Element Materials lab expands Nadcap accreditation for testing aluminum
May 19, 2014
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Element Materials Technology's laboratory in Daleville, Ind., has significantly expanded the scope of its Nadcap accreditation for aluminum testing in the aerospace sector. The lab achieved Nadcap accredited testing for stress-corrosion cracking, R curve/Kapp panel fracture, exfoliation, and compressive yield strength. These tests are added to high-cycle fatigue and fracture toughness testing, as well as routine mechanical, metallurgical, chemical, and failure analysis.
"Over the last year, Element has invested substantially in Daleville's aluminum center of excellence, adding a dedicated team of ten technicians and machinists, and supporting its development of proprietary, innovative aluminum testing processes with the expertise of the Group's entire global platform, "says Rick Sluiters, Element's EVP, Aerospace and Defense.
"To be Nadcap audited with zero findings for such specialized aluminum testing capabilities makes Element one of an elite few organizations worldwide. It will open up significant new business opportunities, reinforcing the company's position as the largest provider of metallic and non-metallic testing services to the U.S. aerospace industry," Mr. Sluiters added.
Formerly operated by Sherry Laboratories, the Daleville laboratory joined Element as part of the company's acquisition of Sherry in March 2013. It is one of 12 Element facilities in the United States holding Nadcap certificates, believed to be the most held by any independent materials testing company in the country. Between them, Element's laboratories can offer the aviation industry accredited services covering the full range of testing methodology accredited by Nadcap.
www.element.com
Element Materials Technology’s laboratory in Daleville, Ind., has significantly expanded the scope of its Nadcap accreditation for aluminum testing in the aerospace sector.
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Metal Technology to build precision parts via additive manufacturing
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Metal Technology Inc., Albany, Ore., has purchased a ProX 300 Direct Metal Sintering production 3D printer to build precision functional metal parts layer by layer with metal powder. The powder is melted by a powerful 500-watt laser to exact geometry dictated by 3D CAD models. Parts are built in an argon environment at elevated temperatures, resulting in high-purity stress-relieved components with material properties better than cast and comparable to those of wrought material.
The company will initially focus on building geometries from 17-4 stainless steel, titanium, Inconel, and molybdenum, and their future plans include testing of other alloy powders including tantalum, niobium, and tungsten
"The ProX 300 is a complementary technology to our existing deep draw and precision machining capability and will allow us to offer an even broader range of unique solutions to our customers," says Gary Cosmer, CEO of Metal Technology. "We intend to leverage our experience working with exotic reactive and refractory metals for over forty years to create additive manufacturing parameters that will allow us to offer significant savings in cost, weight, and time for a number of our customer projects."
www.mtialbany.com
Metal Technology Inc., Albany, Ore., has purchased a ProX 300 Direct Metal Sintering production 3D printer to build precision functional metal parts layer by layer with metal powder.
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Constellium and UACJ form joint venture for aluminum automotive sheet
May 13, 2014
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Constellium N.V., Paris, and UACJ Corp., Japan, have signed a Joint Venture Agreement to supply Body-in-White aluminum sheet to the North American automotive industry, following their January 2014 announcement of plans to collaborate.
The JV will have an initial target capacity of 100,000 metric tons supplied by cold rolled coils from both partners' rolling mills. The facility, which will be located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, will be designed to allow for expansion beyond 100,000 tons. The total joint investment is expected to be approximately $150 million. Production is scheduled to start in the first half of 2016, with full capacity reached by 2018.
"Bowling Green is the right place for this plant, particularly because its central location will allow us to serve automotive OEMs across the United States with our advanced and innovative range of products," commented Laurent Musy, President of Constellium's Packaging and Automotive Rolled Products business unit. "The availability of a highly skilled local labor force and the entrepreneurial spirit of the area were the decisive factors in choosing the city of Bowling Green and the state of Kentucky, which has been very supportive during the decision process".
"This project is very significant for UACJ in terms of our Body-in-White market strategy. We look forward to supplying automotive OEMs throughout the Unted States with advanced products utilizing the technologies each party has separately developed in the EU and Japan. We welcome this Joint Venture with Constellium to tackle the strategic automotive market in the U.S.," said Mitsuru Okada, CEO of UACJ. "Both companies have been working hard together in the spirit of equal partnership, allowing us to finalize the agreement in a timely and efficient manner."
www.constellium.com
Constellium N.V., Paris, and UACJ Corp., Japan, have signed a Joint Venture Agreement to supply Body-in-White aluminum sheet to the North American automotive industry, following their January 2014 announcement of plans to collaborate.
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Nikon stereomicroscopes feature higher zoom ratio and improved chromatic aberration correction
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Nikon Instruments Inc., Melville, N.Y., has added two new stereomicroscope systems to its product portfolio. SMZ1270 and SMZ800N feature an expanded zoom ratio, enhanced ease of operation, and excellent optical performance. Paired with newly developed WF objectives, these new models offer a higher zoom ratio and improved chromatic aberration correction for brighter, sharper images across a large field of view.
