Allegheny Technologies Incorporated

15 Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

15 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

  • Leroy M. Ball has recently been appointed to the Board of Directors at Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI). Ball, 50, is president and CEO of Koppers Holdings Inc.
  • Heat Treat Today 2018 40 Under 40 recipient Matt Clinite of Ipsen USA has recently been promoted from Midwest Regional Sales Owner to Customer Service Sales Manager, effective immediately. Clinite joined the company in June 2014 as a Sales Engineer.
  • Vesuvius plc recently announced that it has acquired CCPI Inc., a specialty refractories producer focused on tundish (steel continuous casting) applications and aluminum. Based in Ohio, CCPI will become part of Vesuvius’ Advanced Refractories business unit.
  • Gasbarre has announced that the company will no longer be using the J.L. Becker name, but instead, are transitioning to its new name, Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems. Thermal Processing Systems is one of the three new business units that now comprise Gasbarre Products, Inc. The other two units are Powder Compaction Solutions and Manufacturing Technologies.
  • Marisa A. Oeltjen has been added to the Bluestreak I Bright AM™  team as customer success support specialist. Ryan Wenzel, working from Bluestreak I Bright AM™’s Northeast Ohio location, serves as a database analyst and key member of the tech support group.
  • Howard Kimberley has joined Aeromet International as Chief Executive Officer. Kimberley has extensive experience in the aerospace industry including senior executive positions at GKN and Hampson Industries, and most recently as CEO of international aerospace group Shimtech since its formation in 2011.
  • Abbott Furnace Company recently announced it will be hosting its Fifth Annual Continuous Brazing Symposium in Mexico this spring in Puebla, Mexico from May 21 – 23, 2019.

  • Equipment Chatter

  • A European manufacturer of investment castings for the medical industry recently purchased a gas-fired pusher furnace from Armil CFS, Inc. The 2-row pusher furnace will be used for the burnout and pre-heating of investment casting molds.
  • A midwestern facility of a US-based manufacturer of safety-critical fasteners and assembly solutions has purchased a new MB48-120 mesh belt furnace from AFC-Holcroft, replacing an older AFC-Holcroft installation. The new mesh belt furnace will be used in the production of metal fasteners.
  • Several orders have been met by SECO/WARWICK for various equipment and systems: 1) An American manufacturer of flat rolled aluminum sheet recently added a new SECO/WARWICK sow and T-bar preheat furnace system 2) The main producer of forgings in Central Europe for strategic markets recently invested in a single-chamber furnace type PEK. 3) A manufacturer of high quality matrix forgings, construction connectors and manual tools purchased a CaseMaster AFS – a multipurpose Sealed Quench chamber furnace, intended for thermal and thermo-chemical treatment in a controlled endothermic atmosphere.  4) SECO/WARWICK provided an additional atmosphere generator system to a supplier of engineered carbon and graphite solutions for severe service lubrication applications in the aerospace, petrochemical, energy, industrial, and defense sectors. 5) The company updated and simultaneously extended a box furnace’s productive longevity for a leading international participant in the field of precious metals and advanced materials. 
  • Lindberg/MPH announced the shipment of a single-zone tube furnace to an engineering company in the nuclear power industry.

Kudos Chatter

U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (PA) meets with Onex Inc and members of NWIRC
  • U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (PA) recently met with Onex Inc and members of NWIRC with the purpose of hearing firsthand from Onex employees about NIST MEP’s impact on Pennsylvania’s manufacturing industry.
  • Dana Incorporated‘s motor and inverter joint venture, TM4, recently announced it has reached a major milestone with the production of its 12,000th TM4 SUMO™ electric powertrain for buses and commercial vehicles in China.
  • For the ninth time, The Timken Company, a world leader in engineered bearings and power transmission products, has been recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. Ethisphere Institute is a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices.

 

Special Mention

On Valentine’s Day, Thermcraft lost its founder, Mr. Morris L. Crafton, at 93. In 1971, Mr. Crafton and his wife Clara founded Thermcraft on the principle of providing the best customer service available in the thermal processing industry.

Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, Mr. Crafton grew up in North Carolina and served in the US Navy during WWII, and then after college, he was called again to serve his country during the Korean War. After his military service, Mr. Crafton  moved his family to Washington, PA, where he ran a popcorn business and, in time, became a partner in a business that manufactured replacement heating elements for industrial and laboratory furnaces.

