A U.S.-based engineered knitted wire mesh solutions company and global supplier for the automotive, food service, and janitorial industries will receive a vacuum heat treat furnace. The furnace will be primarily utilized for vacuum annealing materials that are susceptible to adverse effects of their mechanical properties when exposed to any levels of oxygen or nitrogen.
Solar Manufacturing Mentor® Pro Model HFL-3036-2IQ furnace Source: Solar ManufacturingJason Davidson Northeast Regional Sales Manager Solar Source: solarmfg.com
This vacuum furnace features a molybdenum shielded hot zone measuring 18” wide x 18” high x 36” deep. It is capable of operating temperatures up to 2400°F and has a workload weight capacity of up to 1,000 lbs. Additionally, it includes the SolarVac® Essentials PLC-based control system. The internal gas cooling system with a 50 HP drive motor can reach quenching workloads at 2-bar positive pressure in either nitrogen or argon.
Jason Davidson, regional sales manager at Solar Manufacturing, states, “Our customer started running trials with our affiliate commercial heat treater, Solar Atmospheres. Once the trial results proved the heat treat cycle, and the [Mentor® Pro Model HFL-3036-2IQ] furnace demonstrated it could process the required quantities, the customer had confidence to place the purchase order with us.”
This press release is available in its original form here.
İnsu Teknik, a leader in the gas springs sector of the automotive industry, continues to pioneer innovation as a key supplier for after-market and OEMs, both in Turkey and internationally, having recently implemented a pit furnace with advanced technologies at its in-house heat treat facility in Bursa, Turkey.
İnsu Teknik and Nitrex team members with pit furnace installation
Source: Nitrex
As a first-time partner with Nitrex, İnsu Teknik has strategically invested in advanced heat treat technology, focusing on continuous improvement to enhance the quality of gas springs, operational efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Central to their decision was İnsu Teknik’s commitment to environmentally responsible manufacturing practices, which led them to seek a greener solution.
Commissioned in the last quarter of 2023, the system — featuring a large-capacity pit furnace — combines three key process technologies: Nitreg® controlled nitriding, Nitreg®-C controlled nitrocarburizing, and ONC® in-process post-oxidation. These technologies enhance the surface properties of gas spring rods, notably improving wear and corrosion resistance, and offering considerable operational advantages.
The system ensures uniform case depth and precisely managed nitride/nitrocarburizing layer formation, optimizing the mechanical properties of the gas spring rods. It minimizes part distortion — an advantage of operating at lower temperatures compared to salt bath nitrocarburizing — and eliminates the need for post-finishing operations due to the cleaner surface achieved through gas nitrocarburizing, thereby streamlining the manufacturing process.
A Tuff Sport brand gas spring by Insu Teknik. The rods undergo nitriding to enhance hardness and corrosion resistance, ultimately extending the lifecycle of the gas spring.
Source: Nitrex
Marcin Stoklosa, manager of Technical Sales — EMEA region at Nitrex, shared these insights, “The commissioning process was executed seamlessly, marking İnsu Teknik’s strategic shift towards greater control over their production processes. What sets this system apart is its versatility in meeting the specific requirements of various gas spring applications across various industries, including automotive, agriculture, machinery, marine, furniture, medical equipment, and more.”
The original press release from Nitrex is available here.
Find Heat Treating Products And Services When You Search OnHeat Treat Buyers Guide.com
Heat Treat Today is partnering with two international publications:heat processing, a Vulkan-Verlag GmbH publication that serves mostly the European and Asian heat treat markets, and Furnaces International, a Quartz Business Media publication that primarily serves the English-speaking globe. Through these partnerships, we are sharing the latest news, tech tips, and cutting-edge articles that will serve our audience — manufacturers with in-house heat treat.
In this installment, explore important company partnerships with wide-spread industry effects as well as innovative new technologies from abroad.
