INDUSTRY NEWS TevTech Relocates Solar Develops Vacuum Nitriding Process TevTech LLC, relocated Solar Atmospheres R&D Technology Group, from its Wilmington, Mass., facility to a larger Souderton, Pa., is conducting a test program facility in Billerica, Mass. for high-temperature solution nitriding of TevTech provides turnkey martensitic stainless steel at vacuum partial high temperature vacuum furnace systems, support pressure nitrogen. Surface hardening of equipment and stainless steel is currently one of the hottest engineering solutions for the materials processing topics in the heat treat industry including industry. Contact nitriding, carburizing, and nitrocarburizing information is 100 processes, according to Solar’s VP of Billerica Ave., N. Billerica, MA 01862; tel: 978-667- Technology Don Jordan. In 2007, Solar 4557; Web site: successfully performed high temperature www.tevtechllc.com. solution nitriding of grade 422 martensitic Air Liquide Invests stainless steel at sub-atmospheric pressures, in European obtaining surface hardnesses of 59-60 Fine dispersion of nitrides/carbonitrides in solution nitrided 422 stainless steel; hardness is 60 HRC. 400× Production Capacity HRC. The current program includes solution Due to continuous growth nitriding grades 410, 420, 422, and 440C evaluating variables of nitriding partial pressure, in demand in Western Europe for industrial temperature, and time. Tests are being run in a 10-bar high pressure gas quenching vacuum furnace, merchant gases, Air allowing for direct quenching parts from the nitriding temperature (2000-2100°F) to prevent nitride Liquide will invest EUR110 precipitation on cooling. The study will provide information for the development of new surface million in Germany and Portugal in two treatments for improved part performance. www.solaratm.com. production units for liquefied air gases (liquid Bodycote Installs Hot Isostatic Press oxygen, liquid nitrogen, Avure Technologies Inc., Kent, Wash., delivered a high-capacity hot isostatic press (HIP) for installation and liquid argon). The production units will start at Bodycote’s northwest regional service center in Camas, Wash. The system, commissioned in late up between the end of 2007, is identical in size to a HIP unit installed in 1998. Both units are said to rank as the largest such 2009 and 2010. Plant locations are in the region presses ever built. The work zones of the presses measure 66 in. in diameter and 100 in. long (1.67 of Ulm (southern and 2.54 m), with operating pressures up to 15,000 psi (103 MPa) and temperatures of 2300°F Germany) and at Sines (1260°C) to densify and eliminate internal porosity in a wide variety of industrial components. The (an industrial basin located 150 km south of Camas facility processes primarily commercial and aerospace castings made from titanium, nickel, Lisbon). cobalt, iron-base superalloys, aluminum, and steel. Headquartered in Macclesfield, UK, the Bodycote www.airliquide.com. group operates more than 300 service facilities in 30 countries worldwide. Avure Technologies U.S. Aviation Co. to manufactures high pressure presses for densification of advanced materials and critical industrial Set Up in parts. The company also has operations in Vasteras, Sweden and Columbus, Ohio. www.avure.com. Queensland Queensland’s aviation Ohio Celebrates Its Aerospace Industry and aerospace industry is Aerospace industry leaders celebrated Ohio Aerospace Day in May, highlighting Ohio’s historic to receive a boost as the State Government has strengths and dedication to developing future innovations in the aerospace industry. According to the announced that U.S. Ohio Business Development Coalition, aircraft company Insitu Praxair Signs Heat-Treat Joint (Bingen, Wash.) will Ohio is a national leader in the aerospace establish a plant in Marketing Agreements industry and continues to drive business Brisbane, Queensland, Praxair Inc., Danbury, Conn., signed joint marketing agreements growth both within the state and throughout Australia. Insitu is a with Atmosphere Engineering Co. (Milwaukee, Wis.; www.atmoseng. leading producer of the world. Mike Heil, president of the Ohio unmanned airborne com) and Super Systems Inc. (Cincinnati; www.supersystems.com) Aerospace Institute, noted that Ohio is a vehicles (UAVs) that to combine the core competencies of each company into a com- national leader in aerospace, with developed the military prehensive solution for heat-treat customers. Under these agree- Scan Eagle in partnership capabilities in aerospace propulsion and with Boeing Co. ments, heat-treat customers will have access to a simplified market power—from basic and advanced www.insitu.com. channel that integrates Praxair’s gases, applications technologies, research, to technology development, to