HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

Battery-Grade Graphite Partnership Includes Development of Continuous Furnace Design

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A definitive agreement to manufacture battery-grade graphite products at commercial scale has been reached between a major minerals processing company and a heating equipment supplier, both based in New York.

Micronized flake graphite hit the retail market.

Great Lakes Graphite and Ashland Advanced Materials drafted the definitive agreement earlier in this quarter under which Ashland will provide Great Lakes with up to 10,000 tons per year of graphite purification capacity in the initial start-up phase. A requirement to scale up further, to 50,000 tons per year of graphite purification capacity, is anticipated for the subsequent phase. Further, Great Lakes Graphite and Graphene Laboratories executed a distribution agreement at the end of November which will boost the availability of high-quality carbon products to customers.

Along with product, process, and technology development efforts geared towards preparing for large-scale manufacture of advanced carbon materials, Great Lakes is partnering with Ashland Advanced Materials in the development of a continuous furnace design that will significantly increase the efficiency of the purification process. Ashland brings over thirty years of expertise in the thermal purification of graphite to this effort.

Great Lakes Graphite reports that it has conveyed the updated anticipated requirements to their Brazilian supply partner to ensure there will be adequate capacity along the supply chain to achieve targeted manufacturing levels.

Micronized graphite products are used by customers in a wide variety of industries for a wide variety of applications that include composite materials, electronics, batteries, lubricants, coatings and friction products.

 

 

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Heat Treat Equipment Purchases — Recent Activity

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Multiple transactions involving the contracting, purchasing, selling, shipment and delivery of heat treat systems, equipment, or services have taken place over the past several weeks; here are some we hope will be of interest to Heat Treat Today readers.

  1. (Automotive Heat Treat News) A Chinese steel manufacturer of parts for the automotive industry, Baosteel's Zhanjiang integrated steel production complex, opened with Fives' Stein Digiflex furnaces for a 700kt/yr continuous annealing line and a 270kt/yr galvanizing line for a 1,550mm wide cold rolling mill.
  2. (Manufacturing Heat Treat News) Spanish heavy industry manufacturer Forjas Iraeta Heavy Industry, S.L. (GRI Group), contracted a 30 ton/hour walking beam furnace to add to an existing flange production mill. German metals SMS Group launched the project, which is to install furnace technology for proper and optimal reheating of a wide range of products: the charge will include blooms from 200 to 500 millimeters square and round blooms from 300 to 700 millimeters in diameter, in lengths between three and five meters.

    The SMS-Shougang Jingtang United Iron & Steel Co Ltd project team at the contract signing ceremony for the new galvanizing line.
  3. (Manufacturing Heat Treat News) In addition, SMS Group recently received a contract for a continuous hot-dip galvanizing line for high-strength steel grades to be supplied to Shougang Jingtang United Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., China. This is the sixth strip processing line to be installed in this works on Caofeidian Island, a man-made island offshore the Chinese province of Hebei. The line will produce 360,000 tons of hot-dip galvanized steel strip, including high-strength grades with tensile strengths of up to 1,350 MPa.
  4. (Manufacturing Heat Treat News) Two electrically heated Pacemaker integral quench furnaces have been shipped by Lindberg/MPH, based in Riverside, Michigan, to be used for carburizing and hardening applications.
  5. (Manufacturing Heat Treat News) Lindberg/MPH has also shipped to an electronic components manufacturer a 1200°F single-zone tube furnace to be used for annealing, ashing, carbon firing, ceramic firing, hardening, sintering, solution treating, stress relieving, and other heat treating applications.
  6. (Aerospace Heat Treat News) Lindberg/MPH announced the shipment of an electrically heated gas nitriding pit furnace for a leading aerospace supplier. The pit furnace system performs a two-stage nitriding process to achieve high surface hardness on A11 and H13 steel parts.
  7. (Manufacturing Heat Treat News) An electrically heated, steam atmosphere, pit furnace has been shipped by Lindberg/MPH to an engineered components manufacturer. The equipment will be used with a steam generator for steam treating tools steels.
  8. (Automotive Heat Treat News) An automotive supplier is the recipient of a fourth Lindberg/MPH transaction, a multi-chamber, electrically heated hot stamping furnace to be used to preheat steel blanks for hot stamping structural automotive components. 
  9. (Automotive Heat Treat News) Can-Eng Furnaces recently completed commissioning an electrically heated furnace line addition to a leading bearing manufacturer’s existing production line. Responsible for producing planet shafts and pump vane products, the line now features a compact 1,000 lb/hr atmosphere temper and soluble oil system for rust prevention.
  10. (Automotive Heat Treat News) A Montreal-based manufacturer of advanced plasma processes received an order for the sale of a second DROSRITE™ Furnace System to a North American automobile parts manufacturer. PyroGenesis Canada Inc. developed the patented salt-free, cost-effective, sustainable process for maximizing metal recovery from dross, a waste generated in the metallurgical industry.

