Ask The Heat Treat Doctor®: Hot Topic for a Cold Day — Why Is Hot Gaseous Corrosion So Devastating?

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES TECHNICAL CONTENT, CARBURIZING TECHNICAL CONTENT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT TECH, OP-ED

Ask The Heat Treat Doctor® has returned to bring sage advice to Heat Treat Today readers, answer questions about heat treating, brazing, sintering, and other types of thermal treatments, as well as metallurgy, equipment, and process-related issues. In this installment, Dan Herring examines the devastating effects of hot gaseous corrosion on furnace alloys: exploring the mechanisms behind metal dusting, the gas-solid reactions that drive catastrophic carburization, and the mitigation strategies to extend the life of heat treaters’ most valuable furnace components.

This informative piece was first released in Heat Treat Today’s January 2026 Annual Technologies To Watch print edition.

Have questions or feedback? We’d love to hear from you — reach out to our editorial team at editor@heattreattoday.com.

Corrosion is a concern experienced by everyone involved in manufacturing industrial products. While there is a plethora of data and information on the effects of corrosion on engineered materials available (sources provided in the references section of this column), most corrosion engineers are focused on aqueous corrosion. By contrast, heat treaters must understand the effects of hot gaseous corrosion, especially on our furnace alloys. Let’s learn more.

Corrosion Basics

It is important to understand that all materials are chemically unstable in some environments and corrosive attack will always occur. In the scientific world, it can often be modeled and its effects predicted by studying thermodynamic data and knowing which of the many corrosion-related chemical states are active. In our world, however, it is equally important to understand the various forms of corrosion, namely:

  • Dezincification (aka selective leaching)
  • Electrolytic
  • Erosion
  • Galvanic (or two metal) action
  • General (aka uniform) attack
  • Intergranular attack
  • Pitting
  • Stress corrosion

The greater the metal’s solubility, the greater the degree and severity of the corrosive attack. There are many important variations of these forms of corrosion; two of the most important are 1) localized corrosive attack (e.g. pits, intergranular attack, crevices) and 2) interaction with mechanical influences (e.g., stress, fatigue, fretting). These actions are frequently rapid and have catastrophic effects.

The number of ways to combat corrosion have been well-documented, including alloying to produce better corrosion resistance materials; cathodic protection (via sacrificial anodes); coatings (metallic or inorganic); organic coatings (e.g. paints); metal purification; alteration of the environment; and nonmetallic or design (i.e., physical) changes.

Heat Resistant Alloys

Furnace interiors contain numerous examples of heat-resistant nickel-chromium-iron (Ni-Cr-Fe) alloys, including radiant tubes, fans, heating elements, roller rails and rollers, thermocouple protection tubes, chain guides, and atmosphere inlet tubes, to name a few. Baskets, grids, and fixtures are other examples. These alloys are normally selected based on their strength (at temperature) rather than resistance to corrosive attack.

Since these heat-resistant alloy parts are often the most expensive furnace components, heat treaters must understand how they can be attacked and what can be done to extend their life by minimizing or preventing corrosion.

Gas-Solid Reactions

A chemical reaction involving a (non-equilibrium) gas or gas mixture and a solid is classified as a gas-solid reaction. Examples of intermediate and high temperature reactions of this type include oxidation, sulfidation, carburization, and nitriding. Effects of gases containing vapors of chlorine, fluorine, and effluents from deposits of various alkaline chemicals (from cleaning compounds) and even phosphates are also problematic. The principles are the same for all types — only the details differ. As heat treaters, our interest is in controlling, retarding, or suppressing these reactions to prevent unwanted corrosion, gasification, or embrittlement of the furnace alloy or materials being processed.

Examples of Catastrophic Carburization (a.k.a. Metal Dusting)

Figure 1. Pusher furnace alloy fan and shaft assembly | Image Credit: The Heat Treat Doctor®

Metal dusting (Figure 1) is a hot gaseous corrosion phenomenon in which a metallic component disintegrates into a dust of fine metal and metal oxide particles mixed with carbon.

Generally, metal dusting occurs in a localized area, and how rapidly the disintegration progresses is a function of temperature, the composition of the atmosphere and its carbon potential, and the material. Other significant factors include the geometry of the system, reaction kinetics, diffusivities of alloy components, the specific-volume ratio of new and old phases, and the ultimate plastic strain.

Metal dusting usually manifests itself as pits or grooves on the surface, or as an overall surface attack in which the metal can literally be eaten away in a matter of days, weeks, or months. As an example, this writer has seen a 330-alloy plate mounted underneath a refractory-lined inner door of an integral quench furnace (where atmosphere passes underneath the door and into the quench vestibule) reduced in thickness from 12.5 mm (0.50 in) to less than 0.75 mm (0.03 in) in a little over two months.

Figure 2. 330 alloy radiant tube removed after six months of use (rotary retort furnace) | Image Credit: The Heat Treat Doctor®
Figure 3. Microstructural view: catastrophic carburization | Image Credit: The Heat Treat Doctor®

In another example, a metallographic investigation performed by this writer on a failed wrought 330 alloy radiant tube (Figure 2) was conducted. Optical microscopy of the inside (Figure 3) and outside diameter surfaces in the attacked area revealed evidence of massive carbides. These carbides are formed by the reaction of carbon with chromium, depleting the matrix of chromium in regions adjacent to the carbides. Grain detachment and subsequent failure by erosion then occurred.

How Does It Occur?

In general, catastrophic carburization of ferrous alloys proceeds via the formation and subsequent disintegration of metastable carbide. The first step in the process is absorption of the gaseous phase on the surface of the metal; the more reactive this phase, the easier it decomposes or is catalytically decomposed (in the case of iron) on the surface. This step is followed by diffusion of carbon atoms from the surface into the bulk metal.

As a result, there is a continuous buildup of carbon within the surface layer. As this layer becomes saturated with carbon, a stable carbide, metastable carbide, or an active carbide complex forms, which then grows until it reaches a state of thermodynamic instability, at which point it rapidly breaks down into the metal plus free carbon.

It’s at this stage that the metal disintegrates to a powder as the result of plastic deformation and subsequent fracture in the near-surface layer. The process is controlled by internal stresses due to phase transformation; in other words, competition between stress generation and relaxation exceeds the ultimate strength in this near-surface layer and causes fracture to occur.

In Ni-Cr-Fe alloys, the phenomenon occurs slower (but does not stop) since the disintegration leads to larger metal particles, which are less active catalysts for carbon deposition than the fine iron particles that form with ferrous metals. Therefore, the mass gain from carbon depositing onto high-nickel alloys is much lower. Also, the decomposition of high-nickel alloys occurs by graphitization and not via unstable carbides.

Pourbaix-Ellingham Diagrams

Thermodynamics can be applied to solid-gas reactions to obtain equilibrium dissociation pressures below which no reactions occur. Data and diagrams are available for the free energies of formation versus temperature for most metallic compounds. An interesting use of Pourbaix diagrams (generally reserved for mapping out possible stable equilibrium phases of an aqueous electrochemical system) as a predictor of stable alloy systems is found by superimposing the various elemental constituents. These diagrams are read much like a standard phase diagram (with a different set of axes).

