United States Steel to invest $277 million in Birmingham Fairfield Works
March 23, 2015
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United States Steel Corp., Pittsburgh, announces two capital investment projects valued at a total of $277.5 million at its Fairfield Works in Birmingham, Ala. The first is the construction of a technologically advanced electric arc furnace (EAF). The second is construction of a plant that will develop and manufacture oil country tubular goods with premium connections for the oil and gas industries.
The EAF is part of the company's larger transformation, the Carnegie Way, in which a large number of initiatives are being implemented to improve the company's customer understanding, operating flexibility, cost structure, and raw materials position. The tubular coupling facility will feature four cells to manufacture couplings for all of U. S. Steel's premium connections, including USS-Liberty FJM, USS-Patriot EBM, and USS-Patriot TC connections, for customers in the energy industry.
U. S. Steel has received the necessary authorization and economic incentives from Jefferson County to invest $230 million to construct the EAF at Fairfield Works in place of the facility's existing blast furnace, and an additional $47.5 million in the construction of the coupling facility. The construction project will be a significant investment into Jefferson County, as it will create approximately 650 temporary construction jobs over the course of both projects, and will ensure the future of steelmaking in Alabama.
Construction of the EAF will begin in the second quarter of 2015, with completion expected in the third quarter of 2016. The construction on the coupling facility is also anticipated to begin in the second quarter of 2015, and is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2016. Throughout the process, U. S. Steel will continue to operate Fairfield Works' steelmaking and finishing operations to serve both flat-rolled and tubular customers in accordance with market requirements.
www.ussteel.com
United States Steel Corp., Pittsburgh, announces two capital investment projects valued at a total of $277.5 million at its Fairfield Works in Birmingham, Ala.
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Glass infused with carbon nanotubes and tungsten powders resists impact, conducts electricity
March 17, 2015
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N1 Technologies Inc., Daytona Beach, Fla., reports that it has infused a borosilicate-based glass with tungsten and multilayered carbon nanotubes during the kiln melting process to produce Tungsten Glass. This innovation is said to enhance the protective qualities of the glass by providing improved resistance to impact and scratching. Electrical conductivity is greatly enhanced by the addition of tungsten and carbon nanotubes.
Multi layered nanotubes have great spring-like resistance, and can absorb impact and return to their original shape. This feature reduces various harmonic vibrations in mechanical movements, because of its ability to absorb impact and rebound.
www.tungstenglass.com
N1 Technologies Inc., Daytona Beach, Fla., reports that it has infused a borosilicate-based glass with tungsten and multilayered carbon nanotubes during the kiln melting process to produce Tungsten Glass.
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Olympus pitch-catch Dual Linear Array probe enables faster acoustic inspection of corrosion
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Olympus America, Waltham, Mass., developed a Dual Linear Array probe for corrosion inspection. It provides several advantages over conventional ultrasonic dual element transducers used with flaw detectors. It improves productivity through features such as larger beam coverage, faster scan speed, and C-scan imaging with increased data-point density. The pitch-catch technique of this new probe can offer better near-surface resolution and pit detection in corrosion survey applications than standard phase- array pulse-echo. The pitch-catch technology also improves the probability of detection of critical wall thinning.
The Dual Linear Array probe adds a new low-cost entry-level inspection capability to the existing Olympus HydroForm and RexoForm corrosion solutions, especially when combined with the OmniScan SX.
When using the probe with an OmniScan phased array instrument (PR or non-PR), the setup and operation is simple: load the setup file, check the calibration, and then inspect and record the data.
Installing an encoder on the probe gives the ability to generate C-scans on the instrument. An innovative probe stabilization system enables smooth data acquisition on piping surfaces as small as four inches in diameter. The typical inspection depth in carbon steel ranges from 1 to 80 mm.
Phased Array testing is a specialized type of ultrasonic testing in which sophisticated multi-element array transducers and powerful software steer high-frequency sound beams through the test piece and map returning echoes, producing detailed images of internal structures. It is used for inspection of critical structural metals, pipeline welds, aerospace components, and similar applications where the additional information supplied by phased array inspection is valuable.
www.olympus-ims.com.
