MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

This Week in Heat Treat Social Media

/ FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

Welcome to Heat Treat Today's This Week in Heat Treat Social Media. As you know, there is so much content available on the web that it’s next to impossible to sift through all of the articles and posts that flood our inboxes and notifications on a daily basis. So, Heat Treat Today is here to bring you the latest in compelling, inspiring, and entertaining heat treat news from the different social media venues that you’ve just got to see and read!

If you have content that everyone has to see, please send the link to editor@heattreattoday.com.

1. Hello, 3D

Check out what heat treating 3D parts does to the integrity of this aluminum piece. Join the discussion in the thread below to see what makes the difference: proper printing or proper heat treatment.

2. Getting Social Online

Let's not talk about the you-know-what that is causing reverberating changes throughout the world. Suffice it to say, many are looking for ways to network, meet, work, and, well, live at a distance. Here are some ways that social media has helped people in the heat treat industry draw people together.

Family Day

Figuring out how to be keep the momentum going at your plant or manufacturing facility may be a challenge, but Nitrex Mexico seems to have the right idea in (a) recognizing the whole life that their employees have, and (b) throwing a special celebration virtually.

 

Accepting a Challenge

Recognition isn't just internal. Focusing on missions outside of one's own life has the interesting effect of drawing people together. See SECO/WARWICK's participation in an endeavor to do just that.

 

3. Snaps from the Past

These media shared online commemorate the recent past of the heat treat industry. The industry was very different - forget how everyone lived in black and white!! - but also still the same. Check out the media below to get glimpse of the times 50 to 75 years ago.

Geeking Out Over 1945 Aluminum Heat Treat Footage

This YouTube video is an educational film released in the last year of World War II (to give you a context reference) for the heat treatment of aluminum. You can find part 2 by going to this YouTuber's channel.

 

Bodycote Induction Heating from 1945

What procedures can you see in this picture from an induction heating plant from 1945? Any regulations or plant layout changes as compared to today's?

 

A "Game Changer" from the 70's

Think about what makes a game changer. This car bottom furnace most certainly qualified as such in 1977, using the most cutting edge technology of its time. Like John Hubbard's sister, there may be something worth sharing in the forgotten news of the past.

4. Reading and Podcast Corner

Ever wanted to have access to resources for on the job training? Read or listen to the sources below to learn a new technique, tip, or other aspect of the industry.

 

The Future of Heat Treat and the Environment

Center for Heat Treating Excellence

Being a manufacturer with in-house heat treating requires awareness to innovation, and the Center for Heat Treating Excellence is a cooperative membership that keeps you on the cutting edge. Listen to the projects and mission of CHTE in the podcast.

Go to Heat Treat Radio here.

 

Carl Nicolia 

All combustion is not created equal. Listen to Carl Nicolia explain how small changes to your furnace administration can result in high value solutions.

What will Conferences Look Like in the Future?

With protocols and general modes of holding conferences changing over this year, Thomas Report provides an insightful look at how these changes may affect how conferences are conducted in a post-COVID world. Check out the list in this article; maybe you yourself have already thought of one or two of these.

5. Heat Treat Hashtags

Stay current with the latest posts by using these heat treat related hashtags. When you post something on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook, help people find you by using the hashtag that works for you, and @HeatTreatToday so that we can see it too!

#MetalMonday 

While many manufacturers and suppliers of heat treatment products have used this hashtag over the years, the most prolific user at this time is Bodycote.

#ManufacturingMonday

Looking for a useful hashtag? This one is a practical add-on which alerts to quite a few tips in the industry.

#MaterialsMonday

This one is very similar to #MetalMonday, but it is not as streamlined. Check it out and see what you can find on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook!

#Mfg

Another general hashtag, you never know what you will find, whether it be a fringe development or cutting edge new safety measure. @HeatTreatToday if you find anything worth sharing!

#heattreating

Of course, this hashtag exists! The next time you share a post or post something yourself, be sure to use the hashtag to increase your views!