Heat Treat Today finds the robust activity of heat treatment equipment sales and acquisitions an exciting topic to report on and would be interested in your supplier news tips. Please send any information you feel may be of interest to readers of Heat Treat Today to the editor at editor@heattreattoday.com.

 

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IHEA Launches Registration for International ThermProcess Summit 2018

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IHEA has announced the International ThermProcess Summit 2018 (ITPS 2018) will take place July 30--August 1, 2018, at the Intercontinental Hotel in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, Georgia.
To provide expanded opportunities for participants, the International Finishing & Coatings Summit (IFCS), sponsored by the Chemical Coaters Association International (CCAI) and its official publication, Products Finishing, will be located alongside ITPS 2018. Many IFCS participants use heat treating technologies to cure coatings.
The itinerary includes joint general sessions on business topics for executives and breakout sessions on thermprocess technologies and finishing and coating technologies. Tabletop displays will be set up along the perimeter of the general session ballroom and attendees will be able to visit tables during breaks and the lunch hour.
Reservations for ITPS 2018 sponsorship and tabletop can be secured by clicking here to open a PDF form:   ITPS 2018 Sponsorship and Exhibitor Brochure FINAL
For more event details in the coming months, visit www.itps-ifcs.com.  (IHEA members will have the first opportunity to reserve sponsorships and tabletops.)
Heat Treat Today is a proudly serving as a title sponsor of this event along with the Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA).

IHEA Launches Registration for International ThermProcess Summit 2018 Read More »

PRI Registrar Recognizes Heat Treat Industry Supplier

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A manufacturer of products for the thermal processing industry recently received ISO9001:2015 Registration from the Performance Review Institute (PRI) Registrar while earning their ISO/IEC17025:2005 accreditation from ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB).

Randy Daugharthy, Director of the Registrar Program at the Performance Review Institute

PRI Registrar recognized Super Systems, Inc., (SSi) based in Cincinnati, Ohio, for its commitment to continual improvement in their quality management system and becoming certified to the current ISO9001:2015 international quality standard for manufacturing, calibration, and servicing of sensors, analyzers, control systems, and SSI product support services used in heat-treating organizations. In addition, SSi received its ISO/IEC17025:2005 calibration accreditation while expanding their scope of accreditation.

“Our company and our customers benefit from our commitment to a solid quality management system and we are proud of our ISO9001:2015 and 17025 accreditation. This is a company-wide effort and every one of our employees plays a part in our continuous improvement plan,” said Steve Thompson, President of Super Systems, Inc.

Super Systems, Inc. received ISO9001:2015 registration for demonstrating its ongoing commitment to quality by satisfying customer requirements and industry specifications.

“Super Systems, Inc. has demonstrated its commitment to world-class quality management by implementing and becoming certified to the ISO 9001:2015 standard. They have joined an elite number of organizations worldwide who have achieved certification to this globally recognized quality standard,” said Randy Daugharthy, Director of the Registrar Program at the Performance Review Institute (PRI) Registrar.

