Wisconsin Oven Corporation

15 Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

15 Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current

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

Personnel and Company Chatter

  • AFC-Holcroft has announced the addition of Daniel Hill as the newest member of their sales team. Hill will be based out of the company’s headquarters in Wixom, Michigan, focusing on key account management as well as new lead generation. Hill will report to Tracy Dougherty, Sales Manager at AFC-Holcroft.
  • Solar Atmospheres’ CEO, Roger A. Jones, was awarded the distinguished honor of ASM Fellow (FASM) at the ASM Awards Dinner on Tuesday, October 16, 2018. According to ASM, “The honor of Fellow represents recognition of distinguished contributions in the field of materials science and engineering, and develops a broadly based forum for technical and professional leaders to serve as advisors to the Society.” Roger’s citation reads: “For advancing production vacuum thermal processes and procedures for large and heavy assemblies utilizing state of the art vacuum furnaces, for the enhancement of the overall heat treating industry.”
  • A company that specializes in automated manufacturing solutions for automotive manufacturers among other industries, Innovative Automation, has acquired Tridan International, which supplies machinery for the production of heat exchangers, evaporators and condensers commonly used in manufacturing. This acquisition includes all ongoing operations of the company from their 88,000 square foot facility in Danville, IL.
  • StandardAero, the world’s largest independent Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A Designated Overhaul Facility (DOF) with Distribution rights, has recently inducted the first five PT6A-68 engines at its Summerside facility on Prince Edward Island, Canada.  StandardAero has provided full-service support for the PT6A-68 since 2013 but is now in the process of transferring its support of the engine model to its Summerside facility, as part of the company’s Center of Excellence (COE) activity, announced in May 2018.
  • Caterpillar, Inc, has announced that a closed South Carolina casting facility will house its new $13.5 million, 103,000-square-foot building in Hodges where it will produce specialty castings for various engines and transmissions in Caterpillar’s line of products.
  • Schenck Process, which engages in the design, manufacture, and supply of applied measuring and process technology, announced the acquisition of Process Components Ltd, a UK based designer and manufacturer of powder processing and handling equipment, components and spare parts, and its subsidiaries.
  • Braidy Industries and its subsidiary Veloxint recently announced five new executive appointments. Julio Ramirez will take on the position of Chief Financial Officer at Braidy. At Veloxint, Major General Kevin McNeely (Ret.) joins as Chief Operations Officer; Dr. Phoebe Kwan will take on the role of Chief Commercial Officer; Dr. Judson “Jud” Marte will be Vice President of Product Development; and John Gaspervich joins Veloxint as Executive Vice President of Manufacturing.

Equipment Chatter

  • A forced air recirculating oven was supplied by Lucifer Furnaces to a manufacturer of medical & aerospace parts and will be used to heat treat 17-4 stainless steel.
  • A tool and die manufacturer recently expanded its in-house heat treat capabilities with a Vector® furnace, one of the SECO/VACUUM (a SECO/WARWICK Group company) flagship vacuum furnaces. The purchase process included validation tests of tooling dies in a similar nearby furnace with positive results. The furnace being delivered is a  horizontal, front-loading Vector furnace with a capacity of 2,650 lbs.
  • A leading provider of metal additive manufacturing (AM) solutions recently announced that a prominent Southeast Asian aerospace parts manufacturer has purchased a dual-purpose Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM®) and EB Welding System. Sciaky, Inc., a subsidiary of Phillips Service Industries, Inc. (PSI), provided the one-of-a-kind hybrid machine to be customized with special controls to switch from 3D printing to welding in a quick and easy process. The manufacturer will utilize the system to 3D print metal structures, as well as weld dissimilar materials and refractory alloys for these structures and other aerospace parts.
  • Four Gruenberg explosion resistant Class “A” truck-in-ovens were shipped to the pharmaceutical industry by Thermal Product Solutions. The pharmaceutical ovens are rated for Class A operation to handle processing solvents per the NFPA 86 specifications.
  • A continuous mesh belt conveyor furnace was shipped by Lindberg/MPH to the computer market. This conveyor furnace is configured for soldering process applications, provides a heating and cooling process environment under a nitrogen/hydrogen blended atmosphere, and will be heated to the customer’s specified temperature (maximum of 1000°C).
  • A leading supplier of the automobile industry received shipment of a natural gas-fired two zone conveyor oven from Wisconsin Oven Corporation. The conveyor oven will be used for stress relieving automotive springs and has the design capacity to heat approximately 11,000 pounds of springs per hour. The overall work chamber dimensions of this stress relieving oven are 11’3” wide x 24’3” long x 14’0” high. The maximum operating temperature is 650°C (1202° F) with guaranteed temperature uniformity of ±5°C at set points of 520°C (968° F) and 570° C (1058° F) to ensure the conveyor oven meets the CQI-9, 3rd edition process Table E for stress relieving/annealing.

