Selma Precision/Sona Precision Forge, Selma, NC.– the end of the line. Now this is a plant which has made our news section several times over the years. Originally it went under the name of Sona Precision Forge and it was a supplier of automotive components with a reasonably large in house heat treat department-mainly batch IQ furnaces. Going back to 2012 the facility suffered a large fire which affected half the plant and part of the heat treat department. The insurance claim totaled $21 million USD which was used to rebuild the plant, rebuild equipment and update the entire heat treat department, all with a new name “Selma Precision”. In a second setback to this plant it was abruptly closed in 2015 with all of the equipment remaining installed and in place. In 2019 the facility was taken over by a large auto parts supplier and over a period of time most of the equipment including most of the heat treat department was sold off. All that remains now are two Allcase furnaces, one of which can be seen below (more details can be found at https://themonty.com/project/surface-combustion-super-36-batch-iq-furnace/)
McLaughlin Furnace Group Press Release; “McLaughlin Furnace Group of Avilla Indiana, USA is pleased to announce that they have just received an order for batch IQ furnaces from a major US heat treater. The order consists of 3 batch IQ furnaces with working dimensions of 36” X 48” X 36”, a charge car, a McLaughlin “Tru-Mix endothermic generator, tempers and washers. All of the equipment will be delivered installed and commissioned in 2020.”
Hauck, Dzierżoniów, Poland. It is now 5 months since Hauck Heat Treatment had a ground breaking ceremony for a 3000 square meter expansion of their plant in Dzierżoniów, Poland. Now comes the final stage-furnace installation. What you can see in the one photo below are two brand new straight through IQ furnaces along with companion equipment. These are triple chamber units with a maximum load capacity of 2 tons each. We can’t be sure but our guess is the equipment is being provided by SECO/WARWICK but that is a guess on our part. The second picture shows the plant when we saw it a few years back.
March 18th there will be an auction in Fountain, Inn, SC featuring some heat treating furnaces. The equipment is located at Emitec, Inc., and the heat treat items include a 50″ Wide Elino Electric Mesh Belt Conveyor Type Heat Treat Furnace (New 2014) and a Rohde Model KEU1950 Electric Chamber Furnace (New 2011). Both Elino and Rohde are based in Germany and are well respected manufacturers, however they are virtually unknown in North America which leads us to believe that Emitec must be a German company.
Bob Hill, Solar Atmospheres Visits Washington, DC. “Bob Hill, President of Solar Atmospheres of Western PA, attended the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Board of Directors Meeting in Washington, D.C. this week. Celebrating its 125th year, NAM boasted an outstanding lineup of speakers, including: Vice President Mike Pence (R); General “Fighting Joe” Dunford, Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV); Governor Larry Hogan (R-MD); Betsy DeVos, US Secretary of Education; and Ivanka Trump, Advisor to the President. NAM clearly has the attention of lawmakers, both inside and outside the Beltway, and is an influential advocate for manufacturers in the US.”
Pat McKenna, Ipsen. We look forward to posting a very interesting and in depth interview with Mr. Pat McKenna, CEO of Ipsen, USA, March 1 of this year. We would like to remind our readers that over the past almost 25 years “The Monty” had done more interviews with heat treaters and industry suppliers than any other source in the world- a number of these can be found at https://themonty.com/interviews/ Speaking of Ipsen Janusz Kowalweski of Ipsen has been spending a great deal of time in Asia on behalf of the company. Apparently over the next 3 months Ipsen will be installing 10 new vacuum furnaces in different parts of South Korea and East Asia. This photo shows a very nice installation in Korea with an advanced HPQ furnace.
To round things our for today we are going to mention a very experienced “vacuum guy” who is looking for a new challenge. Daniel Goosen has 20 years experience with vacuum furnaces and for the past 10 years he has been Heat Treat Manager at Bohler Uddeholm in South Africa. Dannie is looking for a position in the US where his experience can be used. We met Dannie a few years back, he is on the left in the picture below. If you would like to talk to him please drop us a line and we will put you in touch. There is not cost to this, we are trying to help an experience fellow heat treater.
“Braddock Metallurgical is proud to announce the addition of a new General Manager at our Boynton Beach, FL facility. Eric has many years of experience in heat treating, manufacturing, and management. We are excited to have Eric join our team. He will be an integral part in our ongoing pursuit to provide the best quality and service for our customers.” To this press release from Braddock Metallurgical we can also say that Braddock is the largest commercial heat treater in the US Southeast and is ranked as one of the largest in North American according to “The Monty” https://themonty.com/largest-commercial-heat-treats/ Eric’s background includes some time at Bodycote in Houston, Texas, USA and Regate Technologies in Plantersville, Texas a manufacturer who has an in house vacuum heat treating department.
