Fringe Friday: Atomizer Enhances Capabilities at Metals Company

January 31, 2025 / MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS, SINTERING POWDER METAL NEWS

We’re celebrating getting to the “fringe” of the weekend with a Heat Treat Fringe Friday covering news about a metals company enhancing its processing line with an atomizer, increasing its capability to produce metal powders for the advanced manufacturing industries that it serves. Atomization, a process that forces molten metal into a controlled environment through a nozzle at high pressure, improves sustainability and efficiency in metals production for industries such as aerospace, medical and defense.

While not exactly heat treat, “Fringe Friday” deals with interesting developments in one of our key markets: aerospace, automotive, medical, energy, or general manufacturing.

A multinational metals company recently bolstered its processing line by adding an atomizer for the production of metal powders. The atomizer will be installed at one of the company’s U.S. production facilities and is capable of producing a wide variety of metal powders, optimized for both throughput and maintenance.

Retech, a division of SECO/WARWICK Group and a pioneer in advanced metallurgical equipment, has announced the procurement and the delivery and installation of the advanced manufacturing equipment to the metals manufacturer.

“We stuck with them,” said Earl Good, president and managing director at Retech. “We maintained the response times they needed, going above and beyond. This level of dedication was crucial in meeting their ambitious timeline, from RFQ to turnkey execution.”

The atomizer system is designed to be highly efficient, reducing operational costs and environmental impact. The system’s all-electric process ensures zero carbon emissions, aligning with sustainable production practices, and the inert gas recovery and recycling enhances resource efficiency and reduces waste. Maintenance features allow for rapid changeover between heats, minimizing downtime.

The press release is available in its original form here.

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Staying Up to Speed with Sintering Parts and Additive Manufacturing for Heat Treat

October 26, 2022 / FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, SINTERING POWDER/METAL TECHNICAL CONTENT

The powder metal industry continues to develop to keep up with production and industry needs. What exactly goes on with powdered metals and additive manufacturing? What is the sintering process? What should heat treaters know about the future of this industry?

In this original content article, three different resources -- an article, a radio broadcast, and a Heat Treat TV episode -- come together to answer these questions and much more.

"Heat Treating, Additive Manufacturing, and Serialization."

Ron Beltz
Director of Strategic Accounts
Bluestreak | Bright AM™

In this article, investigate the processes used to treat the metal powders. Sintering is one such process and others, like annealing and hot isostatic pressing, are examined too. Ron Beltz, director of strategic accounts at Bluestreak | Bright AM’s™ takes a look at these processes and also discusses other elements like software use and serialization. "One of the issues of additive manufacturing is the possibility of internal defects," Beltz explains. "Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) regularly produces near 100% dense parts, but to provide another level of control to help reduce part failure, hot isostatic pressing (HIP), instead of heat treating, is successfully being used by many aerospace companies and in the casting industry."

Harb Nayar
TAT Technologies
(photo source: tat-tech.com)

Heat Treat Radio #36: "A Discussion with Harb Nayar, Sintering Guru."

Hear from Harb Nayar, president and CEO, TAT Technologies; as he peers into the future of the industry; "The other [change in industry] I think that’s going to emerge is most probably making more and more parts by powder metallurgy from metal powder which are 100% free alloyed." Nayar is confident that the powder metal industry will keep growing, and this interview gives good insights from his depth of knowledge.

Heat Treat TV episode: "Press-and-Sinter Powder Metallurgy."

John Engquist, FAPMI (past president of the Center for Powder Metallurgy Technology), gives some practical basics on what powder metallurgy (PM) is and how sintering helps produce automotive components. "Let's take a look at some PM applications: here we have a notch and pocket plate that are used in one way clutches. . . .made from sinter hardened steel and iron carbon steel. Here we have an automotive planetary carrier system. . . .Here we see stator cores for electric motors . . . ." Listen in on ways to use powdered metal.

These thought-provoking pieces give an opportunity dig a little deeper into sintering and additive manufacturing. Stay on top of education and developments within the powder metal industry.

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

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Powder Metal Alloys Facility Expansion to Support A.M. Demand

July 10, 2019 / FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS, SINTERING POWDER METAL NEWS

A North American manufacturer of powder metal products recently announced plans to expand its Pennsylvania facility, adding new production capabilities to support additive manufacturing and other technologies.

North American Höganäs High Alloys, founded in 1896 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, will construct a 24,000-square-foot building this location and purchase new machinery to support the global demand for high alloy products, which include stainless steel powders, iron alloy powders, nickel alloy powders, electrolytic iron powders and chips, manganese and silicon powders, and the proprietary GLIDCOP dispersion strengthened copper products.

Linda R. Thomson, president and CEO of the non-profit economic development organization JARI

“Pennsylvania’s powder metals industry is a major contributor to our manufacturing sector,” said Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. “Höganäs’ decision to expand here is great news for Pennsylvania manufacturing, and will provide at least 25 reliable, family-sustaining jobs for Cambria County workers.”

“JARI is pleased to provide support to Höganäs as the company expands their operations in the City of Johnstown,” said Linda R. Thomson, president and CEO of the non-profit economic development organization JARI. “Höganäs is a world-class, internationally recognized company with state-of-the-art products that is meeting the demands of the new manufacturing age. We appreciate the continuation of the proud Cambria County tradition of leading the way for innovation and we thank the Wolf Administration for their continuous support.”

“This exciting investment, with the greatly appreciated support from the Governor’s Action Team and JARI, will help Höganäs continue to grow in Pennsylvania and provide innovative products for our customers in several quickly developing market areas,” said Dean Howard, President Americas Continent.

Photo credit: Höganäs

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Powder Metal Manufacturer Expands in PA

June 29, 2018 / HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES, SINTERING POWDER METAL

Jude Pfingstler, President of Atlas Pressed Metals

Construction is underway at a powder metal and sintered parts manufacturing plant in Dubois, Pennsylvania, which will more than double the facility’s square footage and is intended to adapt to growth with the installation of new equipment, such as larger tonnage presses.

Atlas Pressed Metals, which manufactures complex and simple structural iron, sinter-hardened steel, stainless, copper, brass, and bronze components utilizing the pressed metal (also known as sintered metal and powder metal) process, partners with heat treatment providers in supplying powder metal components for the automotive, transportation, industrial equipment, and electric motors markets.

“New equipment for the addition will enable Atlas to grow our capacity in multi-level and higher tonnage equipment,” said Jude Pfingstler, president of Atlas Pressed Metals.

Construction begins for Atlas Pressed Metals in Dubois, PA

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Powder Metal