TECHMO CAR Welcomes Anthony Tropeano as New Senior Advisor
Founded in 1961, TECHMO CAR drives innovation in the engineering and manufacturing of mobile and stationary equipment for the aluminum and metal production sector. (Source: Furnaces International)
"Anthony Tropeano of TT CONSULTING INC. has joined TECHMO CAR as a Senior Advisor for the US and Mexico market. Mr. Tropeano has spent over 40 years in the primary, secondary and downstream aluminum and metals worldwide market.”
New Tin Plate Complex from Partnership Between Danieli and Habaş Group
Caption: Situated in Aliağa near Izmir, the new facility will serve the needs of the packaging industry and the increasing need for cold-rolled and annealed thin sheets. (Source: heat processing)
"The facility, with a capacity of 900,000 tons per year, will produce a diverse range of steel grades, including T1 to T4 and DR7 to DR10. Among its offerings are 250,000 tons of tinplate, 150,000 tons of thin, continuous annealed cold-rolled coil, and 500,000 tons of semi-finished products. The complex comprises four crucial process areas: electrolytic cleaning, cold rolling and tempering, electrolytic tinning, and continuous annealing.”
SMS Group Partners with Turkish Plant Operator Kardemir to Digitize Blast Furnace 5
Using BFXpert solution from Paul Wurth, SMS Group has digitized a blast furnace belonging to Kardemir, Türkiye’s oldest blast furnace operator. (Source: Furnaces International)
"The Paul Wurth BFXpert system is a comprehensive package of systems for the chemical and thermal control of blast furnaces. It is an integrated level-2 process control and operator guidance system for superior blast furnace operation, utilizing the benefits of artificial intelligence to take process optimization to the next level and towards a fully autonomous blast furnace."
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Develops New Process for Sustainable Pig Iron Production
“By integrating the blast furnace and coking plant as well as the consistent recycling of process gases and heat, CO₂ emissions in steel production can be reduced.” (Source: heat processing.com)
"Around eight percent of global CO₂ emissions are caused by the steel industry. Professor Olaf Deutschmann from the Institute for Technical Chemistry and Polymer Chemistry (ITCP) at KIT is of the opinion that this must change quickly. In the long term, thanks to new hydrogen technologies, there is a climate-neutral perspective, but it will still be a few years before sufficient green hydrogen is available worldwide and newly built plants go into operation.”
An international electric vehicle manufacturer has selected a heat treat furnace supplier with North American locations for a second nitriding furnace to operate in parallel with an existing one.
The car maker already purchased an identical SECO/VACUUM nitriding furnace last year. The added heat treating capacity will ensure that the nitriding step does not become a bottle-neck in the plant’s high-pressure die casting tooling production process.
The retort furnace for gas nitriding has a chamber size of 1.6m (63”) diameter and 2.8m (110”) depth, accommodating a load up to 1m x 1m x 2.6m (40” x 40” x 100”). The furnace has 350 kilowatts of heating capacity divided into 3 heating zones. The durable Inconel 600 retort will offer many years of trouble-free service.
Peter Zawistowski
Managing Director
SECO/VACUUM Technologies
Source: SECO/VACUUM
Peter Zawistowski, managing director of SECO/VACUUM, said of the project, “This heat treat partner’s dies present quite a unique heat treating challenge. At SECO/VACUUM we love a good challenge, so we have built this solution with the dimensions and thermal capacity to nitride these large, heavy parts to exceed customer’s specifications”.
The nitriding furnace is also fitted with a device called a thermal oxidizer. Although the all-electric heat-treating process does not involve any combustion, the combination of ammonia and high temperatures still creates NOx emissions. The thermal oxidizer breaks down the harmful NOx molecules in the furnace discharge.
The tool and die market serving traditional and EV automotive markets uses vacuum heat treating technology extensively to produce bright, high-quality parts.
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A Scandinavian manufacturer of heat exchangers has purchased two CAB lines, which will be delivered to factories in Mexico and Poland. They will be used for brazing heat exchangers for trucks and buses as well as power generators. The deliveries will be synchronized to arrive to the factories in the same timeframe.
The order is being carried out bySECO/WARWICKGroup’s Chinese branch. This partner has been operating globally since 2016, offering large-size heat exchangers for buses and trucks. The CAB lines on order meet the protective Nocolok® atmosphere aluminum brazing technology requirements.
