Aerospace
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Join them for Heat Treat Boot Camp, the perfect opportunity for those new to heat treating, and for those looking to broaden their understanding.
North America’s Premier Heat Treat Industry Training Event! Read More »
Heat Treat Today publishes eight print magazines a year and included in each is a letter from the publisher, Doug Glenn. This letter first appeared in the December 2024 Medical & Energy Heat Treat print edition.
Feel free to contact Doug at doug@heattreattoday.com if you have a question or comment.
If you’ve been thinking of sending someone, including yourself, to Heat Treat Boot Camp, this column should help motivate you to pull the trigger for 2025.
On September 23–25 of this year (2024), 40+ individuals gathered at the DoubleTree Hilton Pittsburgh Downtown and experienced the 3rd Annual Heat Treat Boot Camp together. By all measures, it was a resounding success. Here’s why.
The foundation of the event’s success is the information provided in seven different and intensive presentations by Thomas Wingens, of WINGENS CONSULTANTS — Material and Thermal Processes, and me. The presentations cover the following in language intended for newcomers to the industry:
These seven presentations are presented classroom style for a full 1.5 days and really serve as the core of the boot camp’s success. Each attendee goes home with a handy resource manual which I’ve been told by several of the attendees stays on or near their desks and is referenced weekly.
Given the fact that Heat Treat Today publishes believes people are happier and make better decisions when they are well informed, it is no surprise one of the primary reasons that the boot camp is successful is the content provided. While nearly all of Heat Treat Today’s publishes content is targeted at professionals working for in-house heat treat operations, Heat Treat Boot Camp content is one exception where the content is more specifically targeted at industry suppliers. The content is intended to help newbies to the industry gain 2+ years of industry knowledge in two days.
But it’s not just about the content.
Speaking for myself, one of the most satisfying parts of the boot camp is seeing the personal relationships that are developed and grown during the two-day event. There is a lovely mix of eager learners including a spattering of captive heat treaters (individuals from companies that do their own in-house heat treating), commercial heaters, and suppliers to the industry. The interaction between these three groups of attendees and the Heat Treat Today staff and speakers is remarkable, and according to numerous comments in the largely positive feedback forms received at the end of the event, it is one of the most beneficial aspects of the event.
Knowing that people talking to people is one of the most important things that will take place at this event, we’ve made a point to provide plenty of time for these interactions … mostly around food! Boot camp starts on a Monday evening with an opening reception with some excellent heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks. The atmosphere is casual and engaging and there are ample opportunities to meet fellow attendees.
There is also a good bit of relationship development going on during our “field trip” at the end of the first full day (Tuesday) when we jump on a school bus (yes, an actual yellow school bus!) and make our way over to one of Pittsburgh’s iconic sites, the Duquesne Incline, where we all ride the Incline to the top of Mt. Washington and literally look down on the city of Pittsburgh — one of the most spectacular sights of any city in the U.S.A.
At the end of the 1.5 days of classroom instruction, there is an optional commercial heat treat plant tour where additional networking and relationship developing takes place.
This year we did something new that also proved to be great for networking. Roughly a dozen supplier companies opted to help sponsor the event. These sponsors had small tabletop displays and the conversations around those tables during breaktimes were energetic, and from feedback comments, very productive and beneficial to both sponsor and attendee.
The dates and location of the 2025 event have not been nailed down as of this writing, but please keep your eyes open for the announcement of that information and please feel free to visit heattreatbootcamp.com. Sincerely hope to see you at the 2025 event.
Contact Doug Glenn at doug@heattreattoday.com.
Resounding Success: Heat Treat Boot Camp 2024 Read More »
Last week, Heat Treat Today wrapped up its third annual Heat Treat Boot Camp with a tour of a local commercial heat treating company, witnessing the operation of multiple vacuum furnaces, including the largest capacity vacuum furnaces in the United States.
The overall sentiment from the Heat Treat Boot Camp attendees was resounding gratefulness for and enjoyment of the visit to the 115,000 square-foot Solar Atmospheres of Western Pennsylvania facility, located in Hermitage, PA. For those newbies to the industry, it provided them the opportunity to experience a heat treat shop environment and connect what they learned during the sessions to how it looks in operation.
