AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS

Heat Treater Triples Surface Hardening Capacity at Ohio Facility

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, HARDENING NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS, TITANIUM PROCESSING NEWS

A heat treating company that processes stainless steel, titanium, and other specialty alloys is expanding its operations with a major investment in a larger facility, tripling its heat treatment and surface hardening capacity. The automotive and medical devices industries are among those the company serves at its Twinsburg, Ohio, location.

Thomas Sandholdt
CEO
Expanite, Inc

With the new equipment, Expanite Inc., a subsidiary of Expanite A/S, based in Denmark, will be able to meet the growing demand for advanced surface hardening and heat treatment solutions. The new furnaces, installed by SECO/WARWICK, have chamber sizes up to 24x24x36 inches and process larger and more complex components. This expansion will allow the company to meet its commitment to sustainability by offering greener alternatives to traditional technologies.

“Our investment is all about meeting the growing demands from our North American customers,” said 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.”

“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.,” said Claus Løndal, country manager for Expanite North America. “This allows us to serve a wide range of customers while reducing lead times and costs.”

New furnaces installed as part of Expanite’s expansion at its Twinsburg, Ohio, location.

Besides the proprietary Expanite processes, standard vacuum heat treatment processes are offered, including 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 the company’s capabilities, offering more solutions, and greater flexibility and ensuring clients receive hardening solutions tailored to their specific needs. In this expansion, Expanite is bringing its patented technology for hardening of titanium to North America.

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Truck Beam Heat Treat Line For Auto Industry

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, TEMPERING NEWS

A truck beam heat treat line with two large walking-beam furnaces is currently being installed for a leading Latin American auto structural component designer and manufacturer. The industry leader will use one furnace for austenitizing and the other for tempering. The truck beams are 13 in (33 cm) wide, 4.5 in (11.5 cm) high, and 49 ft (15 m) long, weighing at about 625 lb (285 kg). A closely controlled environment is necessary in order to induce the required change to the steel beams’ crystal structure.

The furnace line will be provided by NUTEC Bickley, their third such order for this auto industry manufacturer.

New furnace line from Nutec Bickley
Source: Nutec Bickley

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 1670°F (910°C), and a maximum temperature of 2010°F (1100°C). There are 10 automatic control zones, designed to promote temperature uniformity.

There are 29 high-velocity burners, sited above the load. These allow for low NOx emissions, featuring 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 for energy savings, enhanced process control, optimal kinetic energy utilization from burners, temperature uniformity without excess air, a high turndown ratio, and other key benefits.

The tempering furnace — capable of heat treating beams at a rate of 60 pieces per hour — has an operating temperature of 915°F (490°C) and a maximum temperature of 1110°F (600°C). There are six automatic control zones and the heating method for tempering is via air circulation with a vertical flow pattern, ceiling to floor with six centrifugal fans.

Both of these furnaces benefit from insulation based on the patented Jointless® ceramic fiber system that allows fast heating and cooling and reduces heat storage. Using MacroModules, this insulation is 8 in (20 cm) thick in the combustion zones. Thermal efficiency has also been guaranteed with a specifically design of the door frame and canopy for both access and exit doors. Both furnaces are fully NFPA 86 compliant.

The press release is available in its original form here.

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FPM Heat Treating Increases Capacity with Vacuum Furnace

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

FPM Heat Treating has announced the acquisition of a vacuum furnace, enhancing the company’s capabilities to serve the manufacturing community, especially in the automotive and aerospace sectors. The furnace will meet an increasing demand for a specialized family of parts.

Bob Ferry
Vice President of Quality & Engineering
FPM Heat Treating

The furnace, fully compliant with NFPA, NADCAP, AMS, CQI-9, and other critical industry standards, has been installed at FPM Heat Treating by Solar Manufacturing. With an operating temperature of up to 2400°F (1315.5°C) and a weight capacity of 5,000 pounds, the furnace processes at specialized heat treatment cycles critical for automotive components as well as precise specifications for applications within consumer products and the military/aerospace sectors.

“We are committed to meeting the growing demands of our clients in the manufacturing community,” said Bob Ferry, vice president of quality and engineering at FPM Heat Treating. “The new Solar furnace enhances our capabilities and enables us to maintain the highest standards of quality and efficiency in our operations.”

