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US Army Enlists Metallus for Munitions Expansion

Metallus, formerly known as TimkenSteel and a leader in high-quality specialty metals, manufactured components, and supply chain solutions, announced that the company has entered an agreement for up to $99 million in funding from the United States Army.

Half of the funding is currently obligated, with the balance subject to mutual agreement during subsequent phases after the final project details are presented to the Army. This funding will support a project aimed at bolstering the Army’s mission of ramping up artillery shell production in the coming years.

Mike Williams
President and CEO
Metallus
Source: Metallus

Specifically, this project will enable the development of additional capacity to help fulfill increased global demand for artillery shells. The new capability is expected to increase throughput of high-quality bar-based products used in artillery applications and support approximately $60 million of incremental base sales annually, demand dependent. The company is targeting late 2025 for this new capability to be operational with funding to be provided throughout the procurement and installation process.

Metallus is honored to expand our commitment to the defense sector, reliably providing high-quality specialty metals for critical applications. With this funding, we intend to further optimize our assets to meet the Department of Defense’s heightened demand while reducing our carbon footprint,” affirmed Mike Williams, president and CEO.

The 2022 National Defense Strategy outlines the Department of Defense’s commitment to establishing a modernized and coordinated defense industrial network. This initiative aims to develop a reliable and resilient supply chain of industrial partners over the next several years that will significantly enhance the nation’s defense capabilities for the long-term.

This press release is available in its original form here.


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2 VPA Furnaces Elevate Jet Manufacturer’s Heat Treat

In a move aimed at elevating its manufacturing capabilities, a leading jet engine manufacturer is gearing up to integrate two vapor phase aluminizing (VPA) coating furnaces during the first half of 2024.

These high-capacity, low-maintenance automated retort VPA furnaces from G-M Enterprises, a Nitrex company, are purposefully engineered with moving bases and a fixed heat chamber, enhancing operational efficiency. Each retort is sealed to the moving bases, allowing for concurrent handling of two loads, each containing three coating cans. The result is a streamlined process that runs two cycles back-to-back, completing the treatment in just over 24 hours. The automated furnace supports unattended start-ups, empowering operators to focus on preparing loads for the second system which facilitates concurrent operations for heightened productivity.

VPA furnace from G-M Enterprises, a Nitrex company
Source: Nitrex

Robert Huckins, national sales manager at G-M Enterprises, emphasized that the "VPA furnaces ensure seamless operations, providing our customer with a competitive edge in production capacity. This is crucial in meeting escalating demand while delivering high-performance and longer-lasting blades and vanes vital for high-temperature fired engines.”

A feature of the VPA design is the raised fixed heat chamber, effectively shielding operators and the furnace room against potential heat exposure. This innovation eliminates the need for cumbersome protective heat suits. The hot retort remains securely housed within the insulated furnace, prioritizing operator well-being. Furthermore, this safety measure confines the load base and retort/coating load within the SAR/VPA furnace housing until the retort temperature drops below 150°C (300°F).

This strategic investment not only underscores the manufacturer’s commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements but also solidifies a lasting partnership.

This press release is available in its original form here.


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Innovative Engineering Partnership To Serve North American Lithium-Ion Battery Market

EVERGREEN KILN TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, located in Niagara Falls, U.S.A., and SUZHOU KILNPARTNER Mechanical Technology Co., Ltd., located in China, officially announced their strategic partnership to service and support the growing demands of the North American lithium-ion battery market.

This partnership will provide the market’s battery material producers with access to modern and innovative kiln system solutions for producing cathode (LFP, NMC) and Anode Active Materials.

EVERGREEN KILN TECHNOLOGIES, LLC will operate as a subsidiary of CAN-ENG FURNACES INTERNATIONAL, LTD. (CAN-ENG), where CAN-ENG will share over 60 years experience designing and developing customized thermal processing solutions.

This partnership between the two companies encompasses various areas including marketing, brand collaboration, technological development, production, and engineering, as well as after-sales services. The goal of the companies is to create innovative methods for the thermal processing of battery powder and provide kiln solutions to clients in North America.

This press release is available in its original form here.


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Vacuum Furnace for Global Wire Mesh Products Supplier in Auto Industry

A U.S.-based engineered knitted wire mesh solutions company and global supplier for the automotive, food service, and janitorial industries will receive a vacuum heat treat furnace. The furnace will be primarily utilized for vacuum annealing materials that are susceptible to adverse effects of their mechanical properties when exposed to any levels of oxygen or nitrogen.