Olympus America, Waltham, Mass., developed a Dual Linear Array probe for corrosion inspection.
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Aichelin-USA receives order for ferritic nitrocarburizing furnace from Fiat Chrysler
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Aichelin-USA, Plymouth, Mich., has received an order from the Fiat Chrysler transmission plant in Kokomo, Indiana, for a ferritic nitrocarburizing furnace. The order is for the tenth FNC furnace, which will be added to the existing furnace cell shown in the photo. The system includes the Flexiclean washer system, pre-oxidizing furnaces, cooling stations, endothermic gas generators, and one dual-directional loading cart with automated loading and unloading stations.
Ferritic nitrocarburizing (FNC) has become increasingly significant, especially when the process is combined with steam oxidation. The result of this heat treatment is a wear-resistant oxidation layer that is similar to hard chrome plating with comparably good corrosion resistance. A beneficial secondary effect is the black or anthracite colored part surface.
This treatment requires furnaces with a gas-tight retort. The furnace can be heated electrically or with industrial gas burners. The batch retort furnace, especially designed for that purpose, offers all the conditions for economical heat treatment with reproducible results.
This furnace will be built in the United States, and supported by the Aichelin-USA team based in Plymouth.
www.aichelinusa.com
Aichelin-USA, Plymouth, Mich., has received an order from the Fiat Chrysler transmission plant in Kokomo, Indiana, for a ferritic nitrocarburizing furnace.
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NanoSteel builds fully dense additively manufactured parts with hardness gradient
March 16, 2015
Source: ASM International
The NanoSteel Co., Providence, R.I., announces the expansion of the company’s additive manufacturing material capabilities to support metal 3D printing of complex high hardness parts.
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Kay & Associates announces “Fundamentals of Brazing” seminar
March 12, 2015
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Kay & Associates, Simsbury, Conn., will hold two intensive brazing-training programs this spring, the first in the Hartford, Conn., area (April 14-16), and the second identical program in Los Angeles (May 12-14). These hands-on programs cover all the essentials of furnace, torch, induction, and dip-brazing, including all brazing fillers (nickel, silver, gold, copper, aluminum, and titanium).
Pre-braze and post-brazed components will be physically examined and discussed, as well as actual samples of brazing filler metal (BFM), fluxes, and brazing stop-off compounds. Many case-studies will be covered, including special problem-solving exercises the attendees work on in small groups.
These programs are unique in that all methods of brazing and types/forms of brazing filler metals (BFMs) are covered. Thus, the attendee will get a well-rounded, full education on the complete world of brazing, rather than just a limited exposure to one type of brazing process or one type of BFM.
Many topics are covered in the three-day program, and each topic is taught very clearly in a non-technical, easy-to-understand manner, so that both the shop person doing the brazing, and the senior engineer running the plant, will readily grasp all that it needed to understand the "why" and the "how" of brazing.
In addition, all attendees receive free life-time brazing consultations via phone, fax, e-mail, etc., so that they can effectively apply what they learned.
www.kaybrazing.com
Kay & Associates, Simsbury, Conn., will hold two intensive brazing-training programs this spring, the first in the Hartford, Conn., area (April 14-16), and the second identical program in Los Angeles (May 12-14).
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Kay & Associates announces “Fundamentals of Brazing” seminars.
Source:
Kay & Associates, Simsbury, Conn., will hold two intensive brazing-training programs this spring, the first in the Hartford, Conn., area (April 14-16), and the second identical program in Los Angeles (May 12-14). These hands-on programs cover all the essentials of furnace, torch, induction, and dip-brazing, including all brazing fillers (nickel, silver, gold, copper, aluminum, and titanium).
Pre-braze and post-brazed components will be physically examined and discussed, as well as actual samples of brazing filler metal (BFM), fluxes, and brazing stop-off compounds. Many case-studies will be covered, including special problem-solving exercises the attendees work on in small groups.
These programs are unique in that all methods of brazing and types/forms of brazing filler metals (BFMs) are covered. Thus, the attendee will get a well-rounded, full education on the complete world of brazing, rather than just a limited exposure to one type of brazing process or one type of BFM.
