ID Gun sprays metal and ceramic abrasion-resistant coatings inside pipes and tubes
April 8, 2016
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Saint-Gobain Coating Solutions, Worcester, Mass., introduces its ID Gun equipment, which produces high-performance wear resistant coatings inside long pipes, tubes, and sleeves with diameters greater than six inches.
The ID Gun can spray a wide range of materials: WC 12Co tungsten carbide, low-friction wear-resistant ceramics, and metals such as Inconel, Hastelloy, and Stellite. The new gun enables up to 68% deposit efficiency with tungsten carbide, with very low content of residual dust while coating inside the pipe. The result is low-porosity, hard, high-cohesion coatings that provide higher resistance to abrasion and erosion. Substrate temperature is <392°F during coating, resulting in no distortion and no microstructure changes.
Thickness can reach up to 800µm, while plasma coating thickness is limited to ~500µm and HVOF coating thickness is limited to ~300µm.
Applications include pipes and components subject to tar sands abrasion; mud pumps, pipes, and other equipment for oil & gas exploration; slurry pipelines for mining; and pipes and other equipment in coal-fired power plants.
www.coatingsolutions.saint-gobain.com
Saint-Gobain Coating Solutions, Worcester, Mass., introduces its ID Gun equipment, which produces high-performance wear resistant coatings inside long pipes, tubes, and sleeves with diameters greater than six inches.
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Oerlikon expands presence in South Korea
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The Surface Solutions Segment of the Oerlikon Group, Switzerland, announces that Oerlikon Metco will cover the Korean market directly by taking over Metco Business, its previous distribution partner. The company also announces that Oerlikon Balzers has opened up an additional Customer Centre in the country.
The new location in Gwangju is Oerlikon Balzers fifth Customer Centre in South Korea, and its 108th worldwide. This new center will enable better short-term delivery service for customers in the forming tool/home appliance and automotive industries in the Gwangju area.
Effective April 1, Oerlikon Metco also took over all Metco assets from IWS, its long-term local distribution partner, and officially opened the new Oerlikon Metco Korea branch office in Seoul.
"Our two companies have enjoyed a highly successful partnership since 1985 when IWS became Oerlikon Metco's representative in South Korea," says Markus Heusser, Head of Business Unit Materials & Technology at Oerlikon Surface Solutions. "Oerlikon Metco has become the leading thermal spray brand in South Korea. The new Oerlikon Metco Korea office is the next step in this process, and will provide even better and more direct service for our regional customers."
"With our own Oerlikon Metco sales office and sales force, and the fifth Oerlikon Balzers Customer Centre in South Korea, the Surface Solutions Segment emphasizes its presence in this important market. These developments will further improve our customer relationships and growth in the various South Korean industries," says Roland Herb, CEO Surface Solutions Segment of the Oerlikon Group.
www.oerlikon.com/metco
The Surface Solutions Segment of the Oerlikon Group, Switzerland, announces that Oerlikon Metco will cover the Korean market directly by taking over Metco Business, its previous distribution partner.
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Höganäs introduces 17-4 PH steel powder for its Digital Metal 3D printing technology
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Höganäs, Sweden, extends its 3D printing capability by introducing high-performance 17-4 PH stainless steel for its Digital Metal printing technology. The 17-4 PH steel enables production of components with higher strength and hardness, as it is a hardening grade that exhibits considerably higher strength at 1050 MPa UTS, than the more commonly used austenitic 316L at 520 MPa UTS. It also provides improved corrosion resistance compared to 400 series ferritic stainless steels.
Höganäs Digital Metal is a 3D metal printing technology that enables production of small and complex objects such as the Digital Metal hollow parts shown, that would be costly, if not impossible, to produce by traditional methods.
The process begins with an object described in a CAD file. This is materialized in the 3D printer, which builds the object layer by layer using metal powder and precision ink-jet. Once complete, the object is sintered for strength. The result is a metal component or part with high resolution and tight tolerances. A third step can be introduced to refine surface quality.
Today, Digital Metal predominantly produces parts or components in stainless steel. However, other materials such as titanium, silver, and copper are close to commercialization.
www.hoganas.com
Höganäs, Sweden, extends its 3D printing capability by introducing high-performance 17-4 PH stainless steel for its Digital Metal printing technology.
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3D-printed metal aircraft parts
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Alcoa, Pittsburgh, entered into an agreement with Airbus, France, to supply 3D-printed metal parts for commercial aircraft. The parts will be produced using comprehensive capabilities—from multimaterial alloy development to additive manufacturing and aerospace parts qualification. The first additive manufactured parts are expected to be delivered midyear.
The agreement draws on Alcoa's aerospace experience and new technologies gained through its recent acquisition of RTI. The company also recently invested in 3D-printing and metallic powder production capabilities at its technical center outside of Pittsburgh.
