Plansee’s new cold rolling mill produces thin moly sheets up to 1000 mm wide
July 8, 2015
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Plansee, Austria, recently invested in an ultramodern cold rolling mill to produce thin and medium-thickness molybdenum sheets up to 1000 mm wide, and to ensure increased capacity. Plansee also operates the world's largest hot rolling mill for molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, and niobium sheets. With a rolling force of 50,000 kilonewtons, this produces sheets up to 2000 mm wide and several meters long.
Whether smooth or etched, for punching or in deep-drawing quality, a wide range of sheets is now available at a reduced price. Plansee also makes rods, wire, and ribbon of molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, and niobium. These materials withstand high temperatures, have long service lives, and retain their shape even when exposed to frequent changes of temperature. Aside from semi-finished products, Plansee also develops and manufactures custom components from refractory metals.
The Plansee High Performance Materials division has expertise in the field of molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, niobium, and chromium components. Alloys and composite materials from Plansee are in electronics, coating technology, and high-temperature furnaces, wherever traditional materials are stretched beyond their limits.
www.plansee.com
Plansee, Austria, recently invested in an ultramodern cold rolling mill to produce thin and medium-thickness molybdenum sheets up to 1000 mm wide, and to ensure increased capacity.
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Constellium forms partnership to develop 3D printing of aluminum aircraft fuselage
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Constellium N.V., Amsterdam, announces that it has formed a partnership with Stelia Aerospace and CT Ingenierie to optimize large aluminum aerostructures via additive manufacturing. Called Fast, the goal of the project is to make large aerospace structures and parts more efficiently and cost effectively by developing 3D printing on a large scale. In particular, 3D printing of a fuselage has the potential to transform the aerospace industry, allowing for easy design modification, duplication, and customization at a lower cost.
"The goal of the Fast project is to change the way innovative technologies are implemented and to expand the usage of 3D printing. 3D printing will allow us to create metal shapes and properties that were previously impossible to produce," said Bruno Chenal, Director of R&D, Constellium Research and Technology. Fast is a long-term project that was formed last year and currently remains in early stages of development.
Constellium will act as the primary material supplier, while Stelia Aerospace will lead the design and production efforts and CT Ingenierie will optimize the design. 3D printing is already used widely in technology and extrusion manufacturing, but the large scale and the holistic optimization approach make this project unique.
www.constellium.com
Constellium N.V., Amsterdam, announces that it has formed a partnership with Stelia Aerospace and CT Ingenierie to optimize large aluminum aerostructures via additive manufacturing.
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ASB installs rotary screw multispeed air compressor, upgrades electrical systems
July 5, 2015
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ASB Industries, Barberton, Ohio, reports that it recently completed installation of its new electric Gardner Denver multispeed air compressor in conjunction with major electrical upgrades. The newer technology of the Gardner Denver VST 110 two-stage, variable-speed Rotary Screw Air Compressor is being incorporated while electrical upgrades are being completed.
ASB requires stable and consistent compressed air throughout the plant—critical clean and dry air for blasting is fundamental to preparing surfaces for thermal spray and cold spray processes. This new VST 110 has the AirSmart controller with variable frequency drives for pressure and volume optimization. Other benefits include an efficient engine cooling system with engineered advancements to minimize pressure drops and air volume changes during peak production.
Screw technology in the new air compresssor is based on displacement as the fundamental principle: The screw compression components consist of male and female rotors that move toward each other while the volume between the rotors and the housing decreases.
The pressure ratio of the screw depends on the length and dimensions of the screw, and the design of the air discharge port. The screw element is valveless, so there are no mechanical forces that could create an imbalance. The mode of air compression will work at high shaft speeds, providing a large flow rate with a small footprint.
www.asbindustries.com
ASB Industries, Barberton, Ohio, reports that it recently completed installation of its new electric Gardner Denver multispeed air compressor in conjunction with major electrical upgrades.
