ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS

News From Abroad: A Glimpse Into the International Market

/ ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, ANNEALING NEWS, ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS
HTD Size-PR Logo

Heat Treat Today is partnering with two international publications: heat processing, a Vulkan-Verlag GmbH publication that serves mostly the European and Asian heat treat markets, and Furnaces International, a Quartz Business Media publication that primarily serves the English-speaking globe. Through these partnerships, we are sharing the latest news, tech tips, and cutting-edge articles that will serve our audience — manufacturers with in-house heat treat.

In this installment, explore important company partnerships with wide-spread industry effects as well as innovative new technologies from abroad.

TECHMO CAR Welcomes Anthony Tropeano as New Senior Advisor

Founded in 1961, TECHMO CAR drives innovation in the engineering and manufacturing of mobile and stationary equipment for the aluminum and metal production sector. (Source: Furnaces International)

"Anthony Tropeano of TT CONSULTING INC. has joined TECHMO CAR as a Senior Advisor for the US and Mexico market. Mr. Tropeano has spent over 40 years in the primary, secondary and downstream aluminum and metals worldwide market.”

Read more: “Anthony Tropeano has joined TECHMO CAR” at Furnaces International

New Tin Plate Complex from Partnership Between Danieli and Habaş Group

Caption: Situated in Aliağa near Izmir, the new facility will serve the needs of the packaging industry and the increasing need for cold-rolled and annealed thin sheets. (Source: heat processing)

"The facility, with a capacity of 900,000 tons per year, will produce a diverse range of steel grades, including T1 to T4 and DR7 to DR10. Among its offerings are 250,000 tons of tinplate, 150,000 tons of thin, continuous annealed cold-rolled coil, and 500,000 tons of semi-finished products. The complex comprises four crucial process areas: electrolytic cleaning, cold rolling and tempering, electrolytic tinning, and continuous annealing.”

Read more: “Danieli and Habaş Group Forge Future with New Tin-Plate Complex” at heat processing.com

SMS Group Partners with Turkish Plant Operator Kardemir to Digitize Blast Furnace 5

Using BFXpert solution from Paul Wurth, SMS Group has digitized a blast furnace belonging to Kardemir, Türkiye’s oldest blast furnace operator. (Source: Furnaces International)

"The Paul Wurth BFXpert system is a comprehensive package of systems for the chemical and thermal control of blast furnaces. It is an integrated level-2 process control and operator guidance system for superior blast furnace operation, utilizing the benefits of artificial intelligence to take process optimization to the next level and towards a fully autonomous blast furnace."

Read more: "SMS group successfully digitalizes Kardemir’s blast furnace 5 with BFXpert solution from Paul Wurth” at Furnaces International

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Develops New Process for Sustainable Pig Iron Production

“By integrating the blast furnace and coking plant as well as the consistent recycling of process gases and heat, CO₂ emissions in steel production can be reduced.” (Source: heat processing.com)

"Around eight percent of global CO₂ emissions are caused by the steel industry. Professor Olaf Deutschmann from the Institute for Technical Chemistry and Polymer Chemistry (ITCP) at KIT is of the opinion that this must change quickly. In the long term, thanks to new hydrogen technologies, there is a climate-neutral perspective, but it will still be a few years before sufficient green hydrogen is available worldwide and newly built plants go into operation.”

Read more: “KIT: New process for sustainable pig iron production” at heat processing.com

Search for heat treat solution providers and suppliers on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.com

News From Abroad: A Glimpse Into the International Market Read More »

3 Aluminum Heat Treat Systems Delivered for USAF

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS
HTD Size-PR Logo
Richard B. Conway
Founder/Director/ CTO
DELTA H® Technologies, LLC
Source: DELTA H

Three heat treat systems have recently been delivered and commissioned to joint base San Antonio-Randolph for maintaining the T-38 Talon Trainer aircraft.

These systems are a dual chamber model DCAHT®-181248-1200/500-MIL, a DCAHT®-241672-1200/500-MIL, and a large single chamber SCAHT®-303048-1200-MIL.

USAF depot level heat treating requires full compliance to AMS2750G.  The heat treating systems provided by DELTA H were for replacing existing systems which were too troublesome or costly to try to qualify and were never designed for modern pyrometry standards. The furnace systems were placed into production service the week following qualifying and training.

JBSA-Randolph – SCAHT®-303048-1200-MIL & DCAHT®-241672-1200/500-MIL Includes Power Driven Quench Tank
Source: DELTA H

Richard Conway, director and CTO of DELTA H, states, "We are grateful and humbled to be recognized among the mission critical technology partners supporting this very important project, and pleased to play a part in extending the service life of the valuable T-38 airframe."

