The facility in Richburg, South Carolina, has unique capabilities to cover a full range of rebar dimensions between sizes #3 and #8 (from 6 mm to 25.4 mm), and lengths up to 60 feet, and offers short lead times for the North American market.
"With multiple landmark projects, Outokumpu has a strong reputation in the stainless steel rebar market globally," says Bob Beatty, head of Outokumpu Stainless Bar USA. "From our South Carolina facilities we are able to offer fully domestically produced stainless rebar for customers in the United States and Canada. We look forward working with leading construction-industry partners to bring our stainless rebar products to the market."
Usage of stainless steel rebar is growing rapidly across North America, as it delivers significant lifetime savings to infrastructure owners. Stainless rebar has been successful in highly demanding structures, including bridges and other road infrastructure, which show no signs of deterioration after decades of service. Stainless steel does not rely on concrete for its corrosion protection and is a straightforward solution when concrete is subject to the ingress of chlorides from either marine environments or de-icing salts.
Outokumpu has a century of experience in creating efficient, long-lasting, and recyclable stainless steels. Its global offerings include quality-critical long products for buildings and infrastructures. Its Long Products sites are located in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Sweden.
outokumpu.com/rebar
Outokumpu Oy, Sweden, announces that after expanding its stainless rebar capabilities in the United States, the company is able to offer a full range of stainless steel rebar products, including coil, cut-to-length, and bent shapes.
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Seco Warwick heat treating furnace combines vacuum furnace with integral quench
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Seco Warwick, Meadville, Pa., reports that its CaseMaster Evolution heat treating furnace is a hybrid solution which, thanks to a newer carburizing process, increases strength, hardness, and wear resistance, while ensuring uniformity and improved mechanical properties for demanding industries. It is a multi-chamber vacuum furnace with integral sealed oil or gas quench.
This advanced technology that uses high-temperature and low-pressure carburizing has replaced conventional sealed quench furnaces by achieving shorter cycle times and higher production rates. The company says it is a perfect solution for manufacturers of precision gears, ensuring high-speed and economical process performance.
Due to its reliability, Seco Warwick systems attract worldwide manufacturers, especially those of automotive parts, who are facing multiple challenges as today's auto industry is going through a dramatic change. There are more competitors, demand for mobility is rising, and the vehicles of the future need to be built from high-quality components to be able to deliver safe and sustainable experiences.
The company says that in 2016, various leading companies that needed superior mechanical properties compared with conventional case hardening methods, increased their production capacities with CaseMaster Evolution. One such company is a manufacturer of the complete range of high tensile ‘standard' and ‘special' fasteners in the main Asian markets. The company has a global manufacturing presence and sells its products also to United Kingdom, Malaysia, and Germany.
www.secowarwick.com
Seco Warwick, Meadville, Pa., reports that its CaseMaster Evolution heat treating furnace is a hybrid solution which, thanks to a newer carburizing process, increases strength, hardness, and wear resistance, while ensuring uniformity and improved mechanical properties for demanding industries.
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C.I. Hayes Solitaire conveyor belt furnace designed for annealing of small parts
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C.I. Hayes, a Gasbarre Furnace Group company, Cranston, R.I., recently installed multiple Solitaire conveyor belt furnaces for annealing of precious metals for the jewelry industry. In total, this project consisted of three identical conveyor belt furnaces, all manufactured and installed for the same customer.
Named for its compact design, and initially developed for brazing and bright annealing of jewelry pieces, the Solitaire conveyor belt furnace has found great acceptance in other markets requiring brazing and bright annealing of small intricate parts.
C.I. Hayes continues to enhance the proven design of its Solitaire furnace line by improving the overall lifetime value. Its robust and simple design allows for ease of manufacture, installation, and maintenance, ensuring success for processes that are driven by both technical and commercial demands.
The Solitaire is equipped with belt widths of 6 to 12 inches and effective heat lengths of 27 to 72 inches. Four-sided heat surrounding the muffle provides excellent uniformity and power input with temperature capabilities to 2100°F (1148°C). The furnace remains compact and may be shipped as a single piece, fully assembled, with single point connections for power, water, and atmosphere.
