INDUCTION HEATING NEWS

Furnaces for Directionally Solidified and Single Crystal Castings

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FOUNDRY CASTING NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

A leading aviation technology company will receive two new furnaces from a manufacturer of metal heat treatment solutions with North American locations. The furnaces will be used in the production of engine components, particularly directionally solidified and single crystal castings.

Sławomir Woźniak
CEO
SECO/WARWICK Group

SECO/WARWICK will provide a Vector vacuum furnace and a VIM JetCaster furnace with a capacity of 25 kg, enabling the melting of nickel and cobalt alloys at temperatures up to 1700℃ (3092°F) to the Chinese aviation manufacturer.

“The device ensures a low percentage of casting defects, both macro and microstructural, as well as a significant reduction of the directional solidification casting process compared to the classical process due to increased mold withdrawal speeds,” said Sławomir Woźniak, CEO of SECO/WARWICK Group.

The latest jet engines use advanced blades cast produced by single crystal technology. The control system meets the needs of precise processes: casting, temperature control, as well as comprehensive data collection.

The Vector vacuum furnace is designed for aging and solution heat treatment processes. It achieves a maximum temperature of 1400℃ (2552°F) with a uniformity of ±5℃ (9°F) and can handle components with a total mass of up to 800 kg. Due to a high level of vacuum (up to 10⁻³ Pa), processes take place without intergranular oxidation, resulting in a quality surface for the components.

Press release is available in its original form here.

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

Furnaces for Directionally Solidified and Single Crystal Castings Read More »

Best of the Web: General Extrusions’ New Energy Efficient Induction Heater

/ INDUCTION HEATING EQUIPMENT NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING NEWS

Source: Light Metal Age

When an extrusion plant in Ohio began to experience production stoppages and higher temperature variability in their 7 inch press line, they sought out an upgrade with a new induction heating furnace. This article highlights the technical components of the new furnace, revealing its upgrade as an important step in ensuring the efficient production and delivery of high quality aluminum extrusions.

An Excerpt:

The furnace replacement project had several clear objectives—significantly improve process reliability, provide accurate temperature uniformity, and ensure high energy efficiency. In addition, the furnace needed to be installed during GEI’s 2024 Christmas shutdown.

Several furnace concepts were investigated during the course of the project. GEI’s preferred method, from a process control perspective, would have been to retain and modify the induction coil of the original furnace and also add a new induction furnace to apply a temperature taper to the billet. In this scenario, the original coil would be used to apply the base temperature, while the new furnace would be responsible for accurately tapering the billet.

Unfortunately, this concept proved to be impractical for several reasons . . .

Click here to read the entire article by Light Metal Age.

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

Best of the Web: General Extrusions’ New Energy Efficient Induction Heater Read More »

Vacuum Induction Melting Furnaces for Aerospace & Energy Industries

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, ENERGY HEAT TREAT NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING NEWS

A Chinese partner has purchased two vacuum induction melting (VIM) furnaces for melting and producing castings that will support the aerospace and energy industries.

Sławomir Woźniak
CEO
SECO/WARWICK Group

SECO/WARWICK Group will be providing the two VIM furnaces, which will be shipped to China. The first of the two furnaces on order is a 50 kg VIM induction furnace for producing castings in an equiaxed structure. The furnace is unique due to its high degree of automation. It is often a chosen solution in the field of vacuum metallurgy. Various metals can be processed in vacuum metallurgy furnaces, such as titanium and its alloys, silicon, nickel, or cobalt alloys. The second furnace is the JetCaster VIM DGCC, used to produce high-quality precision turbine blade castings in the aerospace and energy industries.

Sławomir Woźniak, CEO of SECO/WARWICK Group, stated how the furnace benefited “the field of unidirectional crystallization castings of nickel- and cobalt-based superalloys. Years of work by our R&D engineers on the development of new unidirectional crystallization casting technology has allowed us to create a device equipped with a supersonic argon stream cooling system.”

“The growing popularity of VIM furnaces and the increasing importance of vacuum metallurgy is a consequence of the constantly changing production needs of heavy industries.” said Liu Yedong, managing director of SECO/WARWICK China.

Liu Yedong
Managing Director
SECO/WARWICK China.

Press release is available in its original form here.

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

Vacuum Induction Melting Furnaces for Aerospace & Energy Industries Read More »

Precision Parts Heat Treater Expands Operations

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, ENERGY HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING NEWS, NITRIDING NEWS, QUENCHING NEWS

Peters’ Heat Treating, Inc., a 40-year-old heat treating company that specializes in a variety of high tech heat treating processes, moved its headquarters into a newly expanded Meadville, Pennsylvania facility located in the western part of the state.

Ribbon Cutting with the Owners: Doug and Jackie Peters (founders), Diana Wilkosz (VP), and Andy Wilkosz (President)
(photo source: Peters' Heat Treating, Inc.)

Additionally, Peters' Heat Treating also announced two new lines of business: aluminum alloy processing and stainless steel black oxide. Vice President Diana Wilkosz shared in a recent interview, "We added these two new lines because of the growing demands from the automotive, aerospace, energy, and defense industries. We are also working on Nadcap certifications."

