2007 brought the facility in Silao, Mexico which now has 26 employees while Indy has almost 60. We speculated that Contour is the largest commercial induction heat treater in North America which is quite possible although they have to be very close in size to Zion Industries, another commercial heat treater. Currently the company’s mix is roughly 80% heat treating and 20% machine building. With 4 metallurgists on staff, multiple engineers and a dedication to customized solutions the company is planning on continuing with their stated objective of providing customized solutions designed around the part. Trivia time: the company heat treats roughly 21,000 parts per day and the average price of a system is from $300,000 to $3 million USD.
We last visited the company shortly before COVID and these photos date to that last visit. Contour has done well over the years and this year meant an improvement in sales, this is reflected in the fact that the company again made “The Monty Heat Treat News” list of the 50 largest commercial heat treaters in North America, a list which can be found at https://themonty.com/project/t
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Working with leading brands such as Mercedes and GE Power, VAS will now be able to use their accreditation to show their reports and certificates can be accepted from one country to another without the need for further testing. Billed as being useful for organisations that perform testing, sampling or calibration and want reliable results, ISO 17025 has been established to improve international trade.
Managing Director Mike Long said: “Achieving ISO 17025 accreditation was a priority to Vacuum and Atmosphere Services Ltd. We wanted to improve our service, meet Aerospace Material Specifications standard requirements and meet our valued customers expectations.
“Our Temperature Uniformity Survey (TUS) and Calibration Manager Martin Perry and Quality Manager Andy Nisbet have worked tirelessly, with great support from UK Accreditation Service auditors. I am extremely grateful for all their hard work and dedication to achieving this prestigious accreditation.
“Everyone at Vacuum and Atmosphere Services Ltd is looking forward to growing our TUS and calibration services in the coming years.”
The accreditation comes on the back of a year of progress by VAS, which recently bought Norfolk-based distributor and stockist of industrial vacuum pump spares Vacuum Pump Spares Limited on the back of a successful trading period and a strong order book of domestic and international business. The business has moved to the VAS base in Middlemore Road, Smethwick.
A trusted partner for leading brands, VAS was launched in 2000 by two engineers to offer services for vacuum and atmosphere furnaces. Now employing 31 staff, the company has progressed to offer the full service package to the heat treatment industry, from bespoke new furnaces to spare parts.
VAS provides furnace services for the likes of Mercedes, GE Power, Moog and Collins Aerospace. Renowned as being a trusted engineering company run by engineers, VAS is expanding its products and services for clients in the UK and abroad.”
One of the attached photos shows part of the VAS team after they had completed installation of an Ipsen vacuum furnace at captive heat treater Krohne in the UK.
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“Nitrex Vacuum recently shipped a new large vertical vacuum furnace to a major engine MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) shop/repair company in South America. The customer repairs jet engines, components, and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. The vacuum system was ordered to expand production capacity, modernize the company’s plant, and meet quality standards and accreditations. The customer ordered the furnace from Nitrex’s GM Enterprises division, which was acquired by Nitrex in 2020 and now operates under the Nitrex Vacuum Furnaces name. COVID delayed delivery of a number of systems in the aerospace sector and Nitrex is happy to see the industry beginning a strong rebound.
“Shipment of this furnace system, after a number of COVID-related delays, was a milestone for Nitrex,” comments Mark Hemsath, Vice President of Sales and acting General Manager, Nitrex Heat Treating Services, Americas. “It was an interesting project that was affected by the pandemic. We are excited to continue to collaborate with and support our many aerospace customers as the industry rebounds to pre-pandemic strength.”
About the Vertical Vacuum Furnace: The vertical vacuum furnace (VVF series) is designed for vertical bottom-loading applications, and is ideal for processing high-stacked loads, as well as larger and taller workpieces like aircraft engine components. The VVF measures 84″ (diameter) x 84″ (height) (2,134 mm x 2,134 mm), possesses a 6,000-lb maximum capacity (2,727 kg), and operates at temperatures ranging from 1,000 °F to 2,500 °F (540 °C – 1,371 °C). It uses a circular hot zone with 360° gas cooling nozzles that ensure even gas distribution for optimal cooling. For heavy and large cross-section parts, an optional bottom cooling system helps to direct gas over the area for fast and more uniform cooling. The present customer will use the furnace to treat many aerospace components, including annealing and stress relief processes.
