To start off the week we are pretty excited to have an interview with Mr. Jeff McLaughlin, founder, owner and CEO of Mclaughlin Furnace Group based in Avilla, Indiana, USA. When we searched around for a cool picture to go with this story we came across this recent photo showing Jeff doing a furnace installation in Viet Nam. As you can see in spite of the fact that Jeff is the owner and founder of the company he is a very “hands on” guy.

Click Here To Read The Interview

Commercial heat treater FPM Heat Treating based in Elk Grove, Illinois, USA has announced that they will be closing their facility at 11200 W. Heather Avenue in Milwaukee by mid May of 2020. While this plant will be closed the equipment is being moved to other FPM locations and all of the employees are being offered jobs at the Cherry Valley or Elk Grove locations.  FPM is one of the largest commercial heat treaters in North America as rated by “The Monty”  https://themonty.com/largest-commercial-heat-treats/  In Clackamas, Oregon, USA (near Portland) commercial heat treater Met-Tek is celebrating a milestone few companies reach-their 50th year in business. In this picture we see on the left Jason Shriner and on the right Jerry Shriner, owner and President. More on the company later this week.

Last week we had a news item and several photos about a brand new aluminum processing line at Heat Treat 2000 in the UK-here is the abbreviated press release; “We are about to announce the opening of a new  £3 million heat treatment facility for aluminium processing. It is sited adjacent to our existing facility and complements our current aluminium capability and the 300 tons per week of fasteners and presswork we currently  heat treat. The investment consists of a suite of automatic computer controlled rapid quench furnaces capable of taking up to a 3 ton charge which can be quenched in temperature controlled cold water, hot water or polymer. The latter is followed by and agitated rinse and hot power wash to ensure product cleanliness. This is supported by new precipitation ovens with automatic door opening. Furnaces are a combination of gas and electrically heated opening up new opportunities as well as meeting increased demand for our services. Our investment doubles capacity giving us one of the largest processing capabilities in the UK. Bar code tracking and scanning have also been introduced providing live data which can be accessed remotely.” To go with this story we also have these photos of the line as it was being installed.

You really can’t consider this a heat treat news item but there is a connection in that both Borg Warner and Delphi maintain large captive heat treat departments, in particular Borg Warner. The Borg facility in Ithaca, New York, USA is by any standard very substantial and quite up to date in terms of heat treating technology.  Built in the 1970’s it would best be described as a campus in that it sprawls over hundreds of acres. If we ever put together a list of the most impressive and most picturesque heat treats in the world the Borg Warner location in Ithaca will be on that list. “Shares of Delphi Technologies PLC soared 61% Tuesday, after BorgWarner Inc. said it’s acquiring the company in all-stock deal with an enterprise value of about $3.3 billion. BorgWarner BWA, -0.40%, which makes parts for combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles, said Delphi shareholders will receive 0.4534 shares of its stock for each Delphi DLPH, +0.00%  share owned, equal to $17.39 a share in cash. That represents a 77% premium over Delphi stock’s closing price Monday. Upon closing, BorgWarner shareholders will own about 84% of the combined company, with Delphi shareholders owning the remaining 16%.”

It’s only 4 weeks until ASM Heat Treat Mexico takes place in Queretaro, Mexico, the exact dates are March 3-5^th. We have attended this event in the past and found it to be quite worthwhile, so much so that we at “The Monty” will be attending again this year and taking the opportunity it visit a number of captive and commercial heat treaters in the area. An example from our last trip includes this picture taken in the heat treating department of auto parts maker Sisamex. More details about this show can be found by clicking on the Heat Treat Mexico banner ad on this page.

We regret to mention the passing of Jack Palmer in the Portland, Oregon, USA area. Jack spent most of his working life involved in the commercial heat treating industry in the Portland, Oregon, area with companies such as Spencer Heat Treat. Jack passed away January 11^th and a memorial service was held for him this past Saturday. His legacy lives on in the form of his son Todd who is involved in the heat treating department of Blount Inc., in Portland a manufacturer of chain saw components and captive heat treater.  Commercial heat treater Metex Heat Treating in Mississauga, Canada continues to grow, this time they will be adding another large batch IQ furnace.  Last week we had a picture of a really cool bottom loading vacuum furnace installation in Portland, Oregon which prompted us to ask the question; what % of new vacuum furnaces manufactured are bottom loading (vertical) as opposed to horizontal loading? Our guess by the way was 5-10%. We had a “vacuum guy” with over 40 years experience suggest it was probably around 8% which sounds about right.