 

 

 

This Week in Heat Treat Social Media Read More »

Logan Aluminum Inc. Receives Furnace to Heat Treat Ingots

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

Logan Aluminum Inc., of Russellville, Kentucky, a manufacturer of flat rolled aluminum sheet that is primarily used in the beverage market, received a new furnace for heating and homogenizing aluminum ingots. 

The gas-fired furnace is dimensioned to simultaneously hold 32 ingots weighing up to 35 US tons (32 European tonnes) per piece, resulting in a charge weight of over 1102 tons US (1,000 tonnes European tonnes). This is OTTO JUNKER GmbH's largest furnace it has ever supplied. 

Apart from the furnace with an active cooling system, the scope of delivery also included machinery for charging and discharging the ingots, as well as a gantry crane and a mobile roller table as a connection to the existing rolling mill feed table.

Logan Aluminum Inc. Receives Furnace to Heat Treat Ingots Read More »

Heat Treat Tips: The Essential Three

/ BURNERS & COMBUSTION SYSTEMS TECHNICAL CONTENT, COOLING SYSTEMS TECHNICAL CONTENT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

One of the great benefits of a community of heat treaters is the opportunity to challenge old habits and look at new ways of doing things. Heat Treat Today’s 101 Heat Treat Tips is another opportunity to learn the tips, tricks, and hacks shared by some of the industry’s foremost experts.

For Heat Treat Today’s latest round of 101 Heat Treat Tips, click here for the digital edition of the 2019 Heat Treat Today fall issue (also featuring the popular 40 Under 40).

Today’s tips are the 1 – 2 – 3! They come to us from Dry Coolers with a word on cooling system growth capability; Bloom Engineering Company Inc. on the importance of careful spending; and Rick Kaletsky, Safety Consultant about clear content labeling.

Heat Treat Tip #1

Buy a Cooling System Capable of Growth

Plan for future growth. It is more cost effective to provide additional capacity while equipment is being installed. Simple planning for the addition of future pumps (e.g. providing extra valved ports on tanks) and space for heat transfer equipment (e.g. pouring a larger pad or adding extra piers) can save considerable money down the road with little upfront expenditure. Consider installing one size larger piping for the main distribution supply and return; if this is not possible, make sure you can add an additional piping run on the hangers you will install now. Above all, be sure to include all necessary drains, vents, isolation valves, and plenty of instrumentation. These items are critical aids in maintenance, troubleshooting, and future system expansion. (Dry Coolers)

Thinking about future growth will help you choose the right cooling system.

Heat Treat Tip #2

Never Go Cheap on These Two Things

There are 2 things in life you should never go cheap on: Toilet paper and combustion equipment! When upgrading or looking at new systems, spend the money to do it right. Designing on the cheap will only lead to operational and maintenance headaches. And trying to reuse the ancient artifacts when upgrading just to save a buck will cost you 10x that down the road. You don’t have to break your budget to do a quality job! (Bloom Engineering Co. Inc.)

Heat Treat Tip #3

Container Clarity Counts!

Assure that container label wording (specifically for identifying chemical contents) matches the corresponding safety data sheets (SDS). Obvious? I have seen situations where the label wording was legible and accurate and there was a matching safety data sheet for the contents, but there was still a problem. The SDS could not be readily located, as it was filed under a chemical synonym, or it was filed under a chemical name, whereas the container displayed a brand name. A few companies label each container with (for instance) a bold number that is set within a large, colored dot. The number refers to the exact corresponding SDS. (Rick Kaletsky, Safety Consultant)

Unclear labeling of chemical materials creates a hazardous situation.

 

 

Heat Treat Tips: The Essential Three Read More »

Understanding Heat Treatment Specifications

/ FEATURED NEWS, HARDNESS TESTERS TECHNICAL CONTENT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

Metallurgists need accurate specifications in order to correctly perform the necessary heat treatment of parts. This helpful guide, written by William Rassieur, Sales Leader at Paulo Heat Treating, is a useful tool to identify what details ought to be communicated to the heat treating expert. Read below to understand the terms to pass along.