Solar Manufacturing Mentor® Pro Model HFL-3036-2IQ furnace
Source: Solar Manufacturing
Jason Davidson
Northeast Regional Sales Manager
Solar
Source: solarmfg.com

This vacuum furnace features a molybdenum shielded hot zone measuring 18” wide x 18” high x 36” deep. It is capable of operating temperatures up to 2400°F and has a workload weight capacity of up to 1,000 lbs. Additionally, it includes the SolarVac® Essentials PLC-based control system. The internal gas cooling system with a 50 HP drive motor can reach quenching workloads at 2-bar positive pressure in either nitrogen or argon.

Jason Davidson, regional sales manager at Solar Manufacturing, states, “Our customer started running trials with our affiliate commercial heat treater, Solar Atmospheres. Once the trial results proved the heat treat cycle, and the [Mentor® Pro Model HFL-3036-2IQ] furnace demonstrated it could process the required quantities, the customer had confidence to place the purchase order with us.”

This press release is available in its original form here.


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18 News Chatter Items To Keep You Updated!

Heat Treat Today offers News Chatter, a feature highlighting representative moves, transactions, and kudos from around the industry. Enjoy these 18 news items.


Company/Equipment Chatter

  1. Nitrex has supplied a nitriding system for Baida Electronic Equipment Co. Ltd. in China.
  2. ECM USA has partnered with the global manufacturer, SEW-EURODRIVE, to commission a modular NANO vacuum furnace system completely integrated with advanced automation for their Lyman, South Carolina, facility.
  3. Wallwork Group, a specialist heat treatment and hard coating company, has opened a new HIP facility in Manchester.
  4. Chiz Bros, a high temperature insulation specialist, has opened a new warehouse in Detroit, Michigan. This facility will aid in the production of ceramic fiber blankets, papers and felts, boards, and modules.
  5. Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company, a maker of cast iron, plastic pipe, and fittings for plumbing applications, which has been in operation for over 100 years, has opened its new site in North Carolina.
  6. Abbott Furnace has joined the U.S. Battery Machine Builders coalition to increase awareness of the American-made battery machinery supply chain, to encourage battery facilities to buy American-made products, and to strengthen the buildout of machinery and machinist capacity across the nation.
  7. SMS group GmbH, a metallurgical company with North American locations, is building its own “private 5G Campus network” for research and development at its Hilchenbach location in the Siegerland.
  8. OTTO JUNKER GmbH, a leading system supplier for metallurgical processes and the refinement of metals, looks forward to celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

Company and Personnel Chatter

  1. Gefran, Inc., a manufacturer of industrial sensors, controls, and instrumentation, announced the appointment of Karston Just as the company’s chief sales officer (CSO).
  2. Solar Manufacturing has received a patent for an improved vacuum furnace control thermocouple. The patent inventor is William R. Jones, owner of Solar Manufacturing, Inc.
  3. Rockford Combustion has entered into an exclusive partnership with Anderson Thermal Solutions, a cooperation which is predicted to “revolutionize the landscape of combustion solutions in the United States.”
  4. Aaron Mambrino has been named as chief operating officer (COO) and executive vice president of Hubbard-Hall.
  5. Akron Steel Treating Company (AST) welcomes new ownership, as Joe. A Powell has sold his remaining shares to a 4th generation of new “family” ownership.

Kudos Chatter

  1. Diane Courtney-Voss, financial specialist/accountant at SECO/VACUUM, retires after several years with the company.
  2. Bodycote of Berlin, CT, was recognized for 100 years of manufacturing by Mayor Mark Kaczynski.
  3. Stack Metallurgical Group celebrates 40 years of business.
  4. Alan Hick, secretary of the Contract Heat Treatment Association (CHTA), has received Meritorious Service to the Heat Treatment Industry Award.
  5. Bodycote plc has announced the appointment of Jim Fairbairn as group chief executive to succeed Stephen Harris upon his retirement.

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İnsu Teknik Transforms Gas Spring Production

İnsu Teknik, a leader in the gas springs sector of the automotive industry, continues to pioneer innovation as a key supplier for after-market and OEMs, both in Turkey and internationally, having recently implemented a pit furnace with advanced technologies at its in-house heat treat facility in Bursa, Turkey.

İnsu Teknik and Nitrex team members with pit furnace installation
Source: Nitrex

As a first-time partner with Nitrex, İnsu Teknik has strategically invested in advanced heat treat technology, focusing on continuous improvement to enhance the quality of gas springs, operational efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Central to their decision was İnsu Teknik’s commitment to environmentally responsible manufacturing practices, which led them to seek a greener solution.

Commissioned in the last quarter of 2023, the system — featuring a large-capacity pit furnace — combines three key process technologies: Nitreg® controlled nitridingNitreg®-C controlled nitrocarburizing, and ONC® in-process post-oxidation. These technologies enhance the surface properties of gas spring rods, notably improving wear and corrosion resistance, and offering considerable operational advantages.

