The favorite annual European heat treatment show for “The Monty” team is the HärtereiKongress held in Cologne, Germany in October which we have attended for many years. Unfortunately the 2020 show was a virtual event due to COVID and it looks like this will be repeated in 2021 for the same reason. It’s unfortunate but really no surprise. We leave you with this photo of the “Rohde” booth at the 2019 show.
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Further down you will find a press release from September of 2020 about how Gallos Metal Solutions in Milwaukee, WI, USA had accepted a brand new 4,000 pound per hour mesh belt furnace line from Can Eng International. The line is now installed as can be seen in these photos and we have these further details; “James Gallos – Owner of Gallos Metal Solutions Inc, of Milwaukee, WI stands with Can-Eng Field Engineer Gabe Bylsma in front of Gallos’ newest addition- a Can-Eng 4000 lb/hr high capacity Mesh Belt Furnace System. This furnace system was custom designed to provide optimal throughput when running parts requiring carbon diffusion and lighter belt loads. Gallos Metal Solutions Inc. currently operates four Can-Eng Mesh Belt Furnaces that are used primarily for demanding processing including Carbonitriding and Carburizing.”
“SEPTEMBER 2020 NEWS RELEASE; Can-Eng Furnaces International, Ltd. (CAN-ENG) has recently delivered a high capacity Mesh Belt Heat Treatment Furnace line to Gallos Metal Solutions Inc., Milwaukee, WI (GALLOS).
This new capacity addition features: a computerized controlled automated bin dumping and vibratory part feeder system, dunk and spray pre-washer, protective atmosphere controlled mesh belt hardening system, oil quench, dunk and spray post wash system, forced recirculation temper furnace, in-line post cooling system, and CAN-ENG’s PETTM Level 2 SCADA system. By integrating CAN-ENG’s Level 2 Automation, GALLOS provides access to vital tracking of products’ status, detailed process data for continuous process improvements, comprehensive equipment diagnostics, cost analysis, and inventory management. This project marks the fourth Can-Eng Mesh Belt furnace line to be in operation at this facility.”
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In Sulligent, Alabama, USA Hyster Yale a major forklift gear manufacturer is auctioning off their heat treatment department in an on line auction which will run until May 20, 2021. The company has long considered in house heat treating to be necessary, however not that long ago the entire product line for which this department was dedicated was outsourced to an outside vendor making the heat treat equipment redundant. The equipment consists of mainly older Ipsen batch IQ furnaces in pretty decent shape. However everything is small by North American standards-30” X 48” x 20” work zones with a capacity of 1500 pounds per furnace. In today’s world furnaces this small would only be considered by captive heat treaters or commercial heat treaters in areas with smaller volumes such as California or perhaps the US North East.
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Precision Castparts is a supplier of precision castings largely to the aerospace industry. It is known as a large captive heat treater offering high end processing but due to the slowdown in the aerospace industry it has seen a reduction in business which means some equipment has become surplus. This particular furnace in Garden Grove, California is one item that has come on the used market. What you are looking at is an Ipsen Model VFC-924R and it has been NADCAP approved since 2018. It is not a new furnace obviously, however it has a relatively new hot zone, instrumentation has been calibrated regularly and it is complete and ready to go. Asking price is $51,000 USD which is pushing it a bit for an older furnace however it is in our opinion a reasonable asking price.
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SECO/WARWICK will deliver the third Solution Heat Treatment line for a key Indian manufacturer in the defense and aviation sector – Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL). This order will be the largest production line for aircraft skins in the history of both companies.
The working zone of the furnace is L7500xW3000xH3000mm, with the capacity to process huge sheets of aluminum. This is a big advantage in manufacturing these aircraft skins. Such a large working zone reduces the number of joints in the skin. The line, as designed, will meet the client’s requirements, ensuring a guaranteed +/- 5°C load temperature uniformity, load cooling in either a polymer or a water quench, and will remove the polymer sediment remaining after quench. Additionally, the system can be used for artificial aging in the furnace.
The huge working zone of the furnace is only one feature that makes this system ideally suited to the aviation industry. Apart from the size of the working zone, a very important parameter is the speed of full immersion of the load in the quench tank. In this configuration and thanks to the advanced hoist and door opening systems, the rapid quench time is as short as 5 seconds. As a result, we obtain a final product that meets the material and aviation heat treatment standards for very demanding types of alloys. This means that the new line will reduce the cycle time and the number of Solution Heat Treatment process steps required to meet TASL plant capacity requirements. Thus, the SECO/WARWICK line will reduce operating costs and eliminate some additional joints in the aircraft skins.
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This is the second time in just a couple of weeks that we have mentioned a major automotive company issuing a recall due to incorrect heat treating practices; “Seoul [South Korea], May 6 (ANI/Global Economic): Hyundai Motor recalled 390,000 vehicles from the US and Canada due to the possibility of an engine fire. On Tuesday (local time), CBS News reported that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) made such a notice.
203,000 Santa Fe sports SUVs from 2013 to 2015, Elantra from 2019 to 2020, and 187,000 Kona and Veloster from 2019 to 2021 were included in the recall. If oil leaks to the anti-lock braking system (ABS) computer and causes short-circuit, it could result in fire. There were 18 fires in the United States due to this problem, but there were no injuries. Inadequate heat treatment of piston rings was also pointed out as a cause of the fire. Five fires occurred due to this problem without injuries.”
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Recently we had a news item about how auto assembly was being drastically curtailed by the ongoing “chip” shortage which was in turn effecting parts suppliers which of course has lead to a shortage of automotive heat treating Automotive Heat Treating Slows Due to “Chip” Shortage | The Monty Our original article largely concentrated on the North American market, however according to this article things are just as bad in Europe;
“Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is shutting its two main car factories temporarily due to a shortage of computer chips. The difficulties at Britain’s biggest carmaker echo similar problems at other manufacturers, including Ford, who have been hit by a global shortage of chips. JLR said there would be a “limited period” of closure at its Halewood and Castle Bromwich sites from Monday.