William Rassieur, Sales Leader, Paulo Heat Treating

Too often, metallurgists receive inadequate heat treatment specifications. Some specs contain too little information. Some are unclear. Some are just plain wrong.

In any case, inadequate specs mean heat treaters don’t have the information they need to deliver finished parts that can stand up to the applications intended by their manufacturers. Avoiding the confusion and delays that follow comes down to understanding what heat treaters need to see in heat treatment specifications so that the right treatment is applied.

Make certain your parts get the appropriate treatment by including the following information:

Clearly identified materials

The chemical makeup of a part is one of the most critical determinants of how it is heat treated. It’s not enough to state on the spec that a piece is steel alloy. Consult materials standards and use the correct material designation on the spec.

For example, if you want to treat a carbon steel or an engineering alloy, using those terms (or known trade names for a specific material) isn’t adequate. Good heat treatment specifications include the material as expressed in the standards—AISI 1040 for a carbon steel, for example, or SAE 4140 for an engineering alloy.

Specific process required

It’s not enough to tell a heat treater you’d like a harder part because there are many ways to do that. Does it need to be through hardened? Case hardened? Does it require stress relief via annealing?

Specs that dictate which process is to be used help heat treaters shape the rest of the heat treatment steps that follow.

Hardness tolerance

For through hardened parts, a prescribed hardness should be included on the spec and expressed as a range. Tolerances are always more useful than uniform hardness levels because parts can have different hardness values in different regions due to material thickness or closeness to an edge.

Engineers should note that the materials and dimensions of a part affect how well it hardens out. As these variables change, so does the acceptable hardness tolerance that should appear on a spec.

Case depth tolerance

For case hardened materials (i.e., those that are carburized or carbonitrided), specs should indicate whether the desired hardness is expressed as effective case depth or total case depth.

Case Hardening (photo source: Paulo.com)

Total case depth refers to the distance carbon has diffused into the part. This is usually specified for parts that have thinner case depths after treatment. Effective case depth applies to parts with generally thicker cases. This is measured as the distance from the surface through the case to a specific hardness level. Usually, that hardness is effective based from 50 or 52 HRC. This should always be stated on specs.

Heat treatment specifications should also identify the case tolerance, or the range of depths the prescribed hardness should reach. For example, a good spec for the heat treatment of a theoretical gear might state the effective case depth should be between 0.007 and 0.012 inches at the prescribed hardness.

As with through hardening, it’s more useful and realistic to specify minimum and maximum case depths rather than to write specs with a single case depth. Specs that include only minimum or maximum case depths still leave too much to interpretation and should be avoided.

Avoid too much information

Sometimes, though, too much specificity can lead to trouble. Specs that include too much process information can paint metallurgists into a corner, forcing them to abide by strict requirements that can end up thwarting their efforts to deliver improved parts.

For example, if a tempering spec includes both a specified temperature and a specified hardness, the hardness may not be possible to achieve due to differences in equipment. In such a scenario, metallurgists advise that specs be amended to call for a minimum temper as long as the part’s configuration and material hardenability are capable of achieving it.

Correct hardness scales

The scale on which a part’s hardness is determined depends on the heat treatment applied to the part. In the U.S., we typically use the following four hardness scales: Rockwell Hardness, Brinell Hardness, Microhardness, and Leeb Hardness. Become familiar with each scale and which parts and processes should be tested with each.

Also note that conversions between hardness scales should be avoided unless it’s absolutely necessary. That’s because hardness values are approximate; converting from one approximation to another compounds variation and could lead heat treaters and owners to incorrectly assume the prescribed hardness has been achieved.

Inspection points

Heat treatments are carefully designed to achieve specific results on specific areas of parts, so owners need to clearly identify those areas on which hardness tests are to be conducted.