Heat treating around the world. To round things out for Monday February 3/2020 we have this picture from Lima, Peru which we took in April 2018. What you are looking at is an Ion (Plasma) nitriding system located at a company by the name of Tratar in Lima. It was built by a company by the name of Ion Heat which is making a name for itself around the world as an up and coming furnace builder.

January 29/2020 we had the news item below about bottom loading vacuum furnaces and at the time we promised more details to come. We can now share with you that these furnaces are located at Stack Metallurgical in Portland, Oregon, USA and they were provided by furnace manufacturer Ipsen. The first was installed in 2016 and it’s twin in 2018-needless to say what you are looking at is a multi million dollar installation. In this photo we see from the left Gord Montgomery, Nels Plough, President, Craig Beaumier, VP, Sales & Marketing and Mike Deaner, Maintenance Manager (more about Mike and Stack later).

“Bottom Loading (Vertical) Vacuum Furnaces;  It would be interesting to know what % of new vacuum furnaces built each year are bottom loading (vertical) as opposed to horizontal loading. It is certainly very much in the minority as they are largely relegated to the aerospace industry and seldom seen in other vacuum hardening applications such as hardening of dies or tool steels. Our guess would be 5% possibly as high as 10% of the total worldwide market but we emphasize that is just a guess on our part. Having said that we have this photo of a really impressive bottom loading vacuum furnace installation we just saw in person. What you are looking at are two bottom loading vacuum furnaces with working dimensions of 60″ X 60″, 6 bar quenching, each with a capacity of 8,000 pounds and both installed within the past 3 years. More to come.”

Here is a trivia question for you-what is the largest vacuum carburizing furnace in North America? We believe it to be this SECO/WARWICK unit located at Stack Metallurgical in Portland, Oregon, USA. With working dimensions of 72″ X 72″ X 72″, oil quenching and a weight capacity of approximately 10,000 pounds we have yet to see a larger unit in North America. Designed for large
gears these photos do not do justice to this monster. By the way next week we will have a profile of Stack telling you all about the company.

Lets go to the UK for an announcement about a major investment in an aluminum processing facility. We actually visited this company back in 2013 shortly after they had installed a new 6,000 pound an hour mesh belt furnace line (you can find the 2013 announcement further down). The company provided this short U Tube video for us.

“We are about to announce the opening of a new  £3 million heat treatment facility for aluminium processing. It is sited adjacent to our existing facility and complements our current aluminium capability and the 300 tons per week of fasteners and presswork we currently  heat treat. The investment consists of a suite of automatic computer controlled rapid quench furnaces capable of taking up to a 3 ton charge which can be quenched in temperature controlled cold water, hot water or polymer. The latter is followed by and agitated rinse and hot power wash to ensure product cleanliness. This is supported by new precipitation ovens with automatic door opening. Furnaces are a combination of gas and electrically heated opening up new opportunities as well as meeting increased demand for our services. Our investment doubles capacity giving us one of the largest processing capabilities in the UK. Bar code tracking and scanning have also been introduced providing live data which can be accessed remotely.”

MARCH 2013 PRESS RELEASE Heat Treatment 2000 Ltd./UK. We’re learning a thing or two about heat treating in the UK, namely that generally the volumes aren’t as large as in areas such as the US, Germany, China or Taiwan. Large volume cast or mesh belt continuous furnace lines for heat treating fasteners in all of the areas just mentioned are not uncommon but in the UK they are relatively uncommon and to date the only commercial heat treater we have seen or heard of that specializes in big volume fastener heat treating is a company by the name of Heat Treatment 2000 located West Midlands, England. In 1998 the company invested in a 6,000 pound/hour mesh belt line bought from Can Eng in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada for an investment of roughly $2 million USD and just last year purchased another very large mesh belt line from a supplier in Taiwan. While it would appear that continuous heat treating of fasteners is a very strong area for the company not to be missed is the fact that the company also has a very large aluminum processing department. We would describe this as a medium to large size commercial heat treater that looks to have captured an area of heat treating not generally covered by other heat treaters in the UK and consequently the company looks to be doing very well.

