In Europe the best-known name for cleaning systems is a German firm by the name of HEMO who would appear to be the dominant player (on a side note just 1 month ago the owner of the company, Mr. Andreas Fritz, announced that they were setting up a facility in Michigan, US to accelerate their prescence in North America).
According to this press release by Mr. Andy Borg of Aalberts Surface Technologies in the UK they have just installed a new top loading vapour degreasing system from HEMO.
“We are thrilled with the arrival of our new HEMO VAIOCS S top loader vapor degreaser, installed and running at Aalberts Surface Technologies in Telford.
This cutting-edge machine enhances our capacity to perform precise & efficient metal degreasing, a critical & integral step for our heat treatment processes. The new, fully aerospace compliant degreaser, has a chamber size of 1700mm diameter x 1850mm high and can take up to 5 tonnes in weight.
The system uses perchloroethylene as the primary cleaning agent, but also offers flexibility to transition to modified alcohol if needed in the future.
We’re boosting productivity and reducing environmental impact due to faster cycle times and greater efficiency of power and solvent per load. With the extra capacity created, it means that we are now also offering degreasing as a standalone service for anyone needing specialist cleaning on their components.”
NUTEC Bickley, based in Mexico is a very substantial furnace builder but one which you hear little about (for a little background you can to this previous post on “The Monty Heat Treat News” about the company https://themonty.com/nutec-group-announces-change-of-ceo/).
Over the years “The Monty” has had the opportunity to visit the company at their headquarters in Monterrey, Mexico several times and we have found it to be a very impressive company.
With that preamble out of the way lets have a look at an order the company recently received from the truck component industry;
“NUTEC Bickley is currently installing a truck beam heat treat line incorporating two large walking-beam furnaces – one for austenitizing and the other for tempering. The contract for these specialist furnaces was won against strong international competition and was awarded by one of the leading Latin American auto structural component designers and manufacturers, boasting numerous plants and thousands of employees. Confirmation of NUTEC Bickley’s ability to design and manufacture superior systems is that this is the third such order from this important customer.
The austenitizing furnace is a continuous unit, capable of treating 60 beams (roughly equivalent to 17 tons of steel) per hour. It has an operating temperature of 910°C (1670°F), and a maximum temperature of 1100°C (2010°F). There are 10 automatic control zones, designed to promote temperature uniformity.
The truck beams are 33cm (13in) wide, 11.5cm (4.5in) high, 15m (49ft) long, and each weighs around 285kg (625lb). A closely controlled environment is necessary in order to induce the required change to the steel beams’ crystal structure.
There are 29 high-velocity burners, sited above the load. These top brand burners are one of the most used and respected of their type in the combustion industry. Offering low NOx emissions, they feature stable high excess air and excess fuel operation, direct spark ignition, integral air and gas meters, sturdy cast construction and flame rod ionization. The burner configuration creates gas recirculation and allows uniform heating of the load and better heat transfer to the product through radiation mechanisms and convection.
The furnace employs NUTEC Bickley’s IMPS™ combustion system that uses a predetermined pulse sequence to control individual burners or burner groups based on the heat requirements of each control zone. IMPS provides multiple benefits, including energy savings, enhanced process control, optimal kinetic energy utilization from burners, improved temperature uniformity without excess air, a high turndown ratio, flexible rezoning through software, high gas recirculation rates, better energy transfer to the product, and reduced NOx emissions.
This austenitizing furnace is designed with an area close to the entrance where the beams are preheated before moving forward. Heating is then ramped up to 910°C in a maximum time of 27 minutes.
The tempering furnace – which is also capable of heat treating beams at a rate of 60 pieces per hour – has an operating temperature of 490°C (915°F) and a maximum temperature of 600°C (1110°F). There are six automatic control zones and the heating method for tempering is via air circulation with a vertical flow pattern, ceiling to floor. This is achieved with six centrifugal fans, one for each combustion chamber. The combination of multiple chambers and control zones with recirculation fans optimizes convective heating inside the furnace.”