For example, the critical part of the theoretical gear mentioned above is its teeth; case hardening is designed to strengthen that part of the gear while leaving other areas relatively soft and ductile. Applying a hardness test anywhere else but the teeth won’t inform heat treaters of whether the treatment was successful.

Be prescriptive with heat treatment specifications

Problems with heat treatment specifications are one of the biggest —and perhaps the most avoidable— pain points in the relationship between a manufacturer and heat treater. Manufacturers need finished parts that perform as promised. Armed with accurate and descriptive heat treatment specifications, heat treaters can deliver that performance.

For more information, contact the quoting team at Paulo or download Paulo's guide for in-house versus out-source handling of heat treatment needs.

 

(photo source: original article)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Understanding Heat Treatment Specifications Read More »

Commercial Heat Treater Expands

/ FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, VACUUM PUMPS GAUGES VALVES NEWS

Jason Orosz, President of Nitrex Heat Treating Services

A new plant investment aimed at expanding the Aurora, Illinois commercial heat treat facility located just west of Chicago was announced. The production expansion will add a fourth building on the property to house a new low-pressure carburizing (LPC) system and secondary heat-treating equipment.

President of Nitrex Heat Treating Services, Jason Orosz made this announcement earlier in the month. The new ECM vacuum carburizing furnace with oil quench capabilities will help meet growing demand from makers of high-end critical parts within the automotive, aerospace, and tooling industries. The 20-bar dual-chamber furnace has a workload size of 40” L x 24” W x 28” H (1000 x 600 x 715 mm) and a load capacity of 1500 lbs. (680 kg).

Nitrex broke ground for the new building on July 20th, and will connect to an existing structure, Building 3. According to Bill Walter, facility manager of Nitrex Aurora, the construction project will be completed in January 2021, and production on the LPC furnace is expected to begin in April 2021.

From left to right : Groundbreaking with Tom Cooper (Vice President of Business Development), Bill Walter (Facility Manager), and Raja Gumber (Senior Account Manager)

The expansion will increase the production footprint by 11,000 square feet to support current demand as well as future growth. Once this building is completed, the total floor space will be over 50,000 square feet.

 

 

 

Listen here to Jean-François Cloutier, Nitrex CEO, as he explained even more of Nitrex's commitment to end-users and global growth.

 

 

Commercial Heat Treater Expands Read More »

Heat Treat Educational Opportunities

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT

In the wake of COVID-19, suppliers and manufacturers in the heat treat industry has found ways to educate and convene with one another using digital classes, seminars, conferences and more. This Heat Treat Learning article highlights some of the most prominent events which you can attend from your home or office. The list features events by date.

If you have attended or will be attending an online event, please consider emailing the editors at editor@heattreattoday.com or bethany@heattreattoday.com to share your impressions of the event value.

Classes and Webinars

Fractography and Fracture Analysis: History and Development: Tuesday July 28, 2020,  2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT

(photo source: Wynn Pointaux from Pixabay.com)

This free webinar will explore the background of fractography and fracture analysis with Daniel Grice, P.E. Senior Engineer and Larry D. Hanke, P.E., FASM, Principal Engineer Materials Evaluation and Engineering Inc. The event, supported by ASM International, is intended to help anyone who is interested in learning more about material behavior. Read more and register here.

 

How Verification of Medical Device Surfaces in Production Eases Product Development: Wednesday July 29, 2020,  2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT

Operating in different time-zones and featuring a recording to any participant who signs up, this free webinar intends to help metallurgical technicians, engineers, quality control and laboratory managers better understand their surface coatings. The webinar, supported by Buehler, will mainly be focusing on preparation challenges and approaches to achieve good quality, efficient preparation, accurate measurement and correct evaluation of these coatings. Read more and register here.

