40 Under 40 Highlight: Wei Guo

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS

In 2018, Heat Treat Today introduced one of its most popular features, the 40 Under 40 Awards for young, up-and-coming talent in the North American heat treat industry. Click here for the 2018 recipients. Heat Treat Today is posting occasional features of some of the 2018 recipients in anticipation of the 2019 40 Under 40 awardees to be presented in September (nominations are being accepted here). Today we feature Dr. Wei Guo of The Timken Company.

Wei Guo

The Timken Company

Principal Materials Engineer

Dr. Wei Guo was nominated from within The Timken Company. The following was provided by his colleague, Dr. Lee Rothleutner:

Dr. Wei Guo joined Timkin in 2018 and is on pace to have a prolific career in the area of heat treatment. Wei is continually leveraging both his industrial and academic heat treatment experience to implement new technologies at Timken while advancing the industry’s knowledge base. Wei has over 50 publications in the field of heat treatment and related fields, with his most recent contribution being available in the July/Aug issue of Thermal Processing magazine discussing residual stresses evolution.

When asked to describe what he finds interesting about metallurgy/thermal processing/heat treating, Wei Guo described the parallel between a metallurgist crafting a heat treat recipe and “a famous cook developing a recipe for new cuisine.”

“One needs to control the ingredients, mixing sequence, baking time and cooking temperature combined with skill and expertise to obtain an optimized flavor and palate. The development of heat-treating process recipes is similar, relying on the metallurgist’s fundamental knowledge and experience of physical metallurgy. The most exciting aspect of thermal processing is the application of the knowledge and experience to create a heat treat process that produces the desired result and creates value to the company.”

Wei recalls when he was a master student 10 years being a part of a team that developed a process in a lab for grain-oriented, electrical steels. That process has been formally deployed to four steel plants, promising the production of electrical steels with exceptional magnetic properties (high in magnetic induction and low in core loss). As a result, he found himself intrigued by metallurgy and heat treating.

Wei explains how heat treating fits into the processes at Timken:

“‘Stronger by design’ is the tag line of Timken and its bearing products. Heat treatment is critical to the production of quality, high performing bearings. Utilizing an improper heat treatment can result in a “garbage in- garbage out” effect; no matter how well the bearing design engineer optimizes the machining process and the mechanical design of bearing components, the production scrap rate and bearing performance may be negatively influenced. On the other hand, providing a proper heat treatment is the prerequisite to producing bearings with sufficient hardness and proper microstructure that meet the designer’s expectations. In my opinion, Timken is doing an excellent job expanding company knowledge and expertise with new heat treatment processes, beyond traditional through hardening and carburizing.”

With an eye to the future of the heat treating industry and what to expect out of new technology and advancements in metallurgy, Wei states:

“The heat treatment industry is trying to monitor residual stress and minimize the generation of undesirable residual stress during the manufacturing process that results in part distortion. However, distortion from these stresses and thermal gradients cannot be avoided. If the amount of distortion can be predicted by modeling and simulation, we can engineer a pre-heat treat shape that will result in the desired or expected post-heat treat shape. This concept has been referred to as “quench to fit”. Creating virtual heat treat processes based on data science and artificial intelligence can help select the best heat treatment method within a shorter amount of time. This might replace the current “one at a time” trial and error method currently employed and help the metallurgist obtain a high-throughput, high-quality heat treatment solution for the designated purpose.”

As the industry reels from the brain drain, it is noteworthy that many of our 40 Under 40 recipients agree with the bright future the industry promises for those entering the field in the next few years. Wei believes the industry is open to young professionals willing to learn.

“Because of the many process variables involved, everyone’s effort can make it better. To start with, [I recommend upcoming professionals] gain hands-on experience with practical heat treatment processes when trying to identify problems and challenges. I’d recommend that they determine an area of interest and drive themselves to learn/practice thermal processing skills. In addition, find a mentor; learning from a senior experienced metallurgist is always helpful. Many aspects of heat treatments cannot be learned from the textbook and might take a long time to figure them out on your own.”

“Heat treatment processing is a very dynamic world because many novel metallic materials are emerging every day,” Wei offers as a summary. “We, not only young professionals, but everyone in this field need to keep abreast of the latest materials development and make ourselves ready for the new challenges.”

 

Click here for the 2018 recipients. To nominate someone for the Class of 2019 40 Under 40, please click here.

