Manufacturing Heat Treat News

18 News Chatter To Keep You Current

Heat Treat Today offers News Chatter, a feature highlighting representative moves, transactions, and kudos from around the industry. Enjoy these 18 news items.


Equipment

  1. Saarstahl expands its production with an alternate current-electric arc furnace (AC-EAF) supplied by SMS group.
  2. A Class A safety oven equipped with a solvent monitor and roll-in rack, meeting the stringent safety requirements of industries working with volatile materials, was recently shipped by industrial and laboratory ovens manufacturer Blue M
  3. A manufacturer in the defense industry has received shipment of a gas-fired walk-in batch oven from Wisconsin Oven Corporation, to be used for curing filament wound composite materials.

Company & Personnel

  1. Sean Patrick Murphy has been named product manager for laboratory and R&D furnaces at Centorr Vacuum Industries. He will be responsible for representing over 30 different vacuum furnace product lines to national laboratories, universities, and industrial sectors.
  2. Charles (Charlie) Caldwell joins the team at Solar Atmospheres of Michigan Inc. as the quality manager for its new facility in Chesterfield.
  3. Steel Goode Products LLC (SGP), a thermal spray specialist, has recently been acquired by Aalberts N.V., a provider of thermal spray coating and finishing services. The acquisition includes two operating facilities in Texas and one in Ohio.
  4. The Wirco, Inc, team recently announced Chris Robbins as the new director of business development and Chad Kumfer to the position of director of sales.
  5. Daniel Sonnenberg joins Nitrex Heat Treating Services as the new business development lead for North America. Daniel will focus on identifying and cultivating relationships with potential customers. His goal is to foster trust and drive growth by building enduring partnerships that deliver sustained value over time.
  6. Dave Deiwart has begun a new position as president at Tracer Gas Technologies, based in Yorktown, Indiana. This follows a brief retirement after 35 years of providing leak detection and vacuum application support and training. Dave’s new focus will be on providing training and consulting.
  7. Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser AS, a fully owned subsidiary of Nel ASA, has been awarded a grant from the EU Innovation Fund of up to EUR 135 million (over $145.4M USD) for industrialization of its next-generation pressurized alkaline technology. The technology is currently being prototyped, and the potential industrialization is planned at Herøya, Norway.
  8. OTTO JUNKER GmbH, system providers for metallurgic processes and metal refinement, recently announced that the new business division OTTO JUNKER Solutions, which was established in late 2023, will be further expanded. The company’s focus will be on the development and implementation of green technologies. The new division is headed by R&D expert Tobias Mertens.

Kudos

  1. Constellium SE has received the Supplier of the Year Award from Stellantis, recognized for its overall best-in-class performance as a long-time partner.
  2. Gary Sharp, founder of Advanced Heat Treat Corp, has been honored with the Legends of Manufacturing Award at the Iowa Manufacturing Conference.
  3. Global Thermal Systems (GTS) Mexico’s pyrometry laboratories recently completed the reaccreditation process in the ISO/IEC 17025 standard.
  4. Rex Heat Treat has achieved its fourth consecutive merit-status Nadcap certification under the leadership of Conner Popo, quality assurance manager, and Vindon Griffin, technical services manager. 
  5. Aalberts surface technologies Dzierżoniów recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. Through acquisition and expansion, the company has grown from 16 employees in 2014 to a current team of over 90 employees, serving the automotive, aerospace, power, fasteners, agriculture, and mining sectors.
  6. The Metal Treating Institute (MTI) recently celebrated its 2024 YES Management Training Program graduates at the final reception of Furnaces North America (FNA) 2024.
  7. Bennett Heat Treating & Brazing Co. received the 2024 Master Craftsman Award, also known as the Heat Treater of the Year Award, at the Metal Treating Institute’s Final Night Dinner & Awards Ceremony following FNA 2024. The award was announced by Doug Glenn, publisher of Heat Treat Today along with a scholarship check for the heat treater to bestow upon a deserving young student going into heat treat.