Last year, Alcoa acquired RTI International Metals (RTI)—now known as Alcoa Titanium & Engineered Products (ATEP)—which grew its additive manufacturing capabilities to include 3D-printed titanium and specialty metals parts produced at ATEP's Austin, Texas facility. The Airbus agreement draws on these capabilities as well as ATEP's titanium ingot melting and billetizing, machining, finishing, and inspection technologies.
Alcoa will use advanced CT scan and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) capabilities at its advanced aerospace facility in Whitehall, Mich. HIP strengthens the metallic structures of traditional and additive manufactured parts made of titanium and nickel based superalloys. Through a $22 million investment in the technology, Alcoa today owns and operates one of the largest aerospace HIP technology complexes in the world.
Additionally, Alcoa is bolstering its additive manufacturing capabilities through a $60 million expansion in advanced 3D-printing materials and processes, including metallic powders. The expansion is located at the Alcoa Technical Center near Pittsburgh.
Alcoa, Pittsburgh, entered into an agreement with Airbus, France, to supply 3D-printed metal parts for commercial aircraft.
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Conveyor oven maximizes uniform adhesive cure on aluminum
April 5, 2016
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Wisconsin Oven Corp., East Troy, has shipped a natural-gas-fired three-zone curing conveyor oven to a leader in metal fabrication to cure a solvent-based adhesive that will be printed on a continuous corrugated aluminum web. The curing oven will be placed in a complete printing line, and is designed to handle a corrugated aluminum web 24 inches wide and 0.125-inch thick, weighing up to one pound per square foot or less. The adhesive deposition will be up to 300 mg/sq. ft. on the top surface only.
The curing oven has a maximum temperature rating of 300°F; the work chamber is 25 feet long, 2.3 feet wide, and six inches high. The chamber has three zones of heat control: each zone is 8 1/3 feet long.
Zone 3 may be used as a cool-down zone, with the recirculation and exhaust blower operating and the burner off. The belt conveyor oven utilizes a stainless steel flat flex belt for thermal efficiency. The recirculation system is configured with top-down airflow, which provides uniform heat distribution along the top of the aluminum web, and is optimal for an even cure of the applied adhesive.
"With this project, we wanted to make sure the oven design would maximize the uniformity of the cure," says Tom Trueman, Senior Application Engineer of Wisconsin Oven. "The three temperature zones and top-down airflow were the ideal solution, because the zones give the customer the flexibility to adjust the process for the best end result."
www.wisoven.com
Wisconsin Oven Corp., East Troy, has shipped a natural-gas-fired three-zone curing conveyor oven to a leader in metal fabrication to cure a solvent-based adhesive that will be printed on a continuous corrugated aluminum web.
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Continuous roller hearth system heat treats aluminum automotive castings
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Consolidated Engineering Company (CEC), Kennesaw, Ga., has received a purchase order for a continuous roller hearth T6 system with a water quench and age oven from an aluminum casting company in the United States. The system is designed for the heat treatment of cast aluminum knuckles and other automotive castings. The company is a rapidly growing foundry business that has been consistently winning automotive orders .
High pressure die casting, in which molten aluminum is injected into a metal die, now accounts for more than half of all aluminum castings worldwide. This manufacturing method has been shown to be particularly suitable for making complex parts for automobiles. These castings are often used as sheet or extrusion connectors to tie together portions of all-aluminum car spaceframes (chassis), which are finding broader application in high-end cars.
CEC manufactures solutionizing furnaces for all types of castings, forgings, extrusions and tubing, and has extensive experience in heat treating castings. To date, CEC's T4 & T6 installations process more than 57 million aluminum cylinder heads, engine blocks, and wheels every year. CEC has invented and developed solution heat-treatment machine innovations and processes that have generated more than 105 patents.
To develop and optimize processes, more than 6350 CEC sponsored or funded casting tests have been run to prove process innovations. The corporate focus is to save operating costs and pollution while improving product quality. CEC invented and remains the world leader in trayless and basketless head, block, and wheel casting processing.
www.cec-intl.com
Consolidated Engineering Company (CEC), Kennesaw, Ga., has received a purchase order for a continuous roller hearth T6 system with a water quench and age oven for the heat treatment of cast aluminum knuckles and other automotive castings.
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VertiQuench technology optimizes heat treatment for aluminum tubes
Source: ASM International
Seco Warwick, Meadville, Pa., exhibited its VertiQuench aluminum solution heat treatment furnaces and aging systems at Tube 2016 in Dusseldorf.
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One Minute Mentor: Tempering Temperature and Corrosion Properties
March 31, 2016
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One Minute Mentor: Tempering Temperature and Corrosion Properties
The graph shows the corrosion resistance of martensitic stainless steels with high hardness. It compares nitrogen alloyed grade (M340 = AISI 440Mod) with the standard grade AISI 440C.
For the application of higher tempering temperatures, corrosion properties also have to be taken into consideration. Usually the minimum in corrosion resistance can be found slightly above the secondary hardening maximum. In 17%-Cr high-carbon grades such as AISI 440C, corrosion resistance already starts to deteriorate at tempering temperatures higher than 390°F, as shown in the graph; lower-carbon grades like AISI 420, and even more the nitrogen-alloyed grades, show a significant drop in corrosion resistance only at tempering temperatures higher than approximately 840°F.