Kudos Chatter

 

  • In 2019, AGMA will expand upon the legacy and success of Gear Expo, launching the Motion + Power Technology Expo (MPT Expo). The new show will continue its focus on gears and mechanical power transmission while adding fluid power and electric drive exhibitors to provide all power transmission options to our attendees
  • eldec LLC recently unveiled a new website for manufacturing professionals who use induction heating, brazing, shrink fitting, pre-heating for laser welding, or annealing in their manufacturing processes. The new site provides updates on company and product information, trade shows, and manufacturing and equipment maintenance tips. It can be accessed at www.inductionheatingexperts.com.

 

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.

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

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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

  • John Hubbard, P.E., has been awarded the 2018 Distinguished Alumni of the year award from Cleveland State University’s Washkewicz College of Engineering, which has provided a tradition of high-quality undergraduate and graduate education in engineering and engineering technology. Hubbard recently joined Calvert Street to form Thermal Process Holdings to create a new North American heat treating group.
  • Paulo is pleased to announce the promotion of two employees to new roles in the company. Scott Herzing, a 20-year company veteran who most recently was Manager of Project Engineering, will take over as Vice President of Engineering. And Jessica Sickmeier, who had been Director of Human Resources Development, has been promoted to Vice President of Human Resources.
  • Contour Hardening, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is proud to announce the appointment of Ben Crawford as its new CEO and President. The appointment, which became official on July 30, 2018, follows the recent passing of Contour Hardening’s founder, CEO and President, John Storm.
  • The National Tooling and Machining Association, based in Cleveland, Ohio, has announced the appointment of Dean Bartles, PhD, as their new president, succeeding Dave Tilstone, who is retiring after serving as president since 2010. Bartles brings almost four decades of experience in the manufacturing sector, most recently as the director of the John Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center at the University of New Hampshire (Durham, NH). Previously, Bartles served as a president of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, president of the North American Manufacturing Research Institute, founding executive director of the Digital Manufacturing & Design Innovation Institute, and founding chairman of the Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition.
  • Kristopher R. Westbrooks was recently named as executive vice president and chief financial officer to succeed current CFO Christopher J. Holding at TimkenSteel Corp., based in Canton, Ohio. Westbrooks joined the company in this new role on September 24, 2018.
  • Jim Feltner, vice president of sales and marketing with FPM Heat Treating, in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, was recently honored with an Entrepreneurial Excellence Award from the Daily Herald Business Ledger, nominated by Tom Merrick.

Equipment Chatter

  • A Warrington, PA, furnace manufacturer recently delivered a large dual chamber unit to a metal stamping manufacturer in the Midwest. Lucifer Furnaces built Model HL82-P24, a hardening furnace over tempering oven, as a space-saving combination for multipurpose heat treating. The upper hardening chamber heats to 2300°F with 6.5” multilayer insulation throughout the chamber.
  • A vacuum furnace heat exchanger cleaning process has been developed by Souderton, PA, company Solar Atmospheres, involving a 12-hour soak submerged in a suitable tub using a water base cleaning agent. Recirculated forced water jets wash out the accumulated dirt from deep inside the heat exchanger. It is then pressure washed and blown dry with nitrogen gas. The heat exchanger is cleaned to an as new condition and then returned to the user.
  • A global manufacturer recently purchased a second vacuum furnace from SECO/VACUUM, a SECO/WARWICK company, for its US-based manufacturing operations. This second furnace, a vacuum temper furnace for tempering and stress relieving metal parts, is part of the company’s new US-based manufacturing expansion and becomes a centerpiece in a new processing line for the company.
  • An electrically heated annealing furnace was recently shipped to a firearms manufacturer to be used for annealing an assortment of brass and bronze firearm caps. Wisconsin Oven Corporation provided this conveyor furnace with a maximum temperature rating of 1,400° F (760° C) and a normal operating temperature of 572° to 1,202° F (300° to 650° C).