Find Heat Treating Products And Services When You Search On Heat Treat Buyers Guide.Com

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FNA Week in Heat Treat Social Media

Welcome to a special edition of Heat Treat Today’s This Week in Heat Treat Social Media. We’ve discovered a furnace-full collection of posts that document the excitement of the past week at Furnaces North America (FNA). From the arrival of booth materials to the final speech at the MTI awards ceremony, they’re all here: check out these posts and videos for a roundup of FNA and heat treat social media.

As you know, there is so much content available on the web that it’s next to impossible to sift through all of the articles and posts that flood our inboxes and notifications on a daily basis. So, Heat Treat Today is here to bring you the latest in compelling, inspiring, and entertaining heat treat news from the different social media venues that you’ve just got to see and read! If you have content that everyone has to see, please send the link to editor@heattreattoday.com.


1. Lightening the Pre-Show Heavy Lifting

A good show is more than just what happens from curtain rise to curtain fall. Whether it’s a play on the stage or a trade show in a convention hall, there is a lot of work that goes into setting up and tearing down . . . sometimes back-breaking work. The advent of 3D printing has made that task a little easier, and ironically, at FNA 2024, that means models set out for display were processed with 3D printing to preserve the look of metal while making it easy for team to carry to the floor. Thanks to Sarah Jordan for bringing this post to the web.

2. Kudos and Awards from Beginning to End

We love it when social media is full of the faces of the heat treat industry, and this week is no exception. We found individual recognition posts, the celebration of Heat Treat Today’s 40 Under 40, and the Metal Treating Institute‘s honorees at the awards ceremony on the last night of the show.

Look these posts up on LinkedIn here: Dave Deiwert; JUMO Process Control; Paulo Heat Treating; Brazing and Metal Finishing; Solar Atmospheres, Inc.; and Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems.

3. Presenting . . .

Eyes and ears were open and trained on all that’s new in heat treating presented at FNA 2024, whether in technical sessions; impromptu, on-the-floor demonstrations; or new product reveals.

Look these posts up on LinkedIn here: Carlos Torres; Solar Atmospheres, Inc.; SAFECHEM; and Nitrex.

4. Sparkling Shoes and Aching Feet

‘Nuff said.

Look these posts up on LinkedIn here: Christina Tiell and Heather Falcone.

5. The Camera Turned on Us

What does Heat Treat Today do when at FNA? Here’s the link to the reel.

Look this post up on LinkedIn here.

Hope to see you next year at ASM Heat Treat Show and the year after at FNA 2026!


Find Heat Treating Products and Services When You Search on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.com

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Plibrico Opens New Refractory Production Facility

Plibrico, a manufacturer and installer of superior aluminosilicate and high alumina monolithic refractories, has expanded its footprint with the grand opening and dedication of its new state-of-the-art production facility in Oak Hill, Ohio. The company’s refractories are used in a variety of heat treating applications, and the new plant will enhance technology and production capacity.

Brad Taylor
President & CEO
Plibrico

Plibrico celebrated the occasion with a two-day GO LIVE Showcase, which included in attendance Shane Wilkin, Ohio State Senator; Samuel Brady, president and CEO of Economic Development Partnership of Jackson County; and Paul McNeal, mayor of Oak Hill. In addition to the dedication ceremony and training sessions, attendees received a behind-the-scenes tour of the company’s new refractory production facility. The event also featured discussions on innovation, growth, and development in the refractory industry.

“This facility represents more than just bricks and mortar,” said Brad Taylor, president and CEO of Plibrico, in his welcome address. “It symbolizes our dedication to innovation, growth, and a higher standard of excellence that we bring to our industry every day.”

Main photo: Brad Taylor, President and CEO of Plibrico, ribbon cutting to celebrate opening of new refractory production facility in Oak Hill, Ohio / Source: Plibrico

The press release is available in its original form here.