In Summary

Hot gaseous corrosion should be an area of focus for every heat treater to extend the life of alloy components, reduce downtime, and save money. Mitigation in the form of alloy selection, equipment design, type of atmosphere, process/cycle selection, and idling temperatures will play a huge role in extending the life of our furnace alloys, baskets, and fixtures.

References

ASM International. 1971. Oxidation of Metals and Alloys.

ASM International. 2003. ASM Handbook. Vols. 13A–C.

Fontana, Mars G., and Norbert D. Greene. 2008. Corrosion Engineering. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Herring, D. H. 2003. “What to Do About Metal Dusting.” Heat Treating Progress, August.

Herring, Daniel H. 2015. Atmosphere Heat Treatment. Vol. 2. Troy, MI: BNP Media Group.

Javaheradashti, Raza. 2008. Microbiologically Induced Corrosion. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.

NACE International. www.nace.org.

Nateson, K. 1980. Corrosion–Erosion Behavior in Metals. Warrendale, PA: Metallurgical Society of AIME.

National Bureau of Standards. 1978. Gas Corrosion of Metals.

Pourbaix, Marcel. 1974. Atlas of Chemical and Electrochemical Equilibria in Aqueous Solutions. Houston, TX: NACE International.

Pourbaix, Marcel. 1998. Atlas of Chemical and Electrochemical Equilibria in the Presence of a Gaseous Phase. Houston, TX: NACE International.

Schweitzer, Philip A. 1996. Corrosion Engineering Handbook. New York: Marcel Dekker.

Staehle, R. W. 1995. “Engineering with Advanced and New Materials.” Materials Science and Engineering A 198 (1–2): 245–56.

Stempco, Michael J. 2011. “The Ellingham Diagram: How to Use It in Heat-Treat-Process Atmosphere Troubleshooting.” Industrial Heating, April.

Uhlig, Hubert H. 2008. Corrosion and Corrosion Control. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Interscience.

Fabian, R., ed. 1993. Vacuum Technology: Practical Heat Treating and Brazing. Materials Park, OH: ASM International.

The Boeing Company. n.d. “Practical Vacuum Systems Design Course.”

About the Author

Dan Herring
“The Heat Treat Doctor”
The HERRING GROUP, Inc.

Dan Herring has been in the industry for over 50 years and has gained vast experience in fields that include materials science, engineering, metallurgy, new product research, and many other areas. He is the author of six books and over 700 technical articles.

For more information: Contact Dan at dherring@heat-treat-doctor.com.

For more information about Dan’s books: see his page at the Heat Treat Store.

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IN 718 Part 1: History, Applications, and Production

/ ENERGY HEAT TREAT TECHNICAL CONTENT, FOUNDRY CASTING TECHNICAL CONTENT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT TECH, VACUUM FURNACES TECHNICAL CONTENT

Today’s Technical Tuesday highlights this first installment in a multi-part series by Nikolai Alexander and The Heat Treat Doctor® Daniel H. Herring, which introduces Inconel® Alloy 718, one of the most widely used nickel-based superalloys, tracing its history, applications, and production fundamentals. Understanding why this alloy performs so well in extreme environments is critical as manufacturers consider material choices available for demanding components, especially alloys more typically sourced outside of one’s own industry. As demanding performance capabilities are being required of new engineered solutions, selecting the right alloy becomes a strategic decision to meet the need for higher temperatures, pressures, and corrosive environments.

This informative piece is from Heat Treat Today’s February 2026 Annual Air & Atmosphere Heat Treating print edition.

History

Inconel® Alloy 718 (IN 718) is a nickel-iron base superalloy known for its exceptional strength, resistance to high temperatures and ability to withstand harsh environments, where oxidation, creep, and corrosion resistance are paramount. The alloy was created by Dr. Herbert L. Eiselstein, who began his research in 1958, culminating in a patent assigned to The International Nickel Company in 1962 (U.S. Patent No. 3,046,108). In the many years since its creation, IN 718 remains the most widely used of all superalloys due to its availability in both wrought and cast products with high strength and stress-rupture life up to 650°C (1200°F), good hot working characteristics, castability, weldability, and cost effectiveness — all in an alloy with nominally 18% iron! The alloy’s superior performance is due in large part to its unique strengthening mechanisms.

There are different classifications of a superalloy, all based around the predominant metal present in the alloy. These categories include (Akca and Gursel 2015):

  • Nickel-based
  • Iron-based
  • Cobalt-based

The microstructural design makes IN 718 one of the best alloys for service applications below 650°C (1200°F) (Loria 1988, Herring 2011). It is widely used in extreme environments where components are subjected to high temperature, pressure, and/or mechanical loads. When heated, IN 718 forms a thick, stable, passivating oxide layer that protects the surface from further attack.

The alloy retains strength over a wide temperature range, making it attractive for high-temperature applications where materials like aluminum and steel would fail due to creep caused by thermally induced crystal vacancies. Inconel’s high-temperature strength is developed through heat treatment by solutionizing and precipitation hardening.

IN 718 is an alloy used around the world, but you might know it better by one of a variety of trade names (see sidebar).

The alloy has been modified numerous times to extend its operating temperature and service life. The alloy is readily available in all of these modified variations, each having slight differences in chemistry, cast and wrought processing methods, and heat treatments.

Applications

There is a wide variety of IN 718 applications across many industries, including aerospace, nuclear, oil and gas, automotive, motorsport, chemical processing, non-nuclear power generation, medical, tooling and molds, and fire protection systems.

In the automotive and motorsport industry, IN 718 is used for turbocharger rotors, exhaust manifolds, and valve springs in high-performance engines, such as those found in Formula 1 or the 24 Hours of Le Mans race cars. Naval warships are also purported to use IN 718 for components in their nuclear reactors (Table A).

Table A. Possible Uses of IN 718 in Naval Warship Nuclear Reactors
Table B. Oil & Gas Industry Use Examples for IN 718
Figure 1. A “Christmas tree”: the complex assembly of valves, gauges, and controls installed at the surface of a completed oil or gas well which has the primary function of regulating and controlling the flow of oil from the well. | Image Credit: Croft Systems

Perhaps surprisingly, IN 718 is also widely used in the oil and gas industry, which in addition to its many other benefits has remarkable resistance to sulfide and chlorine stress corrosion cracking at both high and low temperatures (Table B). Stress corrosion cracking is a failure mechanism that is caused by a combination of environment, a susceptible material, and the presence of tensile stress. Oil and gas applications like downhole tools, wellhead components, and subsea equipment benefit from IN 718’s other valuable properties as well, some of which include:

  • High strength and toughness at temperatures up to 700°C (1290°F)
  • Excellent resistance to pitting, crevice corrosion, and stress corrosion cracking
  • Sustained strength in hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and CO2-rich environments
  • Good weldability and fabrication

Continuous innovations in processing and material chemistry have enhanced superalloy properties resulting in the extension of its use into other industries, such as the energy and more conventional transportation sectors (Loria 1988).

Production Methods

IN 718 is available in cast and wrought alloy form and follows a stringent production process (Figure 2). Basic melt practices are used, such as vacuum induction melting (VIM), vacuum arc remelting (VAR), and electro-slag remelting (ESR).

