Solar Atmospheres of Western PA

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 »

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 & Company Chatter

  • Professor Chris Sutcliffe, Director of Research and Development (R&D) at Renishaw‘s Additive Manufacturing Products Division (AMPD), was awarded a prestigious Silver Medal from the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE), recognizing his role in driving the development of metal 3D printed implants for use in human and veterinary surgery and celebrating his successful commercialization of additive manufacturing products as part of his work with Renishaw, the University of Liverpool, Stryker Orthopaedics and Fusion Implants Ltd.
  • Michael Handscombe joins UK-based Phoenix Temperature Measurement as National and International Sales Manager to support PhoenixTM temperature monitoring solutions used in industrial heat treatment and furnace surveying and other industries.
  • One of five new vacuum furnaces, with an all-metal hotzone and 15 bar Argon quenching with an 8,000lb capacity, have been delivered to the Cleveland division of Paulo and will be ready for production late July. This represents the first step of a larger expansion that includes a new building.
  • Two large heat-treating furnaces were recently rebuilt and upgraded at Metlab, a heat treatment and surface enhancement company located in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania. The furnaces, designated P-1 and P-2, are believed to be the largest atmosphere-controlled pit furnaces in North America and are used to neutral harden, carburize and harden, nitride, anneal, and stress relieve large components or multiple quantities of parts.
  • A 20-foot long car bottom air furnace capable of handling a workload up to 30,000 lbs will be installed at Solar Atmospheres of Western PA during July 2018 and surveyed in accordance with AMS2750. With a maximum operating temperature of 1400°F, this furnace will accommodate not only the tempering of large tool steel components but also age hardening of 15-5 PH, 17-4 PH, and nickel-based alloys. Although Solar is typically known as a “vacuum only” heat treater, the company notes the need for heat treating non-finished parts and materials in accordance with the same specifications (AMS, MIL, Boeing and Airbus) within different atmospheres where surface oxidation is permissible.
  • Robrecht Himpe retired from his position as CEO of ArcelorMittal North America and CEO of AM/NS Calvert on July 1, as well as his duties with ArcelorMittal’s executive management team. He has been with the group for 37 years and will be succeeded as ArcelorMittal North America CEO by Brad Davey, who has been serving as chief marketing officer of ArcelorMittal North America and head of global automotive.
  • Team, Inc., an industrial services company based in Houston, Texas, recently announced that Arthur F. Victorson, President of the Inspection and Heat Treating segment, will retire from the company on September 30, 2018. In connection with his retirement, Mr. Victorson will transition from his current role, effective July 15, 2018, and serve as a special advisor to Amerino Gatti, Team’s Chief Executive Officer, to ensure a seamless transition. Team anticipates naming a successor to Mr. Victorson in the near future.
  • A partnership has been formed between Plibrico, based in Northbrook, Illinois, and Upstate Refractory Services, headquartered in Newark, New York.
  • John Hynes has been promoted at Paulo to Director of Information Systems from his previous role as Manager of Information Technology.  John has been with Paulo for just over one year, strengthening the company’s IT position.

Equipment Chatter

  • A natural gas-fired, enhanced-duty, walk-in oven was recently shipped to the technology industry by Wisconsin Oven Corporation for use in post-curing refractory material. With a maximum operating temperature of 300°F, the oven was designed with the capacity to heat 8,000 pounds of steel and 4,000 pounds of refractory material from 70° to 150° F within 180 minutes.
  • A 1400°F electric, inert atmosphere tempering furnace from Grieve Corporation, No. 885, is currently being used for heat treating weldments at a customer’s facility.  
  • An India-based conglomerate recently commissioned an aluminum automotive casting heat treatment system from CAN-ENG Furnaces International Limited for its new greenfield North American expansion in South Carolina.

Kudos Chatter

  • The F-35 Joint Program Office of The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin delivered the 300th production F-35 aircraft, a US Air Force F-35A, to be delivered to Hill Air Force Base, Utah. “The F-35 weapons system is a key enabler of our National Defense Strategy and is providing our warfighters the combat-proven, advanced capabilities they need to meet mission requirements,” said Vice Admiral Mat Winter, program executive officer for the F-35 Joint Program Office. The first 300 F-35s include 197 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variants, 75 F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variants, and 28 F-35C carrier variants (CV) and have been delivered to U.S. and international customers. More than 620 pilots and 5,600 maintainers have been trained, and the F-35 fleet has surpassed more than 140,000 cumulative flight hours.
  • The first Future Aluminum Forum was held on 8th & 9th May 2018 in Milan, Italy, with more than 150 delegates from across the aluminum manufacturing and processing industries gathering to hear from technical experts and uncover the myths behind Industry 4.0 and what this means for the manufacturing value chain. An Advisory Board was established to develop a strategic approach towards integrating Industry 4.0 across the aluminum manufacturing and processing sectors.
  • A center for aerospace air management systems, Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse SAS, in Toulouse, France, recently obtained accreditation from the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP) for its materials testing laboratory. This accreditation follows an audit conducted in early March 2018 by the Performance Review Institute (PRI), which focused on both the overall quality system of the laboratory and the practice of static and dynamic mechanical tests.