Yesterday we provided some thoughts on how the heat treating industry was being effected by the Coronavirus-this article provides a broader picture about how Asian manufacturing is coping or not coping.
“As the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus outbreak, its impact can also be felt by automotive and aerospace manufacturers. Auto parts manufacturers across China such as Nissan, Honda Motor and PSA Peugeot Citroen, have suspended operations to keep their workers at home in order to minimise spread of the virus. Wuhan, the capital of Hubei and the epicentre of the disease is one of the major auto-industry hubs in China—home to seven major domestic and foreign auto manufacturers, as well as hundreds of auto parts suppliers. According to China Passenger Car Association, the province produced 2.2 million auto units in 2019 which accounted to nine percent of the country’s total production. “Carmakers will face severe parts-supply issues, something companies didn’t encounter during the SARS period,” said Cui Dongshu, secretary general of China’s Passenger Car Association. “Wuhan is the most cost competitive among China’s car-industry hubs, therefore many parts makers produce components there and supply their clients around the world.”
Automakers are expected to lose 350,000 units or about seven percent in the first quarter of the year if plants in 11 provinces responsible for two-thirds of China’s vehicle production are down until February 10, according to automotive research firm IHS Markit. Most recently, Hyundai has halted one of its assembly lines in its South Korea factory due to the lack of auto parts from China as a result of the outbreak. The company also plans to gradually suspend production in its factories due to the supply chain disruptions—the first global automaker to do so outside of China. Similarly, aerospace manufacturers are also affected by this crisis. Airbus has shut down an assembly line in China which is responsible for 10 percent of production for its most popular jet. The company said that domestic and international travel restrictions were posing logistical challenges for operations of its factory.
In a statement, Airbus said that they are “constantly evaluating the situation and monitoring any potential knock on effects to production and deliveries and will try to mitigate via alternative plans where necessary.” With major supply chain disruptions in the manufacturing sectors caused by the outbreak, IHS forecasts a loss of more than 1.7 million units for the first quarter if automotive plants remain closed until mid-March. Given the unpredictable nature of the virus, manufacturers will have to remain vigilant and monitor the global situation closely.”
“Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems is pleased to announce the recent installation of a Continuous Vacuum Furnace (model CVPQ) with 5 BAR pressure quench capabilities in Midwestern USA. The 5 zone furnace is rated to 2400F. The independent load and quench modules allow the heat module to hold temperature and vacuum creating an extremely pure environment. Workloads are indexed through the furnace as quickly as every 6 minutes. As only the workload is cooled (not the heat chamber), it makes for a very efficient system. A pair of internal vacuum/pressure doors that seal against corresponding internal machined flanges means that no complex clamping mechanisms are required. Quick transference from the heat module to the cool module and fast quench capabilities (up to 5 BAR) make this an ideal furnace to sinter-harden SS parts.
For more information on how Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems can manufacture custom-engineered heat treating equipment solutions for your specific thermal heating requirements, contact Matt Marzullo at (401) 467-5200 or via email at [email protected]. You can also visit our website at www.gasbarre.com and find us on LinkedIn (Gasbarre Products Inc.), Twitter (@gasproinc), and Facebook (Gasbarre Products Inc.).”
For much of the world the coronavirus is little more than headlines in a newspaper but as the headlines grow closer and more persistent we are hearing more and more questions about possible effects on the heat treatment industry. As the virus is centered in China any possible effects for the rest of the world are going to be centered on those heat treating products and components which are exported from that country and heat treating imports to China from the rest of the world. While most or our information is anectodical we can say with certainty that heat treat exhibitions in the country are being postponed -the first example is the 13th International Exhibition for Powder Metallurgy, Cemented Carbides and Advanced Ceramics organised by Uniris Exhibition Shanghai Co., Ltd, which had been scheduled for March 24-26th has now has been postponed until further notice. Furnace start ups by Western suppliers are also being postponed due to travel restrictions involving field service engineers. We can say with certainty that 2 vacuum nitriders being built by European suppliers, 3 vacuum furnaces being built by European and North American builders and one mesh belt line being supplied by a North American company have all had their start ups delayed indefinitely.
The picture for heat treating products being exported from China is a little murkier due to the Chinese New Year. In 2020 this was celebrated from January 25th to February 8th during which time almost all companies were closed. As this coincided with the coronavirus outbreak it is impossible to say with certainty how much this has effected exports. However you can certainly say that since this was extended by at least a week in many parts of the country it has slowed exports down by some degree. As it happens we at “The Monty” have a great deal of experience with molybdenum and alloy exports from China and to date we have seen very minor delays at most, delays mainly in quoting and engineering. This response from a Chinese supplier of moly seems to be typical; “Mr.Gord, Yes, coronavirus is furious, but nearly one month passed, it becomes slowing down, plant plan to reopen tomorrow Feb 13th. The 4 orders from U.S. will be shipped continuely within next month so we only little late.”
