European collaboration to build high-energy ball mill plant for nanopowders
March 4, 2016
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The United Kingdom's Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) and nine other European partners are collaborating in the design, scale-up, and build of a high energy ball-mill pilot plant for the production and validation of innovative nanostructured powders. These advanced powders will be suitable for high-value manufacturing applications such as cutting tools, medical implants, and a range of aerospace and automotive components.
The work is part of a four-year European research and development project titled "PilotManu," which began in 2013 and is due for completion in September 2017. The project is well underway and has already experienced excellent results regarding the performance of the advanced powders for abrasive tools, and the development of the pilot plant.
The $5.8 million project, which is partially funded by European Union's Framework Programme Seven, involves ten partner organizations across seven countries, bringing together various capabilities such as process engineering, materials investigation, product development and prototyping, characterization, application testing, and process economics. The project partners include CPI and MBN Nanomaterialia, IMDEA Materials Institute, +90, Putzier, INOP, Manudirect, Impact Innovations GmbH, Matres, and Diam Edil SA.
PilotManu is manufacturing the nanostructured powders with a proprietary high energy ball milling technology developed by lead partner MBN Nanomaterialia. The technology will allow for the manufacture of innovative advanced powders with ultrafine crystalline structures, meaning that products can be optimized to enhance strength, reduce weight, or provide excellent wear, corrosion, or thermal resistance. The achievements from the project will create a number of new product opportunities not only in the automotive and aerospace sectors, but also in other high-value markets such as healthcare and energy.
www.uk-cpi.com
The United Kingdom’s Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) and nine other European partners are collaborating in the design, scale-up, and build of a high energy ball-mill (HEBM) pilot plant for the production and validation of innovative nanostructured powders.
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Arcam expands titanium powder production to 500 tons per year
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Arcam AB, Sweden, has announced that its metal powder manufacturing subsidiary AP&C, located in Montreal, is significantly expanding its titanium powder production capacity with the commissioning of three new plasma atomizers. The investment follows a surge in demand for AP&C's titanium powders and, when completed, production capacity will reach at least 500 tons per year.
"With this investment we are committing to supply our present and future customers with superior quality materials to meet the high manufacturing standards of the biomedical and aerospace industries. With the new reactors and atomizing technology advancements, AP&C will triple production capacity in 2016," stated Alain Dupont, President of AP&C.
Plasma atomization produces premium quality spherical powders of reactive and high melting point materials such as titanium. The process offers the highest purity possible and can produce powders of particle size distribution ranging from 0 to 250 µm with highly spherical particles and minimal satellite content. Plasma atomised powder exhibits exceptional flowability and packing properties.
"The need for high end titanium powder is driven by the fast growth and adoption of additive manufacturing. Arcam is determined to serve the industry through cost efficient solutions thus converting traditional manufacturing into additive manufacturing. A requisite is to offer highest quality powder for production at competitive cost," added Magnus René, CEO of Arcam.
AP&C powders are extensively used in additive manufacturing, metal injection molding, hot and cold isostatic pressing, and thermal and cold spray coatings.
www.arcam.com
www.advancedpowders.com
Arcam AB, Sweden, has announced that its metal powder manufacturing subsidiary AP&C is significantly expanding its titanium powder production capacity with the commissioning of three new plasma atomizers.
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Laser gold plating technology coats Oscar statuettes
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Epner Technology, Brooklyn, N.Y., was chosen to use its Laser Gold technology to electroplate gold onto the cast bronze Oscar statuettes this year. Laser Gold is a pure 24 kt gold that is also three times harder than ordinary pure gold. The first step in the process was to polish the raw bronze. Each Oscar was then racked, electro-cleaned, copper plated, bright nickel plated, and immediately immersed in the Laser Gold plating tank. The entire cycle took more than six hours each.
"This is the first time that this unique plating process has been specified for the Oscars," said David Epner, President. The company has had a long relationship as a gold plating supplier to Polich Tallix, the art foundry that produced this year's Oscars.
Epner Technology, founded in 1910, originally developed Laser Gold for Xerox, and later modified the process for NASA Spacecraft. From the earliest weather satellites to the cryogenic cooling systems on the James Webb Space Telescope cameras, spacecraft have utilized Laser Gold's ultra-high infrared reflectivity. This property is critical to maintaining thermal control of instruments by reflecting the sun's radiant energy back into space. This year's Oscars will share the same ultra-rich gold, and will benefit from the durability of Epner Technology's unique formula.
www.epner.com
Epner Technology, Brooklyn, N.Y., was chosen to use its Laser Gold technology to electroplate gold onto the cast bronze Oscar statuettes this year.
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One Minute Mentor: Hardness Gradients in Nitrided High-Speed Tool Steel
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The graph shows the effect of bath conditions and immersion time on hardness gradients in Type T1 high-speed tool steel.
It compares the hardness gradients obtained on specimens of T1 high-speed steel nitrided at 565°C (1050°C) for 90 minutes in a new bath and for various lengths of time in an aged bath. Nitriding of decarburized high-speed steel tools should be avoided because it results in a brittle surface condition. For those surfaces that have been softened from grinding, nitriding is frequently employed as an offsetting corrective measure.