The system ensures uniform case depth and precisely managed nitride/nitrocarburizing layer formation, optimizing the mechanical properties of the gas spring rods. It minimizes part distortion — an advantage of operating at lower temperatures compared to salt bath nitrocarburizing — and eliminates the need for post-finishing operations due to the cleaner surface achieved through gas nitrocarburizing, thereby streamlining the manufacturing process.

A Tuff Sport brand gas spring by Insu Teknik. The rods undergo nitriding to enhance hardness and corrosion resistance, ultimately extending the lifecycle of the gas spring.
Source: Nitrex

Marcin Stoklosa, manager of Technical Sales — EMEA region at Nitrex, shared these insights, “The commissioning process was executed seamlessly, marking İnsu Teknik’s strategic shift towards greater control over their production processes. What sets this system apart is its versatility in meeting the specific requirements of various gas spring applications across various industries, including automotive, agriculture, machinery, marine, furniture, medical equipment, and more.”

The original press release from Nitrex is available here.


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ZDT Glimag Leverages Vacuum Furnace for Mining Machines

Vacuum heat treat operations expand for ZDT Glimag, an entity providing services in the field of vacuum heat treatment, laboratory tests, and production of parts for mining machines.

The addition of this Vector® vacuum furnace will be the third vacuum furnace from SECO/WARWICK. The current design has an operating space of 600 x 600 x 900 mm and will be equipped with numerous options to allow a wide range of heat treatment processes for various steel grades. Main processes will include vacuum brazing, FineCarb® vacuum carburizing, and high-pressure hardening. The design of the chamber size will enable efficient heat treatment of large packages of test and research elements.

The efficiency of processes is also influenced by the ability to cool at 15 bar (which, unlike the old furnaces, eliminates the need to wash the parts after the process). In combination with inverter control, the system also helps reduce power consumption peaks, which are so problematic today. Another big advantage is low heat losses and appropriate temperature uniformity in the heating chamber, which is resistant to rapid wear and is easy to use and service.

Beata Kowalewska
President of the Management Board – Financial Director of ZDT Glimag
Source: LinkedIn

Beata Kowalewska, president of the Management Board – Financial Director of ZDT Glimag, comments: “Since the 1960s, we have been designing prototypes, conducting research and technological tests, and implementing new technologies for mining. We are currently in the process of materializing the project titled ‘Implementation of an innovative product resulting from research and development work: a brake pad with a composite friction layer with increased abrasion resistance,’ implemented under the European Funds for a Modern Economy (FENG) 2021-2027 Program. FENG is a program supporting entrepreneurs in the area of broadly understood innovation. It places great emphasis on R&D activities.”

He continues, “The new SECO/WARWICK furnace fits perfectly into the policy of broadly understood modernity implemented in this project. It will streamline and expand the scope of heat treatment processes and improve their economics, taking into account energy savings and the graphite chamber efficiency. It will also ensure the process cleanliness and velocity. With the FineCarb® vacuum carburizing option, the technology also increases our flexibility and research capabilities. Additionally, this technology will allow us to perform more difficult processes requiring extremely low contamination levels, thanks to the ability to obtain the appropriate vacuum needed for these processes.”

Maciej Korecki
VP of the Vacuum Furnace Segment
SECO/WARWICK
Source: SECO/WARWICK

Maciej Korecki, VP of the Vacuum Furnace Segment in the SECO/WARWICK Group, comments on ZDT Glimag saying, “It is a center very well oriented in the metal heat treatment industry, constantly testing new, innovative solutions that in turn make the mining industry more efficient. The new Vector will introduce revolutionary changes in the hardening plant, introducing innovation and a very wide range of precise processes.”

The Vector® line vacuum furnaces can be used in most standard vacuum carburizing, hardening, tempering, annealing, supersaturation, and brazing processes. At the same time, the solution can be adapted to the recipient’s individual requirements, and therefore to a specific industry, an attribute necessary for research centers that test innovative solutions for external customers.

The solution‘s characteristic features are convection heating, i.e., a system improving the heat transfer efficiency when heating at lower temperatures, and directional cooling, which allows complex, flimsy, and long elements to be cooled in various ways, minimizing their deformations. An additional advantage is the vacuum carburizing option, which allows users to carry out precise processes to increase the steel surface hardness (carburizing) during the entire thermal process.

The original press release from SECO/WARWICK Group is available here.


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Heat Treater Adds Austempering Capabilities for U.S. Markets

Aalberts surface technologies, a global provider of specialized thermal processing, surface treatment, and material coating solutions, announced on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, that it is making changes to its U.S. portfolio in response to changing market dynamics. The provider has made investments in its Canton, OH, facility, adding austempering capabilities which will provide a logistically favorable option to clients located in the Midwestern, Eastern, and Northeastern U.S. markets. To balance the capacity available in the market with demand, the heat treat provider will be closing its plant in Ft Smith, AR.