After returning to North Carolina, he decided to start his own company. With the full support of his wife Clara, they secured a small warehouse in downtown Winston Salem and began making replacement heating elements for industrial and laboratory furnace applications.

Thermcraft was moved to its current facility in 1979, just a few miles south to the edge of Winston Salem. Through new product development and various acquisitions, the Craftons began to grow Thermcraft into the company it is today.

Mr. Crafton lost Clara to cancer in 1995. He eventually turned the reigns of Thermcraft over to his son Tom, but that didn’t stop Mr. Crafton from being involved in the day-to-day business. He continued to drive himself to work well into his 92nd year, making mail runs and performing various other tasks. He enjoyed a daily walk through the factory, talking to his employees and staying on top of what was going on within his company.

Mr. Crafton will be missed by all who knew him. He will be remembered as a strong leader who was kind and generous to those around him. He had a great sense-of-humor and often left those he met with the saying, “glad you got to see me.”

“We are certainly glad we had the opportunity to meet you, Mr. Crafton,” is the sentiment of all at Thermcraft.

Heat Treat Today offers its condolences to the family of Mr. Morris Crafton and the team at Thermcraft.

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.

 

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Carbon Steel Hot-Rolling Conversion Agreement Reached

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

A global manufacturer of technically advanced specialty materials and complex components recently signed an agreement with a leading steel company to provide carbon steel hot-rolling conversion services.

Bob Wetherbee, ATI’s CEO-Designate and current Executive Vice President, Flat-Rolled Products Group

Allegheny Technologies Incorporated will perform these services for NLMK USA at its world-class Hot-Rolling and Processing Facility, or HRPF, in Brackenridge, Pennsylvania. Slab shipments to ATI will begin immediately and increase to anticipated production levels in the first quarter of 2019. This agreement covers conversion services through December 2019.

“We are pleased to announce this agreement with an innovative partner like NLMK USA. They truly understand the value proposition provided by our HRPF and the benefits that it can bring to their end customers,” said Bob Wetherbee, ATI’s CEO-Designate and current Executive Vice President, Flat-Rolled Products Group. “This agreement provides ATI with guaranteed fee-per-ton volumes and significantly increases the asset utilization at our world-class HRPF. This incremental volume benefits all HRPF-produced products. We look forward to working with NLMK on additional growth opportunities.”

Bob Miller, Chief Executive Officer, NLMK USA

“NLMK USA is pleased to enter into this agreement with ATI. It expands our ability to supply the high-quality materials that US manufacturers demand. Due to its immense power and unique capabilities, ATI’s HRPF enables us to increase the breadth of our product portfolio to better complement the products produced at our Sharon, Pennsylvania, and Portage, Indiana, facilities,” stated Bob Miller, Chief Executive Officer, NLMK USA. “We were attracted to the HRPF’s capabilities and its close proximity to many of our strategic customers. ATI and NLMK were able to structure a win-win agreement that will ultimately benefit NLMK’s end customers by providing high-quality and distinctive carbon flat-rolled products at competitive prices.”

 

Carbon Steel Hot-Rolling Conversion Agreement Reached Read More »

A Dozen Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

 

A 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

  • Italy-based ICMI Forni Industriali has installed and launched its third heat treatment chamber furnace. The company specializes in the design and construction of plants for heat treatment and heating. The furnace has an internal dimension of approximately 7 ft 10 in x 7 ft 10 in x 7 ft 3 in (2,400 x 2,400 x 2.220 m), and can load a weight up to 3 tonnes.
  • A Southbridge, Massachusetts, heat treating company recently received approval of a tax deal from the town council for the expansion of space and equipment of its facility. Hardline Heat Treating Inc. manufactures thermal processing units and lines for the automotive and firearms industries and hopes this expansion will open up the aerospace market.
  • US Representative Mike Kelly (PA District 3) recently toured Solar Atmospheres of Western PA. The congressman, a leading supporter to small business, was able to observe and hear firsthand how tax reform has influenced Solar’s future and was extremely pleased to hear how the tax reform bills that he supported have spurred tremendous private investment and job creation within the Hermitage PA facility. Congressman Kelly stated, “I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Solar Atmospheres in Hermitage last week. It is truly a world-class facility that I’m proud to represent right here in the Shenango Valley. It was fascinating to learn more about what they are producing, and just as importantly, how they are producing it. I was particularly glad to speak with Solar’s dedicated professionals about the specific policies I can support to help them thrive in our community, including tax reform and the revival of the Export Import Bank.”
  • Robert S. Wetherbee has been appointed by the Board of Directors of Allegheny Technologies Incorporated to become ATI’s President and Chief Executive Officer effective January 1, 2019, succeeding Richard J. Harshman as ATI’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Harshman will remain Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer until January 1, 2019, following which he will continue to serve as Executive Chairman of the Board until his retirement in conjunction with ATI’s May 9, 2019, Annual Meeting. The Board has elected Diane C. Creel, who has served as ATI’s Lead Independent Director since 2011, to become Board Chair effective immediately following Mr. Harshman’s May 2019 retirement. Wetherbee will also join the ATI Board.
  • Thomas Kubera has been named to the position of Chief Financial Officer with SIFCO Industries, Inc., effective August 7, 2018. Kubera has been with the Company since May 2014.
  • Jennifer Howe was recently hired by Michigan-based Premier Thermal Solutions as Regional Sales Manager, responsible for all aspects of sales within her territory of Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Canada.