 

 

Heat Treat Today celebrates with our heat treatment industry partners by highlighting their accomplishments and announcements 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.

15 Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current 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 Chatter

  • Based in Lima, Ohio, Heat Treating Technologies recently installed its third heat treating furnace as the final step of a $3 million expansion project, to be used to process parts for agriculture and automotive industries.
  • Mark Hemsath has been hired as director of nitriding and special vacuum furnaces at SECO/VACUUM Technologies, LLC. Hemsath has previously worked with SECO/WARWICK Corp. and Advanced Heat Treat Corporation in Waterloo IA, and operated his own heat treat furnace manufacturing and alloy fabricating company. He will be the primary contact for gas nitriding furnace applications in North America and will handle special vacuum furnace products throughout North America.
  • The new president and chief executive officer of Norsk Titanium AS, an aerospace-grade titanium components manufacturer based in Plattsburgh, New York, will be Michael J. Canario.
  • A company that manufactures high-temperature refractories and specializes in the toll firing business serving a variety of industries such as aerospace, automotive and petrochemical recently completed the task of relining the bricks on one of their roller hearth kilns, which can now reach greater operating temperatures – up to 2,650 ºF (1,454ºC). In addition, Ipsen Ceramics has also announced a collaboration with ceramics distributor, Carpenter Brothers, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Equipment Chatter

  • PJSC Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works’ (“MMK”) most powerful unit, hot-rolled products Mill 2000, produced 527,500 tonnes of metal in May 2018, setting an all-time record for monthly output. It was the highest production volume at the mill since its commissioning in 1994, beating the previous monthly record of 526.2 ths tonnes set in January 2015.
  • Solar Atmospheres of Western PA recently continued its merit status for NADCAP Nondestructive Testing for penetrant inspection. Solar Atmospheres specializes in Method A (water washable) Fluorescent Penetrant inspection and is able to accommodate parts of varying sizes in their world class NDT cell. Solar has its own in-house Level 3 inspector as well as six Level 2 inspectors and one Level 1 inspector.
  • Professional fastener manufacturer ARP is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018. “It was 1968 when Gary Holzapfel—whose background was in aerospace fastener manufacturing—developed some bolts and studs for his racer friends that were a marked improvement over what was available at the time. This lead to the founding of Automotive Racing Products Inc. … ARP proudly does everything in-house, which includes engineering, R&D, forging, heat-treating, machining, finishing, packaging and distribution in its ISO 9001:2008 and AS9100 registered California facilities.”

Heat Treat Today celebrates with our heat treatment industry partners by highlighting their accomplishments and announcements 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 Baker’s Dozen Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current 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

  • Lars Jonsson has been appointed new employee representative to the Bulten AB board for a term of office of three years. Lars has been employed at Bulten’s plant in Hallstahammar since 1984 where he has worked as a machine operator until two years ago when he switched to tool maker. Bulten is a supplier of fasteners to the international automotive industry.
  • Paulo’s Cleveland division is expanding to add 50,000 sq ft, allow for the installation of more vacuum heat treatment furnaces, and provide optimized flow of work through the facility. The Cleveland plant primarily serves the aerospace, power generation, and agriculture industries and specializes in precise high-temperature vacuum heat treatment and brazing of nickel-based superalloys.
  • James R. Darsey, executive vice president of raw materials for Nucor Corporation announced his upcoming retirement after more than 39 years of service with Nucor.  Effective June 10, 2018, Craig A. Feldman will be promoted to the role of executive vice president of raw materials.  Mr. Feldman began his career with the David J. Joseph Company (DJJ) in 1986 and stayed with the company, becoming president of DJJ in 2013. When DJJ was acquired by Nucor in 2008, Feldman became a vice president and general manager of Nucor Corporation.  Upon his promotion to EVP, Mr. Feldman will retain his role as president of DJJ.
  • Dr. Steve Offley recently joined Phoenix Temperature Measurement as Product Marketing Manager, bringing over 21 years of experience in the industrial process temperature monitoring industry. Besides promoting and marketing PhoenixTM’s temperature monitoring productions, Dr. Offley will focus on development of new and innovative processes temperature-monitoring solutions.
  • Solar Atmospheres of Western PA recently installed a second machining center to support its newest service for customers – tensile testing. By adding a brand new fully programmable 8100 RPM Haas VF2 milling center, Solar is now able to support the machining of flat tensile specimens. This machining ability fully complements the function of the 10,000 PSI hydraulic jaw that is an integral component of the Tinius Olsen 300SL tensile machine. These massive hydraulic jaws can grip either threaded round or flat specimens.