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Expanite® is expanding its U.S. Operations and Organization – adding significant Heat Treatment Capacity and New Technologies! Expanite, the innovative heat treatment and surface hardening provider, is significantly expanding its U.S. operations. As part of this strategic investment, Expanite is making its ExpaniteHard-Ti process for surface hardening of titanium available to North American customers, alongside the widely adopted SuperExpanite® processes enhancing wear, galling and corrosion resistance of stainless steel, nickel-based, and other specialty alloys. New Facility, Bigger Volumes, Larger Parts, and New Capabilities Expanite Inc., a subsidiary of Expanite A/S based in Denmark, is significantly expanding its operations in North America with a major investment in a larger facility, tripling its heat treatment and surface hardening capacity.
Expanite Inc. is relocating to a new and larger facility in Twinsburg, Ohio and bringing in new furnaces to meet the growing demand for advanced surface hardening and heat treatment solutions across a wide range of industries. The new advanced furnaces – with chamber sizes up to 24x24x36” – are supplied and installed by Seco/Warwick. The new equipment will allow Expanite to process larger and more complex components while maintaining the unique hardening quality, widely accepted for improving product performance on stainless steel. The increased capacity and capabilities will further enhance the lead times and flexibility that Expanite is known for. This strategic expansion not only boosts Expanite’s ability to serve a growing number of industries such as pumps, valves, food & beverage processing equipment, medical devices and automotive, but also aligns with the company’s commitment to sustainability by offering greener alternatives to traditional technologies.
“Our investment is all about meeting the growing demands from our North American customers,” says Thomas Sandholdt, CEO of Expanite. “We’re now able to handle much larger volumes while maintaining the fast lead times and flexibility that our customers expect from Expanite.” Expanite is bringing Patented Technology for Hardening of Titanium to North America Expanite Inc. is now not only offering its well-known SuperExpanite processes for stainless steel but also its patented ExpaniteHard-Ti process — an advanced surface hardening solution designed for hardening of titanium parts.
Previously ExpaniteHard-Ti was only available from Expanite’s headquarters in Denmark. The ExpaniteHard-Ti process significantly improves wear and galling resistance, extending life and expanding the possible applications of titanium components. “Our expanded capabilities mean we can now offer our full range of Expanite technologies, including the processes for titanium, right here in the U.S.”, added Claus Løndal, Country Manager, North America “This allows us to serve a wide range of customers while reducing lead times and costs”. Expanding Heat Treatment Capabilities Besides the proprietary Expanite processes, standard vacuum heat treatment processes are offered from Expanite.
This includes hardening of tool steels (D2, A2, M2, H13, etc.),austenite annealing of stainless (304, 316, etc.), precipitation treatment of PH-steels (17-4PH, 13-8PH, etc.) and specialty treatment of alloys (Inconel 718, MU-metal etc.). The addition of vacuum heat treatment solutions extends Expanite’s capabilities, offering more solutions, and greater flexibility and ensuring customers receive hardening solutions tailored to their specific needs. A Stronger Team, A Stronger Presence To support this expansion, Expanite Inc. has also strengthened its team with additional specialists in surface hardening and heat treatment, ensuring that the growing demand is met with the highest level of service and expertise while reinforcing the company’s commitment to sustainability and innovation.
About Expanite. Expanite Inc., a subsidiary of Expanite A/S, offers heat treatment and surface hardening solutions for stainless steel, titanium, nickel-based, and other specialty alloys. With Expanite’s processes, it is possible to increase stainless steel surface hardness five-tenfold while maintaining and even increasing corrosion resistance. Similar results can be obtained on titanium. Expanite is a global organization with a combined development and production facility near Copenhagen, Denmark, and hardening capacity in the U.S., Germany, Korea and China. Expanite’s solutions are flexible and can be introduced directly into a customer’s own production line as part of a licensing arrangement. Learn more at www.expanite.com.
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“Another vacuum furnace from SECO/WARWICK will technologically strengthen the Aalberts Surface Technologies Group. The Group already has 13 SECO/WARWICK brand solutions, and the current contract related to the order of the Vector vacuum furnace is the delivery directed to one of the Dutch branches. This will be the seventh SECO/WARWICK furnace in this location.
