QUENCHING NEWS

Precision Parts Heat Treater Expands Operations

Peters’ Heat Treating, Inc., a 40-year-old heat treating company that specializes in a variety of high tech heat treating processes, moved its headquarters into a newly expanded Meadville, Pennsylvania facility located in the western part of the state.

Ribbon Cutting with the Owners: Doug and Jackie Peters (founders), Diana Wilkosz (VP), and Andy Wilkosz (President)
(photo source: Peters' Heat Treating, Inc.)

Additionally, Peters' Heat Treating also announced two new lines of business: aluminum alloy processing and stainless steel black oxide. Vice President Diana Wilkosz shared in a recent interview, "We added these two new lines because of the growing demands from the automotive, aerospace, energy, and defense industries. We are also working on Nadcap certifications."

The company specializes in vacuum processing, atmosphere heat treating/integral batch quench processing, laser heat treating, aluminum alloy processing, carburizing, scale free aging/stress relieving, cryogenics, black oxide coating, induction processing, nitriding/FNC and the proprietary Nitreg nitriding processes.

After being in their original facility for 40 years, this expansion, that covers 32,000 square foot of manufacturing space, has provided them the opportunity to expand and update their vacuum line, provide room to add new vacuum furnaces, as well as increase their product offerings and continue to grow the now 60-employee business.

Ribbon Cutting with Meadville Managers (photo source: Peters' Heat Treating, Inc.)

“We are excited to consolidate our services and knowledge in a way that maintains our history and dedication to the local community and industry while providing us the runway for a successful future,” said Andy Wilkosz, newly named president in 2019 and son-in-law of founders Doug and Jackie Peters. “These current times are challenging, but we know our business and the country will persevere.”

In addition to Peters' Heat Treating, the family also co-owns Laser Hard, a robotic laser heat treating company.

“It’s been a pleasure to be a part of the local community and to help companies grow,” Doug Peters said. “Probably the thing I’m most proud of is the great people I’ve had the opportunity to work with. I’ve watched them buy houses and have children, and now their kids are having children.”

Plant Expansion (photo source: Peters' Heat Treating, Inc.)

 

To learn more about Laser Hard, listen to the Heat Treat Radio episode in which they are featured.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Youngstown Tool & Die Purchases Vacuum Heat Treat Furnace

Youngstown Tool & Die (YTD), an Ohio manufacturer of aluminum extrusion dies, upgrades its in-house atmosphere heat treatment capabilities with the purchase of two high-pressure gas quench (HPGQ) furnaces. The decision to buy stems from the manufacturer’s plans to expand within their community.

Dave Mrdjenovic, General Manager, Youngstown Tool & Die (photo source: Youngstown Tool & Die)

“Our expansion,” said Dave Mrdjenovic, General Manager at YTD, “has been facilitated by a localized government development program to expand employment and business development in our area, so we are moving quickly to take advantage of the program. Upgrading our existing atmosphere furnaces to high pressure gas quench vacuum furnaces will significantly improve our performance as we grow.”

The two Vector® HPGQ furnaces were provided by SECO/VACUUM (a SECO/WARWICK Group company).These furnaces are designed for the heat treatment of dies in all types of applications, such as stamping, molding, and extrusion as well as for other uses. Because Vector’s HPGQ system cools dense masses both evenly and quickly without distortion, die quality and consistency are improved compared to the more historically used atmosphere heat treatment methods. These furnaces create a bright and clean final product.

 

Vector Furnace (photo source: SECO/WARWICK Group)

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Solar Atmospheres of Western PA Expanding to Include Vacuum Oil Quench

Solar Atmospheres of Western PA (SAWPA) will expand their material hardening repertoire by adding vacuum oil quench (VOQ) capabilities. The decision to go with a vacuum oil quench was influenced by serious concerns for the environmental and furnace operator safety. The Safety & Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) provides standards for health and safety, some of which caused Solar Atmospheres to question heat treating processes that utilize explosive endothermic gases and flammable open oil quench tanks. As a result of these concerns, Solar Manufacturing and Solar Atmospheres commenced engineering meetings in 2019 to design and build a US-manufactured, safe and quality VOQ.

Solar Atmospheres Vacuum Oil Quench Furnace (Photo source: Solar Atmospheres)

Early this week, Bob Hill, president, SAWPA, Hermitage, PA,  announced that the company had purchased and will install a new 36” x 36” x 48” VOQ furnace capable of safely quenching 2,000-pound loads without carbon potential concerns. The furnace, the first of its kind manufactured by Solar Manufacturing, Sellersville, PA, will be operational in early 2021.