Main Image: Adam Jones, Midwest regional sales manager at Solar Manufacturing, viewing the vacuum furnace’s 48” x 48” x 72” deep insulated hot zone

The press release is available in its original form here.

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Wrocław University of Science and Technology Enhances Metallurgy Research Capabilities with Nitriding System

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, NITRIDING NEWS

Wrocław University of Science and Technology (WUST) is expanding its R&D capabilities in heat treatment and materials testing with a horizontal nitriding system. The furnace will support the university’s efforts in metallurgical research and collaborations with regional manufacturing industries, including testing forging dies for the automotive industry.

Marcin Stokłosa
Technical Sales Manager
NITREX Poland

The newly acquired Nitrex system is equipped with Nitreg® controlled nitriding technology for optimizing surface hardness, and Nitreg®-S technology for nitriding stainless steel. The system enables Poland-based WUST to conduct next-level materials research and leverage new technological and scientific capabilities to support industrial projects, optimizing heat treatment processes and enhancing the surface properties of metal parts. Furthermore, the furnace meets the stringent AMS 2759/10 standard for nitriding steel and AMS 2750 standard for temperature uniformity.

“While Nitrex primarily serves businesses in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing,” said Marcin Stoklosa, technical sales manager – EMEA region at Nitrex Poland, “our partnership with WUST underscores our commitment to advancing academic research and fostering innovations that directly benefit practical applications and advance metallurgical science globally. . . . I look forward to seeing WUST’s continued leadership in metallurgical research and its impact on both academia and industry.”

The press release is available in its original form here.

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Cincinnati Radiator Bolsters Aluminum Brazing Capabilities with New VAB Furnace

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, BRAZING NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

Cincinnati Radiator, a manufacturer of radiators and cooling products, recently expanded its production capabilities at its Fairfield, Ohio, facility with the addition of a vacuum aluminum brazing (VAB) furnace. This acquisition will enable the company to perform in-house radiator core brazing.

The VAB furnace, with a weight capacity of up to 2,000 lbs, is the third manufactured and installed by Ipsen.

Prasenjit Ray
General Manager
Cincinnati Radiator
Source: Ipsen

“This furnace has so many recipes for us to use,” said Prasenjit Ray, general manager of Cincinnati Radiator. “We were planning to test it out for two months, but we weren’t expecting to get production-quality within those two months. What shocked and surprised me was that the first cores that came out were perfect. We’ve produced 10 (in the first month) and it runs like a new Cadillac.”

“We knew that we needed a way to make cores here. When customers had to rely on cores processed in China, it could mean a four-month lead time. If we had our own furnace, we could operate a just-in-time production,” said Ray. “We went with John Pease (Ipsen Regional Sales Representative) and Patrick McKenna (Ipsen USA President & CEO) to California to see a company operating two Ipsen VAB furnaces. Our team knew that, once we saw them in operation, we wanted to work with another company within the United States. Ipsen could offer great aftermarket support, and the delivery was worth the wait.”

Main image (left to right): All of Cincinnati Radiator: Abhilash Uppala, Manufacturing Engineer; Prasenjit Ray, General Manager; Michael Petitt, Assistant Operations Manager; and James “Tom” Aynes, Accounting Manager. Source: Ipsen.

The press release is available in its original form here.

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Automotive Radiator Manufacturer Bolsters Aluminum Brazing Capacity

/ ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, BRAZING NEWS

A car radiator manufacturer has expanded its heat treatment capacity with an EV/CAB line adapted for the production of oversized battery coolers. The aluminum brazing furnace facilitates the ability to make quick modifications and switch from gas to electric heating in order to meet climate change challenges.

Piotr Skarbiński
Vice President of Aluminum and CAB Products Segment
SECO/WARWICK
Source: LinkedIn

SECO/WARWICK designed the CAB line with temperature uniformity across the entire belt width in order to accommodate the size specifications of the battery coolers.

“This order is for an aluminum brazing furnace adapted to the production of oversized battery coolers,” said Piotr Skarbiński, vice president of the aluminum and CAB product segment at SECO/WARWICK. “The EV/CAB line with a belt width of 2100 mm (6.89 ft) is designed to produce oversized battery coolers. It consists of a preheating and main heating chamber, a radiation brazing furnace, an air jacket cooling chamber, a final cooling chamber and a control system.”

The press release is available in its original form here.

