FORGING NEWS

US Army Enlists Metallus for Munitions Expansion

/ FEATURED NEWS, FORGING NEWS, FOUNDRY CASTING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

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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IperionX Grows with New Virginia Titanium Facility

/ FEATURED NEWS, FORGING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS, TITANIUM PROCESSING NEWS
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IperionX, a producer of high-quality titanium alloys, has commissioned a titanium production facility in Virginia.

Anastasios (Taso) Arima, CEO of IperionX, commented in a letter to the company’s shareholders: “Our Virginia titanium facility is designed to apply our HAMR [Hydrogen Assisted Metallothermic Reduction] and HSPT [Hydrogen Sintering & Phase Transformation] technologies to produce sustainable, high-quality and high strength titanium metal products at low cost.”

Anastasios (Taso) Arima, CEO,
IperionX
(Source: Iperionx.com)

Full capacity is scheduled for 2026, with more than 1,000 metric tons of titanium produced per year. Using titanium powder produced on site, IperionX plans to employ unique forging technologies to produce titanium mill products and near net shape titanium products and to apply AM to produce 3D printed titanium products.

Arima also added, “We engaged with Lockheed Martin, GKN Aerospace, and the U.S. Army to replace traditional titanium mill products, in this case titanium plate, providing a new domestic and sustainable source to enhance their critical supply chains.” To aid these goals, Iperion is installing a large-scale, industrial furnace at their Virginia facility.

This letter to IperionX’s shareholders can be found here.

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North American Heat Treater Welcomes New Ownership

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, FORGING NEWS, FOUNDRY CASTING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS, QUENCHING NEWS

Effective November 30, 2023, Joe A. Powell has sold his remaining shares in Akron Steel Treating Company, his family’s commercial heat treating business for over 80 years in Akron, Ohio, USA, to a fourth generation of new “family” ownership.

The team at AST will continue to deliver ISO and Nadcap aerospace heat treating and related metallurgical services to part making customers.

Joe A. Powell, AST’s Chairman of the Board, will remain active in the heat treating and metallurgical services community as president of Integrated Heat Treating Solutions, LLC. (IHTS). IHTS is a “heat transfer” consulting company for product development teams to enable more sustainable heat treating equipment and practices to be integrated into their new product designs. IHTS and its team of part making consultants enable their part making clients to deliver more “total added value” from heat treating and forging per BTU expended in making their products for their end users; including the design of the associated heating and quench cooling equipment for "leaner + greener, more sustainable, manufacturing" and for greater recyclability of metal alloys.

Pictured in the image above: AST’s new shareholder team, and Joe A. Powell, Chairman of the Board, are pictured from left to right: Matt Moldvay, President; Steve Powell, Vice President of Quality, Christina Powell Somogye, Vice President of Administration; Joe A. Powell, Chairman; and Joe N. Powell, Vice President of Sales. (Source: AST)

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Sheffield Forgemasters Order 7 New Heat Treat and Forging Furnaces

/ FEATURED NEWS, FORGING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

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Following a formal process, Sheffield Forgemasters have placed an order of over $25 million for seven new furnaces — 3 forging and 4 heat treat — for the company’s proposed 14,000+ ton forging line. The large, open die forge will replace the company’s existing forging press and will complement its smaller press to serve defense and commercial markets.

Andritz, a company with North American locations, will supply the furnaces which will have up to 1,102 tons of capacity and will have rail-mounted car-bottoms which can roll in and out for the loading of ultra-large components.

“The furnaces will be the mainstay of our new heavy forging line, delivering both heat-treatment and main forging heating cycles, using the latest burner technologies for optimum efficiency and heat control," commented Steve Marshall, manufacturing transformation director at Sheffield Forgemasters. “New innovation in furnace technologies includes dual-fuel burners which can switch to hydrogen if the technology to move away from natural gas becomes viable."

Main photo l to r: Roman Mueller-Huenervogt from Andritz Metals and Steve Marshall from Sheffield Forgemasters, sign the furnaces contract.

