Mary Glenn, Author at Heat Treat Today

Norsk Titanium Achieves Aerospace Technology Readiness

OSLO – December 21, 2015 – Norsk Titanium AS announced today that the company has achieved Technology Readiness Level Eight (TRL 8) by concluding a test plan coordinated through the Federal Aviation Administration and launched in September, 2012. The results of Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research Inc.’s multi-year testing campaign demonstrate Norsk’s Rapid Plasma Deposition™ (RPD™) titanium parts meet demanding aerospace requirements and can now be supplied to the world’s premier aerospace & defense manufacturers for final certification and airframe integration.

“Working closely with Westmoreland, we have concisely documented how our innovative technology lives up to the highest standards of performance and integration under aerospace certification testing,” said Norsk Titanium President & Chief Executive Officer Warren M. Boley, Jr. “We subjected 1,300 structural titanium aircraft samples to an unrelenting barrage of static and fatigue tests and the results confirm what we already knew—Norsk Titanium’s RPD™ process is ready for the rigors of commercial aviation.”

“This was a very exciting program for us to conduct,” said Westmoreland Vice President of Operations Mike Rossi. “Norsk Titanium has done a great job of creating and maturing a new manufacturing technology and successfully navigating their RPD™ process through tensile, compression, pin bearing, shear and numerous fatigue tests at our facility.”

The achievement of TRL8 status provides Norsk Titanium with the ability to deliver precision structural parts for aerospace & defense applications as early as 2016. The company is orchestrating the establishment of a global supply base to satisfy aerospace demand through expanded operations and strategic alliances in Europe and the upcoming groundbreaking of the world’s first industrial-scale additive manufacturing facility in the United States.

The company has recently announced new appointments of seasoned aviation and defense executives, technologists, and production experts in support of new part qualification demand and to meet the escalating needs of its current aerospace customers. Delivery of commercial aviation qualification parts is underway, with the first approvals expected in early 2016, leading to the full commercial production of titanium aerospace components by the second half of 2

About Norsk Titanium AS

Norsk Titanium AS is the world’s pioneering supplier of aerospace-grade, additive manufactured, structural titanium components. The company is distinguished in the aviation industry by its patented Rapid Plasma Deposition™ (RPD™) process that transforms titanium wire into complex components suitable for structural and safety-critical applications. The Norsk research and development team is committed to displacing the age old and inefficient forging process with a precision wire deposition technology embodying substantial savings for aerospace, defense, and commercial applications. www.norsktitanium.com

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AP&C Adds Powder Manufacturing Capacity

March 21, 2016 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS, SINTERING POWDER METAL NEWS

Arcam AB, listed on NASDAQ Stockholm, and a leading supplier of Additive Manufacturing (“AM”) equipment, announces that its powder manufacturing subsidiary AP&C in Montreal, Canada, continues to add significant capacity by building three new atomizing reactors. The new capacity increase follows on significant growth in 2015 and a surge in demand for AP&Cs high quality titanium powders.

AP&C continues to build capacity to address the fast growing market for metal powders for additive manufacturing. AP&C’s Plasma technology converts efficiently raw material to powder with excellent key properties such as flowability, density, chemistry and traceability. With the present build-out AP&C will reach a capacity of at least 500 tons per year.

“The need for high end titanium powder is driven by the fast growth and adoption of Additive Manufacturing. Arcam is determined to serve the industry through cost efficient solutions thus converting traditional manufacturing into Additive Manufacturing. A requisite is to offer highest quality powder for production at competitive cost”, says Magnus René, CEO of Arcam.

“With this investment we are committing to supply our present and future customers with superior quality materials to meet the high manufacturing standards of the biomedical and aerospace industries. With the new reactors and atomizing technology advancements, AP&C will triple production capacity in 2016”, says Alain Dupont, President of AP&C.

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Heat Treating Oven Part of Norsk Titanium’s Ultra Lean Manufacturing Line

March 16, 2016 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS, TITANIUM PROCESSING NEWS

Norsk Titanium AS, the world’s leading provider of aerospace-grade, titanium additive manufacturing technology, today announced the groundbreaking of a new European assembly and test center outside Oslo, Norway.

Norsk Titanium Chief Commercial Officer Chet Fuller, Chief Executive Officer Warren M. Boley Jr., and Senior Vice President of Operations Chris Bohlmann were on hand to kick off construction of the new facility, which is scheduled to be completed October 2016.