Figure 2. Flow diagram of processes widely used to produce superalloys (Data reference: Akca and Gursel 2015)

VIM

The VIM process produces liquid metal under vacuum in an induction-heated crucible. It is used as a primary melting step in the route to producing wrought and cast products. Before being melted, the raw material can be refined and purified, and its composition can be controlled. VIM has been widely used in the manufacture of all types of superalloys, which must be melted under vacuum or in an inert gas atmosphere because of their reactivity with atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen.

VAR

The VAR process, a secondary melting technique, converts VIM-processed electrodes into ingots whose chemical and physical homogeneity have been significantly improved. In this process, a stub is welded to one end of an electrode, which is then suspended over a water-cooled copper crucible. Next, an arc is struck between the end of the electrode and the crucible bottom. Maintaining the arc generates the heat required to melt the electrode, which drips into the crucible and can subsequently be poured into molds. Many inclusions can be removed by flotation or chemical and physical processes before the molten material solidifies.

ESR

The ESR process, another secondary melting technique, is similar to the VAR process, but with notable differences. Remelting does not occur by striking an arc under vacuum. Instead, an ingot is built up in a water-cooled mold by melting a consumable electrode that is immersed in a slag, which is superheated by means of resistance heating. Rather than operating in a vacuum, the process is conducted in air under the molten slag. During melting, metal droplets fall through the molten slag, and chemical reactions reduce sulfur and nonmetallic inclusions. Both ESR and VAR processes allow directional solidification of an ingot from bottom to top, yielding high density and homogeneity in its macrostructure, as well as an absence of segregation and shrinkage cavities.

Casting Methods

IN 718 can also be produced by several casting methods. The most common of these are investment casting and (vacuum) die casting:

  • Investment casting: This process involves creating a wax pattern, coating it with a ceramic shell, melting out the wax, and then pouring molten IN 718 into the ceramic mold.
  • Vacuum die casting: This method uses a vacuum to fill the mold, resulting in a refined grain structure, minimal porosity, and good dimensional reproducibility, making it suitable for components like airfoils.
  • Sand casting: This method is far less common due to its inherent limitations in precision and surface finish, but the technology has been used for large castings.

A Metallurgical Perspective: The Role of Gamma Prime and Double Prime

IN 718 is a precipitation hardening superalloy. Its principle strengthening phases are gamma prime (γ′) or Ni3Al and gamma double prime (γ″) or Ni3Nb. The relationship between these precipitates (and others) and the gamma (γ) nickel matrix is critically important. For example, the coherency strain (i.e., the elastic deformation that occurs between two phases when their lattice structures do not perfectly match) is due to the fact that γ′ is face-centered cubic and γ″ is body centered tetragonal. In the case of IN 718, these strengthening effects are influenced more by γ″ than γ′ (ASM International 2016, Lee et al. 2023).

In addition, IN 718 has a natural tendency to precipitate rapidly by homogeneous nucleation in the noncompressible γ matrix. Depending on chemistry, γ′ volume percentage can vary over a wide range (3%–65%). Practically speaking, creep strength is proportional to volume percent over this range at temperatures between 700–980°C (1290–1800°F). As a result, the ratio of titanium to niobium/aluminum is key to hardening. High ratios imparted by niobium assure high strength at intermediate service temperatures around 600°C (1110°F). For higher service temperatures, higher aluminum content and molybdenum additions minimize the γ and γ′ mismatch, thus contributing to more stable alloys (Decker 2006, Guan et al. 2023).

Finally, the size and shape of these precipitates is important; larger precipitates enhance the strengthening effect. Key to the formation of these two precipitates is the aging treatment temperature, time, and alloy composition. According to existing research, higher aging treatment temperatures and longer times can lead to an increased amount of γ″ while extended aging coarsens the γ′ and γ″ particles, potentially leading to a reduction in strength and creep resistance. Furthermore, the composition ratios of Al, Ti, and Nb in the alloy influence the shapes of γ′ and γ″ precipitates, forming so-called co-precipitates that also affect the properties (Table C).

*SS = solid solution; + = enhancement; — = negative effect
Table C. Effect of Various Alloying Elements (Data Reference: Decker 2006)

The highest strength and hardness, coupled with reduced impact toughness, have been observed after heat treatment at 718°C (1325°F), due to an increase in the size and quantity of γ′ and γ″ precipitates.

In addition, as a result of surface analysis of Charpy bars, intergranular fracture occurs due to abundant small-sized precipitates formed within the boundary. In the case of the Charpy impact test, the absorbed energy decreases as the aging temperature increases. The formation of carbide, γ′ and γ″ precipitates can reduce the impact toughness of materials because precipitates may cause more obstacles to dislocation movement and promote crack initiation and propagation (Lee et al. 2023).

This article’s discussion continues in Heat Treat Today’s Annual Aerospace Heat Treat (March 2026) print edition to address heat treatment methods for this superalloy.

References

Akca, Enes, and Gursel, Ali. 2015. “A Review on Superalloys and IN718 Nickel-Based INCONEL Superalloy.” Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences 3 (1): 15–27.

ASM International. 2016. ASM Handbook, Volume 4E: Heat Treating of Nonferrous Alloys. ASM International.

Babu, S. S., N. Raghavan, J. Raplee, S. J. Foster, C. Frederick, M. Haines, R. Dinwiddie, M. K. Kirka, A. Plotkowski, Y. Lee, and R. R. Dehoff. 2018. “Additive Manufacturing of Nickel Superalloys: Opportunities for Innovation and Challenges Related to Qualification.” The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International: 3764–3780.

Bradley, Elihu F., ed. 1988. Superalloys: A Technical Guide. ASM International.

Chandler, Harry, ed. 1996. Heat Treater’s Guide: Practices and Procedures for Nonferrous Alloys. ASM International.

Croft Systems. n.d. “The Difference between a Wellhead & Christmas Tree.” https://www.croftsystems.net/oil-gas-blog/the-difference-between-a-wellhead-christmas-tree/

Decker, R. F. 2006. “The Evolution of Wrought Age-Hardenable Superalloy.” Journal of The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society, September: 32–36.

del Bosque, Antonio, Fernández-Arias, Pablo, and Vergara, Diego. 2025. “Advances in the Additive Manufacturing of Superalloys.” Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing 9 (215): 1–31.

Eliasen, K. M., T. L. Christiansen, and M. A. J. Somers. 2010. “Low-Temperature Gaseous Nitriding of Ni-Based Superalloys.” Surface Engineering 26 (4): 248–255.

Guan, Hao, Wenxiang Jiang, Junxia Lu, Yuefie Zhang, and Ze Zhang. 2023. “Precipitation of δ Phase in Inconel 718 Superalloy: The Role of Grain Boundary and Plastic Deformation.” Materials Today Communications 36 (August).

Herring, Daniel H. 2011. “Stress Corrosion Cracking.” Industrial Heating, October: 22–24.

Herring, Daniel H. 2012. Vacuum Heat Treating: Principles, Practices, Applications. BNP Media II, LLC.

Herring, Daniel H. 2019. “The Heat Treatment of Inconel 718.” Industrial Heating, June: 12–14.