About the Customer: The customer is associated with a major international provider of small and large commercial and military jet engines, components, and integrated systems.
About Nitrex: Nitrex (www.nitrex.com) is the only fully integrated global provider in the surface and heat treatment market. The company was founded in 1984 in Montreal, Canada, and operates three business units – Nitrex Turnkey Systems (NTS), with turnkey nitriding, nitrocarburizing, and vacuum furnace systems; Heat Treating Services (HTS), a worldwide network of commercial heat-treating service centers; and UPC-Marathon, a leading provider of controls upgrade and automation solutions for the heat treating and combustion industries.
With more than 450 employees and a market presence in over 55 countries, Nitrex serves its customers globally from 14 locations across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Poland, Italy, France, China, Japan, and through a global network of representatives and licensees. Over the past 37 years, the company’s ability to diversify its product and business portfolios as well as unlocking employee potential has made it one of the best-known players in the heat treatment market.”
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A major Midwestern U.S. supplier of agricultural and lawn equipment has recently purchased a complete Batch Austemper facility from AFC-Holcroft. The complete line consists of two of AFC-Holcroft’s UBQA (Universal Batch Quench-Austemper) units along with ancillary equipment includingpre-treatment spray dunk wash and post-treatment multi-stage washer, pre-heat temper furnaces, salt reclaiming system and salt holding tank. An AFC-Holcroft EZT 4500 endothermic gas generator was also purchased to provide endo gas to the furnace units.
The system includes BatchMasterT Supervisory Control System, along with AFC-Holcroft’s patent-pending Calibration ModeT diagnostics software and Maintenance Module software, which comes pre-loaded with recommended maintenance tasks designed for easy access through the HMI touchscreen.
“This was a great customer to work with for this project,” said Mike Coburn, Technical Sales for AFC-Holcroft. “They fully understood right from the start the environmental and economic benefits of the system.”
Tracy Dougherty, Vice President of Sales added, “We have seen tremendous growth in our salt quench furnace lines, both continuous (pusher and belt) furnaces as well as our UBQA integral salt quench batch furnaces. In addition to the positive environmental impact, these systems produce metallurgical results and distortion control that are second to none.”
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Vacuum & Atmosphere Services Acquires Vacuum Pump Spares Ltd.
In the UK we find that Vacuum & Atmosphere Services continues to grow; “Leading furnace servicing company Vacuum & Atmosphere Services has expanded by acquiring a major distributor and stockist of industrial vacuum pump spares.
Vacuum & Atmosphere Services (VAS), which has its HQ in Smethwick, West Midlands, has bought Norfolk-based Vacuum Pump Spares Limited on the back of a successful trading period and a strong order book of domestic and international business.
Billed as “a major distributor and stockist of industrial vacuum pump spares”, Vacuum Pump Spares specialise in the next day delivery of vacuum pump service and repair parts. Founded in 1988 by the late Tony Joyce and latterly owned by James Williams, Vacuum Pump Spares will become part of the VAS group of companies. Under the deal Vacuum Pump Spares has moved to the VAS base in Middlemore Road, Smethwick, from its previous home in Great Yarmouth.
VAS Managing Director Mike Long said Vacuum Pump Spares would be a strong addition to the VAS offering for the heat treatment sector, as well as a range of industries including food, packaging, medical, drying and composite. He said: “As a privately owned business, VAS are pleased to have acquired a well-run family business and it is our intention is to continue the success story.
“The VAS directors would like to thank James and Ian Williams for their excellent support during the purchase. We would also like to thank Julie Smith for the loyalty, dedication and hard work during her years at Vacuum Pump Spares. To ensure continuity for customers James will remain as a consultant for a short period of time. The new team look forward to supporting all the valued customers of Vacuum Pump Spares in the future.”