They provide highly refined performance over basic parallel-optics stereo models, and build on the long-standing reputation of the Nikon SMZ800/1000. These cost-efficient models also incorporate an extensive lineup of accessories that support a variety of applications.
"The new SMZ800N/1270 scopes raise performance to a new level in their class, which will be apparent when observing fine structures or performing delicate manipulations," said Stephen Ross, Ph.D., General Manager of Product and Marketing. Key features include high-magnification, high zoom ratio, and high-definition imaging - are paired with improved ergonomics and an extensive lineup of accessories, it makes for an ideal solution across a number of industrial applications."
The SMZ800N comes with an 8x (1x – 8x) zoom ratio, with higher magnification than conventional models - a powerful tool for observation in the electronic components field where high-precision imaging is required.
www.NikonInstruments.com
Nikon Instruments Inc., Melville, N.Y., has added two new stereomicroscope systems to its product portfolio.
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AK Steel engineer and ASM member Grant Thomas wins award for steel-quenching research paper
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AK Steel, West Chester, Ohio, announces that Research Engineer and ASM International member Grant Thomas, Ph.D., has received the AISI "Finalist Medal" for the technical paper titled, "Tensile Properties Obtained by Quench & Partition Processing of Mn-Ni Steels at Room Temperature Quench Temperatures." These products, which feature enhanced formability, are expected to help automakers further reduce vehicle weight and increase fuel efficiency without sacrificing occupant safety.
Written in collaboration with two research colleagues from the Colorado School of Mines, the paper highlights research by AK Steel and the Colorado School of Mines in regard to the development of third-generation advanced high-strength steels.
"We applaud Grant and his co-authors for receiving the Finalist Medal from AISI," said James L. Wainscott, Chairman, President and CEO of AK Steel. "Grant's contributions to the award-winning paper reflect his technical expertise, as well as AK Steel's commitment to meeting the needs of automotive customers now and in the future."
According to AISI, the Finalist Medals are awarded for technical papers having special merit and importance in connection with the activities and interests of the iron and steel industry. Papers are judged based on their potential value to the future prosperity of the industry, technical excellence and originality, effective communication and breadth of interest to AISI members.
Dr. Thomas joined AK Steel in 2012 as an Engineer at the company's Research Center in Middletown, Ohio. He was promoted to Research Engineer in 2014. Dr. Thomas holds a Bachelor's degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Iowa State University, as well as a Master's degree and a Doctor of Philosophy, both in Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, from the Colorado School of Mines.
www.aksteel.com
AK Steel, West Chester, Ohio, announces that Research Engineer and ASM International member Grant Thomas, Ph.D., has received the AISI “Finalist Medal” for the technical paper titled, “Tensile Properties Obtained by Quench & Partition Processing of Mn-Ni Steels at Room Temperature Quench Temperatures.”
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ASM Fellow Dr. Pradeep Rohatgi elected Fellow of Wisconsin Academy of Sciences
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Pradeep Rohatgi, Fellow of ASM International and Distinguished Professor of Materials Engineering at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, has been elected Fellow of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences Arts and Letters.
Prof. Rohatgi is internationally recognized as a world leader on solidification synthesis of metal matrix composites. He has made fundamental contributions on the interaction between solidifying interfaces and particles, nucleation and growth, and micro-segregation in solidifying alloys in the presence of reinforcements. He also established the mechanisms of solid lubrication by incorporating solid lubricant particles, leading to self-lubricating metal matrix composites.
He followed this basic research with synthesis of several new metal matrix composites, conducting technology and product development that resulted in widespread use of these composites in the transportation sector, electromechanical machinery, and thermal management applications.
www.wisconsinacademy.org
Pradeep Rohatgi, Fellow of ASM International and Distinguished Professor of Materials Engineering at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, has been elected Fellow of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences Arts and Letters.
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Severstal to sell its steel plants in Michigan and Mississippi
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Severstal, Russia, reportedly plans to sell its North American steel operations in Mississippi and Michigan for about $1.5 billion. According to the Wall Street Journal, at least two potential buyers have expressed interest. U.S. Steel is said to be most interested in Severstal's Dearborn mill, which supplies long steel coils to auto makers in Detroit.
Severstal bought the Dearborn plant in 2003 from Rouge Industries for $285.5 million. It has spent over $1 billion upgrading the facility. Severstal's plant in Columbus, Miss., is a minimill that makes steel from scrap.
Brazil's CSN, which recently lost a bid to buy a plant in Alabama from ThyssenKrupp AG, has reportedly expressed interest in buying both assets.
A successful sale of the two plants would leave no Severstal plants in the United States. In 2011, Severstal sold three unprofitable U.S. plants—in Maryland, Ohio, and West Virginia—to family-owned Renco Group Inc.
Severstal, Russia, reportedly plans to sell its North American steel operations in Mississippi and Michigan for about $1.5 billion.