 

Elizabeth Kidd, Materials Scientist and Lucas Dillingham, Senior Applications Specialist at BTG Labs

Surface Coatings; Metallographic Preparation & Analysis: Wednesday July 29, 2020,  2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT

This event targets medical device manufacturers concerned with verification of cleaning, coating, sealing, printing, or bonding. BTG Labs is making this webinar available for free. The speakers are Elizabeth Kidd, Materials Scientist and Lucas Dillingham, Senior Applications Specialist at BTG Labs. Read more and register here.

 

Heat Treatment 4.0 e-SEMINAR: Wednesday September 9, 2020, 3:00 – 6:00 P.M CET

This international event, conducted in English, features 9 hours of content over a 3 hour period with three topical meeting rooms. Recordings of the event will be made available to all participants for a short time following the event. The site claims that this will be the “first industry virtual meeting of international specialists” including both practitioners and scientists. Additionally, the seminar will serve as a platform to interchange ideas and technologies, share expert experience, and discuss industry in the current times. Hosting this event is SECO/WARWICK. For specific details on the event, read more and here.

 

ASM Virtual Classrooms: Continual

These online courses listings provide self-guided classes provide professional development opportunities to any students of metallurgy. With quizzes and a final examination, these courses provide certificates of completion for passing (80% or above) the course requirements. A few attributes that one may see in classes are flash animations, video of instructors teaching the course in a classroom, video segments from ASM's DVD series, and PDF's of instructor PowerPoints used in the instructor led trainings. Among course offerings are the Basics of Heat Treat, Component Failure Analysis, and short courses on topics like corrosion. For more details on how to enroll, read more and register here.

Online Opportunities

Not all learning has to be done in a cohort, although community does provide great motivation and a sense of accomplishment. Here is a selection of alternative digital information outlets to access while you are on the go or at home.

Blogs: For the readers

(photosource: tav-vacuumfurnaces.org)

  • TAV: The Vacuum Furnaces Blog - "Perfect Vacuum Sintering Step by Step [3/4]." Part of a larger series, you can find more via the referenced articles internally linked in this article.
  • Dan Herring's articles. Check out most heat treat news sources and you are sure to find them.
  • Ipsen's The Herald. Also, be sure to check out their white papers on their website.

Podcasts: For the drivers

  • Heat Treat Radio: Re-envisioning your international business? Interested in harnessing the research power of Worchester Polytechnic Institute? Here is just one outlet while you are on your daily drive.

Videos: For the entertainers

  • Heat Treat Marketing Minute: For advertisers, learn a new skill, hone your marketing technique, use more color in your advertising... all here at Heat Treat Today. Check in with Doug in his commentary on ROI.

 

  • MetallurgyData with Neil Hardy: You may remember the young producer of metallurgical content, Neil Hardy. Links to his YouTube and some background on the project can be accessed here.

 

  • Tom Ott's LinkedIn videos: Scan LinkedIn and you will find Tom Ott's  videos, which come in handy for the tech savvy heat treater.

 

 

 

(photo source: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

original content

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Replacing Heat Treating Induction Coils Just Got Better

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES, INDUCTION HEATING EQUIPMENT TECHNICAL CONTENT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

Cut down administrative time, streamline ordering processes, reorder induction coils you can count on. All of these goals sound great, and that's just what eldec LLC.'s new app sets out to do. In this Heat Treat Today Original Content article, eldec Sales Engineer, Greg Holland, shares how their new app, the Coil Design Assistant (CDA) helps heat treaters to efficiently design and order induction coils.

This past month, eldec LLC. released a free app called Coil Design Assistant (CDA) which is intended to streamline the ordering process of induction coils. Specifically designed for cases when customers know what they want, the app will "convey that information to us quickly," says Greg Holland, sales engineer at eldec LLC., "to reduce the time to quote, fabricate and deliver to the job site."

eldec Coil Design Assistant (photo source: inductionheatingexperts.com)

How the app works is by first submitting information about the induction coil. If a customer has an existing eldec coil to replace, the submission only requires the serial number. If the customer wants to replace their coil from a non-eldec coil, or if they want to customize a coil to optimize performance based on part geometry, the CDA can still be used to configure a basic coil design to specifications. This app will then make future order modifications or extensions more streamlined. Even in situations when a customer has forgotten the serial number, Holland says the app helps "to expedite replacement" when describing a homemade coil.