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Automaker to Expand Production Capacity in Michigan

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

A U.S. automaker recently announced plans to expand production capacity in Michigan which will include electrifying key brands.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) confirmed plans to invest a total of $4.5 billion in five of its existing Michigan plants and to work with the city of Detroit and state of Michigan on building a new assembly plant within city limits.

FCA has committed to invest in expanding Jeep® and Ram brands, enabling electrification of new Jeep models, converting the Mack Avenue Engine Complex into manufacturing site for next-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee and a new full-size Jeep SUV. In addition, FCA looks to retool and modernize the Jefferson North plant for continued production of Dodge Durango and next-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee and increase production of all-new Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer as well as continued assembly of Ram 1500 Classic. All three assembly sites would also produce plug-in hybrid versions of their respective Jeep models with flexibility to build fully battery electric models in the future.

Other than plans for vehicle production, FCA will support additional operations at Sterling Stamping and Warren Stamping plants and relocate Pentastar engine production currently at Mack I to the Dundee Engine Plant.

Mike Manley, Chief Executive Officer, FCA N.V.

The plant actions detailed in the announcement represent the next steps in a U.S. manufacturing realignment FCA began in 2016. In response to a shift in consumer demand toward SUVs and trucks, the company discontinued compact car production.

“Three years ago, FCA set a course to grow our profitability based on the strength of the Jeep and Ram brands by realigning our U.S. manufacturing operations,” said Mike Manley, Chief Executive Officer, FCA N.V. “[This] announcement represents the next step in that strategy. It allows Jeep to enter two white space segments that offer significant margin opportunities and will enable new electrified Jeep products, including at least four plug-in hybrid vehicles and the flexibility to produce fully battery electric vehicles.”

 

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Aerospace Heat Treating Sourcing Activity Up 18%

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS

 

Source: ThomasNet.com

 

Sourcing activity by users of a leading online platform is up in the category of Aerospace Heat Treating.

Tony Uphoff, President and CEO of Thomas

The recent Thomas Index Report, the online platform for supplier discovery and product sourcing in the US and Canada, focuses on sourcing activity for Aerospace Heat Treating as well as related aerospace categories by users of the Thomasnet.com platform. Besides data for Aerospace Contract Manufacturing,

"[O]ur data shows that sourcing activity is also up 18% or more in the related categories of Aerospace Heat Treating and Aerospace Machining." ~ Tony Uphoff

Space technology has caught the attention of dreamers and investors recently, with the launch of Elon Musk’s SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, which successfully docked with the international space station, and the restart of the mission to the moon.

As Space Industry Booms, Sourcing for Aerospace Contract Manufacturing Takes Off

 

Aerospace Heat Treating Sourcing Activity Up 18% Read More »

HIP Capabilities Expand at Heat Treating Facility

/ FEATURED NEWS, HIPING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

A company that specializes in the design, manufacture, installation, and support of high-pressure solutions recently supplied a Hot Isostatic Press (HIP) to a leading heat treating equipment manufacturer.

Scott Herzing, Paulo Vice President Engineering

Paulo will add hot isostatic pressing to its thermal processing services with the HIP acquisition from Quintus Technologies, which is headquartered in Västerås, Sweden. The press, model QIH 122 M URC®, is equipped with Quintus’ proprietary uniform rapid cooling (URC), a feature that improves material properties in additive manufacturing and investment casting.

“We see the market for HIP expanding, with a large part attributed to additive manufacturing,” said Scott Herzing, Paulo Vice President Engineering. “We have the leading material knowledge and process expertise to help our customers in this area. The ability to combine HIP and heat treatment will allow us to offer one-stop-shop thermal processing solutions, with faster turnaround times.”

The HIP, which operates at a maximum temperature of 2,552°F (1,400°C) and a maximum pressure of 30,000 psi (2,070 bar), will be installed in Paulo’s recently expanded Cleveland Division in Willoughby, Ohio, which provides brazing and vacuum heat treatment services.

Jan Söderström, CEO of Quintus Technologies

Paulo and Quintus Technologies have also entered into a marketing agreement where the two companies will partner in educating the industry on the use of the HPHT process.

“Paulo was very intrigued by our ability to offer a complete partnership: the system itself, the Quintus Care program including application support, and the marketing agreement,” said Jan Söderström, CEO of Quintus Technologies. “With this partnership, they see the possibility to enter the market in the best possible way.”

