Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies system combines CNC machining with additive manufacturing
April 2, 2015
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Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Ltd., Leicestershire, U.K., has developed a system that can be integrated into any CNC machine to allow for metal deposition (via laser cladding), as well as finishing and inspection of parts, all on a single machine. The hybrid methodology integrates directed energy deposition into a multi-axis CNC machine, using a tool changer between processes.
"Adding tool-changeable deposition heads to an existing CNC machine enables 3D printing of metal, without the need to buy a separate machine," stated Dr. Jason Jones, co-founder and CEO of Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies. "This significantly reduces costs and provides an intuitive adoption path for CNC operators. The combination of additive manufacturing with machining offers new capabilities, including in-process finishing, that cannot be delivered by either technology independently."
Hybrid Manufacturing was announced as the winner of the inaugural International Additive Manufacturing Award (IAMA) during a reception at the MFG Meeting in Orlando, March 4-7, 2015. Along with the award, Hybrid Manufacturing will receive a $20,000 cash prize and a media package valued at $80,000.
www.hybridmanutech.com
Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Ltd., Leicestershire, U.K., has developed a system that can be integrated into any CNC machine to allow for metal deposition (via laser cladding), as well as finishing and inspection of parts, all on a single machine.
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Pratt & Whitney production engines include some parts made via additive manufacturing
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Pratt & Whitney, East Hartford, Conn., reports that its first production PurePower PW1500G engines will also be the first jet engines to include entry-into-service parts produced via additive manufacturing. The engines, which will be delivered to Bombardier this year, will include compressor stators and synch-ring brackets made via AM.
"We are a vertically integrated additive manufacturing producer with our own metal powder source and the printers necessary to create parts by this innovative technology," said Tom Prete, Pratt & Whitney's Engineering vice president.
In production tests, Pratt & Whitney has achieved up to 15 months lead-time savings compared to conventional manufacturing processes, and up to 50% weight reduction in a single part. The PurePower engine family parts will be the first produced via 3D printing powder bed additive manufacturing.
Related manufacturing technologies that will be used in PurePower engine production include metal injection molding, electron beam melting, and laser powder bed fusion (including direct metal laser sintering).
Pratt & Whitney and the University of Connecticut are also collaborating to advance additive manufacturing research and development. The Pratt & Whitney Additive Manufacturing Innovation Center is the first of its kind in the Northeast region to work with metal powder bed technologies. With more than $4.5 million invested, the center will further advance its additive manufacturing capabilities, while providing educational opportunities for the next generation of manufacturing engineers.
http://www.pratt-whitney.com
Pratt & Whitney, East Hartford, Conn., reports that its first production PurePower PW1500G engines will also be the first jet engines to include entry-into-service parts produced via additive manufacturing.
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Tata Steel awarded contract to supply heat-treated steel rail for London project
April 1, 2015
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Tata Steel, India, announces that is has been awarded the contract to supply highly wear-resistant steel rail for the Crossrail project beneath the heart of London. Rather than traditional methods of heating and cooling, the company has developed a system in which the rail moves through an induction furnace where an electromagnetic field heats the steel to 950°C. The rail is then rapidly cooled by compressed air. The result is steel rail with very low residual stress, which provides greater protection against the risk of rail failure compared to other in-line heat treatment processes.
Steel will be produced at Tata's Scunthorpe site in the U.K., before being rolled at the company's Hayange mill in northern France. It has already commenced deliveries to the Crossrail project, and will ultimately supply more than 57 km of its rail. In total, 7000 metric tons of rail will be used to create one of Europe's largest railway and infrastructure projects.
The Crossrail route will serve 40 stations and travel more than 100 km from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21-km tunnels below central London, to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.
Tata Steel has already commenced deliveries to the Crossrail project, and will ultimately supply the project with more than 57 km of its heat treated, wear-resistant rail. In total 7000 metric tons of Tata Steel rail will be used to create one of Europe's largest railway and infrastructure projects.