Equipment Chatter

  • A 750°F (399°C), gas-fired cabinet oven was recently supplied by Grieve Corporation to be used for baking radiator cores at the customer’s facility. The workspace dimensions of this oven, the No. 1046, measure 80″ W x 88″ D x 18″ H, with a 76″ wide x 76″ long, 750 lb. capacity pneumatic operated rollout shelf with an insulated plug to seal doorway opening.
  • An intermediate-sized front-loading box furnace was recently delivered to the Canadian Government Forestry Division. L&L Special Furnace Co., Inc., equipped the furnace, which meets Canadian electrical standards, with an atmosphere-sealed case for use with inert gas to displace oxygen and minimize surface de-carb. It is purged with inert gas prior to loading and the parts are then heated under a controlled atmosphere. There is a 1″ NPT survey port located on the right side of the furnace employed for calibration and uniformity surveys.
  • An aerospace and defense company recently purchased a rotary hearth furnace to heat treat state-of-the-art equipment, specifically to process specialized gears for helicopters. Ipsen plans to deliver the rotary hearth furnace early next year.

Kudos Chatter

  • Advanced Heat Treat Corp. recently reported that its Iowa (MidPort-Corporate Office and Burton Ave, Waterloo) and Michigan locations have successfully transitioned from ISO/TS 16949:2009 to ISO 9001:2015 / IATF 16949:2016.
  • Stock Drive Products/Sterling Instrument (SDP/SI) has also announced that it meets all certification requirements of the new ISO 9001:2015 + AS9100D standard, maintaining processes that provide superior components and assemblies with detailed quality reporting.
  • Harbison Walker International (HWI), based in western Pennsylvania, adds its announcement to the mix, reporting that its Thomasville, Georgia, monolithic/precast facility recently became the first of the company’s North American locations to earn ISO 9001:2015 certification, followed by HWI’s South Shore, Kentucky, plant becoming the first refractory brick manufacturing plant in North America to achieve the same status. Both plants achieved this quality system recognition based on the recommendation of SRI Quality System Registrar.
  • Rio Tinto celebrates the distinction of being the first company in the world to receive certification under the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), the highest internationally recognized standard for robust environmental, social and governance practices across the aluminum lifecycle of production, use, and recycling. The certification follows an independent third party audit and covers a range of operations, from bauxite mining to alumina refining, aluminum smelting, the creation of value-added products, transformation and recycling, and associated activities. Rio Tinto’s five aluminum smelters, the Vaudreuil refinery, casting and spent potlining treatment centers, and associated infrastructure such as power, port and railway facilities in Quebec, Canada, have been certified, along with the Gove bauxite mine in Australia.

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 »

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).

A Baker’s Dozen Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current Read More »

Quick Heat Treat News Chatter Items To Keep You Current

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

The heat treat industry is one of people transitioning and companies executing business, achieving goals, and receiving acknowledgments. Heat Treat Today begins a feature highlighting representative moves, transactions, and kudos from around the industry.

Gabriel Giraldo, Sales Engineer, Solar Atmospheres of South Carolina

Personnel Changes and Moves

  • The Solar Atmospheres Greenville, South Carolina, facility recently announced that Gabriel Giraldo accepted the position of Sales Engineer and will be

    Kip Bailey, Field Service Technician, Bloom Engineering

    responsible for supporting relationships with existing customers and developing new business within the region. Prior to accepting this position, Giraldo worked in the heat treat industry as a mechanical engineer serving a broad spectrum of metalworking industry sectors, including aerospace and defense.