“Really great tour,” said Heat Treat Boot Camp attendee G. Eric Gisonno. “[I’m] so thankful to Solar and Bob Hill for spending time with us and allowing us to see them in action.”
Bob Hill, president of Solar Atmospheres, treated the 22 attendees to a comprehensive and fascinating tour which ranged from learning about the origin of the company to observing products in production process to seeing final completed parts. Attendees were in awe as they walked the floor taking in the daily production protocols. The tour concluded in front of the NEO, a vacuum oil quench furnace that earned Solar Atmospheres an accreditation from Boeing for its ability to oil quench alloy steels in accordance with Boeing’s specification BAC 5617. Those present were able to observe a part being vacuum oil quenched in real time.
Mr. Hill also provided an exclusive sneak preview of the company’s upcoming presentation, “The Future of Vacuum Oil Quenching is Now!,” which he and Trevor Jones, president of Solar Manufacturing, will deliver at the FNA 2024 show in Columbus, OH, this October.
Thanks to Bob Hill and the team at Solar Atmospheres of Western PA for their kindness and hospitality.
Main photo: Heat Treat Boot Camp attendees touring Solar Atmospheres of Western PA
Heat Treat Boot Camp Tours Solar Atmospheres’ Western PA Facility Read More »
Welcome to Heat Treat Today’s This Week in Heat Treat Social Media. We’re looking at hot summer events, hot summertime activities, and hot heat treat industry events coming soon to a social media page near you. Check out these posts, podcasts, and videos for a roundup in Heat Treat Social Media.
As you know, there is so much content available on the web that it’s next to impossible to sift through all of the articles and posts that flood our inboxes and notifications on a daily basis. So, Heat Treat Today is here to bring you the latest in compelling, inspiring, and entertaining heat treat news from the different social media venues that you’ve just got to see and read! If you have content that everyone has to see, please send the link to editor@heattreattoday.com.
This space is usually reserved for something rich and technical, but it’s summertime in the northern hemisphere and heat treating is just as essential for the proper working of items affiliated with leisure and outdoor activities as the products that make the world go round (e.g., automotive, aerospace, etc.). “Skateboarding is not just a sport; it’s an art form, a mode of transport, and a way of life for many. But did you know that the metal trucks on a skateboard—those T-shaped pieces that mount the wheels to the deck—are a product of meticulous heat treatment?” (from Bodycote on LinkedIn, November, 2023)
Check out this recent post from Bodycote laying out how critical it is to safety and experience for skateboard trucks to be heat treated with the same level of skill that it takes to execute an ollie or a shuvit.
What’s everyone been up to on the social channels?
‘Tis also the season for Registration for 2024’s industry events and social media provides an excellent platform for getting the word out. Here are some of the events taking place just in September — don’t delay! Registration is still open for all of these!
Sometimes, it’s the small things on social media that grab your attention or give you the “ah ha!” moment. And sometimes things affecting the industry in other places cause us to go “hmm.” Do any of these short posts make you say “eureka”?
You can’t read everything, we get it. Heat Treat Today is here to recommend two informative podcasts to enjoy on your daily commute!
Click through to see what Kowalski Heat Treating thinks about junk food and how that thinking gets them counting logos.
Have a great weekend!
This Week in Heat Treat Social Media Read More »
Recently, the first ever Heat Treat Boot Camp took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from October 31 to November 2. Heat treat participants networked, learned, and attended tours during the intensive, two-day training.
Instructors were Doug Glenn, publisher and founder of Heat Treat Today, and Thomas Wingens, president/CEO and founder of WINGENS International Industry Consultancy. Several of the sessions were "Heat Treat Processes & Materials," "Heat Treat Products", "End-User Products", and "Latest Heat Treat Developments." Questions and discussion were encouraged during the formal sessions, and heat treaters had plenty of informal, additional learning time through interactions with each other and the instructors.
"Personally, I really enjoyed interacting with the participants," commented Glenn. "We had an excellent cross-section of the industry represented from captive heat treaters to commercial heat treaters to industry suppliers. The interaction between individual participants was also excellent and perhaps one of the greatest benefits of attending."
Attendees visited the Duquesne Incline on Mount Washington at the end of the first day of lectures to enjoy the view of Pittsburgh (see main article image above). At the end of the training, attendees had the option to visit the Solar Atmospheres of Western PA heat treat plant, getting the chance to see the processes, parts, and markets that had been discussed during lectures.