“Working with a market-leading company like Quintus is a good fit for Paulo,” says Herzing. “This partnership will allow us to continue to do what we have always done, help our customers succeed.”

 

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Combining Strength, Ductility in Alloys Using Enhanced Property Treatments

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

 

Source: Paulo

 

One of the rules in metallurgy is: “As strength increases, ductility decreases.”

What if it were possible to combine both strength and ductility in the same material? This is the challenge that a team of metallurgists took on at a leading heat treating company located in Willoughby, Ohio, starting with tests that compared enhanced property 4140 steel to vacuum arc re-melted (VAR) 4340 steel.

When all was said and done, Paulo Heat Treating, Brazing and Metal Finishing “developed a family of enhanced property processes that allow manufacturers to replace costly high-performance materials with much more cost effective 4140 steel.”

“Manufacturers could save time and money if lower-cost materials like 4140 exhibited the enhanced mechanical properties of VAR 4340 or other similar alloys.

It motivated us to develop a family of processes that would overcome one of metallurgy’s general rules: As strength increases, ductility decreases. Our goal was to enhance both strength and ductility, and we developed treatments featuring both gas and oil quenches to do it.” ~ Paulo

Here is just a peek at the results:

Enhanced gas quench thermal process SAE 4140 comparison
The chart above compares a sample 4140 part treated this way versus a conventionally heat treated 4140 part and a VAR 4340 part.

 

Read more: “Enhanced Property Treatments: Ordinary Alloys Punch Above Their Weight”

 

Combining Strength, Ductility in Alloys Using Enhanced Property Treatments Read More »

Heat Treat Equipment Manufacturer Expands to Broaden Aerospace Supply

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

 

Source: Lancaster Eagle-Gazette

 

A heat treating equipment manufacturer based in Carroll, Ohio, recently announced plans to expand its facility and broaden its capability to produce furnaces for aerospace manufacturers equipping in-house heat treat operations.

Delta H Technologies LLC’s investments will cover the purchase of machinery and equipment for the design and production of furnaces for aerospace components. The expansion confirms the company’s nearly 30-year commitment to providing state-of-the-art heat treat equipment manufacturing to keep pace with the growth in aerospace technology and production.

“Richard Conway, director and chief technology officer, started the company in 1990 while attending Ohio State University to get his bachelors of science in industrial engineering. He did maintenance and tuning work for industrial furnaces and ovens.  . . . Richard’s wife, Mary Conway, is a retired teacher who taught honors chemistry and physics at Pickerington North High School. And she was the one who came up with the name Delta H as it is a math symbol for change of heat.”  ~ Lancaster Eagle-Gazette

 

Read more: “Delta H in Carroll To Double Workforce and Invest $300,000 in the County”

Heat Treat Equipment Manufacturer Expands to Broaden Aerospace Supply Read More »

Publisher’s Page: Where to Find the Best Aerospace Heat Treat Training

/ PUBLISHER'S PAGE

Heat Treat Today publishes four print magazines a year, and included in each is a letter from the publisher, Doug Glenn. This letter first appeared in Heat Treat Today‘s Aerospace Heat Treating magazine, March 2019.

Doug Glenn, Publisher, Heat Treat Today

If this is your first exposure to Heat Treat Today, welcome to the heat treat industry’s newest and most innovative media brand. You’re perusing our very first Aerospace Heat Treat special print and digital edition, but we have a host of other cutting-edge aerospace heat treat resources that you might find helpful.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this brief column. I’m going to tell you about a few other Heat Treat Today resources that might help your in-house heat treat crew and then we’ll highlight some of the industry’s best heat treat training opportunities. If you have any questions about anything you see here, contact me at doug@heattreattoday.com.

First, some shameless self-promotion of resources that the team at Heat Treat Today is providing or plans to provide in the near future.

? On our website, www.heattreattoday.com, we have a special section dedicated to aerospace. If you’re reading this column by means of the digital edition, you can click on the following link and you’ll be taken directly to that special aerospace section. If you’re reading a hard copy, just type this URL into your browser: https://www.heattreattoday.com/category/industries/aerospace-heat-treat/

? We have a daily e-newsletter that sometimes – on average once or twice a week – highlights aerospace heat treat news. You can subscribe to that e-newsletter by clicking on this URL: www.heattreattoday.com/subscribe.