  • Bloom Engineering recently welcomed Mr. Kip Bailey as a full-time Field Service Technician. Mr. Bailey brings experience in both combustion and specific process knowledge via his work as a furnace builder.
  • Sue Harrod has been appointed chief operating officer (COO) of Diablo Furnaces LLC, a Machesney Park, Illinois-based, company that manufactures, refurbishes, upgrades, services, and supplies parts for atmospheric heat-treating equipment. Harrod has worked in the thermal-processing industry for 25 years in supporting and leading roles at BeaverMatic, Ipsen, and Diablo Furnaces.

Equipment Transactions

  • German heat-treating systems manufacturer IVA Schmetz received a new order for five vacuum hardening furnaces from Taiwan to be delivered to a leading steel supplier with

    IVA Schmetz delivered five vacuum hardening furnaces

    various locations throughout the country. IVA Schmetz is supported by the local partner Pan Folks, who is also responsible for commissioning the furnaces. The order is part of a larger investment project which also includes seven vacuum annealing furnaces delivered by IVA Schemtz's sister company BMI in France.

  • Hirschvogel Automotive Group from Denklingen in Bavaria and Sacotec Components Oy in Finland, a company specializing in

    Cast link belt furnaces from Slovenian industrial furnace manufacturer Bosi

    precision steel casting, each ordered cast link belt furnaces from Slovenian industrial furnace manufacturer Bosio, part of the Aichelin Group. A cast link belt furnace more than 22 meters in length with a performance of two tons of forged parts per hour went to Hirschvogel. Sacotec's order was for a shaft furnace for carburization of small parts.

  • An electrically heated, gas nitriding, pit furnace with an ammonia dissociator system for heat treating parts has been shipped to a technology manufacturer by Lindberg/MPH.  The pit furnace has a maximum temperature rating of 1250°F and work chamber dimensions of 28" diameter x 36" depth.
  • Shougang Jingtang United Iron & Steel, China, contracted Fives to design and supply a new galvanizing line furnace and inductors dedicated to the production of ultra high-strength steels at its Caofeidian facility. This is the sixth Fives furnace at this location.
  • Pirson Refractories installed the hearth refractory lining of Blast Furnace 2 at Arcelor Mittal Bremen.

Accreditations, Certifications, Patents, and More

Solar Atmospheres Western PA adds tensile testing

  • Solar Atmospheres of Western PA expanded its mechanical testing capabilities to include tensile testing. In the summer of 2017, Solar tookdelivery of a new Tinius Olsen 300SL Universal testing machine, as well as a new Haas Model TL-1 CNC lathe in order to custom machine test specimens. Currently, many aerospace specifications demand at least one tensile test to be performed on each heat lot of material and/or for every furnace load of components being heat treated. Previously outsourcing tensile testing, Solar is now able to avoid delay due to shipping and transporting test specimens to these labora

    Karen Stanton, owner and director of HTA Group

    tories.

  • Heat Treatment Australia (HTA Group) and its corporate and strategy director Karen Stanton were recently featured in a news article, "Risks Paying Off in a New Age of Manufacturing", published in Australia's Courier-Mail, drawing attention to the firm's investment "in research and development and machinery to position itself to become part of the multinational Joint Strike Fighter program" as part of a nationwide growth in manufacturing.

  • High-performance tubing supplier Fine Tubes announced it received Nadcap accreditation for fluid distribution systems.

    Phil Adderley, Director, Quality & Technical, and Rob Eatwell, QA Manager, for Fine Tues with fifth Nadcap Accreditation Certificate

    The Plymouth, UK-based, company already holds accreditations for heat treating, non-destructive testing, fusion welding, and chemical processing, and the five achievements qualify Fine Tubes for the industry-recognized AS5620 industry standard required by Boeing for its suppliers of titanium hydraulic tubing.

  • Ipsen was awarded U.S. Patent No. 9,719,149 B2 for the development of a new load transport mechanism that can move a load within a multi-station heat-treating system. Named inventors on the patent, Chief Engineer Craig Moller, Director of Engineering and Supply Chain Kevin Woerner, and Dr. W. Hendrik Grobler began developing this design five years ago.
  • Dana Incorporated was named Supplier of the Year by Blue Bird Corporation, a leading independent designer and manufacturer of school buses. Dana earned this top honor by introducing new products that align with Blue Bird's commitment to delivering innovative, market-leading technologies. Dana supplies Blue Bird with a complete range of drivetrain solutions including Spicer® medium- and heavy-duty single-drive axles, SPL® Series driveshafts, and Spicer end yokes.
  • Wisconsin Oven Corporation announced the company is pursuing new patents for equipment most commonly used in the aerospace industry, as well as a patent for “intelligent” oven technology, where the oven is able to monitor certain processes.