Lee, Gang Ho, Ang Ho, Minha Park, Byoungkoo Kim, Jong Bae Jeon, Sanghoon Noh, and Byung Jun Kim. 2023. “Evaluation of Precipitation Phase and Mechanical Properties According to Aging Heat Treatment Temperature of Inconel 718.” Journal of Materials Research and Technology 27 (Nov–Dec): 4157–4168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2023.10.196

Lee, Shin-Chin, Shih-Hsien Chang, Tzu-Piao Tang, Hsin-Hung Ho, and Jhewn-Kuang Chen. 2006. “Improvements in the Microstructure and Tensile Properties of Inconel 718 Superalloy by HIP Treatment.” Materials Transactions 47 (11): 2877–2881.

Loria, Edward A. 1988. “The Status and Prospects of Alloy 718.” Journal of Materials, July: 36–41.

Polasani, Ajay, and Vikram V. Dabhade. 2024. “Heat Treatments of Inconel 718 Nickel-Based Superalloy: A Review.” Metals and Materials International: 1204–1231.

Sharghi-Moshtaghin, Reza, Harold Kahn, Yindong Ge, Xiaoting Gu, Farrel J. Martin, Paul M. Natishan, Arrell J. Martin, Roy J. Rayne, Gary M. Michal, Frank Ernst, and Arthur H. Heuer. 2010. “Low-Temperature Carburization of the Ni-Base Superalloy IN718: Improvements in Surface Hardness and Crevice Corrosion Resistance.” Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A 41A (August): 2022–2032. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-010-0299-y

Shipley, Jim. 2023. “Hot Isostatic Pressing and AM: How to Improve Product Quality and Productivity for Critical Applications.” Metal AM 9 (3).

U.S. Patent No. 3,046,108.

Acknowledgments: This paper would not have been possible without discussions, guidance and contributions from a number of individuals in both the heat treat industry and academia.

Special Note: Inconel® is a registered trademark of Special Metals Corporation group of companies.

About the Authors:

Dan Herring
“The Heat Treat Doctor®”
The HERRING GROUP

Dan Herring, who is most well known as The Heat Treat Doctor®, has been in the industry for over 50 years. He spent the first 25 years in heat treating prior to launching his consulting business, The HERRING GROUP, in 1995. His vast experience in the field includes materials science, engineering, metallurgy, equipment design, process and application specialist, and new product research. He is the author of six books and over 700 technical articles.

Nikolai Alexander Hurley
Intern
The Heat Treat Doctor®

Nikolai Alexander Hurley is a young academic, interning with The Heat Treat Doctor®.

For more information: Contact Dan at dherring@heat-treat-doctor.com.

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Global Automotive Supplier Acquisition Expands Operations

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, SINTERING POWDER METAL NEWS

Dauch Corporation has completed its acquisition of Dowlais Group plc, combining two global automotive manufacturers in a move that expands driveline, metal forming, and powder metallurgy operations worldwide. The transaction broadens manufacturing capabilities and strengthens support for internal combustion, hybrid, and electric vehicle platforms across global markets.

David C. Dauch
Chairman and CEO
Dauch Corporation
Image Credit: Detroit Regional Chamber

Dauch Corporation finalized its previously announce acquisition of Dowlais Group plc, including subsidiaries GKN Automotive and GKN Powder Metallurgy. David C. Dauch, chairman and chief executive officer, said the closing marks an important step in bringing together complementary engineering and manufacturing capabilities under one organization.

The combined business will operate under the Dauch Corporation name and remain headquartered in Detroit. The board of directors will expand to include Simon Mackenzie Smith and Fiona MacAulay as independent directors, effective February 5, 2026.

The leadership structure includes Michael J. Lynch as president of driveline and Markus Bannert as president of metal forming, along with executives overseeing finance, strategy, human resources, communications, and legal functions. Business unit leadership includes Tolga Oal as president of axle systems; Mark Gabriel as president of sideshafts, propshafts, and ePowertrain; Jake Stiteler leading forging operations; and Jean-Marc Durbuis leading powder metallurgy operations.

Dauch Corporation supplies driveline and metal forming products to the global automotive industry and reports operations in 24 countries with more than 175 locations worldwide.

Press release is available in its original form here.

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Answers in the Atmosphere: Nitrogen — Flow Rate, Sourcing, & Costs

/ BULK GASES & SYSTEMS TECHNICAL CONTENT, OP-ED

In this installment of Answers in the Atmosphere, David (Dave) Wolff, an independent expert focusing on industrial atmospheres for heat treat applications, explores the versatile role of nitrogen gas in thermal processing.

This informative piece on nitrogen’s flow rate considerations, sourcing strategies, and cost factors — drawing on insights from Air Products engineers to help heat treaters make informed, cost-effective supply decisions — was first released in Heat Treat Today’s December 2025 Annual Medical & Energy Heat Treat print edition.

We’re picking up the topic of nitrogen this month with a continued discussion of several key aspects of flow rate, expert assistance, and atmosphere costs that I had the pleasure of hearing about from several key industry experts. My thanks to these Air Products individuals: John Dwyer, principal engineer; Bryan Hernandez, commercial technology sales engineer; and Emily Phipps, strategic marketing manager.

First, the experts shared that in a typical thermal processing operation, the required instantaneous nitrogen flow rate may vary significantly depending on several factors including number of furnaces in operation, flowrate required per furnace, and materials being processed. The nitrogen supply system must be capable of meeting these varying flowrate requirements, from minimum to maximum, on demand.

Although non-cryogenically generated nitrogen may be acceptable for some processes and materials, they emphasized that varying flowrate demands may make sizing a nitrogen operation system challenging.

Additionally, because nitrogen purity from non-cryogenic generation may vary depending on required flowrate (with purity decreasing as flowrate demand increases), it is important to prevent changes in nitrogen purity, which can cause quality issues with the material being heat treated.

Dwyer and his colleagues advise securing expert assistance when evaluating nitrogen needs prior to choosing a new or modified supply approach. This might involve going to your industrial gas provider or to an independent consultant. If you are working with an industrial gas provider, make sure that you are getting the technical assistance needed to determine the most cost-effective nitrogen supply system to meet your requirements.

There are upfront costs involved with both delivered and generated nitrogen supplies. According to the Air Products team, users may prefer a lower initial cost approach of dealing with a full-service industrial gas provider to provide a nitrogen system with higher operating costs (for delivered gas), versus a more complex generated nitrogen gas system with higher upfront costs that may offer significant long term savings through lower nitrogen costs. An industrial gas provider may also offer you a lease option for an on-site generation system that could offer you reliability at lower cost.

Besides the costs and investment timing, there are other considerations the experts shared:

  • NFPA 86 (and your insurance provider) may require sufficient nitrogen to be available for purging and inerting regardless of whether your electricity is operating.
  • Because delivered nitrogen production and delivery costs are a significant fraction of the nitrogen price, depending on where the nitrogen producing plant is, some suppliers may offer better prices than others.
  • Electricity costs are a significant fraction of the cost of both delivered and on-site generated nitrogen. If your local electric costs are high but the nitrogen comes from an area with lower electric costs, that may affect potential nitrogen costs and supply decisions.
  • Nitrogen tanks may require meaningful site investments in foundations and piping. If you are leasing your building, consider if a delivered or generated nitrogen supply solution minimizes your site investment.
  • An onsite nitrogen generation system requires large volumes of clean, dry air. In addition to buying a nitrogen generator, you may need to invest in additional air compression capacity. You also need to maintain your compressed air system, because oily air will destroy the expensive air separation media in a PSA nitrogen generation system. Consider your staff’s capabilities carefully.

