FEATURED NEWS

NADCAP 24 Month Merit Status Awarded

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS

A Nadcap 24-month merit status has been awarded to Solar Atmospheres of Western PA.

“Congratulations to Solar Atmospheres on successfully passing what may be the aerospace industry’s most stringent process capability assessment audit,” said Joe Pinto, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Performance Review Institute. “Nadcap audit criteria are widely acknowledged to be hard to meet and companies like Solar Atmospheres who succeed at doing so, rightfully deserve recognition.”

Susan Generalovich, Quality Manager says: “The only way to achieve high quality standards is to have every member pulling in the same direction.  That is what we have here at Solar Atmospheres of Western PA.  From top management to the guys on the floor, everyone is focused on quality.  We know this from our visitors and our customers.  They appreciate the care they see used on their products and on our facility.”

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Raytheon Awards IBC ATFLIR Contract

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS

IBC Advanced Alloys Corp. a leading beryllium and copper alloys company, announced today that it has been awarded a production contract from Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems to produce a beryllium-aluminum cast component for use in Raytheon’s Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) system, currently in use on U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jets.

Terms of the contract were not able to be disclosed, although IBC expects to produce this part for Raytheon over multiple years.  The part is a precision cast pitch gimbal housing for the ATFLIR system and is produced from IBC’s proprietary Beralcast® beryllium-aluminum material.

Beralcast® is more than three times stiffer than aluminum with 22% less weight, and can be precision-cast to simple and complex configurations.  The material is very lightweight with a high modulus of elasticity and can be precision cast for three-dimensional stability.  Beralcast® is ideally suited for aerospace applications, certain demanding semiconductor manufacturing equipment, computer components, and other commercial uses, and allows for a near-net shape to be cast for maximum manufacturing efficiencies.

Raytheon’s Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared pod is a multi-sensor, electro-optical targeting pod incorporating thermographic camera, low-light television camera, target laser rangefinder/laser designator, and laser spot tracker that has been flight tested on all F/A-18 models.  It delivers pinpoint accuracy and reliability for air-to-air and air-to-ground mission support, and assures mission success by integrating advanced EO and IR sensors with one of the most powerful lasers on the market. ATFLIR can locate and designate targets day or night at ranges exceeding 40 nautical miles and altitudes surpassing 50,000 feet, outperforming comparable targeting systems.  As a powerful net-enabler, it can pass tracking and targeting information to other nodes in the networked battlespace with the speed and precision.

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Gear Manufacturing Facility to Support New Business

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

A state-of-the-art gear manufacturing facility in Europe which will support new business in the region has been started  by the DANA Corporation .  The 140,000 square-foot (13,000 square-meter) facility in Győr, Hungary will provide customers in the region with access to Dana’s advanced design, engineering, and manufacturing expertise to support their sourcing initiatives and technology strategies.

The company is investing approximately €46 million in the new facility, which will begin production in early 2018 employing approximately 200 highly qualified associates when full production is reached in 2020.

The facility will produce Spicer® AdvanTEK® hypoid or spiral bevel ring and pinion gear sets.  Dana manufactures gears for traditional banjo and beam axles, as well as all-wheel-drive systems.  Full axle assembly on the site is possible in the future.

The company’s AdvanTEK line of gears offers best-in-class noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance, as well as greater power density in a compact package.  When integrated into an axle, these gear sets are responsible for transmitting driving torque to the wheels – delivering improved fuel efficiency, enhanced vehicle performance, and maximum durability for the complete spectrum of light and commercial vehicles.

The new plant will serve as the company’s fourth operation in Hungary.  The decision to develop another plant within the country was made possible by the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA), which awarded Dana development grants and tax incentives.

“We are excited to be building this new gear-manufacturing facility to support new business growth in Europe,” said Bob Pyle, president of Dana Light Vehicle Driveline Technologies.  “This plant is strategically positioned in close proximity to our existing Győr operations and will enable us to deliver technologies to our European customers more quickly and cost effectively.

“We are grateful for the strong support that HIPA and the Hungarian government have provided as we expand our gear-manufacturing capacity in the region.  Dana has operated in Győr for more than 10 years, and we know from experience that we can find exceptional employees there,” Pyle added.

 

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Contract Awarded for Howitzer Gun Bodies

/ FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

Triumph Group, Inc. will supply gun bodies for BAE Systems’ M777 Howitzer in support of a recent contract with the U.S. Department of Defense. The contract, valued at $15 million, was awarded to Triumph’s Precision Components business unit for the gun body used in the ultra-lightweight artillery weapon. Precision Components has a long history of supporting the M777 platform, producing more than 1,000 gun bodies for BAE.

“We are pleased to continue our staunch relationship with BAE in support of the M777 Howitzer,” said Rick Rosenjack, executive vice president for Triumph Precision Components, “and extend our support for the platform as it expands operations in India.”

Triumph Precision Components will machine, weld and assemble the gun body before shipping it to BAE for the cannon assembly. Deliveries will take place over the next two and a half years. The gun bodies will support the recent foreign military sale between the U.S. and Indian governments and will be used to enhance border protection.

“With their focus on quality and on-time delivery as their top priorities, we are pleased to welcome Triumph Precision Components back to the production supply chain as we lean forward to deliver our commitment on the M777 India program,” said Jimmy Dow, head of procurement for BAE Systems.

