MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

Steel Expands in Port Tampa Bay with Arrival of Steelco

/ FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

  Source: Tampa Bay Times

Steelco Florida will soon begin construction of an import, export and manufacturing facility in Port Tampa Bay in central Florida, following the port’s recent approval of a 25-year lease for a 35-acre site. With hundreds of millions invested toward the development of the steel industry, the port has already seen an increase in steel tonnage by 73 percent in just the first six months of 2017.

“When you think of the steel industry, you think of big steel mills in Pittsburgh, in Ohio and Michigan,” said Steelco Florida executive Carlos Rodriguez. “We’re going to be a ‘mini-mill.'”

Read more: With Steelco Arrival, Port Tampa Bays Sees New Growth in Steel Business

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Ask Not What Your Heat Treater Can Do for You…

/ FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

  Source:  Gear Technology

The editors of Gear Technology interviewed five heat treaters.  The question posed to them was, “What can you do for your heat treater?”  Surprisingly, a manufacturer can improve his job turnaround time by making life easier for his heat treater.

Read more:  Ask Not What Your Heat Treater Can Do for You by Alex Cannella, Associate Editor of Gear Technology

Ask Not What Your Heat Treater Can Do for You… Read More »

Status and Outlook of the North American Billet Industry

/ FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

  Source:  Light Metal Age

The editors of Light Metal Age Magazine have provided their interviews with Matthew Lanzer, Bob Katsiouleris, Christopher Boland, Robert Convery, Erik Fossum, and Tom Horter regarding the status of the North American aluminum billet industry.  Read what insights these leaders from Service Center Metals, UC Rusal, Nanshan America, Matalco, Hydro and Alexin LLC have to offer regarding billet supplies.

Read more: Status and Outlook of Billet Supply by Andrea Svendsen, Managing Editor of Light Metal Age

 

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Ellwood Group Acquires Gulfco Forge Company

/ FEATURED NEWS, FORGING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

  Source:  ForgingMagazine.com

Gulf Coast Machine and Supply Company (Gulfco) utilizes forging equipment including a 3,500-ton open-die press, a 2,000-ton press, 10,000-lb. hammer, and several ring mills.  It also has heat-treating, finish machining, and product testing capabilities. The Ellwood Group has purchased Gulfco and will operate it under EGI.

Read more: Ellwood Group Acquires Gulfco Forge by Robert Brooks

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Heat Treating Gun Barrels: An Outdoorsman’s Perspective

/ FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

  Source:  Idaho State Journal

Smokey Merkley has taught orienteering, marksmanship, self-defense, fencing, scuba diving and boxing.  He wrote an outdoors commentary for the Idaho State Journal on the heat treatment process used in the production of gun barrels.

Read more: Which is Better?  Nitriding or Chrome Lining by Smokey Merkley

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Contract Awarded for Howitzer Gun Bodies

/ FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

Triumph Group, Inc. will supply gun bodies for BAE Systems’ M777 Howitzer in support of a recent contract with the U.S. Department of Defense. The contract, valued at $15 million, was awarded to Triumph’s Precision Components business unit for the gun body used in the ultra-lightweight artillery weapon. Precision Components has a long history of supporting the M777 platform, producing more than 1,000 gun bodies for BAE.

“We are pleased to continue our staunch relationship with BAE in support of the M777 Howitzer,” said Rick Rosenjack, executive vice president for Triumph Precision Components, “and extend our support for the platform as it expands operations in India.”

Triumph Precision Components will machine, weld and assemble the gun body before shipping it to BAE for the cannon assembly. Deliveries will take place over the next two and a half years. The gun bodies will support the recent foreign military sale between the U.S. and Indian governments and will be used to enhance border protection.

“With their focus on quality and on-time delivery as their top priorities, we are pleased to welcome Triumph Precision Components back to the production supply chain as we lean forward to deliver our commitment on the M777 India program,” said Jimmy Dow, head of procurement for BAE Systems.

The win marks the continued expansion into adjacent markets for Triumph Precision Components. Last year the company announced a $48 million contract with SNC-Lavalin for end fittings and shield plugs for the nuclear pressure vessels as part of the Ontario Darlington Retube & Feeder Replacement program.

Triumph Group, Inc., headquartered in Berwyn, Pa., designs, engineers, manufactures, repairs and overhauls a broad portfolio of aircraft structures, components, accessories, subassemblies and systems. The company serves a broad, worldwide spectrum of the aviation industry, including original equipment manufacturers of commercial, regional, business and military aircraft and aircraft components, as well as commercial and regional airlines and air cargo carriers.

 

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New Walking Beam Furnace Installed

/ FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

A new walking beam furnace and two new Garrett coilers will be installed at the Emmenbrücke site of Swiss Steel in Switzerland. Swiss Steel is a subsidiary of SCHMOLZ + BICKENBACH, a manufacturer of special long steel.

With the investment, Swiss Steel is updating its facilities with state-of-the-art technology, resulting in one of the most modern facilities in the world. The production potential for special steels is increased by around 8%. The new walking beam furnace allows optimal and more efficient heating of the previously produced billets at the desired temperatures, preparing the billet for its further processing in the downstream rolling mill. In addition to a performance increase, this also reduces quality losses and achieves substantial energy and CO2 savings. The new Garrett coilers used to wind the rolled products after they were processed in the rolling mill will allow an increase of ring weight to over 2.2 tons from 1.8 tons currently. Thus, Swiss Steel meets the requirements of the important customer segment of drawing mills.

The commissioning of the plant is planned in stages. The walking beam furnace is expected to go into operation in 2019, the Garrett coilers a year earlier. Full operation is expected for the end of 2020. Of the total investment volume of CHF 49 million, around CHF 11 million originate from federal funds by means of a reimbursement of the “feed-in remuneration at cost” (“Kostendeckende Einspeisevergütung”, KEV), a Swiss federal instrument for the promotion of electricity production from renewable energies.

Carlo Mischler, CEO of Swiss Steel, said: “The investment decision is a clear commitment to Swiss Steel and its location Emmenbrücke. With the new equipment, we are increasing our competitiveness and can serve customers with even better quality and a wider range of products. In addition, we are significantly
reducing energy consumption in the rolling mill.”

Clemens Iller, CEO of SCHMOLZ + BICKENBACH: “Swiss Steel is a company with a strong market position and a broad customer base – a valuable part of our Group. The large-scale investment at the Emmenbrücke site strengthens this first-class positioning and makes it possible to meet the high demands of Swiss Steel’s customers in the future.”

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