Equipment Chatter

  • A Midwestern engine manufacturer recently received an electric box furnace for the purpose of heat treating larger structures and running batches of multiple parts. The furnace is in use for hardening and annealing of many varieties of components. L&L Special Furnace Co, Inc., supplied the 22″W x by 18″H x 22″D unit, which has an alloy fan that provides uniformity (±10°F) from 300°F to 1,800°F. The alloy roller hearth and movable load table allow for larger heavy parts to be easily moved in and out of the furnace manually.
  • A 250°F (121°C), special electrically heated oven (No. 861), sold by Grieve Corporation, has been installed for drying small parts in a tray at an unnamed customer’s facility.

Kudos Chatter

  • ASM International recently announced a new entity, the ASM Materials Solutions Network, “to serve as an extension of [ASM]’s R&D capacity by leveraging the ASM network to provide collaborative and scalable solutions.” Announced at the AeroMat Conference in May 2018, the network serves multiple industries including Aerospace, Automotive, Oil & Gas, Materials Processes, and Medical Devices. Founding Provider Members have been announced: Battelle, ESi, Granta, IMR Test Labs, NSL Analytic Services Inc., QuesTek Innovations, Solar Atmospheres. In addition, Parker Hannifin Corporation officially became the Founding Client Member of ASM’s Materials Solutions Network.
  • A global manufacturer of engineered fasteners, shims and installation equipment has announced that two of its manufacturing facilities have recently been certified to IATF 16949:2016: SPIROL Industries in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, which manufactures roll formed tubular products including dowel bushings, spring dowels, ground hollow dowels, compression limiters and spacers; and SPIROL International Corp. in Stow, Ohio, which manufactures disc springs, precision shims, custom washers and spacers.  In addition to IATF 16949, SPIROL Ohio also holds AS9100 Rev D (aerospace) and NADCAP (aerospace and defense) quality system certifications.
  • Twelve teachers from across North America, including one from Canada, and three Temple University students were hosted by Solar Atmospheres Inc. at its Souderton, Pennsylvania, facility as part of their participation in the ASM International Teachers’ Camp. The camp was sponsored by the ASM Philadelphia Liberty Bell Chapter and was located at Temple University’s Ambler campus where participants spent a week learning the basics of Materials Science Technology (MST) as taught at the high school level. For its part, Solar Atmospheres gave a brief overview of vacuum heat treating furnaces, processes, and metallurgy pertinent to the teachers’ curriculum, followed by a tour of the facility.

 

 

In Memoriam . . . 

Professor Hans Tensi, formerly of the Technical University of Munich, recently died following a lengthy illness. As related by George Totten of GE Totten and Associates, “As all of you know, Professor Tensi made vital, influential and lasting contributions to the fundamental understanding of quenching technology as we understand it today. Much of his work and that of his contemporaries has been memorialized in Theory and Technology of Quenching, an authoritative handbook co-edited by B. Liscic, H.M. Tensi, and W. Luty. . . . Prof. Tensi was recognized for his numerous contributions by his election as a Fellow of ASM International and the International Federation for Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering (IFHTSE). Professor Tensi is survived by his wife Ingrid, his son Thomas, and his three grandchildren Elina, Nelia and Jannis.”

Read here Joe Powell’s reflection on the role Professor Tensi played in the development of the heat treating metallurgy industry.