Steve Wyatt
President
Aalberts surface technologies – HIP | Braze | Heat Treatment

Source: Aalberts Surface Technologies

“The decision to exit the austempering market in the South was a difficult one, but the market for austempering in the addressable market for our Ft Smith, AR plant simply is not sufficient to sustain the operation. We recognize the hardships that this difficult decision may create and will be working with our Ft Smith Team to minimize the impact as much as possible, including exploring opportunities at one of the many other Aalberts locations,” says Steve Wyatt, president of Aalberts surface ­technologies – HIP ­­­­­­­|­­ braze | heat treatment.

The austempering capabilities in Canton, OH, will startup in mid-February 2024 and be fully production ready by the end of March 2024. The decommissioning of the Ft Smith, AR, plant will begin in mid-February 2024, with production expected to cease when we have completed working with clients to transition their product, but not later than April 2024.

Oliver Jaeger
CEO
Aalberts surface technologies
LinkedIn

“We are focused on optimizing our portfolio around the globe; this initiative is about responding to what the market needs and where it is needed.  In our business, logistics is a significant percentage of the total cost of our services, therefore, we must constantly be seeking ways to minimize that cost for our customers. We are committed to growing in the U.S. and look forward to partnering with our customers to develop solutions that contribute to our mutual success,” says Oliver Jaeger, CEO of Aalberts surface technologies.

The original press release from Aalberts surface technologies is available upon request.


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Heat Treat Economic Indicators: February 2024 Results

The four heat treat industry-specific economic indicators gathered by Heat Treat Today each month since June 2023 reflect the highest expectations for economic growth that we’ve seen. For this month of February, suppliers to the industry have particularly high expectations for one indicator.

The numbers, which were compiled in the second week of February, show that responding parties strongly anticipate inquiry levels and value of bookings to grow; it will be interesting to see if expectations for number of inquiries will increase at the same rate in future months. Industry suppliers are also expecting backlogs and overall health of the manufacturing economy to be up this month.

The results from this month’s survey (February) are as follows; numbers above 50 indicate growth, numbers below 50 indicate contraction, and the number 50 indicates no change:

  • Anticipated change in the Number of Inquiries from January to February: 71.0
  • Anticipated change in Value of Bookings from January to February: 65.5
  • Anticipated change in Backlog Size from January to February: 59.0
  • Anticipated change in the Health of the Manufacturing Economy from January to February: 57.9

Data for February 2024

The four index numbers are reported monthly by Heat Treat Today and made available on the website. 

Heat Treat Today’s Economic Indicators measure and report on four, heat treat industry indices. Each month, approximately 800 individuals who classify themselves as suppliers to the North American heat treat industry receive the survey. Above are the results. Data started being collected in June 2023. If you would like to participate in the monthly survey, please click here to subscribe.


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Supplier Expansion Anticipates Growth and Innovation for Manufacturers with Heat Treat

Lee Sobocinski President Thermal Care Inc
HTD Size-PR Logo

PiovanGroup is launching a new strategic division for industrial and process refrigeration, the result of the integration of the businesses operated by the recently acquired Thermal Care and Aquatech.

With a legacy spanning over half a century, Thermal Care and Aquatech have solidified themselves as prominent players in industrial process cooling markets by providing high‐quality, sustainable equipment and solutions. Operating primarily out of the U.S., near Chicago, Thermal Care has been a leader in the design, manufacturing, sales, and service of heat‐transfer solutions across various industries.

Thermal Care and Aquatech products manufactured in North America, Europe, Asia, and South America will continue to be produced and sold in their respective regions, now under the newly established division. The integration of these business units will provide R&D efficiencies and an expanded portfolio of products, solutions, and services capable of serving a wider range of market sectors.

The Thermal Care brand now expands globally, facilitated by the integration of the Aquatech business which moves forward under the banner of Thermal Care. The inclusion of PiovanGroup into the Thermal Care logo not only signifies geographical expansion but also reflects a unified vision for growth and innovation.

The new division, headed by Lee Sobocinski, current president of Thermal Care Inc., shall operate under the Thermal Care brand and will have consolidated sales of approximately 100 million Euro, globally. The creation of the global brand, coupled with the exchange of the institutional knowledge within PiovanGroup into this emerging division, will provide assistance to clients, irrespective of their geographical presence, spanning from preliminary sales engagement to post‐sales support.

The announcement of this pivotal moment in the ongoing progression of Thermal Care coincides with the commemoration of the group’s 90th anniversary and its 60th anniversary in the polymer industry.

The original press release from Thermal Care is available upon request.


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