Additionally, the SSi team renewed its ISO/IEC17025:2005 accreditation with its accreditation body, ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB). During the renewal audit, the SSi production/calibration team demonstrated technical competence in the field of calibration that resulted in expanding its scope of accreditation in addition to reducing measurement uncertainties.

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New Heat Treat Facility in Wisconsin to Accommodate Expanding Operations

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Dave Strand, president and CEO of Thermal Product Solutions

A leading industrial furnace manufacturer recently opened a new facility in East Troy, Wisconsin, accommodating oven product lines and providing additional manufacturing space for expanding operations. The company will be investing $1.5 million in equipment and renovation work at the building.

Wisconsin Oven Corporation and parent company Thermal Product Solutions (TPS) celebrated the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included company officials, as well as local, regional, state leaders.  It was announced at the ceremony that the new 130,000 sq ft facility will be named after Bruce Champion, a former vice president of operations for Wisconsin Oven, who played a key role in the company’s success.

“Wisconsin Oven Corporation is pleased that the community and local leaders were able to join us today to celebrate the opening of our recently purchased facility,” said Dave Strand, president and CEO of TPS. “This 130,000-square-foot facility will soon see massive renovations and production, which will result in more employment throughout the region.”

 

 

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Grinder, Polisher Offers Choices to Heat Treat Shops

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Source: BusinessInsider

 

Quality control and lab technicians now have a choice. A global industrial manufacturer of value-added and testing equipment recently introduced a semi-automatic and manual grinder and polisher for use in heat treat, automotive, aerospace, and electronic laboratory environments, unveiling the new product at the 2017 Heat Treat Expo in Columbus, Ohio, last month.

Read more: “Eco-Met 30 – Semi-Automatic and Manual Grinder Polishers Introduced by Buehler at Heat Treat 2017”

 

Grinder, Polisher Offers Choices to Heat Treat Shops Read More »

Heat Treat Operations to Expand As Metaltech, Wallwork Join Forces

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Thermal processing and induction hardening of metals are included among the metal treatments that will be offered to the aerospace, automotive, medical device, and precision engineering sectors as UK-based coating company Metaltech Ltd joins forces with The Wallwork Group, also of the UK.

Both companies specialize in the thermal processing and coating of metals and each brings additional metal treatments that will complement those of the other. Wallwork has also recently announced plans to invest in the Metaltech site and base some of the transport operations there.

Metaltech was founded in 1981 by Ron Scott. Dr. Graeme Forster joined the company in the early 1990s and became managing director; together they have developed the company to a staff of 22, serving clients in the UK and internationally.

“Joining Wallwork, a firm founded on the same principles of a business that believes people are its greatest asset, is a positive step as Ron steps out to pursue his other interests,” said Dr. Forster commented.

Luke Collins, a graduate engineer with 12-plus years of experience within the Wallwork Group, will become site director at Metaltech. “This is a good fit for us and strengthens our range of metal heat treatments, hard coatings processes, and customer service promise,” said Collins. “Adding a facility in the North East means we can provide an even faster service to customers there and extend our transport service into Scotland, giving greater flexibility within our Manchester, Birmingham and Cambridge sites for further growth.”

We already have plans to invest in the Metaltech site and also base some of our transport operation there. Luke will permanently relocate to be near the Metaltech works.

As well as extending the induction hardening of metals and thermal processing operations, the expansion adds new processes including Xylan Flouropolymer Coatings, Molybdenum Disulphide dry film lubricants, and Phosphate Coating and enlarges the capacity of the company’s plasma nitriding and Plasox services.

 

Click for a video to learn more about the Wallwork Group:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo caption:  Luke Collins of Wallwork Group and Dr. Graeme Forster of Metaltech Ltd.