 

 

 

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 Dozen Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current Read More »

Specialty Materials Invests in Aerospace Iso-Thermal Forging, Heat Treat Capacity

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

A global manufacturer of technically advanced specialty materials and complex components recently announced investment toward its iso-thermal forging and heat treating capacities to satisfy growing demand from the aerospace jet engine market.

CEO of Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI), Rich Harshman, CEO of Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI), announcing the expansion of ATI’s iso-thermal forging and heat treating capacities to satisfy growing demand from the aerospace jet engine market.  Photo credit: Tony Bettack, WTMJ, Twitter

Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will self-fund approximately $95 million, representing two projects: a fourth iso-thermal press and expansion of heat treat capacity. Both will take place at the company’s iso-thermal forging center in Cudahy, Wisconsin. ATI expects the projects to be completed in 2020 and fully qualify for aerospace-related production.

“We continue to invest in our advanced forging capabilities in support of our aerospace customer’s ramp-up of next-generation jet engine production. Once completed and fully qualified, this critical growth project will enable us to meet the increasing production requirements for existing long-term agreements with our engine OEM partners,” said Rich Harshman, ATI’s chairman, president, and CEO. “Iso-thermal is the most technologically advanced forging method available today and ATI’s ongoing leadership in this area is further solidified by this significant investment.”

“This investment, along with our recent nickel-based superalloy powder expansion in Monroe, NC, will enable the High-Performance Materials and Components (HPMC) segment to meet its longer-term financial goals by increasing our capacity to produce technologically advanced powder-to-iso-thermally-forged jet engine components,” said John Sims, Executive Vice President, HPMC Segment.

 

Specialty Materials Invests in Aerospace Iso-Thermal Forging, Heat Treat Capacity 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 Changes and Moves

  • Super Systems Europe recently announced that Rob Wilcox has joined the sales and engineering team, where he will also operate as a general consultant to help commercial and captive heat treaters improve the quality and efficiency of the entire operation, covering the UK and Ireland.
  • Brian Robbins, CEO of MidWest Materials, has been named Steel Man of the Year by the Association of Steel Distributors. "I am honored to be chosen for this prestigious award. My family has been associated with the steel industry for more than 65 years, and it is humbling to follow in the footsteps of my grandfather, Joseph Koppelman, founder of MidWest Materials, who was one of the earliest members of the ASD and served as its president 50 years ago," said Robbins, who served as president of ASD from March 2014 to April 2016. He led the association’s effort to rebuild the steel manufacturing sector by encouraging young talent to join the industry.
  • Ryan Kelly recently rejoined the team at Advanced Heat Treat Corp. (AHT) where he will be leading all quality initiatives as a senior quality specialist.
  • Senior Vice President Douglas Matthews has assumed day-to-day operations of Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel’s Tubular division. He replaces David J. Rintoul, who retired to become the president and CEO of GrafTech, a graphite company that supplies technology to the steel industry.

  • Dana Incorporated announced the election of two more members to its board of directors: Michael J. Mack, who recently retired from Deere & Co., where he had served as chief financial officer; president of the company's Worldwide Construction & Forestry Division; and most recently as group president of John Deere Financial Services, Global Human Resources, and Public Affairs; and Diarmuid B. O'Connell, who spent the last 11 years at Tesla, most recently as vice president of business development.
  • International Thermal Systems (ITS) recently announced Tom Stricker as the new president. Stricker joined ITS in 2015 as the general manager of the Metal Packaging and Parts Washer product groups and brings more than 20 years of professional experience to his new role.
  • Herbert J. “Hawk” Carlisle has been elected to the Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI) board of directors. General Carlisle is president and CEO of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) and is a retired four-star general from the United States Air Force (USAF).