Screenshot of the CDA interface (photo source: eldec LLC.)

In fact, like more conventional modes of requesting, all requests made through the app are handled by the eldec application team prior to giving a quotation, "and approval drawings are provided prior to fabrication." So, the team is on hand both to work with customers on the coil design if the customer desires, and for nuanced questions that arise in the review process regarding topics like current, frequency, or overall process.

The big time saver on this is the interpretation from 2D to 3D imaging. Holland states: "Often, a sketch does not capture the third dimension involved in most, if not all, induction applications. The app allows the coil dimensions to be quickly communicated to eldec for even faster quotations and in a format that our engineering team can use to quickly turn around a 3-D approval drawing for customer review, often within a day or two from order."

While the app works best with eldec machines, many other machine builders have adopted the eldec standard 50 mm foot, making the CDA "valuable for use with all inductor designs." Further, Holland comments, if the power supply, for instance, has a mounting foot which is designed differently than the eldec standard design, the CDA features automatic prompting to a discussion platform with an application team expert.

The app will not fully replace the more complex orders and is selective in the number of categories that it has available, so eldec encourages people with complex design needs to contact the sales team directly to talk with a designer.

Holland shares that although there is no fool-proof timeline for tracking coil life, here are a few things to bear in mind:

Straight Assembly (photo source: eldec LLC.)

 

  1. Check ceramic coating (if included on the coil) for chipping/flaking and wear to the point of bare copper being exposed.
  2. Check concentrators (laminations or ferrotron) for discoloration, as this is a sign of overheating. Also, check the concentrators for physical damage, cracks, and major chips (minor chips should not significantly affect functionality)
  3. Check the bottom of the coil foot for spots where the coil may have arced to the coax transformer. If there are arc spots, this is an indication that the coil is not tight enough on the coax; loose coils can cause multiple issues that are not limited to just coil failure.
  4. Check for excessive discoloration of the coil leads and gussets. This could be a sign of overheating.
  5. Check for badly warped or bent coil leads as this is an indication that the operator is putting excessive stresses on the coils during operation. Too much stress on the coils can lead to extra wear of the base copper and any brazed joints in the coil construction.
  6. Check white Teflon (between coil leads) for signs of melting. Again, this would be an indication of overheating on that particular coil.
  7. Check the mica on the heating face for signs of excessive wear and replace as needed.

 

Proper coil design is a critical aspect in the heat treating process. As Holland indicates, the best coil is customized to the specific, intended process. Shapes, features, and coupling distance must be taken account of to evenly and effectively distribute heat and increase process efficiency. Further, he says, "With a more efficient process and coil design, energy usage decreases, workpart quality increases, as does coil life, and overall costs decrease."

eldec team (photo source: inductionheatingexperts.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Replacing Heat Treating Induction Coils Just Got Better Read More »

Heat Treat Tips: Atmospheres, Gas Chambers, and Thermocouples

/ ATMOSPHERE GENERATORS TECHNICAL CONTENT, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, OVENS-HIGH-TEMPERATURE, THERMOCOUPLES TECHNICAL CONTENT

One of the great benefits of a community of heat treaters is the opportunity to challenge old habits and look at new ways of doing things. Heat Treat Today’s 101 Heat Treat Tips is another opportunity to learn the tips, tricks, and hacks shared by some of the industry’s foremost experts.

For Heat Treat Today’s latest round of 101 Heat Treat Tips, click here for the digital edition of the 2019 Heat Treat Today fall issue (also featuring the popular 40 Under 40).

Today’s tips come to us from Nel Hydrogen covering atmospheric solutions and Wisconsin Oven Corporation with a tip on gas chamber issues. Additionally, Pelican Wire provides 4 quick tips on Thermocouples.