Vacuum Pump Spares Director James Williams said: “I had pleasure in accepting the offer to buy Vacuum Pump Spares as VAS are the best and most relevant company to take on the business. “Given VAS’s experience, strength in the market and industry position, combined with their longstanding history with VPS, including their personal connection with my family, I look forward to seeing the company surpass its previous success. I wish Mike Long and his dedicated team the very best for the future.”
Vacuum Pump Spares customers are advised that the company’s phone number and email address will remain the same after the move. Tony Joyce founded the company after being made redundant from his sales and engineering job in the mainframe computer industry.
Having met the owner of Intervac, a wholesale company selling service parts and kits for the repair of industrial vacuum pumps, Tony struck a deal which enabled him to eventually acquire the business. Initially working out of his garage at home, he transformed its fortunes, renaming it Vacuum Pump Spares Ltd in 1997. The family business expanded to supply parts, offering repair and fitting services through a sister company.
A trusted partner for leading brands, new owner VAS was launched in 2000 by two engineers to offer services for vacuum and atmosphere furnaces. Since then, the company has progressed to offer the complete service package to the heat treatment industry, from bespoke new furnaces to spare parts. VAS now employs 31 staff and provides furnace services for the likes of Mercedes, GE Power, Moog and Collins Aerospace. Promoted as an engineering company run by engineers, VAS is expanding its products and services for clients in the UK and abroad.”
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AddUp’s expertise lies in two additive technologies: Powder Bed Fusion (PBF), ideal for the manufacture of metal parts with complex geometries and improved performance and Directed Energy Deposition (DED), which is ideal for the repair of parts and adding function. AddUp is not only a manufacturer of 3D printing machines, but also a producer of industrial metal additively manufactured parts.
To manufacture a part with PBF technology, it is not enough to design it in CAD and print it in a machine. The post-processing of the part is crucial. Therefore, AddUp looked to the ECM Group to combine experience and knowledge to develop a very high value-added solution for this essential step in the AM process.
The ECM Group is a French heat treatment equipment manufacturer and is globally recognized for innovative technologies, processes, and services. ECM vacuum furnaces have been developed for more than 50 years and constitute a reference base of several thousand units sold worldwide. The ECM Group provides vacuum furnace expertise to the heat treat production needs of advanced sectors such as: medical, aeronautics, e-mobility, and renewable energies. With exceptional experience in the control of atmospheres, gases, and thermal applications, the ECM Group is a leading partner for AddUp to meet the requirements of the aforementioned advanced sectors.
Heat Treatment: a Crucial Step in Additive Manufacturing During the 3D printing phase, metal parts are manufactured to the desired shape by successive layers of metal powders fused by one or more lasers. The speed at which the laser moves creates a rapid heating and cooling of the material which can cause expansion or shrinkage. This often times create constraints inside the parts produced.
To improve the homogeneity of the material and reduce its internal stresses to obtain the right mechanical properties, it is often necessary to apply one or more heat treatment cycles to the metal parts after they are printed. “Heat treatment operations are just as important as the 3D printing phase itself, both to reduce the internal stresses generated during the “lasering” phase and to adapt the microstructure of the material and its properties,” said Jean Rivoire, Parts Production Manager at AddUp. “This is why, within AddUp, we are seeking to strengthen this expertise with one of the market leaders; both to reinforce our internal production capacities and to offer a complete solution to our customers wishing to integrate the production of parts made in 3D metal.” Reduce Manufacturing Costs and Improve the Performance of 3D Manufactured Parts
The ECM Group and AddUp will create and develop solutions that will help current and prospective customers reduce their manufacturing costs and lead times, while improving the performance of their parts produced using additive technology. The two groups will work jointly on a development program to define the appropriate specifications for a heat treatment solution adapted to additive manufacturing applications. Next, the ECM Group will design and industrialize a suitable vacuum furnace system according to the specifications defined during this joint development program.”
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Bodycote, the world’s largest thermal processing services provider, is expanding its Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) capability in Greenville, South Carolina, USA.