It is important to take the time to think about a reliable supply that will avoid sending workers home due to lack of available nitrogen. Onsite nitrogen generation allows nitrogen users to make their own nitrogen, without the need for a tank and deliveries. At the same time, nitrogen generation requires large amounts of clean, dry compressed air. For companies that can commit to maintaining their air compression and nitrogen generation equipment, nitrogen generation can be a powerful approach to cost savings. But be realistic. If you can’t commit to 100% uptime for your air supply system, you need to plan for nitrogen downtime and production interruptions.

As a final note, the ideal nitrogen supply approach for your operations may be different from others in your industry. Dwyer, Hernandez, and Phipps say it is important to consider your process needs, ability to invest, interest in ownership vs. delivered utility, staff’s ability to manage a generation system, and the specific costs. Take the time to evaluate and understand that you can choose a different solution at a later time if your needs change.

About The Author:

David (Dave) Wolff
Industrial Gas Professional
Wolff Engineering

Dave Wolff has over 40 years of project engineering, industrial gas generation and application engineering, marketing, and sales experience. Dave holds a degree in engineering science from Dartmouth College. Currently, he consults in the areas of industrial gas and chemical new product development and commercial introduction, as well as market development and selling practices.

For more information: Contact Dave Wolff at Wolff-eng@icloud.com.

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21 News Chatter to Keep You Current

/ HEAT TREAT NEWS

Heat Treat Today offers News Chatter, a feature highlighting representative moves, transactions, and kudos from around the industry. Enjoy these 21 news items, including Gasbarre‘s portfolio expansion of modular quenching technology, Bodycote‘s acquisition of Spectrum Thermal Processing, Stack Metallurgical Group‘s Supplier of the Year honor from BENCHMADE Knives, and more!

Equipment

1. Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems announced an exclusive licensing agreement with SOLO Swiss SA to bring Profitherm® modular bell furnace quenching systems to the North American market, giving Gasbarre rights to manufacture, promote, and sell the technology locally. This expansion enhances Gasbarre’s equipment portfolio and offers heat treat operations — from commercial shops to captive facilities serving aerospace, defense, and industrial sectors — a flexible alternative to traditional quench furnaces that can reduce infrastructure needs and improve processing efficiency.

2. IperionX has received a prototype order from American Rheinmetall to manufacture about 700 lightweight titanium components for U.S. Army heavy ground combat systems, using its patented recycled titanium technologies. This order supports U.S. defense efforts to reshore critical materials supply chains and could improve vehicle performance with significantly lighter parts, signaling growing demand for domestic, advanced titanium production in military manufacturing.

3. Jupiter Aluminum Industries (JUPALCO) has ordered two additional patented Vortex 2.0 aluminum coil annealing furnaces from SECO/WARWICK. The installation will expand JUPALCO’s heat treatment capacity while improving process efficiency and temperature uniformity. The project reflects continued investment in modern annealing technology to support growing aluminum processing needs.

4. Century Aluminum Company has emphasized that Emirates Global Aluminum‘s next-generation EX smelting technology will be critical to the development of its new primary aluminum smelter, one of the most advanced technologies deployed in the U.S. This platform is designed to improve productivity, reduce energy consumption per ton, and lower emissions, reinforcing both economic competitiveness and environmental performance in primary aluminum manufacturing.

5. Global pipe manufacturer Tenaris has reactivated quenching and tempering operations at its Koppel, Pennsylvania facility, restoring a critical stage of in-house heat treating capacity that supports domestic oil country tubular goods (OCTG) production for the U.S. energy sector. The restart reinforces supply chain reliability for clients requiring high-performance steel pipe.

6. A Midwest automotive manufacturer is boosting its stainless steel brazing capacity by installing a new four-zone, 24-inch controlled-atmosphere brazing furnace from Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems. The furnace will support higher production of critical automotive components.

7. A Chinese thermal management manufacturer has significantly increased its production capacity by installing a new continuous controlled-atmosphere brazing (CAB) line supplied by SECO/WARWICK to support higher output of advanced cooling components for data centers, EVs, aviation, photovoltaics, and rail transport.

From left to right: Dan Hill, product development manager of Gasbarre, Ben Gasbarre, EVP sales & marketing of Gasbarre, David Salerno, CEO of SOLO, and David Howard, sales director of SOLO
Two Vortex furnaces for Jupiter Group
EGA’s EX smelting technology critical to new aluminum smelter
Heat treating restart at Tenaris
Gasbarre brazing furnace order to boost production of auto componentss like braking and fluid line parts
CAB Line expansion in support of cooling components for data centers, EVs, aviation, photovoltaics, and rail transport

Company & Personnel

8. Spectrum Thermal Processing, a Cranston, Rhode Island heat treat provider, was acquired by global specialist processor Bodycote plc and integrated into its Aerospace, Defence & Energy division in a deal that closed January 14, 2026. This move brings Spectrum’s Nadcap-accredited vacuum heat treatment, low-pressure carburizing, and gas nitriding capabilities into Bodycote’s U.S. network, expanding regional capacity and improving lead times and supply-chain resilience for aerospace and defense component manufacturers.

9. A Tier 1 automotive supplier ensured uninterrupted production during a planned maintenance shutdown by tapping outsourced burst heat treating capacity from Bluewater Thermal Solutions’ St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania facility, rapidly scaling to meet strict OEM requirements. This collaboration kept deliveries on schedule and highlights the growing importance of flexible heat treating resources in supporting automotive supply-chain resilience.

10. Atlantic Fire Brick & Supply, a company that provides refractory products and installation services for furnaces, kilns, and other high-termperature equipment, has been acquired by Plibrico Company LLC in a move that expands refractory distribution and service capabilities for industrial thermal processing operations across the southeastern United States.

11. The AICHELIN Group has appointed Robert Sokoliński as CEO and general manager of Nitrex Metal Sp. z o. o. in Poland, effective January 1, 2026, tasking him with leading the subsidiary strategic and operational development within the group. The leadership move reinforces AICHELIN’s commitment to expanding advanced thermochemical heat treating capabilities in Europe, supporting automotive and industrial manufacturers with reliable, high-performance surface treatment solutions.

12. Bodycote’s Derby and Rotherham heat treat facilities now operate with zero direct carbon emissions, having transitioned to fully electric operations powered by 100% renewable energy — a milestone in decarbonization trends in thermal processing. This achievement signals growing momentum towards sustainable practices in the aerospace and automotive supply chains, helping clients meet ambitious carbon-reduction targets while maintaining process performance. 

13. NUTEC Group Chairman Genaro Cueva and CEO Daniel Llaguno have appointed long-time executive Rodrigo González as president of NUTEC Bickley, following his 24-year tenure in senior engineering and operations roles. Llaguno praised González’s capabilities and alignment with NUTEC’s values, expressing confidence that he will successfully lead the company into the future while strengthening its position in the industrial heating sector across North America.