Heat Treat Today welcomes you to submit your own heat treat tip for Heat Treat Today's 2020 Fall issue to benefit your industry colleagues. You can submit your tip(s) to karen@heattreattoday.com  or editor@heattreattoday.com.

Heat Treat Tip #11

Compliance Issues? Try On-Site Gas Generation

On-site gas generation may help resolve compliance issues. Growth and success in thermal processing may have resulted in you expanding your inventory of reducing atmosphere gases. If you are storing hydrogen or ammonia for Dissociated Ammonia (DA), both of which are classed by the EPA as Highly Hazardous Materials, expanding gas inventory can create compliance issues. It is now possible to create reducing gas atmospheres on a make-it-as-you-use-it basis, minimizing site inventory of hazardous materials and facilitating growth while ensuring HazMat compliance. Modern hydrogen generators can serve small and large flow rates, can load follow, and can make unlimited hydrogen volumes with virtually zero stored HazMat inventory. Hydrogen is the key reducing constituent in both blended hydrogen-nitrogen and DA atmospheres—hydrogen generation (and optionally, nitrogen generation) can be used to provide exactly the atmosphere required but with zero hazardous material storage and at a predictable, economical cost. (Nel Hydrogen)

Generate H2 and N2 on-site – saving money, improving safety, and reducing carbon footprint.

Heat Treat Tip #12

Oven Chamber Failing the Test? Try This!

When having difficulties passing a temperature uniformity test, check the pressure of the heating chamber. This can be done with a pressure gauge that reads inches of water pressure. The best uniformity is achieved when the pressure is neutral or slightly positive (0” to +.25” wc). If the pressure is negative (even slightly), it can draw a stream of outside cold air into the chamber, causing cold spots. For the best results and ease of analysis, permanently mount a gauge to read the pressure. Any issues with pressure can be easily recognized and corrected. (Wisconsin Oven Corporation)

Heat Treat Tip #70

Type N Thermocouple (Nicrosil / Nisil)

Type N Thermocouple (Nicrosil/Nisil): The Type N shares the same accuracy and temperature limits as the Type K. Type N is slightly more expensive and has better repeatability between 572°F to 932°F (300°C to 500°C) compared to Type K. (Pelican Wire)

Heat Treat Tip #71

Know Your Thermocouple Wire Insulations

Know your thermocouple wire insulations. When is Teflon® not Teflon®? Teflon® is a brand name for PTFE or Polytetrafluoroethylene owned by Chemours, a spin-off from Dupont. FEP is Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene. PFA is Perfluoroalkoxy Polymer. All three are part of the Fluoropolymer family but have different properties. Of the three compounds, PTFE has the highest heat resistance, PFA second highest and FEP third. The higher the heat resistance the more expensive the insulation. Keep that in mind when specifying the insulation and only pay for what you need. (Pelican Wire)

Heat Treat Tip #72

Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs)

Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs) are replacing thermocouples in applications below 1112°F (600°C) due to higher accuracy and repeatability. Typical constructions are multiconductor cables with nickel-plated copper conductors. (Pelican Wire)

Heat Treat Tip #74

When to Use Type K Thermocouples

Type K thermocouples should only be used with the appropriate Type K thermocouple wire. Type K measures a very wide temperature range, making it popular in many industries including heat treating. An added benefit with Type K is that it can be used with grounded probes, ungrounded probes, and exposed or uncoated wire probes which are attached to the probe wall, measure without penetration, and have a quick response time respectively. (Pelican Wire)

Heat Treat Tip #100

The Right Furnace Atmospheres Will Pay Dividends

Precision blended gas system provides the atmosphere needed at the most economical cost.