Volume 4D, Heat Treating of Irons and Steels -> Tool Steels -> Heat Treating of Mold Steels and Corrosion-Resistant Tool Steels -> Recommended Heat Treating Practices
The graph shows the corrosion resistance of martensitic stainless steels with high hardness. It compares nitrogen alloyed grade (M340 = AISI 440Mod) with the standard grade AISI 440C.
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Solar Manufacturing partners with Refrac Systems for GFQVHP system
March 30, 2016
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Refrac Systems, Chandler, Ariz., has contracted with Solar Manufacturing, Souderton, Pa., and Beckwood Press & Machinery/Triform, Saint Louis, to help design and build a large 100-ton-load gas fan quench vacuum hot press (GFQVHP) system for its aerospace diffusion bonding operation. Solar Manufacturing was selected due to its world class experience in the design and use of vacuum furnaces with gas fan quench cooling capabilities. The furnace chamber for this unit was built by Amity Industries, Douglassville, Pa. Beckwood Press & Machinery/Triform was selected to build the large 100 ton "Four Post" hydraulic press frame for the system. The control console unit was built by Optima Stantron, Lawrenceville, Ga.
Refrac Systems, working with Solar's engineering team, selected a derivative of the Solar Manufacturing standard HLF-5748-2IQ internally quenched 2-bar vacuum furnace as the base design of the system. The new system contains many new engineered designs as needed to be both an automated vacuum hot press, and to be extra versatile for making super plastically formed and diffusion bonded (SPFDB) aerospace structures.
Norm Hubele, President of Refrac Systems, states "Solar Manufacturing and Beckwood Press & Machinery are both industry leaders with robust engineering experience. We have worked closely together to design and build this one of a kind GFQVHP."
William Jones, CEO of the Solar Atmospheres family of companies, notes "Norm put together a team of engineers to design and build this furnace back in 2013. This state-of-the-art GFQVHP contains many innovations that will be discussed at a later time. Throughout the entire process, Norm has personally reviewed all aspects of the design and added considerable insight to the development of this unique vacuum furnace system."
Solar Manufacturing expects to ship the GFQVHP unit in July, and final assembly, testing and startup is projected for the 4th quarter 2016 in Chandler.
www.solarmfg.com
www.refrac.com
Refrac Systems, Chandler, Ariz., has contracted with Solar Manufacturing, Souderton, Pa., and Beckwood Press & Machinery/Triform, Saint Louis, to help design and build a large 100-ton-load gas fan quench vacuum hot press (GFQVHP) system for its aerospace diffusion bonding operation.
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Composite foams of steel spheres embedded in aluminum insulate against heat
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North Carolina State University, Raleigh, reports that novel lightweight composite metal foams made of materials such as steel spheres embedded in aluminum are more effective at insulating against heat than solid conventional metals such as steel. The composite metal foam consists of metallic hollow spheres — made of materials such as carbon steel, stainless steel or titanium — embedded in a metallic matrix made of steel, aluminum, or other metallic alloy. These foams are especially promising for storing and transporting nuclear material, hazardous materials, explosives, and other heat-sensitive materials, as well as for space exploration.
"We have developed two technologies for manufacturing composite metal foams (CMF)," says Afsaneh Rabiei, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at NC State and corresponding author of a paper on the work. "One is based on casting a low melting point matrix material, such as aluminum, around hollow spheres made of a material with a higher melting point, such as steel. This creates aluminum-steel CMFs, for example. The other technique is based on sintering the matrix powder around prefabricated hollow spheres. This creates CMFs such as steel-steel, which consist of steel hollow spheres in a steel matrix."
In one test, researchers exposed samples of 2.5 by 2.5-inch steel-steel CMF that were 0.75 inches thick to a fire with an average flame temperature of 800°C for a period of 30 minutes on one side, and monitored the material to see how long it would take for the heat to reach the opposite side of the sample.
For a piece of bulk stainless steel with the same dimensions as the CMF sample, it took only four minutes to reach 800°C, but it took eight minutes for the steel-steel CMF to reach the same temperature.
"We already knew the CMFs have outstanding high-velocity impact resistance, and effective radiation shielding. Now we know that it can withstand high heat," Prof. Rabiei says.
The researchers also found that the composite metal foam made entirely of stainless steel expands 80% less than bulk stainless steel at 200°C — and the differential increases at higher temperatures. Another noteworthy advantage is that the composite metal foam expands at a fairly constant rate when exposed to high heat — whereas conventional bulk metals and alloys such as stainless steel expand more rapidly as temperature increases.
www.ncsu.edu
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, reports that novel lightweight composite metal foams made of materials such as steel spheres embedded in aluminum are more effective at insulating against heat than solid conventional metals such as steel.
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