14. Thermcraft Inc. announced that Thermo Kinetics has joined as its authorized distributor for Canada, expanding Thermcraft’s reach for its thermal processing and industrial heating equipment across the Canadian market. This partnership brings together Thermcraft’s furnace and thermal solutions expertise with Thermo Kinetics’ local sales and technical support capabilities, strengthening service and market impact in the region’s industrial heating sector.

15. TFL Incorporated, a Houston-based provider of refractory materials and precast shapes, has been acquired by Plibrico Company LLC in a move that strengthens resources and technical support for high-temperature industries. The acquisition enhances service capacity and product availability for clients operating in demanding thermal-processing environments, including sectors that rely on consistent refractory performance to maintain uptime and efficiency.

16. Tosyalı Algérie, working with technology partner Midrex, set a new world production record for direct reduced iron (DRI), marking a major milestone in large-scale, low-carbon ironmaking. The achievement underscores growing momentum around DRI as a critical feedstock for steel producers seeking greater efficiency and reduced emissions. For the broader metals industry, it signals continued investment and confidence in DRI technology as a foundation for future steel and downstream thermal processing supply chains.

17. Claus Joens, founder of Elnik Systems, has retired after decades of advancing debind-and-sinter furnace technology. His leadership helped strengthen metal manufacturing capabilities critical to defense and advanced industrial applications, leaving a lasting mark on the MIM and thermal processing industries.

18. The Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA) has announced its 2026-2027 Board of Directors and Executive Officers, naming Jason Safarz of DUNGS Combustion Controls as president, Bob Fincken of Super Systems, Inc. as vice president, and Chad Spore of John Deere as treasurer. IHEA leadership highlighted Spore’s appointment as a historic milestone, marking the first end-user officer in nearly a century and reinforcing alignment between equipment suppliers and industrial end users.

Thermcraft and Thermo Kinetics partnership in Canada
Atlantic Fire Brick & Supply acquired by Plibrico
Robert Sokolinski, recently appointed CEO and general manager of Nitrex Metal Sp. Z o. o. in Poland
The two Midrex DRI plants at Tosyalı Algérie
Claus Joens retiring from Elnik Systems
Spectrum Thermal acquired by Bodycote
TFL Incorporated acquired by Plibrico
Newly appointed treasurer of IHEA, Chad Spore
Newly appointed president of NUTEC Bickley, Rodrigo González

Kudos

19. Stack Metallurgical Group was honored as a Supplier of the Year by BENCHMADE Knives at the 2026 SHOT Show Supplier Showcase. This recognition at one of the shooting, hunting, and outdoor industry’s largest trade events underscores Stack’s growing influence and excellence in precision metal processing and heat treat services within the manufacturing supply chain.

20. Applied Thermal Technologies Inc. received its 4th consecutive 24-month merit for Nadcap.

21. Vacu Braze announced that its metallurgical laboratory has achieved Nadcap accreditation.

Supplier of the Year awarded to Stack Metallurgical Group by BENCHMADE Knives at the 2026 SHOT Show
Applied Thermal’s 4th consecutive 24-month Nadcap accreditation

21 News Chatter to Keep You Current Read More »

Message from the Editor: Matching Materials

/ EDITOR

Heat Treat Today publishes twelve print magazines a year and included in each is a letter from the editor. This letter is from the January 2026 Annual Technologies To Watch print edition. In today’s letter, Bethany Leone, managing editor at Heat Treat Today, shares her insights on the widening gap between material science and industrial engineering in heat treatment — and what leaders can do to make smarter material decisions.

I recently spoke with an industry educator who is also a metallurgist and an engineer. She stressed the need for heat treat leaders to make informed decisions, blending industrial engineering and materials science expertise — just one is only half of the conversation. Our current era is reckoning with the fruit of underprioritized materials science education.

This concern arose several times at industry trade shows last year, both in lectures and conversations with attendees. While academic institutions have been pivoting to close this materials gap, the difficulty remains: Are the components that we design and for which we curate heat treat processes around making use of the best materials?

Barriers to Material Matching

The question of performance is prevalent: Are we designing with the right material in mind? Additionally, this age of advanced manufacturing and additive manufacturing challenges what we know to be the best material for an application; a new superalloy on the market may offer unforeseen abilities as well as risks. There is also the practical concern of time and supply chain; the tariffs of 2025 have brought this concern close to home, no pun intended.

There are other practical concerns when it comes to materials, as I was informed by Malur Narayan. As the CEO of Xtrium, an AI-powered materials matching and intelligence platform that connects materials to real-world applications, he is attuned to the specific challenges around this question. According to Narayan, there are missed revenue opportunities by failure to consider materials that are common in industries outside of one’s own.

Moreover, even if the desire to innovate or examine new materials and processing methods is fostered, the typical months of discovery handicaps time and action steps. This makes sense because, as Narayan summarized, just because an alloy manufacturer developed an extremely useful alloy for applications in one industry doesn’t mean they are reaching clients in other industries. From that supply side, it takes market research to prove the use case in those alternative sectors.

Furthermore, there has not been an effective single-source of truth for users to navigate and compare properties against.

What Can You Do?

Talk with your materials supplier. A number of alloy suppliers can be accessed on HeatTreatBuyersGuide.com and searching www.heatreattoday.com for their published articles can yield helpful insights as to what other applications and treatments are within reach. Additionally, Xtrium is releasing an AI-native online search and discovery engine which is designed to match materials to real-world applications in minutes, cutting down the traditional months of manual research.

Xtrium tool screenshot | Image Credit: Xtrium

Look across industries for new applications. We will explore more about innovative materials applications and the benefit they have in alleviating the heat treat process in future editions of the magazine. If you have your own use case, please reach out to share your story.

Brace yourself. There are heat treat processing modifications that allow users to take advantage of less expensive alloys. We will be excited to share more on one of these innovative solutions in an upcoming magazine.

References

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT). 2025. “Scientists Forge New ‘Superalloy’ That Could Revolutionize Jet Engines and Power Plants.” SciTechDaily. https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-forge-new-superalloy-that-could-revolutionize-jet-engines-and-power-plants/.

Bethany Leone
Managing Editor
Heat Treat Today
Contact: Bethany Leone at bethany@heattreattoday.com

Message from the Editor: Matching Materials Read More »

Mold Manufacturer Moves Heat Treatment In-House

/ HARDENING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

BTOMEC Ferramentaria e Usinagem de Precisão Ltda. has invested in a vacuum furnace to establish its own in-house hardening capability. The decision reflects the company’s growing production scale and its desire to gain greater control over the heat treatment process and associated costs.

The manufacturer, which supplies multi-cavity injection molds to the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, food, and packaging sectors, previously relied on external hardening services. Establishing an internal heat treatment facility allows BTOMEC to reduce dependence on outside providers while maintaining oversight of production timelines and quality.

BTOMEC selected a single-chamber Vector vacuum furnace equipped with 15-bar high-pressure gas quenching for hardening dies and precision tooling. The system is equipped with a 400 x 400 x 600mm heating chamber, inverter-controlled blower operation for energy optimization, and a partial pressure system that enables processing in inert gas atmospheres to reduce the risk of contamination or alloying element loss during heat treatment.