 

Kudos Chatter

  • On 24 September, at the Grand Gala of the Business Leader 2018, SECO/WARWICK was awarded for the second time the statuette in recognition of the company’s strong market position. Katarzyna Sawka, Marketing Director of SECO/WARWICK Group, collected the award on behalf of the Company. “Business Leader” is the award that recognizes the best companies in Western Poland who conduct their business in a transparent and honest manner and their success is a regional trademark.
  • Pelican Wire was named Manufacturer of the Year in the Small Business category at the 2018 Manufacturers Association of Florida “MAF Exchange” conference and awards banquet. Selected from over fifty nominees spanning numerous industries and cities throughout the State of Florida, Pelican Wire also received this award in 2014.
  • Ohio Star Forge, a steel firm with heat treating, cold roll forming, and CNC machining capabilities, recently held a ribbon cutting for its expansion and celebrated its 30th anniversary at the company’s location in Youngstown, Ohio. Ohio Star Forge was originally a joint venture of Copperweld Steel and Japanese company Daido Steel.

 

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 Baker’s 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 and Company Chatter

  • ThermTech of Waukesha, Wisconsin, celebrates the groundbreaking of a 10,500-square-foot manufacturing addition. Construction is expected to be completed in December 2018. 
  • An Ohio-based engineering firm, Dana Incorporated, announced a new series of Brevini™ heavy-duty winch drives for marine and offshore applications.  This new series of lightweight winch drives have been engineered with a sealing system designed to withstand harsh marine environments, and with improved power density, housing made from either cast iron or steel, and high-radial load bearings to deliver reliable lifting performance for heavy loads.
  • Brunel University London opened its Advanced Metal Processing Centre (AMPC) at the Brunel Center for Advanced Solidification Technology (BCAST), which will enable R&D activity to enable innovations, such as lightweight car parts, to make the leap from the lab to full-scale industrial trials. The 1,500 sq m AMPC facility includes industrial and pilot-scale equipment for processing and fabrication of extruded metals (novel bending processes, machining, and advanced joining); additional casting processes (gravity die casting and sand casting, etc.), and supporting materials characterization technologies (strength and fatigue testing and 3D x-ray tomography).
  • A global leader in manufacturing and overhauling aerospace structures, systems, and components, Triumph Group, Inc., based in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, recently announced that its Aerospace Structures business has been awarded a multi-year airframe component contract for Lockheed Martin’s C130J Super Hercules program. Under initial terms of the contract, Triumph Fabrications in San Diego, California will provide 108 different part numbers for the C130J program. The parts include fabricated sheet metal structures made from a combination of aluminum, steel and titanium materials that will be fitted to the nacelle, wing and fuselage sections of the aircraft.
  • Aerospace equipment manufacturer Liebherr Aerospace has been awarded another contract from Boeing Commercial Airplanes for their 777 and 777X programs. Liebherr-Aerospace will deliver two electronic components of the main gear steering system for the two wide-bodies: the main gear steering control unit and the nose gear steering position transducer.
  • Engineered bearings and power transmission manufacturer, The Timken Company, based in Canton, Ohio, recently completed the acquisition of Rollon Group, a leader in engineered linear motion products. Rollon specializes in the design and manufacture of engineered linear guides, telescopic rails and linear actuators used in a wide range of industries such as passenger rail, aerospace, packaging and logistics, medical and automation.
  • Gear Motions, which has divisional offices in central New York, recently appointed to executive positions: Dan Bartelli to Director of Operations of Nixon Gear, a division of Gear Motions, and Anna Pastore to Corporate Controller. Bartelli, who began his career as a machinist, also recently celebrated his 30th anniversary with Nixon Gear, a division of Gear Motions. He is responsible for all Nixon Gear Division Operations including Manufacturing, Quality, and Engineering. Pastore previously served as Director of Finance for Cascade & Maverik Lacrosse, and Vice President of Finance of the Produce and Technology Division at Agway.
  • Worthington Industries, a metals manufacturing firm based in Columbus, Ohio, announced today that Mark Russell, president and COO is retiring. Andy Rose has been named president and will continue as chief financial officer (CFO). Geoff Gilmore has been named vice president and chief operating officer (COO) and will also continue to lead the Pressure Cylinders business.