The Covid-19 pandemic has driven up demand for semiconductor chips for use in electronics such as computers, as people worked from home, and suppliers are struggling to adjust. There has also been a fire at a Japanese company, part of Renesas Electronics, one of the world’s biggest makers of semiconductors for the car industry.
Also on Thursday, France’s Renault warned that the chip shortage was worsening. On Wednesday, carmaker Stellantis, which owns the UK Vauxhall brand, said it would replace digital speedometers with more old-fashioned analogue ones in one of its Peugeot models, as the fallout continues. Daimler, General Motors and Volkswagen have all suspended production lines at various times in recent weeks.
What has made the auto industry particularly vulnerable is its reliance on just-in-time delivery, where parts are brought in when needed, rather than being stockpiled. Normally this is seen as the efficient way to do things – but the semiconductor shortage has shown just what can happen when normally well-oiled supply chains seize up. Further disruption over the coming weeks and months is inevitable, because it takes time to ramp up chip production. The question now is what carmakers can do to ensure they aren’t caught out by a similar supply squeeze in future.”
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Last week we had a press release from Nitrex about a new nitriding application at Youngstown Tool & Die in Ohio. This press release gives us more of an overview of the firm’s expansion plans.
Founded in 1961, YTD was launched with sole purpose of manufacturing of extrusion dies and tooling for the aluminum extrusion industry. Since its inception, the company has embraced the philosophy that technological advancements, industry leadership, and quality products are key elements to success. Over the years, Youngstown Tool & Die has expanded to continue meeting the needs of its customers.
YTD’s most recent expansion rolled out in Summer 2020, when the company moved to a larger, 70,000 sq ft facility (still located in Youngstown). With the move completed, the company has also made investments in new production and finishing equipment to increase its manufacturing capabilities and meet the growing demand in the U.S. This new equipment includes CNC milling, turning, EDM wire, and sinker machines, as well as vacuum heat treatment and nitriding capabilities.
For now, YTD is hosting virtual tours of their new facility, but the company hopes to invite extruders and employees to their new home for in-house training and other programs in the near future. The new nitriding system was supplied by Nitrex Canada, a provider of fully integrated heat-treating solutions and technologies based in Montreal, Canada. The NX-1015 pit-type system was installed with NitregR controlled nitriding. It has a capacity of 4,400 lbs (2,000 kg) capacity for the treatment of aluminum extrusion dies.
Since aluminum extrusion dies undergo extrusion cycles in conditions that include high temperatures, abrasion, and wear, periodic nitriding with the Nitreg technology ensures optimum results of the nitrided layer, translating to longer-lasting extrusion dies. Besides improving die quality, Nitreg also contributes to reduced costs associated with tooling, downtime, corrections, and profile quality.
“This is the company’s first purchase of a Nitrex nitriding system and we are glad to be part of their growth strategy,” said Jack Kalucki, account executive at Nitrex. “Use of the Nitreg nitriding technology will ensure that YTD customers optimize their die performance and achieve greater throughput capacities.”
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Recently one of the largest captive heat treaters in North America posed to us a very interesting question, one for which we do not have a good answer; “We are looking for a source to perform onsite mass flow controller calibration to NIST requirements. To date we have not found anybody which can offer this service-does “The Monty” have any good suggestions”? Well we found one company which can do this, Brooks Instrument and after a very interesting conversation with the company they sent us this summary of what they can offer.
So the answer to our original question would be that yes there is a company out there, Brooks Instrument who can offer on site calibration of mass flow controllers.
“Brooks Instrument, a division of ITW (Illinois Tool Works) is the global leader in precision fluid measurement and control technology and has the world’s largest installed base of mass flow controllers. We offer onsite calibration services for Brooks Instrument brand mass flow controllers with flow rates up to 1000 lpm. NIST or ICC Traceable calibrations are available for flow rates up to 100 lpm.
Our Factory Certified Field Service Engineers follow the same factory calibration procedures when working on customer devices in the field, utilizing the same proprietary factory calibration software to ensure compatibility and consistency across all devices. We work with our clients to perform calibration services during scheduled downtimes and preventative maintenance periods. This helps eliminate labor and shipping costs along with delays due to removing/reinstalling devices from tool and the shipping transit times.
Minor repairs, tuning and adjustments can also be performed by the engineers on-site to better optimize the performance the devices for their intended application. Brooks Instrument Field Service Engineers are not only Brooks Instrument product experts but are also qualified system specialists with strong electrical/mechanical engineering and control system knowledge in the key markets we serve. A detailed field service report with the summary of findings and recommendations specific to the application/installation are included with every service visit.
Formal calibration certificates and summary reports are delivered within 24 hours post service visit. Onsite services are available via fixed term service agreements or Ala carte orders. Service agreement clients receive additional benefits such as priority scheduling and discounts on spare parts purchase, training, and factory repair services. All work performed by Brooks Instrument Service carries a warranty of one-year from the date of service. For more information about all our services, please visit us from the link below: https://www.brooksinstrument.com/en/service-support/on-site-calibration”
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This week’s “The Heat Treat Podcast” goes to the UK to speak with a very good friend of “The Monty Heat Treat News”, Mr. Mike Long of Vacuum & Atmosphere Services. Vacuum & Atmosphere Services was established in 2000 and offers pretty much everything to do with heat treating, new furnaces, rebuilt furnaces, service and support. We think you’re going to enjoy this edition of “The Heat Treat Podcast”.
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