The new HIP capacity, which will be online by the end of 2022, will focus on developments in additive manufacturing and advanced materials. The two additional vessels further extend the company’s comprehensive range of installed capacity across the world. Bodycote’s Greenville, SC site is a Nadcap accredited site and holds several core OEM approvals. The site consists of numerous vacuum furnaces and other capabilities well suited to support our additive manufacturing customers. The Greenville site will serve the aerospace, defense, medical and general industrial customers throughout the Southeastern region.
Commenting on the increased capacity, Stephen Harris, Bodycote Group Chief Executive, said: “We are pleased to address our customer needs by bringing HIP services closer to their facilities. With the largest HIP operational capacity in the world, our continued investment demonstrates Bodycote’s commitment to align resources to serve our customers across North America.”
Having established industry expertise over decades, Bodycote has more than 50 HIP vessels of varying sizes in multiple locations. Processing capabilities can accommodate components that are nominally up to 6.5ft in diameter by 12ft high and weighing over 65,000lbs.
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Ever wonder how transmission components in the world of NASCAR and Formula1 racing are heat treated? We learned the answer just a few months ago during a visit by “The Monty Heat Treat News” to Xtrac, a supplier of absolute top end automotive transmission components.
“SEPTEMBER 13, 2021; Xtrac is the World’s leading supplier of high performance transmissions for top level professional Motorsport and High Performance Automotive applications. Headquartered in the UK in Thatcham, Berkshire and with additional operations in the USA in Mooresville, North Carolina and Indianapolis, Indiana, Xtrac designs, manufactures and assembles all of their transmissions in-house using the very latest design and analysis tools, and state of the art machining, assembly and test equipment. Xtrac – Transmission Technology Specialists”
The firm is so successful at what it does that not only has it been a leading supplier on the F1 circuit, it recently announced that it is the sole gearbox and driveline supplier for NASCAR’s 2022 next gen cup car-a very impressive feat. With this background we looked forward to visiting the company and seeing their heat treat department, the visit took place just over a week ago and provided a glimpse into the future and that future is vacuum carburizing.
The medium sized heat treat department consists of the industry standard for heat treating gears, batch IQ furnaces and the future in the form of Ipsen vacuum carburizing systems. While the low pressure carburizing systems are not brand new it was apparent to us that any future additions would most likely go with this technology. Combined with this technology was a very elaborate state of the art cleaning system. All in all quite an impressive facility. We have two photos to share with you today, in the first we see from the left Aaron Long, VAS, John Bass-Archerm, Xtrac and Gord Montgomery. In the second we see from the left Greg Walker, VAS, John Bass-Archerm and Gord Montgomery
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A reader recently posed a question about “Clamp Tempering” (the original question can be found below). “The Monty Heat Treat News” is certainly familiar with clamping parts during tempering to reduce distortion, however the question had a different spin to it. For instance a global manufacturer of chain saw bars clamps the bars before loading into a temper oven, however this reader was asking about a process where the clamp and the heating are an integral unit.
As it turns out we have an answer for you, Lindberg Heat Treating (now part of Bodycote) built a number of these units for their own personal use. Read on for the details
“JULY 11/2022; Good Morning Gord, I worked for Lindberg Heat Treating in Melrose Park and Minneapolis for 16 years the early 70s to mid 80s. We built our own heated platens with rod heating elements thermocoupled and controlled. Some were just flat others were custom made to the customers part. We used them for clamp tempering, short times at higher temperatures and also for clamp aging BeCu and 17-4ph. The results were for the most part very good. The process was labor intensive though.”
“JULY 7/2022; Many years ago Lindberg Heat Treat had at least 12 unique systems for tempering stampings. The technology was called “Clamp Temper Press” and the idea behind it was that hot stampings could be clamped during the temper process to reduce distortion. Most of them had three or four heated platen’s and were closed up to about 20,000 lbs. of clamping pressure. A heat treater remembers the technology but has been unable to find out who made the systems or if they are even available any longer. While similar to this picture (from Parker Trutec) the units in question had heated platens. If any of our readers has knowledge about this technology we would appreciate hearing about it.”
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