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.

 

Quick Heat Treat News Chatter Items To Keep You Current Read More »

First FAA-Certified Structural AM Aviation Components Heat-Treated in Western PA

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS

Bob Hill, Pres. Solar Atmospheres of Western PA. Photo: www.solaratm.com

The first FAA-certified, structural additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V parts produced by Norsk Titanium AS have been processed successfully by a commercial heat treater located in Hermitage, Pennsylvania. The components, vacuum stress reliefs compliant with stringent AMS 2801 and other OEM specifications, are destined for installation on a Boeing airplane. Norsk Titanium AS is the world’s pioneering supplier of aerospace-grade, additive manufactured, structural titanium components.

Norsk Titanium’s printing technology of these aft galley supports, along with other flight critical components, signals the ancillary cost benefits that customers may realize with additive manufacturing: lead time reduction, lower inventory requirements, and future spare parts continuity assurances. Solar Atmospheres processed the initial production components for Norsk in March.

Norsk’s U.S. facility in Plattsburgh, New York, will produce multiple 3-D printed components for commercial aircraft OEMs.  The company is also exploring other applications in the defense sector including the next generation aircraft, naval vessels, and land-based vehicles.

“We are extremely proud to partner with innovative additive manufacturing companies such as Norsk Titanium,” said Bob Hill, President of Solar Atmospheres of Western PA. “Today, we can clearly see how this revolutionary manufacturing process has departed from the hype realm and is entering into everyday reality.”

 

First FAA-Certified Structural AM Aviation Components Heat-Treated in Western PA Read More »

Room Added to Enhance Heat Treating of Medical and Aerospace Components

/ FEATURED NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT

A climate-controlled environment for the daily operation of its brand new all-metal hot zoned vacuum furnace was constructed by  Solar Atmospheres of Western PA for processing medical and aerospace parts. The critical climate within this room is controlled utilizing a high quality HVAC system and is equipped with dehumidifiers and customizable thermostats. A heavy duty insulation package was installed which ultimately helps to manage and stabilize temperature and humidity around the clock.  The space also was constructed to produce a slight positive pressure environment, which will help eliminate dust and debris from entering the set-up and fixturing areas.

Kevin Bekelja, Vice President of Operations, stated, “With the new third party accreditation programs such as MedAccred gaining momentum, and knowing how detrimental high levels of humidity can be in the vacuum thermal processing of certain critical materials, we believe this venture is well worth the investment.”

Both medical and aerospace contractors are continuing to demand that environmental conditions be controlled, processes validated, and the risk of foreign object debris (FOD) be totally eliminated.  This newly constructed environmentally controlled room will enable Solar Atmospheres of Western PA to pristinely thermally process critical components, which in turn will add even more value to the customer’s operations.

Room Added to Enhance Heat Treating of Medical and Aerospace Components Read More »

NADCAP 24 Month Merit Status Awarded

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS

A Nadcap 24-month merit status has been awarded to Solar Atmospheres of Western PA.

“Congratulations to Solar Atmospheres on successfully passing what may be the aerospace industry’s most stringent process capability assessment audit,” said Joe Pinto, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Performance Review Institute. “Nadcap audit criteria are widely acknowledged to be hard to meet and companies like Solar Atmospheres who succeed at doing so, rightfully deserve recognition.”

Susan Generalovich, Quality Manager says: “The only way to achieve high quality standards is to have every member pulling in the same direction.  That is what we have here at Solar Atmospheres of Western PA.  From top management to the guys on the floor, everyone is focused on quality.  We know this from our visitors and our customers.  They appreciate the care they see used on their products and on our facility.”

NADCAP 24 Month Merit Status Awarded Read More »

World’s Largest Commercial Vacuum Furnace Completes Successful First Run

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

Solar Atmospheres of Western PA, launched into operation its newest and largest vacuum furnace.  In its inaugural cycle, the 48-foot furnace successfully vacuum heat treated nickel alloy components while preserving the crucial elements of brightness and cleanliness. The state of the art vacuum furnace has the ability to apply tight pyrometric controls to ± 10° F.  The innovative, U.S. patented load car design prevented distortion of the more than 40-foot long tubes. Due to the furnace’s increased efficiency, the total cycle time for this thermal process will be reduced by two days compared to traditional furnace designs. Solar Atmospheres of Western PA is absolutely confident their brand new 48-foot vacuum furnace will consistently surpass customers’ expectations.

World’s Largest Commercial Vacuum Furnace Completes Successful First Run Read More »