Source: Solar Atmospheres
Heat Treat Today thanks everyone for their participation in the first-time Heat Treat Boot Camp. Plans are underway for Heat Treat Boot Camp 2023. Stay tuned for registration information; see you next year!
Find heat treating products and services when you search on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.comThank You for a Wonderful, Inaugural Heat Treat Boot Camp! Read More »
It's always a good idea to review the building blocks of the heat treat industry. In preparation for Heat Treat Boot Camp, get back to the basics to be ready for these five topics: Products, Processes, Players, Markets, and Materials. Take a look or listen to any of these 10 resources in this Technical Tuesday original content compilation to be geared up for Heat Treat Boot Camp.
See you in Pittsburgh on October 31st!
Here's a look at one type of product that is used in heat treatment processes: a mesh belt heat treatment system. This article takes a look at advancements in improving fastener quality:
1. "Mesh Belt Heat Treatment System Advancements for Automotive Fastener Production"
Learn how nitriding and ferritic nitrocarburizing processes differ in this in-depth article. Keep it simple by referring to the easy-to-understand chart within the piece:
2. "Nitriding vs. FNC"
At Heat Treat Boot Camp, the players in the industry will be discussed. Who are the movers and shakers? Here are some resources with a sampling:
3. "3 Aspirational Heat Treat Legends"
4. Heat Treat Radio #32: A Discussion with Jean-François Cloutier, Nitrex CEO
5. Heat Treat Radio #7: Former Bodycote CEO Re-Enters Heat Treat Market
The aerospace, automotive, energy, and medical markets are constantly evolving and improving. Just to keep the markets fresh in the mind, here is the latest technical item from each:
6. Aerospace. "Vacuum Gas Cooling: Pressure vs. Velocity, Part 1 of 2"
7. Automotive. "Guide To Conducting SATs According to CQI-9 4th Edition"
8. Energy. "Harnessing the Sun: A Heat Treat Case Study with General Atomics"
9. Medical. "Hot Take on HIPing"
This interview digs in to aluminum and different types of steel. A bit of a history lesson appears here too, as the raw materials are examined:
10. Heat Treat Radio #76: "Lunch & Learn with Heat Treat Today – Mill Processes and Production, Part 1"
Find heat treating products and services when you search on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.com
Back to Basics Before Heat Treat Boot Camp Read More »
Welcome to Heat Treat Today's This Week in Heat Treat Social Media. You know and we know: there is too much content available on the web, and it’s next to impossible to sift through all of the articles and posts that flood our inboxes and notifications on a daily basis. So, Heat Treat Today is here to bring you a hot take of the latest compelling, inspiring, and entertaining heat treat chatter from the world of social media.
Today, check out some posts on the convergence of EV and heat treaters, robots that can detect leaks, and algorithms that adjust temperature.
If you have content that everyone has to see, please send the link to editor@heattreattoday.com.
This August, we're seeing and hearing a lot about the convergence of heat treat and the automotive sector. In this news piece, read how EV assemblies will be able to include Canada-made products in Canada. For more on how EV will influence heat treaters, go to www.heattreattoday.com/radio on Thursday, August 11th.
Everybody talks! That's for sure. But this week, what are they talking about? For starters, the cost of furnace downtime, metallurgical definitions, leak-detecting robots, and water quenching are on the docket.
Actions speak louder than words. One company in Illinois has been acting out excellence since 1979. And if you are looking for a little action in October in the Pittsburgh area, check out Heat Treat Today's live at 2:30 PM EST to learn about a one-of-a-kind heat treat event.
Will EV be the end of heat treating in the automotive industry? Watch the video below to learn some answers to this question from the Metal Treating Institute. If you're in a listening mood, listen to this episode of Heat Treat Radio and discover some Industry 4.0 innovations for adjusting temperature.
Does it combust? Time to hear about Industry 4.0. . . again :). This time, see how this Industry 4.0 system uses algorithms to adjust temperature on Heat Treat Radio
Heat Treat Radio #77: Algorithmic Combustion Tuning with Justin Dzik and Ben Witoff at Fives. Click to –> Watch | Listen | Learn
To all the metallurgists and heat treaters out there, perhaps the metal you work with today will end up a mini-masterpiece in the hands of an electrolyte jet machining fanatic!