The company specializes in vacuum processing, atmosphere heat treating/integral batch quench processing, laser heat treating, aluminum alloy processing, carburizing, scale free aging/stress relieving, cryogenics, black oxide coating, induction processing, nitriding/FNC and the proprietary Nitreg nitriding processes.

After being in their original facility for 40 years, this expansion, that covers 32,000 square foot of manufacturing space, has provided them the opportunity to expand and update their vacuum line, provide room to add new vacuum furnaces, as well as increase their product offerings and continue to grow the now 60-employee business.

Ribbon Cutting with Meadville Managers (photo source: Peters' Heat Treating, Inc.)

“We are excited to consolidate our services and knowledge in a way that maintains our history and dedication to the local community and industry while providing us the runway for a successful future,” said Andy Wilkosz, newly named president in 2019 and son-in-law of founders Doug and Jackie Peters. “These current times are challenging, but we know our business and the country will persevere.”

In addition to Peters' Heat Treating, the family also co-owns Laser Hard, a robotic laser heat treating company.

“It’s been a pleasure to be a part of the local community and to help companies grow,” Doug Peters said. “Probably the thing I’m most proud of is the great people I’ve had the opportunity to work with. I’ve watched them buy houses and have children, and now their kids are having children.”

Plant Expansion (photo source: Peters' Heat Treating, Inc.)

 

To learn more about Laser Hard, listen to the Heat Treat Radio episode in which they are featured.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Precision Parts Heat Treater Expands Operations Read More »

Steel Dynamics Expands Rolling Mill, Includes 3-MW Induction Furnace

/ FEATURED NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING EQUIPMENT NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

A steel producer based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, recently announced the expansion of their rolling mill, which will include a 3-MW induction furnace to heat the stock coming from the existing mill.

Steel Dynamics USA announced the expansion at their Columbia City, Indiana, location. Among other equipment being added are a 70-m conveyor connecting the existing medium section mill to the new spooler line, six housingless SHS 180 roller stands, complete with quick stand-changing table, a 6-pass Delta-type finishing block driven by a low-voltage- 2.5-MW motor and finishing services.

SDI and Danieli teams studied a temporary removable solution, steel support structure to support the existing furnace-exit roller table, allowing the execution of the Billet Welder concrete foundation with only minor impact to the MSM (Medium Section Mill) production schedule.

Steel Dynamics Expands Rolling Mill, Includes 3-MW Induction Furnace Read More »

Heat Treater Expands Nitriding, Induction Hardening Capacity

/ FEATURED NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING EQUIPMENT NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS, NITRIDING NEWS

A heat treat and metallurgical services company recently unveiled plans to expand two of their four facilities this summer to better process applications in the aerospace, gears, and firearms industries, among others.

AHT Burton
AHT Burton

Advanced Heat Treat Corp. (AHT) announced building expansions for their Monroe, Michigan, and Waterloo, Iowa locations. Michigan AHT plans to increase the size of their pit to accommodate two larger nitriding units, while AHT Burton intends to add square footage for new equipment and related services, such as two recently acquired induction units.

AHT has not expanded the Michigan and Burton facilities since 2006 and 2007, respectively, and hopes to complete the projects by mid-summer. The company also recently increased the shop floor at a third facility which serves as company headquarters in Waterloo, Iowa.

Mike Woods, President, AHT
Mike Woods, President, AHT

“We’re very excited about the growth AHT has seen

AHT Michigan
AHT Michigan

over the past few years,” said AHT President Mike Woods. “Because of this, we felt it was necessary to expand our facilities and invest in additional equipment to better serve our customers and capture more of the market.”

Heat Treater Expands Nitriding, Induction Hardening Capacity Read More »

Heat Treat Induction Systems Go Online at Energy Group

/ ENERGY HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING EQUIPMENT NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING NEWS

A notable provider of vacuum melting systems recently supplied two vacuum induction melting systems to the power and gas division of a power company.

Retech Systems LLC, a subsidiary of SECO/WARWICK Group, provided two vacuum induction melting (VIM) systems for Siemens Power and Gas division.

Retech’s technologies have been applied to melting, refining, casting and atomizing reactive and refractory metals, such as Titanium and its alloys, super alloys, and rare earth metals. Retech VIM furnace systems are used for applications including automotive, consumer, aerospace, and energy utilizing equiax, directionally solidified, or single-crystal investment castings.

Retech Vacuum Induction DS Furnace
Retech Vacuum Induction DS Furnace

One vacuum induction melting directional solidification/single crystal/equiax pitless (VIM DS/SC/EQ) combo casting furnace and one vacuum induction melting directional solidification/single crystal (DS/SC) solidification casting furnace system were installed in Siemens’ new plant. In addition to the two VIM furnace systems already supplied, two more pitless DS/SC VIMs will be supplied later this year.

Retech designs pitless DS/SC Furnaces in hopes of reducing or eliminating costs, time, disruptions to facility production, and confined space entry to pits required with the installation of the new pitless VIM furnaces at the facility.