and supply systems with process controllers and data acquisition systems development, to sourcing of software from Super Systems and precise furnace control panel sys- component suppliers, and final product tems from Atmosphere Engineering. The combined capabilities of testing. Ohio boasts two federal Praxair, Atmosphere Engineering and Super Systems cover a broad laboratories, ten leading universities with spectrum of batch and continuous heat-treating processes such as dedicated doctoral level research and carburizing, carbonitriding, neutral hardening, annealing, gas education programs in aerospace related quenching and heat treatment under vacuum. www.praxair.com. disciplines, and more than 450 aerospace HEAT TREATING PROGRESS • JULY/AUGUST 2008 7 INDUSTRY NEWS New Aerospace manufacturers and suppliers all working in nitrogen, and argon in Company Launches collaboration to develop innovative solutions for liquid form to cater to on P.E.I. the nation’s aerospace needs. These entities, the local market. Action Aero, a new along with Ohio’s internationally renowned Salzgitter Flachstahl aerospace company, is federal aerospace research centers, attract the GmbH plans to expand setting up shop in Charlottetown, Prince industry’s top talent to provide limitless its crude steel produc- Edward Island (P.E.I.), opportunities in aeropropulsion and power tion at its location in Canada. The company research and development, manufacturing Salzgitter. At the same will focus on engine innovation and commercialization of aerospace time production of elec- accessory repair and components and products. tric steel at the location overhaul for small airplanes and helicopters, of the subsidiary Peiner and start with about 25 Messer Invests at Salzgitter AG Träger GmbH in Peine The air separation plant employees. The The Messer Group, Sulzbach, Germany, signed will also be increased. on the site of Salzgitter aerospace industry a contract with Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH, a More technical oxygen AG will supply oxygen employs 850 people in nitrogen to the steelworks the province. subsidiary of Salzgitter AG, Salzgitter, Germany, will be required to in gaseous form. to construct and operate an air separation plant. guarantee the increased The industrial gas specialist will invest around production volume, and Messer will cover this EUR 50 million in the production plant for the need by building its air separation plant in industrial gases oxygen, nitrogen and argon. The Salzgitter. The site in Peine which is approx. 30 air separation plant on the site of Salzgitter AG km away will also be supplied with oxygen from will supply more than 30,000 standard cubic Salzgitter over a new pipeline. Messer is active meters of oxygen and optionally 40,000 stan- in over 30 countries in Europe and Asia, as well dard cubic meters of nitrogen to the steelworks in as Peru, with over 60 operating companies. gaseous form. Messer will also produce oxygen, www.messergroup.com. 8 HEAT TREATING PROGRESS • JULY/AUGUST 2008 China Industrial Gases Market Growing Rapidly According to a market study entitled While the U.S. will remain the largest “World Industrial Gases” by The market for industrial gas, the developed Freedonia Group Inc., a Cleveland, markets of North America, Western Ohio, based industry market research Europe, and Japan will record below firm, China will surpass Japan as the average growth in industrial gas. The world’s second largest market in the world demand for industrial gases is forecast for industrial gas demand. forecast to increase 6.9% annually to Schematic of power management system. Seco/Warwick Receives Patent for Power Management System Seco/Warwick Corp., Meadville, Pa., patented a power management option (U.S. Patent No. 7,193,188 B2) for high-pressure quench (HPQ) vacuum furnaces that reduces electrical consumption by creating a single system of alternate control of the heating and cooling processes using a single frequency converter. The system has been installed on more than ten vacuum HPQ systems since the patent issue in May 2007. The system results in a reduction in electrical consumption and improves efficiency by increasing the power factor of heating and cooling systems. System benefits include: • Stepless control of heating and cooling power • Programmable cooling rate controlled according to the load temperature • Martempering quench capability • Ability to use various cooling gases • No blower motor start-up overcurrent, fewer electrical components Field operating results demonstrate a minimum of 20% savings in electrical consumption in addition to reducing equipment and maintenance costs. The inventor of the system is Maciej Korecki, Director of Research & Development. www.secowarwick.com. HEAT