Heat Treat Operations to Expand As Metaltech, Wallwork Join Forces Read More »

Kanthal® Award 2017 Goes to German Energy Tech Company

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An energy technology company based in Dresden, Germany, was recently appointed the Kanthal® Award by the jury at a prize ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden, on October 4.

The jury awarded the prize to Sunfire GmbH according to the following motivation:

“Sunfire GmbH has developed a process converting regenerative power, CO2, and water into synthetic gas or a crude oil substitute (Blue Crude) which has the potential to satisfy the key need for CO2-neutral transportation fuels for the sustainable society of tomorrow. Sunfire is nominated for their process which utilizes waste heat with the help of efficient high-temperature flow heaters to maximize the overall efficiency.”

The Kanthal® Award recognizes innovations related to new solutions in sustainability, quality of life, and the field of energy efficiency. The Kanthal® Award includes a prize sum of 5000 Euro ($5500), a statuette, and a diploma. The prize sum is, however, not for the winner to keep, but is to be donated to a charitable organization which supports the same criteria the Kanthal® Award is based. Sunfire GmbH will donate their award to the environmental organization Greenpeace.

Dr. Dilip Chandrasekaran, Head of R&D and Technology at Kanthal and Chairman of the Jury

“It feels great, I’m very motivated,” said Sebastian Becker, Sunfire GmbH. “Sunfire has a very motivated team and we are eager to make the world more renewable. Hopefully, we have the right idea at the right time with the right people, and I think this can make us successful.”

Dr. Dilip Chandrasekaran, Head of R&D and Technology at Kanthal and Chairman of the Jury, said: “Sunfire GmbH has with their technology fulfilled the key criteria for the Kanthal® Award, to promote innovation, sustainability, and benefits on a global scale.”

Kanthal is Sandvik Group’s global brand in heating technology.

Kanthal® Award 2017 Goes to German Energy Tech Company Read More »

IHEA Reports Seminar Successes, Announces October Course

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The Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA) held its 2017 Fall Seminars at the Westin Poinsett in Greenville, South Carolina, on Tuesday, September 19, and Wednesday, September 20.  Nearly 100 attendees gathered for training on combustion, induction, and safety standards and codes for the thermprocess heating industry.  They also enjoyed IHEA’s tabletop exhibits and reception during the two-day educational series.

The three seminars were held concurrently and delivered pertinent information in combustion technologies, critical safety information for those involved with a wide range of industrial thermprocess applications and concise highlights on the basics of induction technology, applications, and equipment used, which included captive heat treaters.

The Fundamentals of Industrial Process Heating, IHEA’s Online Learning Course, begins October 30. For additional details and registration information, visit http://www.ihea.org/event/FundFall17.

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Paulo Promotes Kyle Moore to St. Louis Production Manager

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Paulo, a provider of heat treating, brazing, and metal finishing processes, recently announced that Kyle Moore has been promoted to the Production Manager position at its headquarters

Kyle Moore, photo by Beautiful Mess Photography

in St Louis, effective October 2nd. Moore joined Paulo in 2014 as a Corporate Quality Management Associate, a position which included performing audits for ISO 9001, AS9100, TS16949, CQI-9, and NADCAP across multiple facilities.

Moore was then promoted to Paulo St. Louis Quality Manager. In this role, among other achievements, he systematically worked through over 50 PPAPs (Production Part Approval Process) in 2017.

“As Quality Manager Kyle has made tremendous improvements to our Quality Systems.  I’m excited for him to move into the Production Manager role and continue to move the ball down the field,” said Tim Mohr, St. Louis Plant Manager.

“We have all seen Paulo grow and change and I am very fortunate and proud to be a part of this,” Moore commented. “I am excited about our future and the team we have assembled to get us there.  I look forward to continuing to build our relationships and make our team even stronger.”

“Paulo’s commitment to developing talent internally remains,” added Ben Crawford, Vice President Operations.  “I’m excited to watch Kyle flourish and the plant prosper from his growth and knowledge.”

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