Volume 4D, Heat Treating of Irons and Steels ⇒ Tool Steels ⇒ Heat Treating of High-Speed Tool Steels ⇒ Recommended Heat-Treating Procedures
The graph shows the effect of bath conditions and immersion time on hardness gradients in Type T1 high-speed tool steel.
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NIST ultrasound method detects cracks in capacitors
March 3, 2016
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The National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Md., and collaborators have demonstrated a nondestructive acoustic method for detecting cracks in ceramic capacitors before they go bad. The method relies on acoustic measurements at frequencies much higher than humans can hear. Researchers briefly apply an electric field across the electrodes of a capacitor, causing a vibration at a specific frequency. They then measure the decay over time (called ringdown) of the signal. These data are analyzed to determine slight shifts in frequency versus the magnitude of the vibration. These shifts are greater when cracks are present. This nonlinear approach — focusing on frequency shifts relative to signal strength, rather than the frequency shifts alone — is especially useful because it is not affected by slight variations in size of the capacitors.
NIST researchers invented the technique, and the study of crack detection levels was carried out with collaborators from the University of Maryland, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and Colorado State University. In the study, the prototype method led to the rejection of more than 90% of sample capacitors with visible cracks. Once further studies quantify and confirm detection levels, the new technique may help prevent failures in medical devices such as cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators, and also avert electronics failures in satellites and other spacecraft. The new method may also detect structural flaws in other types of materials.
The ceramics in the NIST study are highly nonlinear, meaning the capacitors get less stiff and their resonant frequency drops when they vibrate more strongly. The new NIST method measures patterns in how this tone changes over time in relation to the strength of the vibrations.
Researchers measured 41 multilayer barium-titanate ceramic capacitors, each roughly 2 by 3 millimeters in size, before and after heating to high temperatures (189°C) and quenching in ice water. This thermal treatment generated surface-breaking cracks in 27 samples. The nonlinear acoustic results were strongly correlated with the presence of visible cracks: Measurements on 25 of the 27 visibly cracked capacitors yielded results that were outside the range of those for capacitors without cracks.
The study concluded that nonlinear acoustic measurements offer a promising approach for nondestructive detection of cracks in capacitors before electrical failure occurs, and that further work should be pursued to quantify the level of detection. NIST staff are continuing this research in collaboration with a capacitor manufacturer.
www.nist.gov
The National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Md., and collaborators have demonstrated a nondestructive acoustic method for detecting cracks in ceramic capacitors before they go bad.
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3D-printed titanium hip implant features fully porous acetabular cup
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Smith & Nephew, Andover, Mass., introduces its first 3D-printed titanium hip implant, the new Redapt revision acetabular fully porous cup with Conceloc technology. To support bone growth, the 3D manufacturing process will be used to produce an entirely porous implant, one that mimics the structure of cancellous bone.
The company noted that the Conceloc advanced porous titanium technology is an alternative to external porous coatings, such as sintered beads or fiber mesh, used in other uncemented implants. The new Redapt cup has been developed for use in revision cases where compromised bone makes implant fixation and stability more difficult.
"Bringing to market a 3D-printed titanium acetabular cup for difficult revision procedures is just one example of the potential of this remarkable technology," says Smith & Nephew global reconstruction vice-president Mike Donoghue.
Redapt variable-angle locking screws, as well as traditional non-locking screws, work within the implant's geometry to provide both compression and a rigid construct to the acetabular shell. The 3D-printed titanium hip implants are available at selected sites in the United States.
www.smith-nephew.com
Smith & Nephew, Andover, Mass., introduces its first 3D-printed titanium hip implant, the new Redapt revision acetabular fully porous cup with Conceloc technology.
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Bonnell Aluminum to invest $18 million in extrusion line for auto structures
March 2, 2016
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Bonnell Aluminum, Newnan, Ga., announces it will invest approximately $18 million over the next year to fund an expansion project that will include the purchase of a new state-of-the-art aluminum extrusion line at its Aacoa facility in Niles, Mich. The new line will include a state-of-the-art 3600-ton extrusion press, housing a nine-inch container, handling systems, and ancillary equipment. Capacity is estimated at approximately 16 million pounds. The project also includes additional floor space to accommodate future value-added fabrication capacity. Planned startup is the second quarter 2017.
Aacoa reportedly has a solid market reputation as a manufacturer, fabricator, and anodizer of aluminum extrusions with operations in Niles, Mich., and Elkhart, Ind. It is said to be highly regarded as a leader in the markets it serves, primarily consumer durables and machinery and equipment. The Niles facility also serves the automotive market due to its regional location.
"With continued growing demand from our customers, it is exciting to invest in this additional capacity, knowing that we will satisfy these opportunities with the high quality products and services that Aacoa is known for in the industry," commented Brook Hamilton, President and General Manager for Bonnell Aluminum.