Equipment Chatter

  • An electric box furnace has been supplied to a plant located in Louisiana that is a global supplier of large industrial valves for various industries. L&L Special Furnace Co., Inc., shipped this furnace, which is the fifth supplied by the company to this facility. The furnace is used to both heat treat and temper various rings and seals deployed in the manufacturing of valves used in the power-generation field. It is also used for general heat treating of various steels prior to machining.
  • Two furnaces have recently been shipped to customers from Grieve Corporation. No. 1040 is a 2200°F (1204°C), inert atmosphere pit furnace, currently used for heat treating automotive parts in baskets at the customer’s facility. No. 989 is an electrically heated, 2,000°F (1,093°C) inert atmosphere furnace from Grieve, used to process fabricated parts at the customer’s facility.
  • A leader in the technology industry recently purchased an electrically heated enhanced duty walk-in oven from Wisconsin Oven Corporation to be used for composite curing small parts. The batch oven has the capability to heat 16,000 pounds of a composite material from 70° F to 350° F within 6-7 hours.

Kudos Chatter

  • Akron Steel Treating celebrated its 75th anniversary August 31, 2018, with guests, officials, employees, customers, and suppliers in attendance, as well as the deputy mayor for economic development, Samuel D. DeShazior, who presented AST president Joseph Powell with a letter of congratulations from Mayor Daniel Horrigan. Joe’s grandfather, Prosper P. Powell, founded the company in 1943, and his daughter, Christina Somogye, recently purchased a 10% interest in ASTC and is an integral part of the succession plan.
  • For the second year in a row, GKN Aerospace has received a supplier award from Spirit AeroSystems. Spirit recognized GKN Aerospace with a Collaboration Values Partner award for superior performance at the 2018 Spirit AeroSystems supplier recognition banquet in Wichita, Kansas. In addition, GKN Aerospace also recently announced via Stratasys that the company is improving production times and removing design constraints for multiple tooling applications since integrating additive manufacturing at its Filton manufacturing site in the UK.
  • Retech Systems, a SECO/WARWICK company based in Mendocino County, California, recently won North Bay Maker Award for “best manufacturing process innovation”.
  • Induction heating company Ambrell Corporation is the honoree for the Global Advancement Award and Ambrell President Tony Mazzullo is a finalist for CEO of the Year at the Technology and Manufacturing Awards, created by the Rochester Business Journal and Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association. The Global Advancement Award is given to a company that demonstrates dynamic growth through expansion of export opportunities and participation in new global markets. The CEO of the Year demonstrates leadership in the industry, commitment to staff development, and dedication to the Greater Rochester/Finger Lakes Region. Tony Mazzullo is one of two finalists and the winner will be announced on October 23rd.

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.

 

15 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 »

15 Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

15 Quick Heat Treat News Items to Keep You Current

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

Personnel and Company Chatter

  • Construction on an expansion recently broke ground for Premier Furnace/BeaverMatic's plant 1 facility in Farmington Hills, Michigan. This expansion will provide space for a state of the art testing and training facility, additional manufacturing capabilities, as well as increased office space to allow Premier/BeaverMatic to accommodate business growth and customer needs. The additional 22,000-square foot space is expected to be completed by fall 2018.
  • Paul Banks as plant manager for Novelis Inc.'s recently announced $300 million automotive aluminum sheet manufacturing facility in Guthrie, Kentucky. Banks assumes the role of plant manager after previously serving as unit manager at Logan Aluminum, a Novelis joint venture in nearby Logan, Kentucky.
  • Electroplating and heat treating specialists Electro-Spec, headquartered in Franklin, Indiana, is expanding its operations with a new plating facility in Lexington, South Carolina, that will serve the automotive, aerospace, telecommunication, military, radio frequency and microwave, and medical markets in the southeast U.S.
  • A heat treating company based in Lima, Ohio, recently expanded its capacity with a new draw furnace and quench tank. Heat Treating Technologies expects the $3 million investment to boost the company's thermal processing offerings in carburizing, carbonitriding, annealing, hardening, normalizing, and carbon restoration.
  • An industrial oven manufacturer based near Williamsport, Pennsylvania, recently added a second manufacturing facility to its operation. JPW Industrial Ovens and Furnaces' Plant 2, will produce the company’s expanding line of standard industrial ovens. Plant 1, located in Trout Run, will continue to craft custom-made industrial ovens and serve as the company’s headquarters. The new plant is expected to create 25 new jobs within the next two years.