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Heat Treat Economic Indicators: October 2024 Results

The four heat treat industry-specific economic indicators have been gathered by Heat Treat Today each month since June 2023. Last month, suppliers were split between anticipated growth and no change or contraction. This month, the four economic indicators are all reflecting anticipated contraction.

The numbers, which were compiled in the first week of October, show that responding parties expect the economy to experience contraction in all the four indices. In three of the four, the numbers change by more than 5 points from growth or no change to contraction. For anticipated health of the manufacturing economy, suppliers anticipate contraction, although in an improved range.

The results from this month’s survey (October) are as follows; numbers above 50 indicate growth, numbers below 50 indicate contraction, and the number 50 indicates no change:

  • Anticipated change in Number of Inquiries from September to October: 44.6
  • Anticipated change in Value of Bookings from September to October: 44.8
  • Anticipated change in Size of Backlog from September to October: 42.9
  • Anticipated change in Health of the Manufacturing Economy from September to October: 43.8

Data for October 2024

The four index numbers are reported monthly by Heat Treat Today and made available on the website. 

Heat Treat Today’s Economic Indicators measure and report on four heat treat industry indices. Each month, approximately 800 individuals who classify themselves as suppliers to the North American heat treat industry receive the survey. Above are the results. Data started being collected in June 2023. If you would like to participate in the monthly survey, please click here to subscribe.



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Parts Distortion: How To Predict It and How To Account for It

Source: Paulo

No matter the craft, disappointment is inevitable when the end result doesn’t turn out as planned. But in heat treatment, distortion is more than just a disappointment, it could contribute to weakness in a component, putting lives at risk. The industry can be credited for its commitment to determining the causes and manners in which parts distort and how to eliminate the risk.

Today’s best of the web article examines the inevitability of distortion in heat treating and demonstrates how to predict changes in size and shape of parts during processing, acknowledging that “maintaining dimensional accuracy is essential, especially for mission-critical and safety-critical components with the tightest tolerances.”

An Excerpt:

“Every part you heat treat will have some degree of ‘ballooning’ and distortion, but there are ways to predict how much your parts will deform. Knowing how your parts will change during heat treatment allows you to account for that change in the design of the part and, in a perfect world, avoid an additional round of machining after heat treatment.”

Read the entire article from Paulo by clicking here: “How Much Distortion To Expect in Heat Treating”


Find Heat Treating Products And Services When You Search On Heat Treat Buyers Guide.Com


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Sanbao Group Boosts Heat Treatment Capabilities with 3 Annealing and Coating Lines

Steelmaker Sanbao Group has expanded its heat treatment operations with three annealing and coating lines for non-grain oriented (NGO) silicon steel. The equipment enhancement is part of the company’s entry into the field of silicon steel production.

Sanbao contracted with Tenova LOI Thermprocess, an industrial furnace supplier, for the heat treatment furnaces intended for processing metals. Two electric arc furnaces (EAF) previously supplied by Tenova Group have been installed and put into operation.

A signing ceremony was held at the headquarters of Sanbao Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., in Zhangzhou, China, as part of the company’s “Cold rolled Silicon Steel and Metal Products Deep Processing Project”, a new greenfield project for electrical steel that aims to obtain the highest surface quality and best magnetic properties in NGO electrical steel for Southeast China.

Sascha Bothen
Senior Vice President of Sales
Tenova LOI Thermprocess
Source: LinkedIn

“Tenova and Sanbao have already collaborated successfully establishing Tenova’s Consteel® technology and the successful references of Tenova LOI Thermprocess in the heat treatment of electrical steel and great efforts in the research & development in this sector fully convinced us to this investment,” stated Wang Guangwen, chairman of Sanbao Group.

“It was a great honor for us to participate in the signing ceremony of the Sanbao Group in Zhangzhou, which emphasizes their trust in our technology,” stated Sascha Bothen, senior vice president sales, Tenova LOI Thermprocess. “We are proud to further strengthen the cooperation and work together to help propel forward the green energy transition in the steel industry.”