“The Aalberts Surface Technologies Group is our regular customer. This world-class commercial heat treater perfectly defines its own needs, and SECO/WARWICK can respond to them. Now even faster and more effectively. Our current strategy allows for faster delivery. We have a stock of furnaces in the early production phase, which we can use, adapting them to a specific order. Thanks to this, we provide our Partners with a delivery time unattainable anywhere else. Vector itself also creates such possibilities, as it can be modified thanks to numerous modules added in later production stages. For such Partners as commercial heat treaters, even a month of faster delivery means real, very high profits”– explains Maciej Korecki, Vice President of the Vacuum Furnaces Segment at the SECO/WARWICK Group.
The Aalberts Group ordered a Vector® vacuum furnace for its Dutch hardening plant in Eindhoven. It is equipped with advanced functions, including high-pressure gas hardening of 15 bar abs. and the option of installing liquid nitrogen. The solution offers a large working space (900x900x1200 mm) enabling the processing of larger elements, which will once again increase the commercial heat treater’s hardening plant operational capabilities. Additionally, the furnace has been equipped with a number of functions, such as convection heating – a system improving the heat transfer efficiency at lower temperatures; directional cooling – allowing for precise cooling of elements with complex shapes or isothermal quenching – allowing for the cooling process better control.
“The solution design is based on the standard VP vacuum furnace Vector type solution. Vector has a round heating chamber and an efficient cooling system. All this ensures excellent temperature uniformity, which translates into the heat-treated elements’ quality. The additional option of installing liquid nitrogen allows for the load faster cooling after the hardening process. This translates into the furnace’s greater efficiency”- says Grzegorz Głuchowski, Sales Manager at SECO/WARWICK.
Aalberts Surface Technologies Eindhoven B.V. specializes in vacuum heat treatment, vacuum brazing, hardening of stainless steels and coating systems for industry. “This will be the seventh SECO/WARWICK solution operating in Eindhoven. This time, delivery time was key. The solution we ordered is quite specific. We have specific requirements, which are the result of over 80 years of industry experience. The Vector vacuum furnace’s design from the customer’s perspective is very well thought out, as it allows for modifications and additional options. It is one of the most flexible metal heat treatment furnaces on the market- said Steffen Schneiders, Managing Director of “The Netherlands & Nordic” from Aalberts Surface Technologies.”
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Today we have Bob Fincken, Vice President of Sales for Super Systems Inc. (SSi) and Carlos Torres discussing furnace control technology. Discover insights into how furnace control technology has evolved and what the future holds for this essential field.
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“The ECM Group is reorganizing its companies and structuring its business into four distinct divisions to strengthen its agility, resilience and capacity for innovation. One of the main areas of this reorganization concerns its capital goods manufacturing business. This involves the merger of ECM Technologies, ECM Greentech and their manufacturing entity ECM Technologies Villard Bonnot. All these structures are now brought together under a single company: ECM Technologies.
This merger will enable the ECM Group to strengthen its competitiveness, leverage existing synergies between its various activities and better serve its markets. Grenoble, November 1st, 2024
The ECM Group is reinforcing its capital goods manufacturing business by bringing together several legal entities under the company ECM Technologies. This merger between ECM Technologies, ECM Greentech and ECM Technologies Villard Bonnot creates a division dedicated to the manufacturing of innovative heat treatment furnaces.
The aim of this merger is to better serve its customers and respond more effectively to market changes. It will enable the ECM Group to build up a veritable hub of skills and knowledge around its core areas of thermal engineering, gas management and atmospheres. This marks a first step towards realizing its ambition of becoming the world leader in vacuum heat treatment equipment, all technologies combined.
The brands have been kept, with their own technological and market positioning. ECM Technologies focuses on vacuum heat treatment of steels and special projects. ECM Greentech is positioned in other materials for silicon markets (photovoltaics & semiconductors) and crystal growth (sapphire, silicon carbide, ruby). Annealsys remains an independent subsidiary.
“By focusing on agility, efficiency and innovation, our aim is to prepare for the future and ensure our resilience in addressing the industrial challenges of today and tomorrow. The aim of this merger is to consolidate best practice and skills, while preserving the entrepreneurial spirit that characterizes us” – Arthur Pelissier, CEO of ECM Technologies.”
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Every week “The Monty Heat Treat News” looks back at our news items from the previous week to see what our most popular heat treatment news items were based upon our readers responses, social media views and “hits” on “The Monty Heat Treat News”.