“Customer demand for our additive manufacturing technology is growing to the point where we need significantly more space to assemble and test our MERKE IV™ RPD™ machines prior to worldwide shipment,” said Senior Vice President of Operations Chris Bohlmann. “This new factory will enable us to better serve our manufacturing partners and aerospace customers while expanding our footprint in this innovative region of Norway.”

Norsk Titanium also plans to install the world’s first end-to-end aerospace Ultra Lean Manufacturing line in the facility. A MERKE IV™ Rapid Plasma Deposition™ machine paired with a heat treating oven and a multi-axis CNC machining center will demonstrate the conversion of titanium wire into finished aerospace parts in a production line length of approximately 30 meters.

“The new Ultra Lean Manufacturing line allows our customers to do hands-on development of new part programs on the same campus as our worldwide technology center,” said CEO Warren M. Boley Jr. “Titanium wire comes in one end, the CAD drawing is input, and finished aerospace parts that are fully tested, heat treated and ready for installation are produced in a matter of days. RPD™ truly is a game-changer in terms of cost reduction, speed to market and production line efficiency.”

About Norsk Titanium AS

Norsk Titanium AS is the world’s pioneering supplier of aerospace-grade, additive manufactured, structural titanium components. The company is distinguished in the aviation industry by its patented Rapid Plasma Deposition™ (RPD™) process that transforms titanium wire into complex components suitable for structural and safety-critical applications. The Norsk Titanium research and development team is committed to displacing the inefficient forging process with a precision wire deposition technology embodying substantial savings for aerospace, defense and commercial applications. www.norsktitanium.com

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Anhui Yingliu Group Inaugurates Quintus® Hot Isostatic Press

March 15, 2016 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, HIPING NEWS

Västerås, Sweden, December 17, 2015 – Jan Söderström, CEO of Quintus Technologies (formerly Avure Technologies), joined Frank Du, President of China’s Yingliu Group, to celebrate the inauguration of a Quintus® hot isostatic press (HIP) at the Anhui Yingliu Group Huoshan Casting Co. Ltd. foundry in Anhui province, China, in early December.

The new press, model QIH 1.6 x 2.5 – 2000 – 1400M URC, brings several advanced capabilities that enable the Huoshan facility to manufacture products meeting mission-critical performance standards in the aerospace and nuclear power environments.

Operating at a pressure of 200 MPA (29,000 psi) and temperatures up to 1400°C (2552°F), the Quintus HIP produces complex components with improved fatigue strength and extended service life, ever-more-important characteristics that are difficult to achieve in traditional manufacturing technology.

A work zone of 1600 mm (63 inches) in diameter and 2500 mm (98 inches) in height accommodates the size requirements for production of large aircraft engine casings and core components for nuclear power, marine engineering, metallurgy, and other applications. Quintus’ proprietary Uniform Rapid Cooling (URC) technology enables increased productivity with optimal temperature control.

“Quintus HIP systems produce parts with excellent isotropic material properties and offer the highest possible density of all available compaction methods,” noted Mr. Söderström as he handed the keys to the press to Mr. Du during the inauguration ceremony. The event was attended by more than 500 guests, including representatives from a dozen prominent Chinese companies in the aviation and nuclear power industries.

Reminding the audience of the Made in China 2025 campaign to improve quality and production efficiency, Mr. Du referenced the Yingliu Group’s own strategic commitment to industrial upgrading. The company ordered the QIH 1.6 x 2.5 in December 2013. It was delivered after a 15-month manufacturing process at the Quintus plant in Västerås, Sweden. Installation, testing, and commissioning took place over a period of 20 weeks. Now fully operational, the press fulfills the Yingliu Group’s vision of establishing a world-class hot isostatic pressing center at the Huoshan Casting facility.

Quintus Technologies specializes in the design, manufacture, installation, and support of high pressure systems for sheet metal forming and densification of advanced materials and critical industrial components. Headquartered in Västerås, Sweden, and represented in 35 countries worldwide, the company is the world leader in high pressure technology and has delivered more than 1,800 systems to customers across the globe within industries such as aerospace, automotive, energy, and medical implants.

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Industrial Batch Ovens to Automotive Supplier

March 15, 2016 / AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREATING EQUIPMENT, OVENS-HIGH-TEMPERATURE

Wisconsin Oven Corporation announced the shipment of two (2) direct gas fired batch ovens to a leading automotive supplier for tempering tire molds. The tempering process of the molds results in a longer mold life. This industrial oven was designed with the load capacity of 6,000 pounds and provides easy access of loading and unloading of tire molds by fork truck.