It would be interesting to know what % of new vacuum furnaces built each year are bottom loading (vertical) as opposed to horizontal loading. It is certainly very much in the minority as they are largely relegated to the aerospace industry and seldom seen in other vacuum hardening applications such as hardening of dies or tool steels. Our guess would be 5% possibly as high as 10% of the total worldwide market but we emphasize that is just a guess on our part. Having said that we have this photo of a really impressive bottom loading vacuum furnace installation we just saw in person. What you are looking at are two bottom loading vacuum furnaces with working
dimensions of 60″ X 60″, 6 bar quenching, each with a capacity of 8,000 pounds and both installed within the past 3 years. More to come.

Yesterday we had a “teaser” photo of an electrically heated aluminum drop bottom oven with the promise that we would give more details about the manufacturer. The builder is a company by the name of Kleenair Products Co., located near Portland, Oregon, USA and in spite of the fact that it has been in business since 1926 it is a name which doesn’t readily come to mind when it comes to drop bottom ovens. The name “Kleenair” comes from the fact the company originally made ventilation systems for ships before entering the industrial furnace business in the late 1950’s. While every furnace the company builds is custom their most common examples are “tip up” furnaces, car bottom style, box furnaces, sintering furnaces, some MIM vacuum furnaces and yes quite a number of drop bottom ovens over the years. This employee owned company does everything in house from start to finish and is currently run by the majority shareholder Mr. Steve Gee who can be seen in a couple of these pictures. While the company covers many industries their main focus is on the aerospace industry and with over 30 employees and roughly 30,000 square feet under roof they are probably the largest furnace builder in the US Northwest. Nice operation and obviously a company which quietly goes about turning out real solid equipment.

Steve Gee, President, Kleenair, Ben Grammer, Grammer Vacuum Technologies

“Dr Steffen Wolf joined UPC Germany as the Head of Sales Europe in December 2019. Dr Wolf got his doctorate in fuel cell technology in 2013 in the University of Stuttgart. After some learning roles at Planzee AG and DLR (German Aerospace Center), he joined the H+K Hardness and Surface Technology in June 2013 as Technical Sales Manager. H+K is a service company in the field of heat treatment. Dr Wolf has accumulated a deep technical knowledge in many heat treatment processes and technologies. He also developed a very good market understanding in Germany and Europe. He is based in Heiningen where UPC Germany has it’s main office. His dynamism and structured approach will streng then UPC Europe and steer the development of competitive solutions for the UPC growing customer base. Please welcome Steffen.”

January 27^th, 2020 saw the Grand Opening of the Stack HIP (Hot Isostatic Press) facility in Albany, Oregon, USA (all the details about Stack’s investment in this technology can be found in the press releases below). It truly is an impressive operation as can be see in the pictures below and we can say that they don’t really give you an idea about how large the system is. How about we phrase this another one which really should get your attention, the HIP unit cost approximately $18 million USD and total investment in this plant will be about $25 million USD-now those are really impressive numbers! To refresh your memory these are the details about the unit; “The Hot Isostatic Press, model QIH286 M URC®, is equipped with Quintus’ proprietary uniform rapid cooling and features a large-capacity work zone of 63 inches (1,600 mm) in diameter and 102 inches (2,591 mm) in height, allowing densification of large batches at 29,000 psi (2,000 bar) and a maximum operating temperature of 2280°F (1,250°C). The QIH286 Mega-HIP satisfies Stack’s demanding criteria for output quality, operational performance, and cost-effectiveness.”