Save money on your furnace atmospheres by employing the driest and leanest furnace atmosphere blends possible. Furnace atmospheres are a compromise between keeping it simple and supplying exactly the atmosphere to meet the unique requirements of each material processed. Organizations have different priorities when it comes to atmospheres—heat treat specialists may want to be able to run as many different materials as possible using a limited array of atmosphere types, while captive heat treating operations often want exactly the atmosphere approach to maximize the benefits for their specific processes/products.

The dewpoint (water content) of the atmosphere in the furnace is a key factor in its performance. At high temperatures, water in the atmosphere can break down, releasing oxygen that can cause oxidation. You must maintain a high degree of reducing potential to achieve the surface finish and processing results desired. If the furnace atmosphere gas is wet, you’ll need a gas blend richer with hydrogen than you would if your atmosphere blend had a lower dewpoint (less water vapor content). Since hydrogen costs 10 times more than nitrogen, it is more economical to run a leaner atmosphere than a richer atmosphere. By running the driest atmosphere blend possible, you may find that you can lean down your atmosphere (consistent with the metallurgical needs of your product/process) by reducing the proportion of hydrogen and increasing the nitrogen. In doing so, you may recognize meaningful savings.

Check your furnace atmosphere raw materials and process and obtain the driest atmosphere possible. Control your atmosphere dewpoint by adding humidity as needed to the driest starting blend possible rather than accepting a wet atmosphere and trying to process your parts. You’ll achieve the best compromise of excellent results at the lowest cost. (Nel Hydrogen)

 

Heat Treat Tips: Atmospheres, Gas Chambers, and Thermocouples Read More »

Vacuum Measurement Units: A Language Explained

/ FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, VACUUM PUMPS GAUGES VALVES TECHNICAL CONTENT

Source: Vacaero.com

 

"Vacuum gauges all measure the pressure readings in the range from atmospheric pressure down to some lower pressure approaching absolute zero pressure, which is not attainable. Some gauges read the complete range and others can only read a portion of the range, usually used for very low pressures."

A typical vacuum furnace can have at least three electronic vacuum gauge heads to monitor the level of vacuum at various positions. These gauges send signals back to the control systems, and "the vacuum readings are used to ensure that the vacuum pumps are working correctly and that the process chamber is at the correct low pressure (vacuum) for the specific process."

In this Heat Treat Today Best of the Web feature, VAC AERO International shares how different vacuum measurement units are being used around the world today.

Read more: Understanding Vacuum Measurement Units

(Photo source: vacaero.com)

Vacuum Measurement Units: A Language Explained Read More »

China Exclusion Request Granted

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT ECONOMIC NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, OP-ED

Recently, the United States imposed a 25% tariff on thousands of products from China, but permitted U.S. companies to request an exclusion from paying tariffs. In this article, Omar Nashashibi, founding partner of  The Franklin Partnership, LLC, and a resource of Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA), explains the latest news regarding the exclusion and its relevance to structural components for industrial furnaces.

Omar Nashashibi,
Founding Partner,
The Franklin Partnership, LLC

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has extended an exclusion for importers from paying a 25% tariff on industrial furnace components from China. The exclusion to the China Section 301 tariffs for structural components for industrial furnaces was extended in the Federal Register notice published on July 9, 2020 (85 FR 41267). The exclusion to the 25% tariffs, originally granted in July 2019 and set to expire on June 9, 2020, is now extended through December 31, 2020. The extension of the exclusion to industrial furnace components is one of twelve announced by USTR. Nearly 100 other products, including furnace casings, will see their tariff exclusions expire.

In July 2018, the United States imposed 25% tariffs on $34 billion worth of products imported from China (List 1). Of importance to the industrial heating industry, included in List 1 were parts of industrial electric furnaces and ovens as well as industrial induction or dielectric heating equipment (HTS 8514.90.80).

With this extension, all products meeting the description of “structural components for industrial furnaces” and are classified under the HTS code 8514.90.8000, will continue to be excluded from the 25% tariff. To claim the extended exclusion, importers must report the regular HTS code for the product, as well as the exclusion HTS code: 9903.88.52.

(Photo source: Twitter)

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