So at the end of the day until Chinese suppliers return from the extended Chinese New Year it is impossible to know for sure the effects on our industry. We will keep you posted.
“Ipsen is committed to keeping its products running at peak performance for decades. With more than 10,000 furnaces installed worldwide, Ipsen maintains a strong focus on customer service and aftermarket support.
To better serve customers, Ipsen offers free evaluations of any brand of vacuum heat-treating system in the United States. During this comprehensive inspection, an Ipsen Customer Service team member will check all major components of the furnace. The process typically takes under an hour, and Ipsen will provide a written health report with a suggested 18-month maintenance plan.
“Finding issues early, and planning for future maintenance, means less unexpected downtime and avoiding costly repairs,” said Ipsen Customer Service Sales Manager Matt Clinite. “Thanks to proper maintenance and regular service, many Ipsen furnaces built in the 1960s and 70s are still running today.”
In addition to the free evaluations, Ipsen’s aftermarket services include replacement parts, hot zones, controls and instrumentation upgrades, mechanical retrofits and furnace refurbishments. With a global team of more than 120 field service technicians, Ipsen offers quick and easy access to troubleshooting and repairs, preventative maintenance, instrument calibrations and temperature uniformity surveys.
For more information on Ipsen Customer Service, or to schedule your free furnace evaluation, visit www.ipsenusa.com/ipsen-customer-service or call 1-844-Go-Ipsen.”
To add to this rather interesting news item we can say with pride that we at “The Monty” have visited the three existing ALD facilities in Germany, Mexico and the US and all are top notch, very modern operations.
“Heat Treatment Services (HTS), a division of ALD Vacuum Technologies GmbH headquartered in Hanau, Germany, has announced that it will establish a new heat treatment services centre in China, which will be officially registered as ALD Thermal Treatment (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. This will be the fourth ALD Heat Treatment Services plant globally, with the others being based in Germany, the USA, and Mexico. The company states that the new centre will be equipped with ModulTherm, ALD’s heat treatment system, and will serve the domestic industry with high-quality heat treatment services. The new production hall will reportedly be erected next to the company’s subsidiary ALD-C&K Vacuum Technologies (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.ALD-C&K Vacuum Technologies (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., produces, sells and services ALD equipment, and is also experienced in the commissioning and maintenance of heat treatment systems. The close cooperation between these two units is expected to contribute to the performance of the new heat treatment services centre. Start of production is scheduled for Autumn 2020.”
Caption under photo; “The new heat treatment services production hall (left) will be erected next to the existing buildings of ALD-C&K Vacuum Technologies (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. (centre and right) (Rendering courtesy ALD Vacuum Technologies GmbH)”
Now here is a rather convoluted but interesting story about the travels of a Surface Combustion Batch IQ furnace. A number of years ago Surface (a furnace builder in Ohio) built and sold a small electrically heated batch IQ furnace with working dimensions of 24″ X 36″ X 24″ to Timken Aerospace in Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA. The furnace worked well for a number of years until it became redundant Timken at which point it was sold to a gear manufacturer by the name of Trudo Inc., in Richmond, Quebec, Canada of all places-sale price at the time was roughly $40K, USD. Turdo was bought by another Canadian company by the name of Ontario Drive & Gear who had high hopes of turning the company into a captive and commercial heat treating powerhouse based on the very low electrical costs in Quebec. Well everything went bad and the heat treating department was closed down with the equipment going to auction yesterday. The furnace line was sold for $20K at the auction (by the way it was incorrectly advertised as being built in 2018, it was actually partly rebuilt in 2018 but remains a 40 year old furnace) although we are not sure who the actual buyer was.
“Lindberg/MPH announced the shipment of a gas fired nitriding pit furnace with built-in retort to the welding industry. This pit furnace is designed for single and two stage nitriding processes and post-oxidation applications. The design accepts either one-piece work baskets or retort baffle or nest trays. The gross load capacity is 5,000 lbs. at 1200°F and the furnace chamber has a diameter of 38” and is 90” tall. The furnace is designed to produce laminar air flow to obtain the required +/- 15°F temperature uniformity.”
In Germany electrical costs in 2018 averaged .33 U.S. dollars per kilowatt hour. Compare that to an average of .13 U.S. dollars per kilowatt hour in the USA and you quickly realize that the cost of electricity in Germany is a major concern for all heat treaters. Furnace builder ROHDE Schutzgasöfen GmbH of Hanau, Germany recently put together a very in depth report looking specifically at the energy efficiency of their furnaces https://www.rohdetherm.de/wp-c
pdf (we will emphasize again that this is a very detailed report). The photo below shows 2 typical Rohde vacuum nitriding systems located at HTU Härtetechnik GmbH in Mühlhofen, Germany.