C.I. Hayes designs, manufactures and services industrial vacuum and atmosphere heat treating equipment and has been delivering custom solutions to the heat treating industry for 112 years.
www.cihayes.com
C.I. Hayes, a Gasbarre Furnace Group company, Cranston, R.I., recently installed multiple Solitaire conveyor belt furnaces for annealing of precious metals for the jewelry industry.
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Meridian partners with U.K. university for new magnesium manufacturing methods
January 17, 2017
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Meridian Lightweight Technologies, Plymouth, Mich., announces that Birmingham City University, England, has signed an exclusive partnership with Meridian, the world's largest producer of magnesium components, to showcase magnesium as a viable alternative for luxury car makers and the aerospace industry. The two organizations will work together in the education, research, and development of magnesium automotive applications.
Meridian's Nottinghamshire plant produces around 5000 net metric tons of die-cast products annually, serving automotive clients such as Jaguar, Land Rover, BMW, Ford, Honda, and Volvo.
However, being able to offer custom magnesium components for low-volume manufacturers such as Aston Martin, Bentley and Rolls-Royce, can prove costly with current manufacturing methods.
As part of the new partnership with Meridian, academics from Birmingham City University's Faculty of Computing, Engineering and The Built Environment, and personnel from the company will be investigating new ways to offer more sustainable goods for low-volume manufacturers, while making production financially viable for Meridian and its potential clients.
"The strategic partnership we have signed with Birmingham City University is very much a first for us," says Meridian's Randy Chalmers. "As one the world's leading suppliers of innovative, lightweight cast metal solutions for the transportation industry, it is imperative that we remain at the forefront of the machining and casting capabilities of magnesium. Our partnership with Birmingham City University will certainly catalyze this, allowing us to benefit from its leading-edge research in the field, and ensuring that the next generation of engineers continues to experiment with new ways to utilize the metal."
For more information: Matt Height [email protected]
Meridian Lightweight Technologies, Plymouth, Mich., announces that Birmingham City University, England, has signed an exclusive partnership with Meridian, the world’s largest producer of magnesium components, to showcase magnesium as a viable alternative for luxury car makers and the aerospace industry.
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3D optical microscope provides high combined lateral and vertical resolution
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Bruker Corp., Billerica, Mass., reports that its Contour Elite 3D optical microscopes provide the high sensitivity and stability necessary for precision 3D surface measurements in applications and environments that are challenging for other metrology systems, such as R&D applications within the semiconductor and MEMS markets. Critical metrology includes measurements of film thickness and substrate roughness, as well as monitoring and validating key dimensional parameters such as RA roughness, pitch, width, and height.
Contour Elite systems are said to provide the best combined lateral and vertical resolution over the industry's largest field of view, with a sub-nanometer to greater than 10 mm vertical range. They also include high-fidelity imaging that reveals specific surface details—minute details that otherwise would be difficult or impossible to see.
Data segmentation based on color or grayscale information enables users to rapidly select areas of interest and collect critical metrology data from specific regions. This, combined with the ability to build a vivid graphic representation of a magnified zoom into the part, gives the user the ability to actually see the sample along with its true 3D topography, leading to better problem solving in engineered surface applications.
Because of its very high speed, Contour Elite's WLI technology is particularly well-suited as a QC/process monitoring tool where production volumes are pushed to ever higher levels. This latest generation of Contour 3D optical microscopes delivers a powerful combination of high-speed operation, an ability to function in factory environments, and uncommon accuracy making the Elite systems ideal for challenging applications that require critical surface inspections in the semiconductor and MEMS industrial markets.
www.bruker.com
Bruker Corp., Billerica, Mass., reports that its Contour Elite 3D optical microscopes provide the high sensitivity and stability necessary for precision 3D surface measurements in applications and environments that are challenging for other metrology systems, such as R&D applications within the semiconductor and MEMS markets.
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