JBSA-Randolph, TX – DCAHT®-181248-1200/500-MIL Heat Treat Computer Work Station
Source: DELTA H

Third party compliance and initial qualifying certification of all 5 chambers were provided by Conrad Kacsik Instrument Systems of Solon, Ohio.

Jake Kacsik, president of Conrad Kacsik Instrument Systems, shares, “The results are always impressive when testing DELTA H furnaces. By far the most reliable and consistent systems for maintaining the strict standards of aerospace pyrometry. Richard and I not only have a career-long professional relationship, but also, we both served in the USAF.”

DELTA H is exclusively represented worldwide by PHILLIPS FEDERAL Division for all military and government sales.

JBSA-Randolph, TX – SCAHT®-303048-1200-MIL & DCAHT®-181248-1200/500-MIL
Source: DELTA H

John Murray, retired SMSgt of USAF and product manager of Phillips Corporation, Federal Division added, “DELTA H compliments our product offerings to Metals Tech facilities. Regardless of traditional machining or additive manufacturing, Phillips Corporation – Federal Division strives to meet the needs of the USAF Fabrication Flight Warfighter, providing the best solutions for their support of US power projection and strategic deterrence. Phillips Corporation – Federal Division stands beside USAF Fabrication Flights around the globe ready to cut, fabricate, manufacture, and metallurgically process any part-anytime-anywhere."

Find heat treating products and services when you search on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.com

3 Aluminum Heat Treat Systems Delivered for USAF Read More »

News from Abroad: Furnace Updates and Lowered Emissions

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, ATMOSPHERE/AIR FURNACES 2, FOUNDRY CASTING, FOUNDRY CASTING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

Heat Treat Today is partnering with two international publications: heat processing, a Vulkan-Verlag GmbH publication that serves mostly the European and Asian heat treat markets, and Furnaces International, a Quartz Business Media publication that primarily serves the English-speaking globe. Through these partnerships, we are sharing the latest news, tech tips, and cutting-edge articles that will serve our audience — manufacturers with in-house heat treat.

In this article, international companies scale up their equipment and scale down their carbon emission. 

German Steelmaker Dillinger Completes Slab Pusher Furnace in Rolling Mill

"The stock corporation of Dillinger Hüttenwerke (Dillinger) has successfully converted its slab pusher furnace 2 in the rolling mill." (Source: Furnaces International)

"For the customer, this means that the availability of large, heavy sheets increases. With these, weld seams can be saved and, thanks to more efficient production, more offshore foundations can ultimately be produced and installed. The modernization of the slab impact furnace, as well as the new edge milling machine for the delivery of “fabricated” offshore wind sheets, is one of a number of investments in the offshore wind market that are currently being planned and implemented at Dillinger."

 

Read More: “Dillinger: Investment in slab pusher furnace successfully completed" at heat processing

 

 

Global Steel Producers Partner To Cut Carbon Emissions

Heat transfer supplier Alfa Laval has created a partnership with Finnish steelmaker Outokumpu to cut carbon emissions. (Source: Furnaces International)

“Most of the Alfa Laval steel purchased from Outokumpu, a global steel manufacturer, will now be the low carbon stainless steel variety. This change applies to heat exchangers used in the energy transition towards a more sustainable energy supply, including energy efficiency, waste heat recovery, and heat pumps. These heat exchangers are currently produced in large quantities with the potential for future growth, says Alfa Laval.”

 

Read More: “"Outokumpu and Alfa Laval partner to cut emissions"  at furnaces-international.com

 

Japanese Steelmaker JFE Steel Plans To Build New EAF To Replace Blast Furnace

JFE's plans for an electric arc furnace will be used for the automotive industry and will reduce carbon emissions. (Source: heat processing)

“The steelmaker is considering building an EAF that can produce 2Mt of high-grade steel when the No.2 unit is due for refurbishment, JFE president Yoshihisa Kitano said. He added that the EAF would reduce CO2 emissions by 2.6Mt/yr from current levels emitted by the blast furnace."

 

Read More: "JFE mulls building 'one of the world's largest' EAFs" at furnaces-international.com

 

 

Indian Manufacturer Refratechnik Group Opens New Factory for Metals Industry  

"The Refratechnik Group opens its new factory in India." (Source: heat processing)

"The state-of-the-art greenfield factory was built to produce MgO-C refractory products, high-alumina bricks, as well as monolithic products for the steel, cement and non-ferrous metal industries. The plant will employ more than 300 people in the short term and more than 400 people in the long term."

