AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS Archives - Page 25 of 26

Vacuum Heat Treating for Space Exploration

Vacuum furnaces are highly flexible tools capable of providing numerous thermochemical conditions with various reactive gases at elevated temperatures and extreme pressures to alter the chemical or mechanical properties of materials. Conditions inside vacuum furnaces are equivalent to conditions found on the planets in our solar system. Each planet in our solar system is unique in terms of its atmospheric contents, pressures, and temperatures. One planet with unique atmospheric conditions is Venus.

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How Will We Design, Manufacture and Test 900 Satellites?

April 29, 2016 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture between Airbus Defence and Space and OneWeb, has chosen Florida in the United States as the site for its final assembly line, completing the last step in its industrial organisation. This facility, located at Florida’s Exploration Park, near the Kennedy Space Center, will carry out the series production of nearly 900 satellites for the OneWeb constellation.

“In June 2015, we started from scratch to create a new satellite design and manufacturing company,” stated François Auque, Head of Space Systems. “In both Florida and Europe, we are now embarking on the next stage of an unprecedented venture in the space industry: a site that can mass-produce dozens of satellites every month. All this, of course, without affecting the levels of quality and technology that are essential when it comes to spacecraft – complex machines that need to operate for several years in space.”

The choice of Florida for the final assembly line follows the announcement of the creation of OneWeb Satellites in January 2016. The production site will cover an area of 100,000+ square feet and will create nearly 250 direct jobs.

A prototype production line at Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse (France) will assemble and test the first 10 satellites, and check and validate industrial solutions for the series production. The design of the satellites is currently under way in the company’s design offices in Toulouse.

The space segment of OneWeb will comprise initially a constellation of 648 operational satellites and replacement satellites, all of which will be identical. Each satellite will weigh approximately 150 kg and will operate in low Earth orbit. Arianespace and Virgin Galactic will begin launching the spacecraft in 2018 and the satellites will be placed in orbit using electrical propulsion.

This joint venture, equally owned by Airbus Defence and Space and OneWeb, has been set up following the selection in June 2015 of Airbus Defence and Space as the industrial partner of OneWeb to design and build its satellites. The constellation to be operated by OneWeb will provide high-speed internet services with global coverage. OneWeb Satellites will also be able to produce satellites, platforms or equipment to be marketed by Airbus Defence and Space for the benefit of other operators of future constellations.

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Solar Manufacturing, Refrac Systems Partner to Build Furnace System

March 23, 2016 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

Refrac Systems of Chandler, Ariz., contracted Solar Manufacturing to design and build a large 100-ton-load gas fan quench vacuum hot press (GFQVHP) system for its aerospace diffusion-bonding operation. Refrac Systems, working with Solar’s engineering team, selected a derivative of Solar’s standard internally quenched 2-bar vacuum furnace as the base design of the system. The new system contains many new designs, as it needed to be both an automated vacuum hot press and be extra versatile for making super plastically formed and diffusion-bonded (SPFDB) aerospace structures. Solar Manufacturing expects to ship the GFQVHP unit in July.

The furnace chamber for this unit was built by Amity Industries of Douglassville, Pa. Beckwood/Triform of St. Louis, Mo., was selected to build the large 100-ton four-post hydraulic press frame for the system. The control console unit was built by Optima-Stantron of Lawrenceville, Ga. Final assembly, testing and start-up of the system is projected for the fourth quarter of 2016 in Chandler.

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Norsk Titanium Achieves Aerospace Technology Readiness

March 22, 2016 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS, TITANIUM PROCESSING NEWS

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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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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The USA plans more aerospace work in Asia: Heat treat impact expected

February 19, 2016 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

Source: Aerospace Industries Association

The U.S. Aerospace and Defense industry shows a commitment to increasing international trade and partnerships with America’s friends and allies in the Asia-Pacific region by participating in a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Singapore Airshow.

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GKN Prepares Plant for Boeing Work: Heat Treat Included

February 11, 2016 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

[Best of the Web] Source: TheTandD.com

Plant modifications were underway at GKN Aerospace’s second Orangeburg County facility as the company prepared for the manufacture of inlet lip skins for the Boeing 737 MAX and 777X.

GKN raised the roof of its second plant in the Orangeburg County/City Industrial Park to about 56 feet and expanded its digging pits about 20 feet deep.

US Navy orders 20 more Boeing P8A Poseidons

February 9, 2016 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

[Best of the Web] Source: Aerospace Manufacturing & Design

$2.5 billion contract expands maritime surveillance fleet, includes four aircraft for Australia.

Seattle, Washington – Boeing will further equip the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) with maritime patrol capabilities, building 20 more P-8A Poseidon aircraft following a $2.5 billion U.S. Navy order announced Jan. 28, 2016.

The contract, for Lot 7 of the total P-8A program of record, includes 16 aircraft for the U.S. Navy and the next four aircraft for the RAAF. The RAAF’s initial four P-8A aircraft were included in the August 2015 Lot 6 contract award.

This latest award puts Boeing on contract to build 78 Poseidons for the Navy and eight for the Australian fleet, with 33 Poseidons delivered to the U.S. Navy to date. The Lot 7 aircraft will begin delivery in late 2017.

Based on Boeing’s Next-Generation 737-800 commercial airplane, the P-8A offers advanced anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. The Navy has deployed four P-8A patrol squadrons since operations began in 2013.

Australia’s participation in the P-8A program began in 2009 when the government signed the first in a series of memorandums of understanding to work with the U.S. Navy on system design and development. The U.S. Navy and the RAAF also established a joint program office that operates at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. The first Australian P-8A will be delivered to the RAAF in late 2016.

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