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FAC Awarded for Aerospace Applications Forging Line

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, FORGING NEWS

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Jiuli has awarded the final acceptance certificate (FAC) for a hydraulic radial forging line to a metals industry technology supplier with North American locations. The plant has a press force of 18 MN for each of the four press cylinders, which will allow sophisticated materials for the aerospace industry to be forged.

"The new SMX forging line enables us to manufacture our products in a highly cost-efficient way. The high productivity and the wide range of products give us the necessary flexibility to respond quickly to changing demands," commented Luo Tongwei, project manager at Jiuli.

In addition to the SMX 900 / 18 MN as the core machine, the plant comprises two fully synchronized eight-ton forging manipulators and equipment for loading and unloading as well as for cutting, marking and cooling of forged bars. SMS group manufactured the plant to provide a forging strategy that is calculated on the basis of a comprehensive material database as well as the preset machine, material, geometry, and product-related parameters.

“SMS group has enjoyed a close working relationship with Jiuli for over ten years and has supplied them with different types of equipment during this period. We are looking forward to the further fruitful cooperation”, says Jia Hui, senior sales manager at SMS group.

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Heat Treated Forging Tools Get New Quench Tank

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A forging tool manufacturer will receive an agitated heated oil quench tank to be used post-heat treatment in order to set hardness. Tools such as nippers and ladles -- critical components in the foundry and in forging equipment -- are heat treated to the required hardness and then quenched in oil to set that hardness.

The L&L Special Furnace Co. small model QTO1224 heated oil quench tank holds 65 gallons of oil and can quench parts from 50 to 75 pounds. The quench tank oil is agitated by an impeller with a ½ HP explosion-proof motor and is heated with a 4.5 kW immersion heater to maintain the oil at a slightly elevated temperature to help eliminate oil flashing and fire potential.

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Perryman Company Orders 2 Forging Systems

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, FORGING NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT

HTD Size-PR LogoAmerican titanium producer Perryman Company, in Houston, PA, has placed an order for the supply of two forging machines: a high-speed open-die forging press in the pull-down design and a hydraulic radial forging machine with two forging manipulators as well as the order and production control system for the entire forging line. The titanium materials are intended for parts in the aerospace industry and for medical applications.

The open-die forging press from SMS group will be used to forge cast titanium billets first to the required size. After that, they can be finish-forged in the radial forging machine to produce bars – round, square or flat – up to a maximum length of 14,000 millimeters.

Dr. Thomas Winterfeldt
Head of Forging Plants
SMS Group
SMS Group

"We see strong growth in the aerospace industry and medical sector," emphasized Frank Perryman, president and CEO of Perryman Company. "This [new forging line] enables us to produce forgings for turbines and safety-relevant structures that comply with our high quality standards."

"With the whole SMS plant package, including digitalization tools and technology packages, Perryman is able to increase its production efficiency and maintain consistent quality levels," said Dr. Thomas Winterfeldt, head of forging plants at SMS group.

The forging line is scheduled to go on stream in Q1 2024.

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Matrix Forgings Manufacturer Commissions Sealed Quench Chamber Furnace

/ ENERGY HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, FORGING NEWS, QUENCHING NEWS

A Polish manufacturer of high-quality matrix forgings, construction connectors, and manual tools manufactured with their own forgings recently commissioned a multipurpose sealed quench chamber furnace to expand their current line of equipment.

Jarosław Talerzak, VP, Thermal Heat Treatment Furnace Systems at SECO/WARWICK

SECO/WARWICK will deliver the fully-automated furnace, a CaseMaster AFS, which is capable of a wide variety of processes but particularly carbonizing, gas carbonitriding and pure hardening, to KUŹNIA Sułkowicie S.A.. The equipment is intended for thermal and thermo-chemical treatment in a controlled endothermic atmosphere.