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Automotive Component Manufacturer Bolsters Heat Treat Operations

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, CONTROLS NEWS

An automotive component supplier has digitized its heat treatment operations with the implementation of a digitalization platform, an upgrade intended to align the company’s operations with the accuracy and precision requirements of the global automotive market.

Daniel Gonschorek
Sales Manager
UPC-Marathon Technical
Source: LinkedIn

With this upgrade, the manufacturer has transitioned from using multiple systems to manage its heat treatment processes, streamlining furnace operations with the QMULUS digitalization platform from UPC-Marathon, a Nitrex company.

“Our collaboration with this tier 1/2 supplier has yielded significant improvements in their operational workflows,” said Daniel Gonschorek, technical sales manager at UPC-Marathon.

“The integration of QMULUS is not only advancing their internal processes but also delivering tangible gains in efficiency and performance,” he added. “By enhancing production efficiencies and reducing waste, QMULUS supports their commitment to innovation and aligns with the highest quality and sustainability standards. This digital transformation positions them strongly within the competitive automotive supply chain.”

The press release is available in its original form here.

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Automotive Parts Supplier Acquires Vacuum Furnace To Conduct Aluminum Brazing Tests

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, BRAZING NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

An automotive supplier has acquired a vacuum furnace for brazing aluminum components. The VAB furnace was designed according to the client’s guidelines and will be used by the R&D department to conduct development tests in the field of aluminum vacuum brazing.

SECO/WARWICK previously provided vacuum technology systems to the automotive parts manufacturer and built the VAB furnace based on the design of a single-chamber VECTOR furnace.

Maciej Korecki
Vice President of Vacuum Business Segment
SECO/WARWICK
Source: SECO/WARWICK.com

“Orders requiring a specific approach always make us happy, because it builds, inspires, and develops both our body of knowledge and the technology. This project was certainly a challenge for the entire SECO/WARWICK Team, because the partner’s assumptions, in relation to the requirements placed on our furnace, were really high,” said Maciej Korecki, vice president of the vacuum furnace segment at SECO/WARWICK. “They required a very complicated and individual solution in the form of a cuboid shape of the heating chamber equipped with flat, large-surface heating elements. They were arranged in twelve independent temperature control zones, ensuring very high dynamics of load heating and ideal temperature uniformity.”

Lukasz Chwiałkowski
Sales Manager
SECO/WARWICK
Source: SECO/WARWICK

“We were tasked with creating a VAB furnace with unique solutions: a special square heating chamber equipped with flat heating elements made of Inconel 600 material, arranged in twelve independent temperature control zones” said Lukasz Chwiałkowski, sales manager at SECO/WARWICK.  

The press release is available in its original form here.

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PAI Industries Bolsters Capabilities With In-House Carburizing Vacuum System

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, CARBURIZING NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

PAI Industries, a manufacturer of parts to the heavy-duty truck industry, has expanded its in-house heat treatment with a NANO vacuum furnace system.

The Georgia-based company partnered with vacuum furnace manufacturer ECM USA to transition its production line from out-sourced heat treatment to in-house vacuum technology in order to perform low pressure carburizing and through hardening around the clock.

The upgraded system will increase capacity and expedite production at PAI’s 112,000 square foot manufacturing facility. The NANO furnace system is comprised of one module with three stacked up heating cells (which can be extended to six heating cells, corresponding to two heating modules) and gas quenching cells to quench the parts. The carburizing cells are stacked up to reduce the footprint’s installation as much as possible. The furnace system integrates directly into the production line which allows it to reduce the cycle time while simplifying the flow between the machining and heat treatment.

The press release is available in its original form here.

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2 Specialty Auto Components Manufacturers Expand Heat Treating Capabilities

/ AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, QUENCHING NEWS

Two different specialty automotive components manufacturers have expanded their heat treating processing lines in order to meet the growing needs of their clients. The new furnace equipment will replace existing systems and bolster oil quench hardening and salt quench austempering capabilities. 

CAN-ENG Furnaces International Ltd, based in Niagara Falls, ON, Canada, will supply mesh belt furnace systems, oil quench and salt quench systems, post quench wash systems, CAN-ENG PET™ SCADA system, and integrated controls. The automotive parts manufacturers chose designs that provide low energy consumption, reduced part mixing, reduce part damage and part distortion potential, and high uptime productivity.

The press release is available in its original form here.

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