Bonnell Aluminum is a subsidiary of Tredegar Corp., Richmond, Virginia. The company produces soft and medium-strength alloy aluminum extrusions for building and construction, automotive, machinery and equipment, consumer durables, transportation, electrical and distribution markets. On October 1, 2012, Bonnell Aluminum acquired Aacoa, a world-
www.bonlalum.com
www.aacoa.com
Bonnell Aluminum, Newnan, Ga., announces it will invest approximately $18 million over the next year to fund an expansion project that will include the purchase of a new state-of-the-art aluminum extrusion line at its Aacoa facility in Niles, Michigan.
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Solar Atmospheres partners with Pressure Technology for aircraft parts
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Solar Atmospheres, Hermitage, Pa., announces that it now partners with Pressure Technology Inc. (PTI), Concord, Ohio, to provide heat treating of aircraft parts after they have been hot isostatically pressed to high density at the PTI facility. With the escalation of additively manufactured components being printed, and the increased production of engine blade manufacturing to support newer more efficient aircraft, hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) is in more demand for the densification of many materials.
Over the years, Solar Atmospheres and PTI have understood the complementary synergies between the two companies. As an added value service, parts that require heat treat processing after HIP will be picked up by Solar from the PTI facility at no charge.
According to Michael Johnson, Sales Manager for Solar's Hermitage facility, "As both vacuum heat treating and HIPing are gaining popularity, by providing the customer with both state-of-the-art services as one, we can offer quicker turnaround time and savings on shipping costs."
www.solaratm.com
www.pressuretechnology.com
Solar Atmospheres, Hermitage, Pa., announces that it now partners with Pressure Technology Inc. (PTI), Concord, Ohio, to provide heat treating of aircraft parts after they have been hot isostatically pressed to high density at the PTI facility.
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Single-flow precision case hardening enables low-distortion gears
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Seco Warwick, Meadville, Pa., introduces the UniCase Master, which is said to provide a single flow, precision case hardening system for low-pressure vacuum carburizing; and 4D high-pressure gas quenching with low distortion for high-volume gear manufacturing.
The UniCase Master system is very flexible, as it can be resized depending on part shape and size, and is not limited to case hardening. It can be adapted for through hardening, brazing, annealing, and other heat treatment processes for in-line production. The system is dedicated to high-volume manufacturing for continuous, automated, single-piece flow, and can be operated with no human intervention. With a part exiting the system at a rate as short as 30 seconds each, customers can experience throughput as high as one million parts per year. This process is ideal for the automotive, transmission, and bearing industry and related industries.
The company also introduces ZeroFlow, a new method of controlled gas nitriding and nitrocarburizing based on nitriding with a single-component atmosphere – raw ammonia (NH3). The nitriding potential Kn is controlled by temporary stop and reactivation of the NH3 feeding into the furnace. Industrial applications to date have shown that the ZeroFlow gas nitriding technology is characterized by much lower consumption and emission of post process gases. The system requires a simpler control system and allows for forming the layer phase structure, while at the same time it delivers even better precision as processes with double-component atmospheres.
www.secowarwick.com
Seco Warwick, Meadville, Pa., introduces the UniCase Master, which is said to provide a single flow, precision case hardening system for low-pressure vacuum carburizing; and 4D high-pressure gas quenching with low distortion for high-volume gear manufacturing.
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UTC Aerospace Systems opens $8 million advanced materials laboratory in Connecticut
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UTC Aerospace Systems, Windsor Locks, Conn., has opened an $8 million, 20,000 ft2 state-of-the-art Materials and Process Engineering laboratory to support research, engineering, and production of advanced materials for aerospace applications. Lab capabilities include additive manufacturing to build metal and plastic parts. The lab will develop high-temperature materials such as carbon-carbon and silicon carbide-based composites for applications such as aircraft brakes. The lab will also focus on nanomaterials to develop light-weight metal-matrix and polymer-matrix composites for a variety of applications across UTC Aerospace Systems.
UTC Aerospace Systems also announces establishment of the Materials Engineering Center of Excellence at the University of Connecticut (UCONN). The agreement includes a five-year, million-dollar commitment to work with UCONN in the areas of additive manufacturing, high-temperature composites, thermoplastics, and other advanced materials. UTC Aerospace Systems will provide opportunities to rising UCONN sophomores and juniors to work in the new MPE lab and learn alongside UTC Aerospace Systems engineers and scientists in the areas of materials and manufacturing technologies for future aircraft.
"We are very excited about the new MPE lab, which will transform the way engineers and scientists collaborate to produce innovative solutions using a spectrum of material and manufacturing combinatorial techniques," said Mun Choi, Provost at the University of Connecticut. "The Center of Excellence we've established will provide our students with a unique learning experience by working in the lab with talented engineers."
UTC Aerospace Systems designs, manufactures and services integrated systems and components for the aerospace and defense industries. UTC Aerospace Systems supports a global customer base, with significant worldwide manufacturing and customer service facilities.
www.utc.com
www.utcaerospacesystems.com
UTC Aerospace Systems, Windsor Locks, Conn., has opened an $8 million, 20,000 ft2 state-of-the-art Materials and Process Engineering laboratory to support research, engineering, and production of advanced materials for aerospace applications.
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