“We have been cooperating with SECO/WARWICK for more than 10 years. A decade ago, we purchased and implemented a process line for thermal and thermo-chemical treatment with a chamber furnace type CaseMaster AFS 10E,” said Marcin Szafrański, MSc. Ing., Commercial Director at “Kuźnia” Sułkowice S.A. The main customers for the products of KUŹNIA Sułkowice S.A. are the leading European and Polish manufacturers operating in the construction, automotive, power engineering, machinery, and mining industries.

“The appropriately selected production process guarantees the quality of forgings. Thanks to many years of experience in the production of heat treatment equipment, we perfectly understand our customers’ needs, which enables us to propose and help in selecting the most optimum solutions that meet market expectations,” said Jarosław Talerzak, VP, Thermal Heat Treatment Furnace Systems at SECO/WARWICK.

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Gyro Stabilizer Finished with Heat Treating at Texas Forge

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Seakeeper Gyro Stabilizer

A closed die forging company, headquartered in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, recently launched a new marine product line for a gyro stabilizer designed to improve the boating experience by eliminating boat roll, the rocking motion that causes seasickness, fatigue, and anxiety.

The Ellwood Closed Die Group introduced the line for the gyro stabilizer developed by Maryland-based Seakeeper, which also includes several finish-machined flywheels that are assembled into the gyro stabilizers. From start to finish, Ellwood Texas Forge Navasota (ETFN), located in southeast Texas near its sister company, Ellwood Texas Forge (Houston), utilizes the entire Ellwood Group supply chain to manufacture the flywheels. Raw material melted at Ellwood Quality Steel (EQS) and procured from Ellwood City Forge (ECF) is heated and forged on various pieces of equipment within the ETFN facility to produce the near net shaped forgings. After heat treatment and processing, the forging is then rough machined, non-destructively tested for part quality and finish machined to extremely tight tolerances.

Both Texas-based forge facilities provide in-house heat treatment, along with die sinking, cutting, testing and machining capabilities to serve the aerospace, construction, defense, general industrial, marine, mining, oil & gas, and power generation markets.

Seakeeper is based in California, Maryland, with locations in Europe and Asia.

Photo caption: “How It Works: Inside a vacuum encapsulation, a flywheel spins at speeds of up to 9,700 rpm. When the boat rolls, the gyro tilts fore and aft (processes), producing a powerful gyroscopic torque to port and starboard that counteracts the boat roll.”

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Specialty Materials Invests in Aerospace Iso-Thermal Forging, Heat Treat Capacity

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, FORGING NEWS

A global manufacturer of technically advanced specialty materials and complex components recently announced investment toward its iso-thermal forging and heat treating capacities to satisfy growing demand from the aerospace jet engine market.

CEO of Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI), Rich Harshman, CEO of Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI), announcing the expansion of ATI’s iso-thermal forging and heat treating capacities to satisfy growing demand from the aerospace jet engine market.  Photo credit: Tony Bettack, WTMJ, Twitter

Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will self-fund approximately $95 million, representing two projects: a fourth iso-thermal press and expansion of heat treat capacity. Both will take place at the company’s iso-thermal forging center in Cudahy, Wisconsin. ATI expects the projects to be completed in 2020 and fully qualify for aerospace-related production.

“We continue to invest in our advanced forging capabilities in support of our aerospace customer’s ramp-up of next-generation jet engine production. Once completed and fully qualified, this critical growth project will enable us to meet the increasing production requirements for existing long-term agreements with our engine OEM partners,” said Rich Harshman, ATI’s chairman, president, and CEO. “Iso-thermal is the most technologically advanced forging method available today and ATI’s ongoing leadership in this area is further solidified by this significant investment.”

“This investment, along with our recent nickel-based superalloy powder expansion in Monroe, NC, will enable the High-Performance Materials and Components (HPMC) segment to meet its longer-term financial goals by increasing our capacity to produce technologically advanced powder-to-iso-thermally-forged jet engine components,” said John Sims, Executive Vice President, HPMC Segment.

 

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