Maciej Korecki
Vice President of Vacuum Business Segment
SECO/WARWICK

The furnace was supplied by SECO/WARWICK, a global heat treatment equipment manufacturer with operations in North America. According to Maciej Korecki, the investment aligns with a pattern seen among manufacturers reaching certain production volumes. “This is a trend we see more and more frequently. At a certain production scale, many industrial partners begin to consider creating their own small hardening facility. Such an investment means independence from external entities and, above all, full control over the production process and its costs,” he said.

The addition of vacuum heat treatment capability marks an important step in BTOMEC’s ongoing development strategy, strengthening internal production control while supporting further internationalization of its operations.

Press release is available in its original form here.

Mold Manufacturer Moves Heat Treatment In-House Read More »

Industrial Decarburization Under Trump 2.0

/ GUEST COLUMN

The heat treating industry has been closely watching federal energy and environmental policy shifts under the new administration. In this guest column, Michael Mouilleseaux of Erie Steel, Ltd. explores how executive orders, new legislation, and the potential rescission of the 2009 EPA Endangerment Finding are shaping the industrial decarburization landscape — and what heat treaters must do to ensure lasting, practical policy change.

This informative piece was first released in Heat Treat Today’s October 2025 Ferrous & Nonferrous Heat Treatments/Mill Processing print edition.

In previous articles for Heat Treat Today (March, April, June 2024), we described the Biden Administration’s efforts to restrict greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) from U.S. industry in general, and the heat treating industry in particular.

Their Industrial Decarburization Roadmap established regulations requiring an 85% reduction in GHGE by 2035 and net zero (GHGE) by 2050. This was to be achieved through the unproven technologies of low-carbon fuels, carbon capture technology, and ultimately (green) electrification. Keeping in mind, heat treating represents 0.04% of total U.S. GHGE.

We estimated the prospective cost of energy to our heat treating community be six to fifteen times the current cost, noted a reduction in our energy security, and referenced the plight of German industry with its nine times reduction in output in the last seven years as the template for our future.

Where Are We Today?

In January 2025, the Trump Administration issued several executive orders (EO) rescinding previous EO regulations related to industrial decarbonization and terminated the funding for decarburization projects. (Read more in my February 2025 print column.)

On July 4, 2025, the DOE cancelled tax credits for clean energy, carbon capture technology, clean hydrogen production, and the advanced manufacturing production credit for both solar and wind energy through the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB). More than six programs were cancelled or defunded, including the DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

In August 2025, the EPA initiated the effort to revoke the holy grail of decarbonization, the 2009 EPA Endangerment Finding. This finding has provided the rationale for the regulation of GHGE, even though GHGE was never specifically stipulated in the Clean Air Act of 1970.

Where Are We Headed?

The revisions achieved through EOs are decisive, quick, and have provided immediate relief. The revisions achieved through the OBBB are more comprehensive but have time horizons of less than ten years. Neither are permanent, and the former are as fleeting as the next presidential election. Permanence can only be achieved through legislation, and we must hold our elected federal officials in both the House and Senate accountable. We need them to pass legislation that codifies a practical environmental policy that achieves the goals of clean air and clean water utilizing proven technology within an achievable timeframe.

The rescission of the 2009 EPA Endangerment Finding offers the opportunity to change the regulatory landscape; however, it will be difficult work and will require a protracted multi-year effort. This effort will need to pass the rigors of the Administrative Procedures Act that make the threshold for changing an existing regulation higher than that for the formulation of a new regulation. The scientific basis for the original finding, although highly flawed, can only be overturned with a preponderance of scientific data that will need to be vigorously defended.

This effort will then need to successfully navigate the myriad of lawsuits being contrived by the Environmental Industrial Complex. They constitute a formidable force composed of thousands of intertwined NGOs with over $100B in assets, the ability to raise over $25B annually, and populated with partisans who believe in their cause and consider those who disagree to be underinformed.

We are in a much better place than we were in August of 2024. We have clarity regarding the sourcing, security, and prospectively the cost of our energy for the near to midterm. We must demonstrate that we are good stewards of our energy natural resources. It is our responsibility to manage our businesses in such a way that we optimize our energy resources. These practices are not just good business practices because they are cost effective, but they are demonstrably the right thing to do.

We need to take advantage of the current political climate and support those in government who see us as critical to the future of American Manufacturing. Now is not the time to rest, now is the time to be heard.

About The Author:

Michael Mouilleseaux
General Manager
Erie Steel Ltd.

Michael Mouilleseaux is general manager at Erie Steel, Ltd. He has been at Erie Steel in Toledo, OH, since 2006 with previous metallurgical experience at New Process Gear in Syracuse, NY, and as the director of Technology in Marketing at FPM Heat Treating LLC in Elk Grove, IL. Michael attended the stakeholder meetings at the May 2023 symposium hosted by the U.S. DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.

For more information: Contact Peter Sherwin at peter.sherwin@watlow.com.

Industrial Decarburization Under Trump 2.0 Read More »

Q&A: AI, MCP, and Heat Treat

/ CONTROLS TECHNICAL CONTENT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT TECH

AI is moving from concept to practice in heat treating — driving furnace optimization, smarter scheduling, and predictive compliance. In this Q&A, Peter Sherwin, strategic marketing at Watlow, highlights how Model Context Protocol (MCP) will connect data, tools, and operators to reshape the industry’s digital future.

This informative piece was first released in Heat Treat Today’s October 2025 Ferrous & Nonferrous Heat Treatments/Mill Processing print edition.

Q1. What do we mean by “AI” in industrial heat treat?

It is probably best to start with a contrast. We have fixed code in heat treat applications, such as a setpoint programmer that is pre-programmed with ramps and soaks at specific temperatures for specific times. I like to think of AI (artificial intelligence) as introducing the concept of flexible code that learns from data over time.

AI has been used for a surprisingly long time in heat treatment. The original autotune algorithms used a form of AI and machine learning to adapt the PID parameters to a specific furnace, learning from real equipment process signals (such as temperature sensors) to provide optimum control.

Q2. Where is AI already working in heat treat?

AI is most obviously used in equipment optimization, and there are a growing number of cases expanding from process control to energy optimization. Less obvious uses are within the heat treating plants. For example, AI in contract review can highlight key customer requirements, pull together relevant specifications, and help craft recipe design or selection.

A common issue across plants is the need to continually optimize and re-optimize production planning and scheduling. Because heat treating occurs near the end of the manufacturing chain, last-minute changes are common. The ability to quickly re-plan based on specific requirements is a typical use of AI.

Following the process, quality analysis is now supported by AI with optical microscopy that leverages microstructural datasets. AI can also be used for financial analysis, recruitment, and customer support.

Q3. What is MCP?

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a structured method for AI applications and agents to securely discover data, call tools, and share context. Developed by the engineering team at Anthropic in 2024, it has now received widespread adoption across major technology providers, such as Microsoft and OpenAI.

In simple terms, it enables large language models (LLMs) to communicate reliably with other data sources.

Q4. What MCP adoption is happening today?

It is still early, but MCP adoption is accelerating rapidly. Most software companies are developing MCP servers. Many B2C applications already exist, and there are now a growing number of industrial applications, such as those from Highbyte, Flow Software, and Siemens.

Q5. What will “MCP-compliant” mean for AI developers?

From a developer’s perspective, this should be easier than crafting individual application programming interfaces (APIs) that require strict mapping between software products. Any changes on the other end of the system would normally require the API to be restructured. MCP is expected to support inheriting updates without code changes and provide a more uniform setup.