Each tempering batch oven has a maximum operating temperature rating of 800°F, work chamber dimensions of 5’0”W x 5’0”L x 8’0”H, and a 6” reinforced insulated floor. The recirculation system utilizes combination airflow which provides both horizontal and vertical upward airflow to maximize heating rates and temperature uniformity of the product. The batch oven is equipped with a 10,850 CFM @ 15 HP belt-driven blower. Supply air is delivered through fully adjustable boxed ducts and side-mounted along the length on each side of the work chambers. The heating system features an industrial air heat burner rated at 850,000 BTU per hour.

“Designing a solution for our customers that improves their production process is always a top priority. Improved work flow and ease of loading/unloading was a focus for this project to increase production efficiencies.” Tom Trueman, Senior Application Engineer, Wisconsin Oven Corporation

Unique features of these tempering batch ovens include:

Load capacity to 6,000 pounds
575-volt electrical capacity
Operating temperatures to 800° F
3/16” plate construction for durability
High volume of air flow; 10,850 CFM
Motorized dampers for quick cool down
Natural gas fired
Programmable controller
Meets all Canadian requirements – CUL, CSA TSSA
Field inspection provided by a trained factory technician
Temperature triggered door locks with safety pull cord

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Economist: Manufacturing Revives in 2016’s Second Half

March 10, 2016 / FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

Source: SME Manufacturing Engineering

“We’re about out of the woods,” Alan Beaulieu, president of ITR Economics, said during a presentation at the MFG Meeting in Palm Desert, CA. “We are not looking at a recession in manufacturing in the United States.”

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Heat Treating Opportunities Available in Medical Industry

March 7, 2016 / FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT ECONOMIC NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS

Source: Q1 Productions

Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Performance Review Institute (PRI)

“2016 is going to be a milestone year in terms of MedAccred’s development. The program has established itself in 6 critical process areas (PCBAs, Cable & Wire Harnesses, Heat Treating, Sterilization, Plastics and Welding) and numerous companies are now stepping forward to participate in the audit process and gain accreditation.”

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Heat Treating A Critical Process for MedAccred

March 7, 2016 / MEDICAL HEAT TREAT, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS

Synergy Health in Alajuela, Costa Rica has become the first company to receive MedAccred sterilization accreditation, on January 5, 2016.

This follows the successful development of the MedAccred Audit Criteria for Sterilization by the MedAccred Sterilization Task Group (AC8113, AC8113/1 and AC8113/2). The audit criteria include Radiation (Electron Beam and Gamma) and Ethylene Oxide. The members of the Task Group come from companies including Johnson & Johnson, Philips, Stryker, Baxter Healthcare, Becton, Dickinson & Co., DSM Biotech, Synergy Health and Flex. The Sterilization audit criteria draw from Industry Standards as well as the most common customer specifications.

Wendy Gould, VP Regulatory Affairs & Quality at Synergy Health said “We look forward to making it easier for our customers to do business with us, leveraging the MedAccred program will reduce their costs and improve audit consistency”.

MedAccred is an industry managed supply chain oversight program that bolsters patient safety. It does this through clarification of requirements and better identifying how they apply to critical processes used in the production of medical devices.

“Achieving MedAccred status is not easy: it is one of the ways in which the medical device manufacturing industry identifies those suppliers capable of providing superior critical process manufacturing to the Device industry. Synergy Health has worked hard to obtain this status and they should be justifiably proud of it,” said Joe Pinto, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Performance Review Institute. “PRI is proud to support continual improvement in the medical device manufacturing industry by helping companies such as Synergy Health be successful and we look forward to continuing to assist the industry moving forward. I would like to add my personal congratulations to everyone at Synergy Health, as the company has been actively involved in the MedAccred program for some time now, and volunteered to pioneer this process. Their positivity and diligence has paid off and I am delighted to award them the first ever MedAccred sterilization certificate.”

Sterilization is just one area for MedAccred: there is also activity in other critical process areas such as Cable and Wire Harness, Heat Treating, Plastics, Printed Circuit Board Assemblies, and Welding.