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Ipsen to provide advanced heat treating equipment to new Mexican automotive plant
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Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., announces that it is working with Imesaza, Spain's largest heat treatment company, to provide advanced heat treating equipment for its new production center in Mexico. Ipsen will also provide innovative process management and control systems. Called Imexaza, the new facility is near the famous "Carrerra Panamericana" transcontinental highway, which runs from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. The location makes it a close neighbor to primary customer facilities, whose supporting shells for bearings are heat treated by Imexaza in Ipsen-manufactured furnaces.
Along with supplying the Mexican operations of Audi, VW, and Mercedes, Imexaza also works with renowned suppliers CIE Automotive and ZF, as well as the turbocharger expert ITP.
Marcos Garcia Jimenez, Ipsen Sales Manager for Spain and Mexico, adds his own perspective – which results from extensive experience in both markets – on this phenomenon: "Mexico is becoming more and more important for established companies in the automobile industry. It has long ago made the transition from manufacturing cheap components to high-tech production. Our catalog of the most sophisticated heat treatment equipment in the world, combined with our on-site service, allows us to offer proactive support and help the automobile industry produce top-quality components directly in Mexico."
www.ipsenusa.com
Ipsen, Cherry Valley, Ill., announces that it is working with Imesaza, Spain’s largest heat treatment company, to provide advanced heat treating equipment for its new production center in Mexico.
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Siemens and Mitsubishi to form joint venture for production of iron, steel, and aluminum
May 7, 2014
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Siemens AG, Germany, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Japan, have agreed to form a joint venture to provide plants, products, and services for the global iron, steel, and aluminum industries. Siemens technology strengths are in iron and steel production, casting, automation, environmental technologies, and lifecycle services. MHI's technology competence is primarily focused on hot and cold rolling and processing, as well as production expertise.
By combining both portfolios, the joint venture can offer its customers the entire value chain in iron, steel and aluminum production, from technologies for processing raw materials to surface finishing at the end of the production process, as well as the related lifecycle service competencies.
According to the agreement, MHI will hold a 51% and Siemens a 49% stake in the joint venture. Subject to approval of the relevant authorities, the joint venture will start operations in January 2015.
The new joint venture will integrate Mitsubishi-Hitachi Metals Machinery, Inc. (MH) – an MHI consolidated group company with equity participation by Hitachi, Ltd. and IHI Corporation. Siemens and MHI ideally complement one another with regard to their product portfolios, production know-how and geographical spread. The new joint venture with approximately 9000 employees will focus fully on business with iron, steel and aluminum-producing industry. The bundling of competencies will result in a powerful joint venture that is better able to compensate for market fluctuations.
The company's headquarters will be located in the United Kingdom. The joint venture includes supply agreements for Siemens' Industry Automation and Drive Technologies Divisions.
Regionally, the steel market has strongly shifted to Asia. Over 50% of the world's steel production now takes place in China, with growing competition also through local technology providers. Drawing on the centers of competence of Siemens Metals Technologies in Central Europe and those of MHI in Asia, the new joint venture has a very solid regional set-up.
www.siemens.com/metals
Siemens AG, Germany, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Japan, have agreed to form a joint venture to provide plants, products, and services for the global iron, steel, and aluminum industries.
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Lucifer delivers single-chamber bench furnace for power-generation parts
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Lucifer Furnaces Inc., Warrington, Pa., recently delivered a single-chamber bench model box furnace to Power Plant Services, an ISO 9001certified provider of parts and repairs for the power-generation and steel mill industries. Model RD7-KHE24 has a 12 by 14 by 24 in. heating chamber lined with 4.5 in. of multilayer firebrick and mineral wool insulation. Heating elements on the side walls provide 7 kW of power capable of heating to 2200°F.
Heating element coils are equally spaced and fully supported in easy-to-replace element holders to provide uniform heat and long life. Element lead wires are insulated by ceramic tubes through the rear wall brick for protection from electrical shorting and contamination. The box furnace frame is manufactured with heavy gauge sheet steel reinforced and welded to form a rigid unit with a heavy gauge front faceplate designed to withstand warping and distortion from the chamber heat. A rear mounted type K thermocouple assembly is located through the rear wall of the chamber for rapid sensing of the chamber heat.
The Red Devil bench model comes standard with a horizontal swing door insulated with multilayered ceramic fiber insulation with heavy duty hinges and a cam lock to insure a tight seal as well as a safety micro-switch to automatically shut off power to the heating elements whenever the door is opened. The chamber of the unit is fitted with a ceramic hearth plate to support a workload of 25 lbs. per square foot of hearth area. A digital time proportioning temperature controller and all other instrumentation are mounted in a separate control panel on the side of the furnace away from the heat and loading of the chamber.
www.luciferfurnaces.com
Lucifer Furnaces Inc., Warrington, Pa., recently delivered a single chamber bench model box furnace to Power Plant Services, an ISO 9001certified provider of parts and repairs for the power generation and steel mill industries.
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