Said Piotr Skarbiński, vice president of the Aluminum and CAB Products Segment at SECO/WARWICK, “This is a unique project for us, as we have sold two furnaces with the same delivery date to one customer at two different locations. It will be a logistical challenge overseen by SECO/WARWICK China.”
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Nitrex and Linde announced they have renewed and expanded their heat-treating focused joint marketing agreement. What started as a local agreement 13 years ago, between Nitrex and Linde, formerly known as UPC-Marathon and Praxair, respectively, has evolved into an international marketing agreement and now covers Europe and North America.
To date, Nitrex and Linde have worked together on over 30 projects. By using their complementary offerings, they have upgraded essential equipment and have helped customers achieve quality results. Nitrex provides Linde customers with equipment and analyses to control first-rate gas atmospheres, thanks to its competence in the heat treatment and electrical fields, technical solutions, support, and world-class gas panels.
“Our competencies complement each other,” says Roman Grosman, National Director of Business Development for Linde in the U.S. “In the event that Linde’s heat treatment clients require equipment that we do not offer, Nitrex can meet this need.”
“This continues to be a win-win relationship,” says Paul Oleszkiewicz, President, CPO & CSO of UPC-Marathon, a Nitrex company. “We can supply Linde gas customers with process controls, and in turn, Linde offers a reliable gas supply network. We are both aiming for the highest quality, efficiency, performance, and a greener tomorrow and providing optimal service for our customers.”
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A European subcontractor for the automotive and racing industries as well as a partner for teams participating in Formula 1 races has acquired a second vacuum furnace.
The order from SECO/WARWICK includes a Vector® vacuum furnace with 15 bar abs high pressure gas quenching, and high vacuum (HV). The furnace will process engine and gear components for vehicles racing large-scale motorsport competitions.
This partner provides carburizing, and various heat treatment services for titanium, aluminum and precipitation hardening of alloys. These services must be of aviation quality within the demanding timeframes required by European F1 teams.
In the new SECO/WARWICK furnace, the customer will execute vacuum heat treatment of titanium and its alloys and will perform vacuum carburizing processes for steel elements. Titanium alloys are very strong materials, but at the same time soft and plastic, which makes them difficult to machine. Low thermal conductivity and density creates an environment where the cutting material is subject to a strong thermal load and tends to harden.
The FIA regulations for Formula 1 racing specify in detail what material a part must consist of and how it must be manufactured. Titanium or titanium alloys are used for many engine parts and suspensions because they have high toughness, strength, and ductility, and are corrosion resistant. Formula 1 car components must be manufactured precisely and safely in both prototype and small series production.
The purpose of this particular model of Vector furnace will be unique, as carburizing and hardening of parts such as gears for engines and transmissions for high-performance F1 sports cars are not the typical processes for which SECO/WARWICK supplies its furnaces.
Commenting on this order, Maciej Korecki, vice president of the Vacuum Segment at SECO/WARWICK, explained, "The vacuum furnace system which will be delivered to England has numerous options such as cryogenic processing, convection, FineCarb® vacuum carburizing, pre-nitriding for PreNitLPC® carburizing technology or low-pressure carbonitriding LPCN."
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How can steel production be "green"? Where does the United States stand in steel production when compared to the rest of the world?
Lourenco Goncalves, chairman, president, and CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. answers these questions and more in this article, originally published in Heat TreatToday'sAugust 2021 Automotiveprint edition.
Lourenco Goncalves Chairman, President, CEO Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc.
The United States is the benchmark of the world in all things steel. Amongst all major steelmaking nations, we have by far the greenest emissions profile. On average, each ton of steel produced in the United States generates 1.0 tons of CO2 emissions, compared to a ton of steel produced by China which generates 2.5 tons of CO2 emissions. The U.S. generates only 2% of all the greenhouse gas emissions from global steel production, while China contributes 64%.