Equipment Transactions

  • A supplier of the battery industry received shipment of a nine tube gas-fired immersion tube lead melting and holding furnace from Lindberg/MPH, to be used in the production of lead plates for automotive batteries. The furnace has over 28,000 square inches of heat transfer area for efficient heating of the metal without super heating and the resulting metal losses. In addition, Lindberg/MPH announced the shipment of a three-zone tube furnace to an American University with a footprint which makes it ideal for research facilities with limited space. The maximum temperature rating for this tube furnace is 2012°F.
  • Ipsen recently designed and built a vertical, high-pressure quenching furnace, complete with twin cooling systems and a work volume of 350 cubic feet. During the testing phase, the furnace quenched with 1,000 horsepower (.75 megawatts) – a remarkable achievement that began as an idea just months prior.
  • An aviation engine repair services facility located in the western region of the United States recently received shipment of two vacuum furnaces from Solar Manufacturing. The customer witnessed full testing at Solar Manufacturing and approved shipment in late 2017. Both new furnaces are tailored specifically to fit the needs of aerospace engine component repair processing to the aerospace specification AMS2750E and incorporate the new SolarVac® 5000 supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA). The system provides gas quench rate control utilizing a variable frequency drive and precise temperature control from ambient to 2400° F (1316° C) utilizing digital power trimming technology.
  • An aluminum manufacturer received shipment of two electrically heated standard horizontal aluminum quench systems from Wisconsin Oven Corp., of East Troy, Wisconsin. The systems guarantee temperature uniformity of ±10°F at 775°F and 1075°F, ensuring that the furnaces meet AMS 2750E, Class 2 furnaces and Instrumentation Type C requirements. Each system is designed to heat 1000 pounds of aluminum to a 950°F operating temperature.

Accreditations, Certifications, Patents, and More

  • MedAccred has recognized Solar Atmospheres of Western PA for its commitment to continual improvement in medical device heat treat and brazing quality. In receiving the prestigious MedAccred Heat Treating accreditation, Solar Atmospheres has become only the eighth plant internationally and the fifth plant domestically to receive this certification.
  • H.C. Starck recently announced that it has received the certification for processing of “conflict-free” tantalum raw materials the seventh year in a row. The audit included the H.C. Starck Tantalum and Niobium GmbH subsidiary and the H.C. Starck Smelting GmbH & Co. KG associated company. This means all subsidiaries that process tantalum at the Goslar, Mito, Tokyo, Map Ta Phut, and Laufenburg locations remain certified. The audit was performed by the independent company SGS, acting on behalf of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA, formerly Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition EICC) and the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP formerly Conflict-Free Smelter Program) as part of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI, formerly CFSI).

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PA, Wash to See Increased Titanium Heat Treat Activity

/ FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS, TITANIUM PROCESSING NEWS

Rich Harshman, ATI’s chairman, president, and CEO

A Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of specialty materials and complex components predominantly for aerospace & defense industries recently signed two new long-term pricing agreements (LTPAs) with General Dynamics (GD) Land Systems, a supply chain network provider for the U.S. military and its allies, based in Richland, Washington, to be the preferred supplier of titanium plate for the Abrams tank (United States) and the AJAX specialist vehicle (United Kingdom).

Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI) will begin production of titanium products at its melt facility in Richland and will complete it at ATI’s specialty plate facility in Washington, Pennsylvania.

“We are pleased to enter into these agreements with GD Land Systems, marking the beginning of a new relationship with this strategic global customer,” said Rich Harshman, ATI’s chairman, president, and CEO. “ATI is forging a strong technology connection with GD and together we are developing specialty materials and components for improved protection and light-weighting of next-generation military vehicles.”

“Revenue from these LTPAs will total approximately $75 million combined over the contract periods. This marks a significant increase in the Flat-Rolled Products segment’s strategic aerospace and defense market sales, which are an integral part of our ongoing portfolio transformation toward more high-value products,” said Bob Wetherbee, executive vice president, Flat-Rolled Products Group.

Bob Wetherbee, executive vice president, Flat Rolled Products Group

The Abrams LTPA runs through 2019 while the AJAX LTPA runs through 2021.

 

PA, Wash to See Increased Titanium Heat Treat Activity Read More »

Pipeline Repair Project to Use ATI’s Nickel-Based Alloy Product

/ ENERGY HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS

Bob Wetherbee, executive vice president, ATI Flat Rolled Products Group

A Pittsburgh-based, global manufacturer of technically advanced specialty materials and complex components recently announced that it has been selected to supply the nickel-based alloy product for a large oil pipeline project. Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI) expects to begin shipping during the first quarter 2018.

“This oil pipeline repair project required an immediate replacement. The customer selected our innovative solution that is enabled by the capabilities of our Hot-Rolling and Processing Facility (HRPF), which features the industry’s shortest production cycle time for nickel-based alloy flat-rolled products,” said Bob Wetherbee, executive vice president, ATI Flat Rolled Products Group.

Pipeline Repair Project to Use ATI’s Nickel-Based Alloy Product Read More »

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