Many topics are covered in the three-day program, and each topic is taught very clearly in a non-technical, easy-to-understand manner, so that both the shop person doing the brazing, and the senior engineer running the plant, will readily grasp all that it needed to understand the "why" and the "how" of brazing.
In addition, all attendees receive free life-time brazing consultations via phone, fax, e-mail, etc., so that they can effectively apply what they learned.
www.kaybrazing.com
Kay & Associates, Simsbury, Conn., will hold two intensive brazing-training programs this spring, the first in the Hartford, Conn., area (April 14-16), and the second identical program in Los Angeles (May 12-14).
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Direct Flame Impingement for annealing aluminum cuts fuel costs by 50%
March 11, 2015
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The Linde Group, Murray Hill, N.J., has developed Direct Flame Impingement oxyfuel-based technology for continuous annealing of cold-rolled aluminum strip. In DFI technology, oxyfuel flames directly heat the metal strip as it passes through the annealing furnace, enabling a capacity increase of 50%, cost reduction of 50%, and reduced scaling losses and dross formation.
The DFI oxygen burners are arranged in rows, with multiple burners to cover the entire width of the strip. The rows are mounted in modules, and each module consists of two burner rows firing from above and below the strip. The material temperature rises very quickly within a compact furnace body, resulting in heat transfer rates up to ten times higher than those in conventional fuel-fired furnaces.
If oxygen, not air, is used to combust a fuel, all the heat transfer mechanisms, convection, conduction and radiation, can be promoted at the same time. This results in a faster, more even heating process, which cuts the total heating time, thus allowing for more production capacity and flexibility. The flue gas volumes are reduced by up to 80%, with no more need for bulky flue gas systems or recuperators. Heating and cleaning can be done in the same operation.
Details about the new technology were presented at TMS 2015, March 15-19, at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. In a paper titled, "Direct Flame Impingement (DFI)" Linde senior nonferrous expert Henrik Gripenberg discussed DFI technology, applications, and pilot test results.
www.lindemetallurgy.com
Linde, Murray Hill, N.J., has developed Direct Flame Impingement oxyfuel-based technology for continuous annealing of cold-rolled aluminum strip.
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SSAB launches steel tube family with extreme wear resistance
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SSAB Steel, Sweden, has launched the new Hardox Tube 500 family, which provides the same hardness and toughness as Hardox wear plate, but in tubular form. It was developed for applications that require high wear resistance in combination with lower density. It is suitable for transporting all types of abrasive materials, such as wet concrete, soil, gravel, and ore slurry.
"The new Hardox Tube 500 range completes the existing Hardox family product range. We have long experience in developing wear-resistant steel tubes. The final properties are set after tube rolling and welding, which guarantees consistency as well as high hardness and toughness qualities," says Fredrik Mikaelsson, Manager for Tubes & Sections at SSAB.
Its extreme wear resistance allows for a lighter product with a long service life. It can increase the competitiveness of certain products by extending their service life by two, five, ten times, or more.
Hardox Tube 500 is available from stock in 88.9-133 mm diameters and different material thicknesses. Custom tubes in thinner materials and other diameters are also available.
www.ssab.com
SSAB Steel, Sweden, has launched the new Hardox Tube 500 family, which provides the same hardness and toughness as Hardox wear plate, but in circular form.
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California Brazing installs new Haas vertical machining center
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California Brazing, Newark, Calif., has installed a new Haas vertical machining center with an envelope of 64 by 40 by 30 in. This 15,000 RPM machining center includes a 1000-block look-ahead, high pressure through-the-spindle cooling, and expanded memory up to 15M. The company is is Nadcap, AS9100, and ISO9001:2008 accredited.
The company is a turnkey manufacturer of critical brazed components for the aerospace, semiconductor, photonics, and energy-management markets. Working with aluminum, copper, ceramic, and stainless steels, the company offers an array of brazing alloys, including copper, gold, and other precious and non-precious brazing filler metals. Nadcap-certified brazing services include vacuum furnace brazing, vacuum aluminum brazing, and hydrogen brazing.
www.californiabrazing.com
California Brazing, Newark, Calif., has installed a new Haas vertical machining center with an envelope of 64 by 40 by 30 in.
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