The attributes that make our industry so green are the use of scrap, natural gas as both a reductant and energy source, and green iron ore pellets in blast furnaces. Because scrap cannot be used in a closed loop, natural gas and pellets allow for a healthy participation of low-carbon intensity virgin iron and steel units in a well-balanced ecosystem.
Steel’s emissions profile also makes it the lowest-carbon option compared to other materials perceived to be green, such as aluminum and carbon fiber. Adjusting for part weight, production of the equivalent volume of these competing materials generates 5 to 10 times more CO2 emissions than steel made in the United States.
This emissions profile is just one of many attributes that will support steel’s continued position as the material of choice in automotive light vehicle bodies. On top of being the greenest material and having a 100-year incumbency advantage, steel is more affordable than aluminum and is easier to weld, form, and repair or replace. Our continued innovation in advanced high strength steels (AHSS) has allowed us to produce thinner, lighter-weight, yet stronger materials, and closed the gap on the perceived density advantages that the aluminum industry has touted.
Even though we boast a low emissions profile, our work is not done. At Cleveland-Cliffs, we have made public our target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030. In our global discussion about decarbonization, the use of hydrogen (H2) as an iron-reducing agent has emerged as playing a key role in a carbon neutral future. While clean and leaving only steam (H2O) as its byproduct, large scale H2 use in steelmaking is an unproven technology that comes with enormous practical challenges, including safety and prohibitive costs. Knowing what we know today, we are probably decades away from H2 becoming part of any affordable and easily available technology.
At Cliffs, we don’t want to rely on breakthrough technologies, but rather deal with practical decarbonization options. Our efforts involve the use of the hydrogen contained in natural gas, which is actually a mix of 95% CH4 and 4% C2H6. Natural gas is used as the reducing agent at our new, state-of-the-art DRI facility in Toledo, OH, as well as a meaningful supplemental reductant in all eight of our blast furnaces. The abundance of cheap natural gas in the United States will continue to provide us ample opportunity to decarbonize.
Steel is the inevitable material of choice in a modern, greener world. As the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America, Cleveland-Cliffs will remain on the cutting edge in shaping the future and further cementing our industry as the envy of the world.
About the Author: Lourenco Goncalves is chairman, president, and CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc.
John Niggle, Business Development Manager, Pelican Wire
Edward Valykeo, Thermocouple Specialist, Pelican Wire
In June 2020, Heat Treat Today published a noteworthy technical article on the basics of thermocouples by John Niggle, Business Development Manager, and Ed Valykeo, Thermocouple Specialist, at Pelican Wire, Naples, FL. The article covers the different types of thermocouples, questions to consider when deciding which type of thermocouple to use, as well as a fascinating discussion on thermocouple wire and wire insulations. One feature of significant recognition is the chart included by Niggle and Valykeo:
Thermocouple Color Code Chart (photo source: "Thermocouples 101")
One of Heat Treat Today's editorial contributors and readers, Martin Reeves of Unitherm Furnace, LLC, saw this article and provided valuable information to the subject:
Martin Reeves, Owner, Fontec-global, LLC
"Excellent article and a great base for understanding T/C's. Only one thing missing and that is the differences between US and international lead colours. These are very different and when equipment is sold overseas or imported this becomes important for T/C's to be wired correctly."
International Thermocouple Lead Colors (photo source: Martin Reeves)
We welcome your inquiries to and feedback on Heat Treat Today articles. Submit your questions/comments to editor@heattreattoday.com.
A research organization recently awarded a contract to a North American furnace manufacturer for the supply of a rapid-heating furnace to be used for product development of lightweight hot-stamped and formed aluminum automotive components. This organization will integrate the aluminum-sheet heating furnace with existing equipment to support both automotive manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers throughout North America.
(source: Can-Eng)
Can-Eng Furnaces International Ltd., of Niagara Falls, Ontario, was chosen for this project because it has significant experience in the development of lightweight, thin-walled automotive structural components. Can-Eng provided the customer with a unique rapid-heating furnace system that offers significant reduction in floor space requirements, flexibility for processing a wide range of product sizes, and the flexible operating temperatures required for various stamped and formed products. The system will be fully integrated with flexible robotic handling and material handling automation.