When we look back upon the week starting November 4th 2024 we see that an item about an acquisition in the European commercial heat treating market was our top item, our second most read story concerned a supplier to the global vacuum furnace industry and in third place was a story about the passing of a very knowledgeable heat treater in the North American heat treat industry;
Acquisition in the European Heat Treatment Industry;According to this press release HÄRTHA GROUP, one of the larger commercial heat treaters in Europe has made yet another acquisition. Over the years Gord Montgomery of “The Monty Heat Treat News” has been fortunate enough to visit a number of the HÄRTHA locations including Aldenhoven, Germany. The attached photo shows the facility, Mr. Sven Killmer is on the left in this photo.
“Acquisition bolsters market position in southern Germany and strengthens HÄRTHA GROUP’s position in the competitive surface and coating technology segment.
Their strategic purchase in southern Germany allows the company group from Alsdorf (NRW) to augment their position in the attractive hardening market in southern Germany and to strengthen their core business in the field of heat treatment and coating. The transaction was put into effect in October of 2024.
Based in Neu-Ulm, Donau-Härterei GmbH is an established company in the heat treatment business and has been operating in this area since 1989. With the acquisition, the HÄRTHA Group widens their geographical presence in southern Germany while further enlarging their network for metal refining in this key industrial region. DonauHärterei GmbH boasts a broad portfolio that includes such processes as heat treatment under protective gas and in a vacuum, salt bath nitriding, salt bath hardening and inductive hardening. The company supplies customers from many areas, including mechanical and plant engineering, construction and agricultural machinery, toolmaking and mobility. This acquisition allows the HÄRTHA GROUP to expand their capacities and gives them the ability to now offer customers in southern Germany even more comprehensive services in the field of heat treatment.
Vacuum Pump Supplier Makes Another Acquisition;Busch Group, one of the world’s largest suppliers of vacuum pumps for the heat treatment industry, has made a number of acquisitions over the past few years and it would appear they are continuing to do so. Two examples as pointed out by “The Monty Heat Treat News” would include “VESCO-McLaughlin, Inc.” (VESCO) in East Windsor, CT in early 2023 and “Vacuum Furnace Engineering” (VFE) in the UK back in 2021.
According to this press release the company recently acquired another similar firm in Germany-read on. “Dr.-Ing. Karl Busch GmbH, part of the global Busch Group, has acquired AVT GmbH from Kleve, Germany. AVT (Atmosphere and Vacuum Technology) offers spare parts and services for industrial furnaces used for heat treatment of workpieces.
AVT offers high-quality, durable spare parts and services for all established industrial furnace manufacturers in the field of atmosphere and vacuum technology. With the integration of the company, the Busch Group expands its position in the market for industrial vacuum solutions and opens new market opportunities.
“In AVT GmbH we are winning a competent partner for the heat treatment equipment service business. The acquisition of the company will enable us to enter this market. Together with AVT, we look forward to further driving the growth of the Busch Group as a complete solution provider in numerous industrial applications,” explains Roland Zundl, Managing Director of Dr.-Ing. Karl Busch GmbH.
During heat treatment in industrial furnaces, predominantly metal workpieces are heated and cooled in a controlled manner to optimize their properties. In this way, for example, these metal objects can be hardened. If the industrial furnace is a vacuum furnace, particularly high temperatures are possible, and gases and gas mixtures can be introduced.
AVT GmbH focuses on the provision of spare parts, technical services, and heat treatment systems for various industries such as the automotive industry, aerospace engineering, the tool and mechanical engineering industry, medical technology and for heat treatment service providers. AVT was founded in 2019 by Marc Angenendt and Frank Schaefer, who remain in the company’s management.”
Dr. Troy Greene March 4, 1968 – October 24, 2024; Earlier this week we mentioned the unfortunate passing of one of the most experienced “chain” heat treat engineers we have ever met, Dr. Troy Greene. This obituary provides details of a gathering to remember Troy.
“Dr. Troy A. Greene, age 56, of Dixon, died Thursday, October 24, 2024 at Loyola Medical Center. Troy was born March 4, 1968 in Detroit, MI, the son of Ben and Iva Jean (Robbins) Greene. He was employed at Reynold for 30 years and later at Allied Locke in Dixon for 5 years. Troy enjoyed gardening and landscaping.