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Suspension plasma spray coats electronic devices with dense yttrium oxide
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Progressive Surface, Grand Rapids, Mich., recently installed three 100HE plasma spray systems at a semiconductor industry facility. These systems are designed to spray very thin but dense yttrium oxide (Y2O3) coatings by the suspension plasma spray technique. Each system includes the LiquiFeederHE suspension feed unit and the 100HE plasma torch. The system yields coatings with excellent microstructures. The as-sprayed Ra surface roughness achieved is typically in the 40 µ-inch (1 µm) range.
The 100HE plasma torch features a patented arc root stabilization technology, and efficient use of ternary gas mixtures (Ar, N2 & H2, or He) results in a high-performance plasma coating. Able to apply plasma spray powders in axial, radial, or external injection modes, the 100HE produces superior plasma coatings applied at higher spray rates and significantly higher deposition efficiencies.
www.progressivesurface.com
Progressive Surface, Grand Rapids, Mich., recently installed three 100HE plasma spray systems at a semiconductor industry facility.
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Saint-Gobain inside-diameter thermal spray gun designed for six-inch tubes
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Saint-Gobain, Valley Forge, Pa., introduces its new ID Gun, a thermal spray technology for applying high-performance wear-resistant coatings inside long pipes, tubes, and sleeves greater than 6 in. diameter. It applies ceramics, metals, carbides, and metal carbides to non-weldable alloys. Coatings are crack-free and large-porosity free, with a homogeneous surface and low surface roughness.
Coatings may be applied at low substrate temperature (<392°F), thus preventing part distortion or metallurgical changes. Thickness can range up to 800 µm and even thicker, while other thermal spray solutions are limited to 300 µm to ~500µm. ID Gun can spray a wide range of materials: WC 12Co tungsten carbide, low friction wear-resistant ceramic, metal coatings (Inconel1, Hastelloy2, Stellite3. . .). Up to 68% deposit efficiency is possible with tungsten carbide, at very low content of residual dust while coating inside the pipe. Long life of the nozzles ensures low operating cost.
www.coatingsolutions.saint-gobain.com
Saint-Gobain, Valley Forge, Pa., introduces its new ID Gun, a thermal spray technology for applying high-performance wear-resistant coatings inside long pipes, tubes, and sleeves greater than 6 in. diameter.
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Castolin Eutectic to provide wear coatings in Saudi Arabia joint venture
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Castolin Eutectic, Switzerland, has opened a new subsidiary in Saudi Arabia through a joint venture agreement with its long-term distributor, Tarek Nasser Al Akeel Co. Ltd (TACO). The new Saudi Arabian cooperation aims to offer wear protection and repair of bottom-hole assembly tools, similar to the services provided by the Castolin Eutectic Services facility in Dubai.
The previous Castolin Eutectic - TACO collaboration referred to product sales, on-site welding repairs, vertical roller mill refurbishment, and CDP wearplates. Besides growing existing branches, plans for 2015 focus on the cement, steel, and mining industries in Saudi Arabia, as well as expanding the CDP wearplates prepared parts and services business.
Phase two of the joint venture will center on growing the Castolin Eutectic OilTec business and supplying local oil manufacturers' need for drilling equipment to be serviced within the country.
www.castolin.com
Castolin Eutectic, Switzerland, has opened a new subsidiary in Saudi Arabia through a joint venture agreement with its long-term distributor, Tarek Nasser Al Akeel Co. Ltd (TACO).
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Mesocoat PComP powders selected to coat roller screens in Mexican steel plant
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Abakan Inc., Miami, announces that its subsidiary MesoCoat de Mexico S.A. de C.V., has received its first commercial PComP order for the coating of certain large roller screens from one of the largest steel manufacturing and iron ore processing companies in Mexico. MesoCoat says that in every trial, PComP powders have extended the useful life of equipment by a factor of five on average. This benefit could translate into millions of dollars in savings and enable customers to exchange downtime for production time.