The win marks the continued expansion into adjacent markets for Triumph Precision Components. Last year the company announced a $48 million contract with SNC-Lavalin for end fittings and shield plugs for the nuclear pressure vessels as part of the Ontario Darlington Retube & Feeder Replacement program.

Triumph Group, Inc., headquartered in Berwyn, Pa., designs, engineers, manufactures, repairs and overhauls a broad portfolio of aircraft structures, components, accessories, subassemblies and systems. The company serves a broad, worldwide spectrum of the aviation industry, including original equipment manufacturers of commercial, regional, business and military aircraft and aircraft components, as well as commercial and regional airlines and air cargo carriers.

 

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D-10 Lab Furnace Commissioned

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

A laboratory furnace has recently been rebuilt, upgraded and commissioned in order both to showcase and refine its newest generation of ultra-low NOx regenerative burner.  With all new piping hardware and components, new refractory and up-to-date combustion controls, this furnace has the flexibility to operate across a wide range of firing parameters.

Use of the furnace has allowed Bloom to improve its already industry-leading regenerative technology.  Bloom has taken the opportunity to explore and to develop new control strategies in order to minimize emissions and maximize combustion efficiency.  Having complete flexibility with both the hardware and the software means that Bloom can explore creative approaches to regenerative combustion.

Matt Valancius, a veteran of the laboratory who has gone on to serve in many different positions in Bloom explains: “What excites me the most about the D-10 furnace upgrade is that we are able to highlight Bloom’s capabilities in our advanced control systems and our next generation regenerative technologies.  It can be a real benefit for a potential customer to come in and see the equipment in action, and to gain a little confidence in the reliability of the new systems.”

Bloom Engineering designs quality industrial burners and combustion systems supporting many markets worldwide.  With extensive experience in many industries, on-site research and development facilities, and customizable product lines, Bloom Engineering has provided solutions tailored to a customer’s specific needs for over eighty years.  Bloom’s products can be used for a variety of applications and can be operated with a wide array of fuels and capacity ranges.

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Heat Treating Combustion Company Expands Distribution in Mexico

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

AOM Industrial, SAS de CV was recently contracted by Olstrad Engineering Corporation to supply NOXMAT burners and spare parts, Elektrogra valves and actuators, Econox atmosphere probes and controls, as well as Olstrad combustion control systems in Mexcio. AOM and Olstrad entered into the dealer agreement in late April.

The dealer arrangement adds to AOM’s already impressive line of products and gives Olstrad clientele in Mexico a convenient, local and experienced office in Mexcio.

Click here to find out more about Olstrad Engineering Corporation.

AOM is located at:

AOM Industrial, SAS de CV

Bari 146, Nuevo Las Puentes

Apodaca, NL, CP 66612 – Mexico

+52 (81) 8647-0391

aomindustrial.com.mx

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New Walking Beam Furnace Installed

/ FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

A new walking beam furnace and two new Garrett coilers will be installed at the Emmenbrücke site of Swiss Steel in Switzerland. Swiss Steel is a subsidiary of SCHMOLZ + BICKENBACH, a manufacturer of special long steel.

With the investment, Swiss Steel is updating its facilities with state-of-the-art technology, resulting in one of the most modern facilities in the world. The production potential for special steels is increased by around 8%. The new walking beam furnace allows optimal and more efficient heating of the previously produced billets at the desired temperatures, preparing the billet for its further processing in the downstream rolling mill. In addition to a performance increase, this also reduces quality losses and achieves substantial energy and CO2 savings. The new Garrett coilers used to wind the rolled products after they were processed in the rolling mill will allow an increase of ring weight to over 2.2 tons from 1.8 tons currently. Thus, Swiss Steel meets the requirements of the important customer segment of drawing mills.

The commissioning of the plant is planned in stages. The walking beam furnace is expected to go into operation in 2019, the Garrett coilers a year earlier. Full operation is expected for the end of 2020. Of the total investment volume of CHF 49 million, around CHF 11 million originate from federal funds by means of a reimbursement of the “feed-in remuneration at cost” (“Kostendeckende Einspeisevergütung”, KEV), a Swiss federal instrument for the promotion of electricity production from renewable energies.

Carlo Mischler, CEO of Swiss Steel, said: “The investment decision is a clear commitment to Swiss Steel and its location Emmenbrücke. With the new equipment, we are increasing our competitiveness and can serve customers with even better quality and a wider range of products. In addition, we are significantly
reducing energy consumption in the rolling mill.”

Clemens Iller, CEO of SCHMOLZ + BICKENBACH: “Swiss Steel is a company with a strong market position and a broad customer base – a valuable part of our Group. The large-scale investment at the Emmenbrücke site strengthens this first-class positioning and makes it possible to meet the high demands of Swiss Steel’s customers in the future.”

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Rolls Royce Grants Approval

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS

Rolls Royce has granted approval to Solar Atmospheres of Western Pennsylvania to conduct certain commercial aerospace heat treat processes. Rolls Royce requires strict specification requirements, strict process execution, and a daily commitment to quality processing from its suppliers in order for this to be granted.

Susan Generalovich, Quality Manager said: “The successful certification of our western Pennsylvania facility is a testament to our commitment to continual improvement, and to growing our business within the aerospace industry.  We are excited about the opportunities this certification will allow and the added confidence it provides to our customers.”

More information about Solar Atmosphere’s Quality Certifications: click here.

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