Have a great weekend!
This Week in Heat Treat Social Media Read More »
Twice a month, Heat Treat Today publishes an episode of Heat Treat Radio, a unique-to-the-industry podcast that covers topics in the aerospace, automotive, medical, energy, and general manufacturing industries. Each episode features an interview with an industry leader and is full of in-depth descriptions of technical content as well as heart-felt stories from industry legends. In today's Technical Tuesday, enjoy this snapshot of four episodes from Heat Treat Today's May 2022 Induction Heating print edition.
"The Heat Treat Doctor"
The HERRING GROUP, Inc.
There is a world outside the heat treating comfort zone! The heat treating world can be steel-centric, iron-centric, aluminum-centric, and natural-gas centric. What may come as a surprise to most heat treaters is heat treating is a part of a much larger industry: thermal processing. In the thermal processing industry, steel, iron, aluminum, and natural gas are less the star of the show — although they are still important. The thermal processing industry deals more with finished goods like jewelry, while the heat treating industry deals with semi-finished goods like gears and other unassembled components.
In this episode of Heat Treat Radio, Dan Herring, The Heat Treat Doctor®, takes the heat treating world out of its comfort zone and into the world of thermal processing. Learn the difference between the two terms and some surprising ways thermal processing is used — including producing mayonnaise! Also included in this episode are some interesting statistics about natural gas consumption in the U.S. and a description of calcining, an area of thermal processing.
Read the transcript, and listen to or watch the podcast here.
Bethany Leone, Heat Treat Radio editor, and Doug Glenn, publisher of Heat Treat Today, sit down to discuss Heat Treat Today's newest undertaking: Heat Treat Boot Camp. Heat Treat Boot Camp will cram 3 to 5 to 7 years of information into just a day and a half of classes. Settle into the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel & Suites in Pittsburgh Downtown the evening of Monday, October 31st for a good night’s sleep. Lectures begin the morning of November 1st and will end the afternoon of Tuesday, November 2nd. It won’t be all lectures though; there will also be soon-to-be-announced events in the Pittsburgh area.
What is the content of the lectures? Doug Glenn and Thomas Wingens of WINGENS LLC International Industry Consultancy will provide information on the heat treating industry players, products, processes, markets, and materials. If you are an industry-insider, an industry-outsider, a new employee in the industry, or an investor interested in mergers/acquisitions and feel like you need to know more about the heat treating industry, this event is for you. There is no other seminar or webinar like Heat Treat Boot Camp.
Read the transcript, and listen to or watch the podcast here.
Managing Director,
ECM-USA, Inc.
Source: ECM-USA, Inc.
Labor availability is a crucial issue in today’s heat treating shops. Are robots the solution to the ever-growing labor shortage? Dennis Beauchesne, managing director at ECM-USA, Inc. thinks mechanical arms may indeed be the solution to the lack of human arms. And robots are not replacing humans or taking away their jobs — they’re actually helping workers by doing the dull, repetitive jobs no one wants to do.
Listen to this episode of Heat Treat Radio to get up to speed on developments in robotics in heat treat. Vision recognition is a key factor in improving robots. Some heat treaters are even using robot cameras to measure distortion control on finished parts. Traceability with robots enables heat treaters to track exactly where a part was in a bin throughout the entire heat treating process. And, as Dennis puts it, robots are not just for heat treaters with a high-volume of the exact same part, because with new developments, robots can be programmed on the floor to deal with many different part shapes and sizes.
Read the transcript, and listen to or watch the podcast here.
“. . .I don’t view work as work, I view it as just a true labor of love.” In this episode of Heat Treat Radio, Doug Glenn interviews a Heat Treat Legend: Dan Herring, The Heat Treat Doctor®. Dan describes how he got his start in heat treating and manufacturing as early as six years old. Now, with six books published in the heat treating industry as well as many technical articles, Dan Herring is an easily-recognizable name. Dan is known throughout the industry as an expert problem solver who truly loves his work.
Learn advice from The Heat Treat Doctor® on how to succeed as a young person in the industry, how to contribute to science, and the first lesson of business: Be honest. Tune in to hear more words of wisdom from Dan about work-life balance, living in the moment, and having infinite patience.
Read the transcript, and listen to or watch the podcast here.
Heat Treat Radio Review Read More »