Equipment Chatter

  • Three natural gas-fired box furnaces were recently shipped to a parts manufacturer for the oil and gas industry by Lindberg/MPH, to be used to develop process control requirements for heat-treating and stress relieving of underground mining/drill heads. The goal is to double the life of the tooling through research which would revolutionize industry standards. The maximum operating temperature rating for the stress relieving box furnaces is 2050°F and work chamber dimensions are 36" wide x 20" deep x 24" high. The box furnaces were designed to meet a temperature uniformity of +/-15°F at 1700°F and 2050°F per the requirements of AMS 2750E, Class 3 furnaces and Instrumentation D.
  • An aluminum casting company recently received shipment of an electrically heated horizontal quench system to be used for solution treating aluminum castings for the aerospace and automotive industries. The solution treating furnace was designed and manufactured by Wisconsin Oven Corporation to heat a 2,500-pound load of aluminum, plus basket and work grid to an operating temperature of 1,020°F. The maximum temperature rating for this horizontal quench system is 1,250°F, sized for a 5'0" wide x 5'0" long x 5'0" high basket. The horizontal quench system was designed to meet AMS2750E (Class 2, Instrumentation Type C) and with reporting to meet AMS 2771E requirements.
  • A heat treating equipment manufacturer recently shipped ten furnaces to companies in California, Georgia, Ohio, Washington and Wisconsin, and also to one location in Asia. This equipment will be used to process parts for companies in the aerospace, commercial heat treating, and medical industries. Ipsen USA shipped: two TITAN® furnaces – one H2 12-bar with a 18" x 24" x 18" (457 mm x 610 mm x 457 mm) work zone and one vertical 2-bar furnace; two MetalMaster® furnaces – one vertical 6-bar with a 96" D x 96" H (2,438 mm x 2,438 mm) work zone and 10,000 pound (4,500 kg) load capacity, and one horizontal 10-bar with a 96" x 84" x 96" (2,438 mm x 2,134 mm x 2,438 mm) work zone; one VFS® horizontal internal quench 10-bar vacuum heat-treating and brazing furnace; and several custom-built atmosphere furnaces that will process parts for the aerospace industry.
  • A retort furnace was recently shipped by L&L Special Furnace Co., Inc., to a northeastern US manufacturer of motor laminations to be deployed on motors primarily for government-based aerospace products. The furnace has a work zone of 17" square with a typical load weight of 250 pounds and is built in accordance with ASTM standards. Annealing of silicon iron and similar laminations are treated in a pure dry hydrogen atmosphere. A pure dry hydrogen atmosphere is provided to balance strength and magnetics in these laminations. There is also an oxidization process that can provide a thin oxide coating layer for improved durability and resistance.
  • A global manufacturer of environmental testing equipment announced the shipment of three fast change rate automotive test chambers. These test chambers, built by Tenney Environmental, will be used for temperature and humidity testing of automotive parts. The maximum temperature rating of the automotive test chambers is 180°C and the operating temperature range is -68°C to 180°C. The work chamber dimensions are 30” W X 28.8” D X 36” H. The fast change rate test chambers can transition the air temperature in remote chambers from 20°C to -40°C with a 30-minute transition rate.

Kudos Chatter

  • Sintavia, LLC, a leading Tier One metal additive manufacturer, announced that it has achieved National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP) approval for its laser and electron beam powder bed fusion applications. The NADCAP accreditation is the latest quality certification achieved by the company and resulted from a year-long application process.
  • AIM Aerospace has earned Nadcap Merit Status at their Orange City, Iowa, facility, for AC7118 Composites Processing.  The company processes structural carbon fiber composites for key aerospace customers.
  • Plastics Extrusion has been added to the growing list of audit opportunities available through MedAccred, the medical device industry’s collective approach to critical process supply chain oversight. This newest opportunity comprises audit criteria which covers Tubing/Profile, Sheet, Film, Blown Film, Over-Jacketing, Co-Extrusion and Ram Extrusion. The audit criteria are developed by leaders in the medical device industry who are part of the MedAccred program and are focused on improving product quality and patient safety.
  • Sunlite Plastics of Germantown, Wisconsin, has become the first manufacturing facility in the world to achieve MedAccred Plastics Extrusion Accreditation, with a Scope of Accreditation covering Tubing/Profile Extrusion. Following the MedAccred audit, technical experts from leading medical device companies reviewed the audit findings and corrective actions before voting on granting each MedAccred Accreditation.
  • Medical tools manufacturers increasingly commission SECO/WARWICK technologies for product quality and strict standards compliance, according to a recent company report. For example, a U.K. company installed a 6 Bar vacuum furnace for the production of medical tools such as those used for heart bypass procedures.

 

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.