He is survived by his daughters, Faith (Alex) Smith of Morrison and Hope Greene of TN; his mother, Iva Jean Greene of Arthur, TN; one sister, Kay (Dennis) Miracle of Arthur, TN; one brother, Kevin (Darlene) Greene of Arthur, TN; and his dog, Poppy. He was preceded in death by his father and his first wife, Paula.
A gathering of family and friends will be held on Saturday, November 9, 2024 from 1:00 – 3:00 PM at the McDonald Funeral Home in Rock Falls.”
From time to time “The Monty Heat Treat News” publishes rumors about the heat treatment industry-not to “blow our own horn” but generally these rumors prove to be correct, this one is no exception.
Earlier this year we spoke about “HIPPING” (hot isostatic pressing), how it was a growing technology in the global heat treatment industry and in particular about a rumor that a commercial heat treater in Western Europe was investing in a very large system.
Well surprise, surprise the rumor is true and the company is none other than the second largest commercial heat treater in Europe, Aalberts Surface Technologies. Our understanding is that the new system will be going into a facility in the Netherlands, more details to follow.
New Hot Isostatic Press Order?
For many years Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) occupied a fairly small but stable portion of the heat treatment market-when we think of the process, we think of castings for the aerospace industry. “Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) is a proven process for heat treatment, consolidation of powder, densification of products – such as castings, sintered materials, and ceramic parts – or for diffusion bonding applications. While HIP has been around for decades, we are seeing new applications in high-performance parts.” A more detailed description can be found at Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_isostatic_pressing
While the market for HIP remained relatively unchanged for many years, this slowly starting changing a few years back and it now represents a very fast growing segment of the heat treat market with a number of very large installations over the past 5 years-this brings us to today’s “rumor” about a new large installation.
Our understanding is that a Western European commercial heat treater will be investing in a system from Quintus, a Swedish company and one of the larger players in this highly specialized arena. The rumor we are hearing is that the system will be a QIH 286 model, one of the larger presses that Quintus offers and that it is an investment of well over $20 million USD. The photo attached shows a typical Quintus QIH 286 press.
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Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honor armed forces members who have died in the line of duty. The day is also marked by war remembrances in several other non-Commonwealth countries. In most countries, Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the end of First World War hostilities. Hostilities ended “at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” of 1918, in accordance with the armistice signed by representatives of Germany and the Entente between 5:12 and 5:20 that morning. (“At the 11th hour” refers to the passing of the 11th hour, or 11:00 am.) The First World War formally ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919.
Busch Group, one of the world’s largest suppliers of vacuum pumps for the heat treatment industry, has made a number of acquisitions over the past few years and it would appear they are continuing to do so. Two examples as pointed out by “The Monty Heat Treat News” would include “VESCO-McLaughlin, Inc.” (VESCO) in East Windsor, CT in early 2023 and “Vacuum Furnace Engineering” (VFE) in the UK back in 2021.
According to this press release the company recently acquired another similar firm in Germany-read on.
“Dr.-Ing. Karl Busch GmbH, part of the global Busch Group, has acquired AVT GmbH from Kleve, Germany. AVT (Atmosphere and Vacuum Technology) offers spare parts and services for industrial furnaces used for heat treatment of workpieces.
AVT offers high-quality, durable spare parts and services for all established industrial furnace manufacturers in the field of atmosphere and vacuum technology. With the integration of the company, the Busch Group expands its position in the market for industrial vacuum solutions and opens new market opportunities.
“In AVT GmbH we are winning a competent partner for the heat treatment equipment service business. The acquisition of the company will enable us to enter this market. Together with AVT, we look forward to further driving the growth of the Busch Group as a complete solution provider in numerous industrial applications,” explains Roland Zundl, Managing Director of Dr.-Ing. Karl Busch GmbH.
During heat treatment in industrial furnaces, predominantly metal workpieces are heated and cooled in a controlled manner to optimize their properties. In this way, for example, these metal objects can be hardened. If the industrial furnace is a vacuum furnace, particularly high temperatures are possible, and gases and gas mixtures can be introduced.
AVT GmbH focuses on the provision of spare parts, technical services, and heat treatment systems for various industries such as the automotive industry, aerospace engineering, the tool and mechanical engineering industry, medical technology and for heat treatment service providers. AVT was founded in 2019 by Marc Angenendt and Frank Schaefer, who remain in the company’s management.”
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