Included in the featured image: Wang Guangwen, chairman of Sanbao Group; Dong Guibo, vice general manager of Sanbao Group; Sascha Bothen, senior vice president of sales, Tenova LOI Thermprocess; and Wolfgang Eggert, general sales manager, Tenova LOI Thermprocess.

The press release is available in its original form here.



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American Isostatic Presses, Inc., Increases Heat Treating Footprint in Ohio

An isostatic press manufacturer based in Columbus, Ohio, has expanded its operations facility to increase its heat treating capacity and technological capabilities.

Amercian Isostatic Presses, Inc., which manufactures temperature and pressure products, including hot isostatic pressing (HIP), cold isostatic pressing (CIP), warm isostatic pressing (WIP), SinterHIPs, vacuum furnaces, and other equipment and accessories, serves the aerospace, automotive, energy, defense, and medical sectors.


Hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) is most commonly used in the medical and aerospace industries. The HIPing process is a high pressure, high temperature technique that can be used for both composite materials and powder metals. HIPing results in the decreased porosity in parts and a densification in powder metals.

HIPing is in an autoclave style furnace, where parts are exposed to high temperatures and high gas pressure and later cooled. Parts made of tool steel, duplex, martensitic, and austenitic stainless steels, nickel-based alloys, cobalt-based alloys, titanium and even some carbon steels are frequently HIPed. The combination of temperature and pressure reduces the part’s porosity while maintaining its original shape. Decreased porosity gives the finished component part increased mechanical properties.

Read more about HIPing at Heat Treat Today’s Resources page.

The press release is available in its original form here.



American Isostatic Presses, Inc., Increases Heat Treating Footprint in Ohio Read More »

Heat Treat Economic Indicators: September 2024 Results

The four heat treat industry-specific economic indicators have been gathered by Heat Treat Today each month since June 2023. Last month, suppliers had anticipated most indicators to grow. This month, the four economic indicators are split between anticipated growth and no change or contraction.

The numbers, which were compiled in the first week of September, show that responding parties expect the economy to experience growth in two of the four indices, in the number of inquiries and value of bookings. Anticipation for growth in backlog size is neutral, and suppliers anticipate contraction in health of the manufacturing economy.

The results from this month’s survey (September) are as follows; numbers above 50 indicate growth, numbers below 50 indicate contraction, and the number 50 indicates no change:

  • Anticipated change in Number of Inquiries from August to September: 54.0
  • Anticipated change in Value of Bookings from August to September: 51.5
  • Anticipated change in Backlog Size from August to September: 50.0
  • Anticipated change in Health of the Manufacturing Economy from August to September: 41.4

Data for September 2024

The four index numbers are reported monthly by Heat Treat Today and made available on the website. 

Heat Treat Today’s Economic Indicators measure and report on four heat treat industry indices. Each month, approximately 800 individuals who classify themselves as suppliers to the North American heat treat industry receive the survey. Above are the results. Data started being collected in June 2023. If you would like to participate in the monthly survey, please click here to subscribe.


Find heat treating products and services when you search on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.com


Heat Treat Economic Indicators: September 2024 Results Read More »

Volkan Steels Expands Production Capabilities With Nitriding/Nitrocarburizing System

A tool supplier has boosted its production capabilities with the installation of a new nitriding/nitrocarburizing system, expanding its heat treatment services with a large-capacity batch furnace to perform advanced nitriding, nitrocarburizing, and post-oxidation treatments.

Belgin Mert
General Manager
Volkan Steels
Source: kalypdunyasi

Volkan Steels Powders Metal San. Tic ve Ltd. Şti. (V’Steels) acquired the nitriding/nitrocarburizing system from North American furnace manufacturer Nitrex to match the company’s current production capacity and to accommodate future expansion. The Nitrex turnkey system has a 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) capacity for processing tooling loads, including aluminum extrusion dies, die-casting dies, forging dies, and plastic injection molding dies, for industries such as energy, petrochemistry, defense, and maritime.