 

Read More: "The Refratechnik Group opens a modern factory in India" at heat-processing.com

 

 

 

Search for heat treat solution providers and suppliers on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.com

 

News from Abroad: Furnace Updates and Lowered Emissions Read More »

Aluminum Rolling Company Expands Operations with Heat Treat Software

/ ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

The aluminum rolling division of ElvalHalcor S.A., Elval, has placed an order for a sustainability suite with a heat treat supplier with North American locations. This technology will be used for Elval’s flat-rolled aluminum manufacturing plant based in Oinofyta, Greece.

Drakotos Athanasios
Electrical & Electronic Maintenance Deputy Director
Elval
Source: LinkedIn

The Viridis Energy & Sustainability Suite from SMS group will contribute to Elval’s goal to reduce carbon emissions and optimize overall production processes. With the installation of two modules of the Suite, Viridis Performance and Viridis Grids, Elval will be equipped to meet the ever-increasing demands for responsible and energy-efficient management in the aluminum industry.

The automated machine learning (Auto ML) resources of Viridis Performance calculate targets automatically, maintaining relevance in changing production conditions. It will comprise over 70 equipment assets, such as melting furnaces, preheating furnaces, hot and cold rolling mills, among others. Viridis Grids will support Elval to precisely and autonomously calculate energy consumption forecast based on the production plan via automated machine learning resources.

Stated Drakotos Athanasios, the electrical & electronic maintenance deputy director at Elval, “Our partnership with SMS group represents a significant step in our sustainability journey. The Viridis Energy & Sustainability Suite aligns perfectly with our commitment to sustainable aluminum production and reducing our energy and environmental footprint. We are confident that this investment will have a positive impact on our operations and support our carbon footprint reduction pathway”.

Aluminum Rolling Company Expands Operations with Heat Treat Software Read More »

Automotive Parts Manufacturer Increases Production Capacity with Nitriding System

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, NITRIDING NEWS

Nikola Dzepina
Nitrex Regional Manager – Asia
Source: NITREX

An automotive parts manufacturer, Baida Electronic Equipment Co. Ltd., has recently increased its production capacity with the acquisition of nitriding system from a heat treat supplier with North American locations.

The newly integrated large pit-type nitriding system, model NX-1630 from Nitrex, will play a pivotal role in supporting Baida’s production targets, with a load capacity of 15,400 lb. (7000 kg) and load size of 61″ (1550 mm) in diameter by 118″ (3000 mm) in height.

Says Nikola Dzepina, account executive at Nitrex, “Baida and Nitrex have fostered a strong and enduring partnership over the years. Nitrex engineering and aftersales teams consistently provide essential support and expertise to ensure optimal furnace and application performance. This subsequent order not only strengthens Baida’s manufacturing capabilities but also reaffirms Nitrex’s standing as the preferred partner for companies seeking advanced nitriding solutions.”

 

 

Find heat treating products and services when you search on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.com

Automotive Parts Manufacturer Increases Production Capacity with Nitriding System Read More »

HVAC Manufacturer To Increase CAB Capabilities

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, NITRIDING

An HVAC manufacturer contracted a new controlled atmosphere brazing furnace. With this system, the company anticipates gains in both productivity and energy efficiency and reduction in their plant’s overall carbon footprint.

The contract for the system was awarded to SECO/WARWICK’s American subsidiary.

“Their manufacturing line is not a smooth, even flow of identical parts," remarked Marcus Lord, managing director at SECO/WARWICK USA, "Instead, part flow is intermittent and variable sizes. It is why we made the Active Only® CAB Furnace, to meet just such a demand.”

The operating sequence of the Active Only® CAB furnace is divided into stages, including: loading, drying in the dryer, nitrogen purging in the purging chamber, heating and brazing in a proprietary convection chamber, pre-cooling in the cooling chamber with an air-jacket, and the final direct air cooling in the final cooling chamber.

This semi-continuous furnace system will operate on a part-time basis; it will also allow for variable heating and cooling rates, depending on indexing times. Additionally, the furnace can braze the widest variety of heat exchangers when lower total production requirements are needed.

Find heat treating products and services when you search on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.com

HVAC Manufacturer To Increase CAB Capabilities Read More »

The Technology that Is Turning North America Green

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

Due to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), United States investment in the energy and transportation sectors is increasing — by some calculations, increasing by about $26 billion USD.

One manufacturer of industrial furnaces, SECO/WARWICK Group, began an initiative to make the most of the IRA program. This initiative, launched as “SECO/ECO,” revolves around vacuum furnaces. Equipment such as the CaseMaster Evolution®, the UniCase Master®, and the Vector® were designed with reducing energy consumption, increasing production efficiency, and decreasing gas consumption in mind.