Portland, Oregon, December 3, 2019 — “Stack Metallurgical Group Augments Hot Isostatic Pressing Capacity with Second System from Quintus Technologies  Spurred by a successful entry into Hot Isostatic Pressing at the beginning of this year, Stack Metallurgical Group is redoubling its commitment to the technology with the addition of a second Hot Isostatic Press (HIP) from Quintus Technologies. A trusted provider of heat treating and metal processing services to quality-critical industries, Stack is now investing in a model QIH 122 M URC®, which features a work zone of 26.0 inches (660 mm) in diameter and 68.9 inches (1,750 mm) in height. The new system follows the installation of a high-capacity Mega-HIP, the QIH286 M URC®, with a work zone of 63 inches (1,600 mm) in diameter and 102 inches (2,591 mm) in height. “We’ve been extremely happy with the market response as we have expanded our service offerings to include HIP,” states Doug Puerta, CEO, Stack Metallurgical Group. “The massive size of our first unit enables us to process larger castings and/or powder metal components. The new unit now allows us to efficiently process a wider range of materials and lot sizes and is ideal for moderately sized components.  The capabilities and capacity offered by these two units further strengthens the value proposition that Stack facilities provide their clients.”

Like the Mega-HIP, the QIH 122 M URC is equipped with the Quintus proprietary uniform rapid cooling (URC) feature, which combines HIP and heat treatment in a single process. Known as high pressure heat treatment (HPHT), this innovative approach streamlines the steps involved in material densification and heat treatment. It enables all processed components to cool uniformly, resulting in minimal thermal distortion and non-uniform grain growth. The improved material properties are essential for parts designed for demanding applications–in aerospace, medical implants, and power generation, for example. The burgeoning additive manufacturing (AM) environment played a large role in Stack’s decision to expand its HIP portfolio. “We see opportunities not only in traditional markets such as castings, but also in emerging markets, with additive manufacturing being the most notable,” Mr. Puerta says. The new press, which operates at a maximum temperature of 2,552°F (1,400°C) and a maximum pressure of 30,000 psi (2,070 bar), will be installed in Stack’s recently completed facility in Albany, Oregon.

“HIP is an important contributor toward our objective to be a one-stop shop for our clients, as we can now service a broad range of manufacturing milestones,” Dan Ederer, Stack Corporate President added, “Quintus has been a great partner since we first began exploring an entrance into HIP. Quintus has provided unique solutions including size, pressure, and cooling rate capability, which has in turn enabled us to partner with our clients in a more comprehensive manner.”

“Stack’s decision to invest in a second Quintus HIP is a tribute to our leadership position in the industry,” says Jan Söderström, CEO of Quintus Technologies. “As the need for Hot Isostatic Pressing steadily increases, we are very pleased with this next step in our relationship.”

About Quintus Technologies; Quintus Technologies is the global leader in high pressure technology. The company designs, manufactures, installs, and supports high pressure systems for sheet metal forming and densification of advanced materials. Quintus has delivered over 1,900 systems to customers within industries such as aerospace, automotive, energy, and medical implants. The company is headquartered in Västerås, Sweden, with a presence in 45 countries worldwide. For more information, go to www.quintustechnologies.com

About Stack Metallurgical Services, Inc.;With a history dating back to 1946, the Stack Metallurgical Group has grown to become the most versatile provider of heat treating and metal processing services in the Pacific Northwest. With its new HIP facility coming on-line in 2019, Stack will offer four Nadcap-accredited locations with a focus on the aerospace, power generation, medical implant, and high-end knife and cutlery markets. The company’s modern and extensive equipment line-up offers a comprehensive portfolio of services for demanding clients throughout North America. With a range of aerospace OEM approvals for heat treatment, Stack has built trusted relationships with aerospace titans like Boeing, General Electric, Consolidated Precision Products, and Precision Castparts. Read more about Stack: www.stackmet.com”

Johan Hjaerne, BU Director Americas, Dave Ederer, Chairman Stack Metallurgical Group, John Erley, BD Manager Americas west

Doug Puerta, Bob Hill, President, Solar Atmospheres

 Nels Plough, President, Stack Metallurgical, Kim Chaussee, Production Control Supervisor, Doug Puerta, CEO Stack Metallurgical, Gord Montgomery