? Every Tuesday as part of the daily e-newsletter mentioned above, we publish a technical article. We call it Technical Tuesday. These articles are not all specific to aerospace, but you might find them of interest.

? How about a podcast? Heat Treat Radio is something unique only to Heat Treat Today. We interview movers and shakers in the heat treat industry, many of whom have something to say about technologies in the aerospace industry. Click here to be taken to a list of recent episodes: www.heattreattoday.com/radio.

Two more:

? Heat Treat Consultants is a unique resource provided exclusively by Heat Treat Today. Essentially, this resource is a comprehensive list of heat treat industry consultants, many of whom have expertise in aerospace heat treating. Click here: www.heattreattoday.com/consultants.

? And, how about something brand, spanking new? If you’re social media savvy, why not join Heat Treat Today’s new “Leaders in Aerospace Heat Treating” LinkedIn Group – see the image in the center of this page. If you have a LinkedIn account, sign in and search for “Leaders in Aerospace Heat Treat.” Join the group and stay current on the latest technologies, products, processes, and discussions with other leaders in aerospace heat treat.

But enough about us! How about other resources for your in-house heat treat team? Consider the following:

? Our friends at ASM International are ALWAYS the go-to guys for heat treat training and education. They really can’t be beat. If your team is not a member of ASM’s Heat Treat Society, a special affiliate organization of ASM International, they really should be. ASM is constantly cranking out on-site and virtual training opportunities covering a wide range of heat treat topics – many pertinent to aerospace. Take, for example, Aeromat 2019. This event is billed as “Engineering the Future – Cutting Edge Aerospace Materials & Processes.” It just so happens that ASM publishes a journal called Advanced Materials & Processes. If you want more information about Aeromat 2019, here’s the website: https://www.asminternational.org/web/aeromat-2019.

? Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA) also offers several training resources that might be helpful. The group’s “Fundamentals of Process Heating On-Line Course” runs from April 15 through May 26, and their NFPA 86 Update Seminar is scheduled for May 14 in Elgin, Illinois. More information can be found at www.ihea.org.

? Metal Treating Institute (MTI), the world’s largest network of commercial heat treaters, offers a very comprehensive Heat Treat Academy. Space doesn’t allow us to list all of the courses provided, but I would strongly recommend you check out this resource. Go to MTI’s website, www.heattreat.net, and click on “MTI Online Academy for Heat Treaters” under the “Training” tab.

? There are two other good heat treat publications in the industry besides Heat Treat Today, both offering excellent heat treat technical and news content. The industry granddaddy is Industrial Heating. They’ve been around since the 1920s. Good people and good product being published by these folks every month. Then there is Thermal Processing, which is published by a competent group in Alabama. They are relatively new to the heat treat industry, but you can’t tell by the high-quality content they produce. Check either of these publications on the web at www.industrialheating.com or www.thermalprocessing.com.

Enjoy the content in the following pages and know that it is just the tip of the iceberg. You can nd more at www.heattreattoday.com.

Publisher’s Page: Where to Find the Best Aerospace Heat Treat Training Read More »

A Baker’s Dozen Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

A Baker’s Dozen Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current

Heat Treat Today offers News Chatter, a feature highlighting representative moves, transactions, and kudos from around the industry.