Figure 1a. MCP Standard screen capture of how to use the tool. (Screen capture from the “Architecture overview” page of modelcontextprotocol.io.)
Figure 1b. Toggle to the “Tool Call Response” to view the response for that example input request. (Screen capture from the “Architecture overview” page of modelcontextprotocol.io.)

Q6. How would MCP specifically benefit heat treat?

In the last 30 years, I have seen three waves of technology. The first wave was automation that leveraged PLCs, setpoint programmers, and carbon probes to reduce manual errors and improve utilization.

The second wave focused on regulations in aerospace (AMS2750) and automotive (CQI-9) to harmonize auditing processes, improve quality, and reduce in-use failures (reducing recalls). These regulations focused on ensuring ongoing equipment capability (such as TUS for furnaces and ovens), instrumentation and quality thermocouples via SATs, independent calibration, and operator procedures and training.

The last wave focused on Industry 4.0 and IIoT to further automate and optimize previous improvements. However, apart from some isolated cases, many Industry 4.0 solutions have not delivered the expected value. There are many potential reasons, but one standout is the focus on continued machine automation at the expense of human intervention.

The benefit of MCP is that it acts as a bridge between data and the people who need to use that data to improve processes.

Q7. What are the biggest adoption barriers (and how to reduce them)?

I am typically an early adopter of technology. I was asked to automate a manual sealed quench furnace (batch integral quench) to automatic setpoint and carbon control in the early 1990s, which was one of my first projects. I began exploring technology solutions for Industry 4.0 and IIoT back in 2013. There will always be both early adopters and laggards.

Sometimes it makes sense to wait until technology matures and becomes more reliable, but this feels different. For the first time, data will build upon data, and learning early from that data will put companies ahead.

Cybersecurity and IT policies will scrutinize any new technology. One opportunity for AI is to also strengthen cybersecurity robustness. I recently heard that if you do not respond to a technology breach within 30 minutes, you will lose significant data. Human intervention alone will not be fast enough. AI is truly a double-edged sword.

There is also a growing fear that AI will take jobs. This has been demonstrated in the software industry, where it is estimated that 30 percent of code is now written by AI. I do not believe a heat treater can reduce staff further, since most are already operating with skeleton crews. The real opportunity is to enable all individuals to accomplish more, supported by AI.

The final point is when to adopt this technology. The pace of improvement over the past two years has been tremendous, and we are only now reaching the point where new models are robust enough for industrial application.

Q8. Pace of change: start now or wait?

The base LLMs needed time to improve and become more reliable while reducing hallucinations. Each version of ChatGPT has made significant leaps in knowledge and robustness. The latest model, GPT-5, is beginning to provide the level of reliability needed for industrial applications; this progress will continue.

Q9. What AI-powered products or services will emerge with MCP?

We can do a bit of future gazing. I compiled several ideas as part of my preparation for my presentation at ASM Heat Treat in October. In each example below, you will notice that a human remains in the loop. Instead of manually fetching specific data and information, the agent provides timely information.

EnergyOptimizerAgent — Subscribes to “Power/Furnace*/kW” tags and day-ahead tariff feeds. Models alternate start times and sends a proposal called “propose_shift” to a PlanningAgent. If planners accept, the new schedule is written back to the UNS so control logic and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software stay aligned.

ComplianceAgent — Monitors SAT and TUS counters published by the Edge Process Management (EPM) platform. When drift approaches a set threshold, it issues “propose_sat” with a suggested window and part list. After the test, AuditPackAgent gathers .uhh files and publishes a cryptographic hash so auditors can verify authenticity without manual file transfers.

UniformityMonitorAgent — Streams zone temperatures and compares each batch with stored “golden” fingerprints. If deviation grows, it assembles options, such as rerouting the load or adding a soak. Operators approve or reject through a dashboard.

MaintenanceSchedulerAgent — Reads valve-cycle counts, fan-vibration spectra, and motor current signatures. Calls a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) tool to open a work order, reserve a slot, and order spare parts when limits are reached.

OperatorCopilotAgent — Listens to every proposal on the MCP bus and presents it in chat form. For example: “Shift Load B932 to 13:30 to avoid the peak tariff. Accept or ask why.” One tap reveals historian trends, specification clauses, and the agent’s reasoning trail, giving junior staff instant context while keeping humans in charge.

Q10. Any drawbacks or cautions with MCP?

AI and MCP will continue to be targets for cybercrime. It is important to architect any solution so that the base control and operation of equipment remain safe, even if the AI layer is breached.

At ASM Heat Treat, I will touch on some architectural solutions that can support safer AI implementations. As with anything internet-related, precautions must be taken. With AI, you also introduce the possibility of human-like imposters.

There is risk in everything we do, and everyone needs to continually assess risk versus reward. In many cases, MCP may tip the balance by providing more value than past technology solutions.

The responses in this article represent Peter Sherwin’s personal views and not necessarily those of his organization.

About The Author:

Peter Sherwin
Strategic Marketing
Watlow

Peter Sherwin is passionate about offering best-in-class solutions to the heat treatment industry. He is a chartered engineer and a recognized expert in heat treatment control and data solutions.

For more information: Contact Peter Sherwin at peter.sherwin@watlow.com.

Q&A: AI, MCP, and Heat Treat Read More »

PSW Group Opens New Semi-Solid Casting Center in Ohio

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FOUNDRY CASTING NEWS

PSW Group announced the launch of its High Integrity Diecasting Center (HIDC) at the Magretech plant in Bellevue, Ohio, a new semi-solid casting center that enables clients to trial and optimize aluminum and magnesium castings with improved quality and structural integrity. The facility uses semi-solid and high-pressure die-casting technologies to support prototyping, process development, new product introduction, and pilot-to-production scaling for clients evaluating liquid and semi-solid casting processes. The investment places semi-solid casting R&D and engineering at the core of PSW’s strategy to accelerate low-carbon, high-integrity light metal innovation.

The new center features semi-solid casting technologies, including Comptech and Rheo-Structural Systems (RSS) for aluminum and Thixotropic Piston Injection (TPI) for magnesium. Notably, HIDC is one of the few semi-solid casting centers in North America offering both aluminum and magnesium semi-solid casting alongside conventional and structural high-pressure die-casting (HPDC).

Dr. Tao Wang
Global Head of Products and Sustainability
PSW Group

“As clients demand lighter, stronger, and lower-carbon components, HIDC’s semi-solid platform unlocks quality, efficiency, and speed to market,” said Dr. Tao Wang, global head of Products and Sustainability at PSW Group. “By integrating advanced semi-solid technologies with our global R&D, we accelerate alloy development while reducing production emissions.” The HIDC gives original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Tier 1 suppliers, and die casters the ability to trial, develop, test, and optimize new aluminum and magnesium alloys and evaluate casting technologies to determine the best combination for their specific products and applications.

“The HIDC enhances our U.S. manufacturing footprint and shortens time-to-market for next-generation components,” added Dr. Wang. It’s a pivotal step in our roadmap to low-carbon, high-integrity light metal systems.”

Press release is available in its original form here.

PSW Group Opens New Semi-Solid Casting Center in Ohio Read More »

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