Benefits of MedAccred:

Provides consistent/standardized critical process accreditation accepted by leaders in the Medical Device Industry resulting in fewer redundant onsite audits by multiple OEMs
Conducts in-depth critical process audits that are compliant and consistent to accepted industry/technical standards and conducted by Subject Matter Experts
Provides greater visibility of the supply chain to all levels and sub-tiers that provide critical processes, consistent with regulatory requirements (e.g. FDA, ISO 13485, MDD, etc.)
Improves flow down of OEM requirements to sub-tier suppliers

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New Metallurgical Department in Czech Republic

March 7, 2016 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, ENERGY HEAT TREAT

Global testing group Exova has made a series of investments at its laboratory in Plzeň, Czech Republic to extend its range of capabilities for customers within the global aerospace market, and further grow its presence in Mainland Europe.

Central to the laboratory’s investment is a new metallurgical department with increased capacity. This includes modifications to the facility and the acquisition of new state of the art equipment such as optical microscopy and precision cutting machinery to meet the growing demand from the aerospace industry. In addition to the new equipment, the lab has invested in its computer-based operating systems to increase efficiency at each stage of testing, improving both operations and reporting.

As well as a broad scope of mechanical testing, the Plzeň laboratory provides metallurgical assessment, including macro assessment and mapping and a range of micro examinations, along with corrosion resistance testing. Its customers work predominantly in the aerospace sector, but the laboratory conducts testing on forgings and welding, so can work across the automotive, power generation and general engineering sectors as well.

Jiri Fidransky, general manager of the Plzeň laboratory, said: “These upgrades have streamlined our day-to-day operations and reflect the growth we are seeing in the aerospace sector. Exova’s continued strong growth in the sector is driven by our highly technical and efficient service provision, and through these investments our customers will benefit from improved turnaround times and increased capacity, as well as advances in testing capabilities.”

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StrikoWestofen Furnace Systems to be Installed in the USA for the First Time

March 7, 2016 / AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS

For its new project in Michigan (USA), the Chinese automotive wheel manufacturer CITIC Dicastal has decided on StrikoMelter melting furnaces built by StrikoWestofen Asia (Taicang). The highly global orientation of the Gummersbach subsidiary had a crucial role to play in this decision: the interaction of modern technology from Germany, efficient production in China and reliable on-site service in the USA was a convincing proposition for the leading manufacturer worldwide of aluminium wheels. With this large-scale contract, StrikoWestofen was able to assert itself against the Japanese, Chinese and American competition. It means that StrikoWestofen systems manufactured in China will be taken into operation in the USA for the first time in 2016.

International call for tenders: in its search for modern thermal process technology, the Chinese wheel manufacturer CITIC Dicastal made high technical demands on the bidders. The leading manufacturer worldwide of aluminium wheels was in search of especially energy-efficient melting systems with low metal loss for a new project in Michigan (USA). Here StrikoWestofen Asia (Taicang) was able to assert itself against the Japanese, Chinese and American competition.

Melting and recycling efficiently

CITIC Dicastal Wheel Manufacturing supplies companies from the automotive sector such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Ford and Toyota, making it one of the leading suppliers of cast aluminium components worldwide. Since as early as 2013, the company has based production at its site in Ningbo (Zhèjiāng Province) on the reliable performance of six StrikoMelter melting furnaces built by StrikoWestofen Asia. In the current call for tenders, too, the high-quality systems and the comprehensive range of services offered by the Asian subsidiary of StrikoWestofen (Gummersbach) were a convincing proposition for the Chinese supplier: the three new StrikoMelter which CITIC Dicastal is ordering for the USA provide the option of chip recycling. “The main factors influencing the decision were the efficient use of energy, the minimal metal loss and the extremely low emission values,” explains Rainer Erdmann, Managing Director of StrikoWestofen Asia. The high system availability convinced the wheel manufacturer too. Also, the option of independently recycling aluminium chips additionally provides for maximum metal yield and a highly economical mode of operation.

Global all-round service

However, the international orientation of the StrikoWestofen Group also had a special role to play in the investment decision of CITIC Dicastal. The optimum cooperation between the various locations – StrikoWestofen (Germany), StrikoWestofen Asia (China) and StrikoDynarad (Michigan, USA) – combines the best from three continents: modern technology from Germany, efficient production in China and reliable installation and on-site service in the USA. Thanks to the company’s local presence in Michigan, Dicastal permanently benefits from the extended service and spare parts program in OEM quality offered by StrikoWestofen. Original spare parts and the company’s own technicians are available at short notice at all times. The new StrikoMelter are to be delivered in summer 2016. “Then StrikoWestofen furnace systems manufactured in China will be put to work in the USA for the first time,” Erdmann adds. This intercontinental cooperation of one manufacturer therefore has an especially pioneering role for the entire automotive supply industry.

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Mary Glenn