During 2015, Crossrail's major tunnelling works will conclude and the focus will shift towards fit-out and implementing railway systems within the tunnels and stations. Alstom, TSO, and Costain Limited Joint Venture (ATCjv) have been appointed to provide the tunnel fit-out, including track and train power supply, in the central area which extends east under London from the Royal Oak tunnel portal at Paddington.
www.tatasteel.com
Tata Steel, India, announces that is has been awarded the contract to supply highly wear-resistant steel rail for the Crossrail project beneath the heart of London.
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Novelis Evercycle aluminum for food containers is made of 100% recycled aluminum
March 31, 2015
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Novelis, Atlanta, announces the first product in its Evercycle portfolio of certified high-recycled-content aluminum for specialty applications. It will enable customers to produce infinitely recyclable products with a lower carbon footprint. The first product is designed for aluminum food containers, and is certified by SCS Global Services to contain 100% recycled aluminum. It is made of 90% post-consumer content and 10% customer manufacturing scrap – the only material of its kind in the market. Commercially available now in North America, Evercycle is expected to become available globally as demand grows.
The new product adds to Novelis' growing portfolio of high-recycled-content aluminum sheet products, and is part of the company's plan to increase the overall recycled content of its products to 80% by 2020. In 2014, Novelis introduced its certified high-recycled-content Evercan product for beverage cans.
"We are pleased to have begun shipping Evercycle earlier this year to major producers of food containers in the United States," said Marco Palmieri, Senior Vice President of Novelis and President, Novelis North America. "This represents the first application, but we are already developing other uses across our specialty products portfolio, including appliances and cookware."
Already the world's largest recycler of aluminum, Novelis has made capital investments of close to $500 million in its global recycling operations since 2011, doubling its annual recycling capacity to 2.1 million metric tons. Recycling aluminum requires 95% less energy, and produces 95% fewer greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), than manufacturing primary aluminum.
www.novelis.com
Novelis, Atlanta, announces the first product in its Evercycle portfolio of certified high-recycled-content aluminum for specialty applications.
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Seco-Warwick nitriding system reduces ammonia usage by 140 metric tons/year
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Seco-Warwick, Meadville, Pa., reports that a global automotive manufacturer reduced ammonia usage by 140 metric tons per year while producing a million gears per year when it replaced traditional gas nitrocarburizing with ZeroFlow nitriding. The system also provides 99% process reliability and 98% equipment availability.
The scope of the installation was a completely automatic thermal treatment line, for the production of the whole series of gears being manufactured. The line includes five retort furnaces for nitrocarburizing, one four-chamber vacuum washer, two furnaces for activation in air, two units for further cooling of the charges, and an automatic loader that ensures transport within the system.
The company, which specializes in the production of diesel engines for trucks, construction machines, and other industrial applications, decided to install the ZeroFlow system to modernize and relocate the engine gear manufacturing cell that focused on mechanical assembly and heat treatment.
The new system works continuously, with one maintenance break per year. The quality of the heat treatment results meets requirements in terms of the thickness and hardness of the hardened layer, the compound layer, and porosity. No deficient gears were found during normal operation. Moreover, fatigue properties have been improved by about 50%.
The new system went online in 2014 and is currently operating at full capacity, meeting the stringent requirements for the automotive industry.
www.secowarwick.com
Seco-Warwick, Meadville, Pa., reports that a global automotive manufacturer reduced ammonia usage by 140 metric tons per year while producing a million gears per year when it replaced traditional gas nitrocarburizing with ZeroFlow nitriding.
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Proto Labs adds nickel steel and chrome-moly steel to its line of MIM materials
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Proto Labs, Maple Plain, Minn., has added two nickel-steel alloys and a chrome-moly steel that is the metal injection molding equivalent of 4140 steel to its portfolio of MIM materials. They expand potential applications for parts produced by its advanced MIM process. Low-alloy steels enable strong wear-resistant parts when heat-treated, and may also be coated in post-processing for further protection.
"We had tremendous customer demand for stainless steel with MIM last year, and expect the same response to our new low-alloy metals," says Becky Cater, product manager for MIM. "We offer many different hard and soft metals through our 3D printing and CNC machining services, but nickel steel parts are only produced through metal injection molding."