The initial order is expected to be followed by repeat orders and an annual contract to coat all of the rolls at this facility. Abakan has also received orders for coating the lances used in iron ore production, and anticipates trial orders for coating tuyeres, pumps, clad plates, turbines, and other manufacturing equipment.
"PComP coatings and CermaClad metal cladding have both generated significant interest in the Mexican oil and gas, mining, cement, and steel industries," says Abakan CEO Robert Miller. "We expect to start new trials and receive new orders from industry leaders in the coming months."
www.abakaninc.com
Abakan Inc., Miami, announces that its subsidiary MesoCoat de Mexico S.A. de C.V., has received its first commercial PComP order for the coating of certain large roller screens from one of the largest steel manufacturing and iron ore processing companies in Mexico.
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Houghton International celebrates 150-year anniversary
July 2, 2015
Source: ASM International
Open House at Valley Forge Headquarters Kicks Off a Year of Worldwide Events
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C.I. Hayes installs humpback furnace for annealing stainless steel
July 1, 2015
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C.I. Hayes, a Gasbarre Furnace Group Company, Cranston, R.I., announces the recent installation of a Humpback Conveyor Belt Furnace for bright annealing of stainless steel materials. The furnace operates with hydrogen atmosphere at a low dewpoint (-60°F range), and has a maximum operating temperature of 2100°F.
The C.I. Hayes Humpback is an inclined mesh belt conveyor furnace designed to allow large door openings while providing extremely low furnace dewpoints. This combination assures minimal gas consumption and maximized operational cost savings. The Humpback's name is derived from the appearance of the equipment, with inclined entrance and exit tunnels between which are positioned horizontal heating and cooling sections. Parts up to 24 inches high can be processed without negative effects on the furnace atmosphere integrity.
www.cihayes.com
C.I. Hayes, a Gasbarre Furnace Group Company, Cranston, R.I., announces the recent installation of a Humpback Conveyor Belt Furnace for bright annealing of stainless steel materials.
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Missouri S&T developing high-strength TRIP steel for autos
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Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, announces that a third-generation high-strength steel being developed by Missouri S&T metallurgical engineers should be lighter, easier to make, and strong enough to address automotive safety concerns. The technology is based on TRIP – transformation-induced plasticity. It involves the transformation of austenite, which normally exists at high temperatures, into martensite, a harder phase that develops as the steel deforms.
Because of their high fatigue strength and ability to absorb high amounts of energy, TRIP steels are well suited for automotive structures and safety components such as cross members, longitudinal beams, B-pillar reinforcements, and bumper reinforcements.
"We are currently refining the steel design to achieve ‘Gen 3' mechanical property goals while also maintaining manufacturability," says center director Dr. Ronald J. O'Malley, the F. Kenneth Iverson Endowed Chair of Steelmaking Technologies at Missouri S&T. "The alloy design is based on a two-stage or ‘dual TRIP' mechanism that leads to extreme work hardening and energy absorption, so it's very good for automotive crash-worthiness."
Under the direction of Dr. David C. Van Aken, Curators' Teaching Professor of metallurgical engineering, the Missouri S&T team has used an atomic modeling method known as "density functional theory" to identify alloying elements to create the dual TRIP character of these new steels.
The real challenge, however, lies with the large-scale production of these new steels. With the help of industrial partners, the researchers at Peaslee Steel Manufacturing Research Center are examining all aspects of the steel manufacturing – "from melt practice to final formability by the automotive producer," Prof. O'Malley says. A committee of representatives from four steel manufacturers – Nucor, U.S. Steel, AK Steel and ArcelorMittal – oversees the project.
One benefit of conducting the research at Missouri S&T is the ability of researchers to create and test small batches of steel. In S&T's labs, researchers can create 200 pounds of steel at a time, whereas big steel manufacturers like Nucor, where Prof. O'Malley was chief metallurgist before joining S&T, would have to make 170 tons of steel for testing.
www.mst.edu
Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, announces that a third-generation high-strength steel being developed by Missouri S&T metallurgical engineers should be lighter and easier to make, while being strong enough to address automotive safety concerns.
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