“Our heat treatment services, which began in 2023, have been strengthened by our recent investment in a Nitrex furnace. This enhancement allows us to comprehensively meet the heat treatment needs of our long-standing business partners in the tool steel industry, enabling them to achieve higher performance,” said Belgin Mert, general manager of V’Steels.

Utku Inan
Nitrex Sales Representative in Türkiye
BDI
Source: Nitrex

“The decision to integrate a Nitrex system was influenced by the expertise of the V’Steels team, several members of whom have prior experience with Nitrex from their previous roles. Our strong relationship and the team’s deep understanding of Nitreg® technologies made this an easy choice,” said Utku Inan of BDI Metal, Nitrex sales representative in Türkiyee. “We managed the installation and startup seamlessly, ensuring optimal performance from the start. V’Steels’ positive feedback underscores their satisfaction with both the Nitrex system and our comprehensive support.”

Marcin Stokłosa
Project Manager
NITREX Poland
LinkedIn.com

“The integration of the Nitrex system will significantly enhance the performance and reliability of tool steels, resulting in longer-lasting and more efficient tooling for V’Steels’ customers,” said Marcin Stoklosa, technical sales manager – EMEA region at Nitrex. “By utilizing Nitreg® technologies, V’Steels is set to offer finished tooling that endures longer under operational stress, translating into increased throughput and reduced downtime for their clients. This advanced treatment not only boosts tool durability but also improves operational value, giving V’Steels’ customers a competitive edge through superior tool steel quality and consistency.”

The press release is available in its original form here.



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Furniss & White Broadens Production at Heat Treat Facility With High-Performance Alloy Series

Furniss & White has partnered with a stainless steel technology company to produce its castings at its heat treatment facility using a new series of high-performance alloys. The foundry, which specializes in high-integrity stainless steel castings, fabrications, and precision machining, has signed a long-term agreement to manufacture its cast products using the high-performance alloys.

The castings are solution heat treated at approximately 1100°C (2012°F) and above and then water quenched by the company’s lift-off cover-type furnace with a load capacity of 5.3 tons (11,684.5 lbs). The N’GENIUS SeriesTM was developed by N’GENIUS Materials Technology and represents the total reinvention of conventional austenitic stainless steels, commonly known as the 300 Series.

Furniss & White will continue to produce its castings now using high-performance alloys under the N’GENIUS Series license for engineering products made using these advanced materials to its clients, serving the pump, valve, filter and engineering industries with castings from approximately 0.5kg to 2,600kg finished weight in a range of materials including carbon and low alloy steels, stainless steels, and nickel alloys. The firm manufactures an extensive selection of cast products for wide application in sectors including oil and gas, chemical, petrochemical, mining, marine, defense, and power generation.

Dr. Ces Roscoe
CEO of N’GENIUS Materials Technology
Source: LinkedIn

“For more than 44 years we have built a strong reputation as a high-quality British manufacturer of high integrity castings made in our modern foundry in the UK,” said Sam Scholes, managing director at Furniss & White. “Now, as an approved licensed N’GENIUS manufacturer, we are writing an exciting new chapter in our history and to be the first foundry in the world to have this capability makes us extremely proud. We expect these game-changing N’GENIUS materials will be extremely popular with our existing customers and help open up new opportunities in other markets including the U.S. and Canada and in clean energy industries such as hydrogen.”

“Furniss & White is a company that shares our own passion and drive for innovation, and we are absolutely delighted to be collaborating with them on what is destined to be an industry changing technology,” said Dr. Ces Roscoe, CEO of N’GENIUS Materials Technology and inventor of the N’GENIUS Series. “With a long history of steelmaking, Sheffield is widely regarded as the birthplace of stainless steel and it seems befitting that it will essentially be ‘reborn’ in the same city more than a century later.”

Furniss & White has successfully completed a range of Manufacturing Procedure Qualification Tests at its facilities in various grades from the N’GENIUS Series.

Main image: Furniss & White casting an N’GENIUS grade alloy.

The press release is available in its original form here.



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