Ecology, economy, and efficiency are all related — so says SECO/WARWICK USA’s managing director, Marcus Lord, who commented on the importance of eco-friendly tech as a budget-friendly option available to North American heat treaters, “A well-designed furnace means greater efficiency, and thus lower media consumption. So, ecology also means economy. For the implementations protecting the environment to be accepted, they must also bring real profits. That is why we make sure that the innovation brings benefits in the form of shortening the processes time, greater efficiency, or lower gas consumption.”

To learn more about SECO/ECO and new, eco-friendly technologies available for the new, environmentally-conscious market, visit INTRODUCING SECO/WARWICK GROUP GREEN TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE USA or consult their ebook.

The Technology that Is Turning North America Green Read More »

The First of Eight Vacuum Furnaces Migrates Across Michigan

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

Solar Atmospheres of Michigan has begun the relocation of the first of eight existing vacuum furnaces from the old Vac-Met premises.

The first vacuum furnace (38” wide by 28” high by 72” deep), decommissioned from the Fraser Michigan plant, will be fully operational this week in the Chesterfield, Michigan, facility.

The migration of the next seven vacuum furnaces and other ancillary equipment, originating from both the Fraser, MI, and Warren, MI, plants, will occur every two weeks. By the end of 2023, the transferred assets will join the new existing Solar vacuum furnaces to form a new state of the art vacuum thermal treating facility in Michigan.

Robert (Bob) Hill, president of Solar Atmospheres of Michigan, comments, “To have all of our operations under one roof is a massive step for our employees and our company. Ownership of the vacant lot next to us gives the opportunity to grow the business more efficiently in one location. We are excited to get through this transition phase and look forward to 2024 and beyond!”

To view a video of the relocation process, see here.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ySZJX9EIRr0?si=vGgkb67lIHWsxeYm

Find heat treating products and services when you search on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.com

The First of Eight Vacuum Furnaces Migrates Across Michigan Read More »

Advancement in Automotive Industry with EV Contract

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, CONTROLS NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, NITROCARBURIZING NEWS

A component supplier in the automotive industry has secured a multimillion-dollar contract to receive a turnkey automated nitrocarburizing furnace system for the production of electric passenger vehicle brake components.

Under the contract, Nitrex will design, manufacture, commission, and test continuous-line furnaces, part of the NXL furnace series, which are capable of processing millions of brake parts annually.

In addition to the furnace design, Nitreg®-C and ONC® technologies are integral to this order. This ferritic nitrocarburizing process with post-oxidation improves metal corrosion resistance and effectively reduces rust formation. It is designed to achieve lower non-effluent emissions associated with electric vehicle braking systems.

Furthermore, Nitrex will integrate QMULUS, an AI and machine learning IoT platform, to enhance the supplier’s manufacturing capabilities and drive continuous improvement throughout its operations.

"[This project] empower[s] our customers to thrive as the transition to electric vehicles and more advanced solutions accelerates,” expressed Nitrex CEO Jean-Francois Cloutier.

Find heat treating products and services when you search on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.com

Advancement in Automotive Industry with EV Contract Read More »

Arrival of Atmosphere-Controlled Retort Furnace for Aerospace Applications

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

A leading manufacturer of aerospace components in the Midwestern U.S. has received one of two furnaces, which will be part of a CMC manufacturing facility providing lightweight aerospace components to commercial and military aerospace applications.

These two model XLC3348 furnaces were delivered by L&L Special Furnace. The nano threads in the CMC process are coated with proprietary resins which need to be completely removed from the substructure using heat. It is also vital that there is no oxygen present during the process as this will significantly weaken the part structure.

The model XLC3348 has a work zone of 23” wide by 23” high by 36” deep. It has a single zone of control with a temperature gradient of ±14°C/±25.2°F at temperatures between 1202°F/650°C and 1832°F/1,000°C using six zones of temperature control with biasing to balance any gradients. Constructed of low-mass insulating firebrick, which enables quicker cooldown times, the furnace also features a venturi cooling blower.

The parts are heated to a set temperature in a retort chamber that is pressurized with nitrogen. The byproducts of the outgassing part are directed by pressure and flow out of the rear of the furnace, and then heated in a vacuum furnace to temperatures in excess of 2300°F/ 1,260°C, resulting in a super-strong component that is lighter than titanium.

Find heat treating products and services when you search on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.com

Arrival of Atmosphere-Controlled Retort Furnace for Aerospace Applications Read More »