Personnel and Company Chatter

  • Kestrel Company, an investment corporation founded by Shelby Ray, has purchased the remaining assets of Eagle Steel Products from Shirley Ohta, who founded Eagle in 1982. The new ownership, led by Ray, expects to maintain its woman- and minority-owned business status. Eagle operates a steel and metal products warehousing and distribution facility in Louisville, Kentucky.Kestrel Company will be doing business as Eagle Steel & Metal Products.
  • Jerram Dawes has recently joined Phoenix Temperature Measurement (PhoenixTM) as Sales Manager, bringing 20 years experience of working for a well-known temperature profiling equipment supplier.
  • Kimberly A. Fields recently joined Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI) as Executive Vice President with full P&L responsibility for the Flat-Rolled Products Group, succeeding Robert S. Wetherbee, who held this role until becoming ATI’s President and CEO. Ms. Fields brings 20 years of global experience with a focus on growth and operational excellence.
  • After almost 9 months away from the company, Ed Valykeo has recently returned to Pelican Wire as the company’s thermocouple specialist. With almost four decades of experience in the wire manufacturing space, Ed is recognized as an industry expert within the thermocouple wire manufacturing world. In his career, Ed has been an active member of ASTM for over twenty-five years and spent almost two decades in various technical positions at Hoskins Manufacturing, an industry pioneer.
  • American Posts LLC has acquired Ohio-Kentucky Steel, which provides slitting of steel and aluminum. American Posts, LLC was established in March 2005 and is the last manufacturer of steel u-posts in the United States.
  • Brelie Gear Co, Inc. has announced plans to build a new 36,800 sq. ft. facility on a recently purchased 4.3-acre site in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Brelie will be moving from their current plant in Milwaukee to the new, larger plant. The new larger space will continue to run as a full-service gear manufacturing facility that houses the latest in equipment technology and automation.
  • Sage Metals Private Ltd., a portfolio company of Delos Capital and a manufacturer of specialty metal products, has acquired Jayco Manufacturing. Based in Grand Prairie, Texas, Jayco is involved in the assembly, integration, and production of precision custom metal-formed components for a variety of industrial and consumer end markets.

 

Equipment Chatter

  • A 2-zone indirect gas-fired heavy duty walk-in furnace was recently shipped to a global manufacturer in the composite industry. Wisconsin Oven Corporation announced that this project passed the stringent temperature uniformity requirements to meet BAC 5621 Class 1 Furnaces and Instrumentation Type D specifications.
  • A vacuum purge semi-continuous Active Only® CAB furnace was recently commissioned by SECO/WARWICK for a North American automotive aftermarket manufacturer.
  • Nucor Steel Marion, Inc., based in Marion, Ohio, granted SMS group the Final Acceptance Certificate (FAC) of the supplied walking beam furnace shortly after successful commissioning. The NOx content of this furnace is close to 25 parts per million. The furnace is designed according to innovative pre-fabrication methods and features proprietary SMS ZEROFlame burners.
  • Five Blue M Standard mechanical convection ovens were recently shipped to a global manufacturer of automotive parts by Thermal Product Solutions.

Kudos Chatter

  • The Powder Coating Institute (PCI) recently introduced the third video in the Powder Coating, A Better Kind of Paint consumer video series. Powder Coating: A Stronger Kind of Paint rounds out the “Stronger, Greener, Better” portion of the series. PCI also introduced a PCI Certification Program promotional video, which features three PCI certified companies sharing the benefits of certification and their experience with the process.
  • The HPC4Manufacturing (HPC4Mfg) Program recently awarded nearly $3.8 million for thirteen projects designed to stimulate the use of high-performance supercomputing in U.S. manufacturing. These projects will address key challenges in U.S. manufacturing proposed in partnership with companies and improve energy efficiency across the manufacturing industry through applied research and development of energy technologies. Each of the thirteen newly selected projects will receive up to $300,000 to support work performed by the national lab partners and allow the partners to use HPC compute cycles. Awardees include: (1) Arconic Inc. will partner with ORNL to model rolling processes to observe the evolution of porosity in a project titled “Computational Modeling of Industrial Rolling Processes Incorporating Microstructure Evolution to Minimize Rework Energy Losses”. (2) United Technologies Research Center (UTRC) will partner with ORNL to understand microstructure evolution during heat treatment of additively manufactured parts in a project titled “Predictive Tools for Customizing Heat Treatment of Additively Manufactured Aerospace Components”. (3) Steel Manufacturing Simulation and Visualization Consortium (SMSVC) and ArcelorMittal USA will partner with ANL to improve the efficiency of the reheat furnace process in steel manufacturing in a project titled “Application of High-Performance Computing (HPC) to Optimize Reheat Furnace Efficiency in Steel Manufacturing”.

 

 

Heat Treat Today is pleased to join in the announcements of growth and achievement throughout the industry by highlighting them here on our News Chatter page. Please send any information you feel may be of interest to manufacturers with in-house heat treat departments especially in the aerospace, automotive, medical, and energy sectors to the editor at editor@heattreattoday.com.

 

A Baker’s Dozen Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current Read More »

Services Provider for Medical Tech, Device Sector Breaks Ground on Manufacturing Facility

/ FEATURED NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS

A development and manufacturing services provider to medical technology and devices industries recently broke ground on a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Hudson, Wisconsin, with completion expected in late 2019 to mid-2020.