15 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 »

New Heat Treat Facility in Wisconsin to Accommodate Expanding Operations

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES

Dave Strand, president and CEO of Thermal Product Solutions

A leading industrial furnace manufacturer recently opened a new facility in East Troy, Wisconsin, accommodating oven product lines and providing additional manufacturing space for expanding operations. The company will be investing $1.5 million in equipment and renovation work at the building.

Wisconsin Oven Corporation and parent company Thermal Product Solutions (TPS) celebrated the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included company officials, as well as local, regional, state leaders.  It was announced at the ceremony that the new 130,000 sq ft facility will be named after Bruce Champion, a former vice president of operations for Wisconsin Oven, who played a key role in the company’s success.

“Wisconsin Oven Corporation is pleased that the community and local leaders were able to join us today to celebrate the opening of our recently purchased facility,” said Dave Strand, president and CEO of TPS. “This 130,000-square-foot facility will soon see massive renovations and production, which will result in more employment throughout the region.”

 

 

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Canadian Auto Parts Manufacturer Adds Chain Conveyor Oven

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

A Canadian automotive parts manufacturer recently contracted a chain conveyor oven to preheat aluminum billets prior to forging into automotive suspension components under high pressure. This forging process produces high-strength parts that are ideal for applications where performance and safety are critical, but a lighter-weight metal is needed for speed or energy efficiency.

The natural gas-fired indexing conveyor oven, constructed and shipped by Wisconsin Oven Corporation, has a maximum operating temperature of 1,100°F (593° C) and work chamber dimensions of 6’6” W x 23’6” L x 1’0” H. The oven is designed with the capability to heat 1,995 pounds of aluminum per hour and a production rate of 360 parts per hour. The equipment achieved temperature uniformity of +/-10°F (5.6° C) at 1,050° F (565° C) for the last 90 index positions. The patented Expandable Surface™ design includes 2 inches of high-temperature block insulation backed with 4 inches of semi-rigid batt type insulation.

Canadian Auto Parts Manufacturer Adds Chain Conveyor Oven Read More »

Heat Treat Equipment Purchases — Recent Activity

/ FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

Lindberg/MPH ships immersion lead melting furnace

Among the many transactions involving the contracting, purchasing, selling, shipment and delivery of heat treat systems, equipment or services over the past few weeks, we thought the following would be of interest to our readers.

  1. (Manufacturing Heat Treat News) A commercial heat treater recently purchased a TITAN H6 to expand production capacity and meet customer demands. Ipsen USA supplied the vacuum furnace to Rockford Heat Treaters (RHT) where it will join a complete atmosphere line of seven integral quench furnaces with ancillary washers and tempers, more than a dozen draw furnaces, a VFS(r) vacuum furnace and four other vacuum furnaces.
  2. (Automotive Heat Treat News) A gas-fired immersion lead melting furnace has been delivered to expand the operations of a manufacturer in the battery industry. The melting and holding furnace will be used in the production of lead plates for automotive batteries. Lindberg/MPH was the supplier of the furnace. In addition, Lindberg/MPH announced the shipment of a Temperite box furnace and a Treet-All box furnace to the maritime industry. The box furnaces are designed to be used in a stacked configuration or stand alone.
  3. (Manufacturing Heat Treat News) A compact remote transformer and low profile heating inductor were recently shipped to a foresty products manufacturer. Ajax TOCCO Magnethermic®, a subsidiary of ParkOhio Holdings Corp.®, supplied the equipment to be used for preheating prior to GMAW. The customer had a need to be able to he

    Wisconsin Oven ships sand core drying ovens

    at a rotating weldment with limited space between welds. Existing weld preheat inductors that roll on top of the weldment would not fit between the weldments, forcing the customer to rely on combustion heating technology (torches). In this kit, the heating inductor floats above the weldment without making contact.

  4. (Manufacturing Heat Treat News) Two natural gas-fired batch ovens have been delivered to the foundry industry. The batch ovens, supplied by Wisconsin Oven Corporation, will be used for drying sand cores used in the casting process of a variety of parts. The sand core dryers have the capability to dry water and resin from 6,000 pounds of sand cores and a 600-pound steel load car from 70°F to 450°F within 2 hours.

Heat Treat Today finds the robust activity of heat treatment equipment sales and acquisitions an exciting topic to report on and would be interested in your supplier news tips. Please send any information you feel may be of interest to readers of Heat Treat Today to the editor at editor@heattreattoday.com.

 

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