Earl Good, VP – Global Vacuum Melting, Managing Director Retech Systems LLC
Earl Good, VP – Global Vacuum Melting, Managing Director Retech Systems LLC

“The melting systems that Retech is delivering to Siemens, incorporate industry leading special design features such as: a reliable and maintenance friendly design ideal for faster and more flexible operation, superb process control for repeatability and high yields, as well as Retech’s new pitless mold elevator that can be utilized on Directional Solidification/Single Crystal furnaces,” said Earl Good, VP – Global Vacuum Melting, Managing Director Retech Systems LLC.

 

Heat Treat Induction Systems Go Online at Energy Group Read More »

Induction Hardening Provider Launches Aerospace Expansion with Gas Nitride Unit

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING NEWS, NITRIDING NEWS

With the purchase of a gas nitride unit, a custom heat treat processing equipment manufacturer and leading provider of full-service induction hardening process services extends its strategy to expand offerings in the automotive sector and expand deeper into the aerospace market.

Ben Crawford, Contour CEO and President

Contour, which recently acquired the gas nitride unit from a major U.S. furnace manufacturer for installation at its headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana, in late spring 2019, began manufacturing induction heat treat systems and offering commercial induction processing services. The purchase of a gas nitride unit allows Contour to expand services focusing on distortion critical, complex parts for clients. With the addition of nitriding, it allows increased offerings to solve complex parts demanding dimensional control through engineered processes.

“Innovation is what Contour was built on,” said Neil Merrell, director of heat treat. “Today is no different. Our customers rely on Contour’s controlled heat-treatment processes, 100% hardness verification, and dimensional inspections. Our goal is to drive out part variation and provide a repeatable dimensionally accurate part.”

“We have an extremely deep and talented bench of in-house engineering and metallurgical teams, and they couldn’t be more excited about Contour’s entry into the Gas Nitride market,” said Ben Crawford, Contour CEO and President. For several years, Contour has planned having a more significant presence in the aerospace, agricultural, heavy truck and light automotive industries. The purchase of this gas nitride unit will allow us to do just that and compliment our induction and dimensional services.”

“We plan to make Gas Nitriding capabilities available to our clients at our Silao, Mexico, plant in the near future,” added Crawford. “We are committed to offering innovative thermal heat treat solutions to our clients globally and this investment is proof of our commitment.”

Induction Hardening Provider Launches Aerospace Expansion with Gas Nitride Unit Read More »

Induction Heating Manufacturer Doubles Facility Space to Meet Demand

/ FEATURED NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

Tony Mazzullo, president of Ambrell

An induction heating manufacturer has moved its operations to a facility twice the size of the previous location to accommodate increased demands for its products and industry solutions.

Ambrell Corporation, the thermal segment subsidiary of inTEST Corporation, which designs and manufactures thermal management products, recently broke ground on the new 80,000 sq ft facility in Rochester, New York. The $2.1 million project, which started in September 2017, included a complete company relocation from its previous manufacturing facility in Scottsville, New York.

“This is an exciting time for Ambrell and marks a huge milestone for the company, its employees, and customers who will all benefit from the opportunities this expansion presents,” said Tony Mazzullo, president of Ambrell, at the previous ribbon-cutting ceremony. “This new facility adds floor space to our Applications Laboratory to provide our customers with access to all of Ambrell’s products when they visit The Lab at Ambrell. The addition of floor space and equipment will also enable us to manufacture more products to meet the growing demands of our customers. In addition, our highly efficient manufacturing floor will enable us to maximize throughput while continuing to manufacture solutions that are innovative, of very high quality, and reliable.”

James Pelrin, inTEST president and CEO

“The new facility is designed to meet the demands of Ambrell’s growing business, increasing current capabilities for both product design and manufacturing,” commented James Pelrin, inTEST president and CEO. “To accommodate this rapid company growth, we are expanding from approximately 40,000 square feet at the previous facility to 80,000 square feet at the new location.”

inTEST designs and manufactures induction heating products for joining and forming metals for use in a variety of industrial markets, including automotive, aerospace &defense, machinery, wire & fasteners, medical, and semiconductor.

 

 

Photo caption and credit: Ribbon-cutting ceremony with Ambrell and inTEST representatives and local and state officials; Twitter

Induction Heating Manufacturer Doubles Facility Space to Meet Demand Read More »

Induction Heating Operator Training Offered

/ HEAT TREAT NEWS, INDUCTION HEATING NEWS

On-site training for induction heating system operation is being offered for individuals and small groups that will bring new employees up to speed in safe system operations, effective setup, and preventative maintenance. Instruction for advanced operators are also available.

Eldec LLC will provide hands-on training at their facilities in Auburn Hills, Michigan, or in any company shop.

Trainees learn:

  • How to safely operate the system.
  • How to setup for the best productivity and smooth operation.
  • How to maintain the system to prevent costly break downs.

Advanced lessons include:

  • Inductor design theory
  • Induction heating coil manufacturing

More information about eldec’s training program here.

Induction Heating Operator Training Offered Read More »