Phillips-Medisize, a Molex company, announced the new site is expected to support at least 230,000-sq. ft. of manufacturing space for FDA-regulated products. Founded in the town of Phillips, Wisconsin, over 50 years ago, Phillips-Medisize has multiple manufacturing sites around the world, including facilities for heat treating equipment such as continuous debind and sintering furnaces, batch furnaces, dedicated metal injection molding equipment, and metallurgical lab capabilities.

Matt Jennings, CEO and President, Phillips-Medisize

This new Phillips-Medisize facility will be situated on a 34-acre site in St. Croix Meadows development, representing the company’s single largest operation in Wisconsin with opportunity to expand.

“We are proud to invest in growing Phillips-Medisize’s manufacturing presence in our founding state of Wisconsin,” stated Matt Jennings, CEO and President, Phillips-Medisize. “Hudson has been home to Phillips-Medisize for the past 36 years, so we are excited to reinforce our commitment to the vibrant community with our St. Croix Meadows facility. We expect to support over 250 employment opportunities for area residents in jobs, ranging from skilled manufacturing to engineering. It also reaffirms our commitment to better serve customers as a global end-to-end provider of innovation, development and manufacturing solutions.”

“The St. Croix Meadows redevelopment is aimed at transforming the riverfront community,” said Hudson Mayor Rich O’Connor, who hosted the groundbreaking ceremony. “By creating employment opportunities with Phillips-Medisize, I hope to encourage young people to stay in Hudson.”

Groundbreaking of new manufacturing site for Phillips-Medisize in the St Croix Meadows area of Hudson, Wisconsin.

Phillips-Medisize is a provider of innovation, development and manufacturing solutions in pharmaceutical, diagnostic, medical device and specialty commercial market segments.

 

Photo caption: St. Croix Meadows developer Klint Klaas, Phillips-Medisize Vice President Dave Thoreson, and Mayor Rich O’Connor turn over soil at the ceremonial groundbreaking for Phillips-Medisize.

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Drive Systems Acquisition Extends Electrification Capabilities

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

A worldwide supplier of drivetrain, sealing, and thermal-management technologies, based in Maumee, Ohio, recently announced that it has completed the acquisition of the Drive Systems segment of a leading global technology and engineering group providing solutions and services for surfaces and drive technologies in diverse industries, including aerospace, automotive, tooling, energy, and general industries.

Dana Incorporated’s acquisition of the Drive Systems segment of the Oerlikon Group, including the Graziano and Fairfield brands, expands the company’s capabilities in electrification, including:

  • extending Dana’s current technology portfolio, especially in the area of high-precision helical gears for the light- and commercial-vehicle markets, as well as planetary hub drives for wheeled and tracked vehicles in the off-highway market;
  • growing Dana’s electronic controls capability for transmissions and drivelines through the acquisition of VOCIS, a wholly owned business of Oerlikon Drive Systems, and further expanding its motors technologies through Ashwoods Electric Motors;
  • increasing Dana’s product offerings that support vehicle electrification in each of Dana’s end markets – light vehicle, commercial vehicle, and off-highway;
  • optimizing Dana’s global manufacturing presence to be closer to customers in key growth markets such as China and India, as well as the United States;
  • and adding four research and development facilities to Dana’s extensive network of technology centers, as well as 12 facilities to the company’s global manufacturing footprint.

    James Kamsickas, president and CEO of Dana

“Dana’s acquisition of the Drive Systems segment of Oerlikon enables us to support our customers’ shift toward vehicle electrification across nearly every vehicle architecture in the light vehicle, commercial vehicle, and off-highway segments,” said James Kamsickas, president and chief executive officer of Dana.  “The Drive Systems business’ highly talented team is also strategically positioned to give our customers access to critical manufacturing capabilities in key growth markets, such as India, China, and the United States.”

The Drive Systems business serves a global roster of original-equipment manufacturers with a portfolio of high-tech products that can be found in a wide range of applications for operating machinery and equipment used in agriculture, construction, energy, mining, on-road transportation, and high-performance sports cars.

Selected customers include, but are not limited to AGCO, Ashok Leyland, Aston Martin, BMW, Caterpillar, CNH, Daimler, John Deere, Ferrari, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, MAN, McLaren, Oshkosh, SANY, Scania, Terex, Volkswagen, and AB Volvo.

 

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