As for applications, the low-alloy steel materials will be used heavily by the firearms industry for various gun and archery components, as well as by automotive engineers for engine and transmission components. The industrial goods sector will use MIM during development of hand and power tools, and door and window lock hardware, for example.
In addition to rapid prototypes, Proto Labs can produce up to 5000+ metal-injection-molded end-use parts within 15 days.
www.protolabs.com
Proto Labs, Maple Plain, Minn., has added two nickel-steel alloys and a chrome-moly steel that is the metal injection molding equivalent of 4140 steel to its portfolio of MIM materials.
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Head of Mars Curiosity Rover Mission to speak at ASM’s Megashow
March 26, 2015
Source: ASM International
SM International, Materials Park, Ohio, announced that Dr. John Grotzinger, chief scientist and head of strategic science planning for NASA’s $2.5 billion Curiosity rover mission to Mars, was selected as the plenary speaker for their co-located show which takes place on May 11-14.
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Ipsen announces helpline to optimize customer equipment function
March 24, 2015
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Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., announces that customers can receive technical support, order parts, schedule service, and request hot zones, upgrades, or retrofits with its new Aftermarket Support Helpline. The Helpline offers full-service support for the heat-treating furnace needs of all Ipsen customers, minimizing costly downtime and keeping heat-treating equipment running at its best.
Customers can receive solutions for expanding capabilities, increasing flexibility, extending the life of equipment, and more. "Our new helpline connects customers to our experts when they need it most, so we can help keep their furnaces working and ensure they have everything they need for continued success," said Geoffrey Somary, president and CEO of Ipsen USA. Helpline number: 1-844-Go-Ipsen.
www.IpsenUSA.com/Helpline
Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., announces that customers can receive technical support, order parts, schedule service, and request hot zones, upgrades, or retrofits with its new Aftermarket Support Helpline.
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Thermal Product Solutions acquires Wisconsin Oven
March 23, 2015
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Thermal Product Solutions (TPS), New Columbia, Pa., has acquired Wisconsin Oven Corp., East Troy, Wis. TPS is a global leader in thermal processing products and test solutions, with brands including BlueM, Gruenberg, Tenney, Lindberg, and MPH. Wisconsin Oven offers products for the aerospace, automotive, composites, energy, finishing, military, and pharmaceutical industries.
Wisconsin Oven has been designing, engineering, and manufacturing a broad range of industrial ovens and other heating equipment since 1973. The company strives for superior equipment quality and performance along with a commitment to customer service. Many of the industries served require specific temperature uniformity and equipment performance documentation. Its experienced design team is able to meet even the most stringent standards for its equipment.
"Wisconsin Oven has experienced incredible growth since selling to PLC group of France in 2012. This acquisition by TPS will provide great new opportunities and allow continued growth for the entire group. We are extremely excited about becoming part of the TPS family. The experience combined by all these great companies will provide expert solutions for applications in all temperature ranges," says David Strand, President/CEO, Wisconsin Oven.
www.thermalproductsolutions.com
Thermal Product Solutions (TPS), New Columbia, Pa., has acquired Wisconsin Oven Corp., East Troy, Wis.
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Seco-Warwick brands improved drop-bottom furnace as VertiQuench
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Seco-Warwick, Meadville, Pa., announces that after significant improvements to its drop-bottom furnace, the company has decided to register the furnace under a new brand name: VertiQuench. The name describes the process of very fast vertical quenching. The-heat treated material is dropped into the quenching tank, which is placed directly under the furnace.
The latest commissioning of a VertiQuench furnace for the aerospace industry confirms significant improvement of furnace parameters. The furnace has a compact design, and is said to be an affordable solution for demanding aerospace applications. It provides AMS2750-compliant quench transfer times, and extremely tight temperature uniformity because of its proprietary and proven airflow innovations. It allows fast and full load immersion even up to five seconds, and features low energy consumption.
www.secowarwick.com
Seco-Warwick, Meadville, Pa., announces that after significant improvements to its drop-bottom furnace, the company has decided to register the furnace under a new brand name: VertiQuench.
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