Additionally, SAWPA is constructing a 15,000 square foot building to make room for the VOQ furnace line. Besides the VOQ furnace, the line also includes a parts washer, two tempering furnaces, and a charge car. The building expansion will be completed mid-summer 2020 making the entire SAWPA complex 120,000 square feet under one roof.

(Photo source: Rawfilm at unsplash.com)

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Nucor Contracts Quenching Unit, Caster for Kentucky Plate Mill Facility

A company that provides construction and mechanical engineering for the steel and nonferrous metals industry was recently selected for the supply of new equipment for a new plate mill facility, including a quenching unit, a single-strand caster, and other key elements of the production chain.

Nucor Corporation selected The SMS Group to design and produce the single-strand caster for ultra-wide and thick slabs for an annual capacity of 1.45 million tons (1.6 million short tons) at Nucor’s new plate mill facility in Brandenburg, Kentucky. The new casting machine is expected to be one of the largest casters worldwide.

Johnny Jacobs, vice president and general manager of Nucor Brandenburg

“SMS group and Nucor make a good team, and the caster will be essential to the success of our new plate mill facility,” said Johnny Jacobs, vice president and general manager of Nucor Brandenburg.

Incorporated in the project are several special technological features, including robotic applications on the casting platform and an HD mold with fiber optics and electromagnetic stirring, as well as a customized roller apron, a quenching unit, and a second cutting line.

 

Main photo caption: (L-R) Keith Watson, SMS Group vice president; Burkhard Dahmen, SMS Group GmbH president and CEO; John Ferriola, Nucor chairman and CEO; Leon Topalian, Nucor president and COO

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Gas Fan Quench-Cooled Vacuum Hot Press Installed for Aerospace Service Supplier

The world’s first 100-ton vacuum hot press with gas fan quench cooling capability for up to a 4,000 pound part has recently been installed and is in operation at a commercial and aerospace diffusion bonding operation in Chandler, Arizona.

Refrac Systems selected Solar Manufacturing, part of the Solar Atmospheres family of companies and based in Souderton, Pennsylvania, to perform the installation and startup of a large 100-ton force vacuum hot press that includes a 2-Bar Gas Fan Quench cooling system (GFQVHP). The furnace hot zone was modified to contain 100-ton on load hydraulic ram centered over the zone which is configured to diffusion bond parts up to 36″ wide x 48″ long x 30″ tall. Besides being specifically designed to diffusion bond large plastic injection molding dies, and concurrently quench hardening them, the system is finding applications in bonding advanced superalloy heat exchangers where the quench cooling offers a significant improvement on performance.

“We really drew on the extensive engineering experience base that Solar Manufacturing has for building large gas fan quench cooled vacuum furnaces coupled with our own vacuum hot pressing experience to build this very unique hot press system,” said Norm Hubele, President of Refrac Systems. “Solar’s engineering team really helped out with a lot of great design ideas and manufacturing experience, and the system really contains the most robust and reliable furnace engineering content that both companies could muster.”

“Norm put together a team of engineers to design and build this state-of-the-art GFQVHP, and it contains many innovations,” said William Jones, CEO of Solar Atmospheres. “Throughout the entire process, Norm personally reviewed all aspects of the design and added considerable insight to the development of this unique vacuum furnace system.”

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Matrix Forgings Manufacturer Commissions Sealed Quench Chamber Furnace

A Polish manufacturer of high-quality matrix forgings, construction connectors, and manual tools manufactured with their own forgings recently commissioned a multipurpose sealed quench chamber furnace to expand their current line of equipment.

Jarosław Talerzak, VP, Thermal Heat Treatment Furnace Systems at SECO/WARWICK

SECO/WARWICK will deliver the fully-automated furnace, a CaseMaster AFS, which is capable of a wide variety of processes but particularly carbonizing, gas carbonitriding and pure hardening, to KUŹNIA Sułkowicie S.A.. The equipment is intended for thermal and thermo-chemical treatment in a controlled endothermic atmosphere.

“We have been cooperating with SECO/WARWICK for more than 10 years. A decade ago, we purchased and implemented a process line for thermal and thermo-chemical treatment with a chamber furnace type CaseMaster AFS 10E,” said Marcin Szafrański, MSc. Ing., Commercial Director at “Kuźnia” Sułkowice S.A. The main customers for the products of KUŹNIA Sułkowice S.A. are the leading European and Polish manufacturers operating in the construction, automotive, power engineering, machinery, and mining industries.

“The appropriately selected production process guarantees the quality of forgings. Thanks to many years of experience in the production of heat treatment equipment, we perfectly understand our customers’ needs, which enables us to propose and help in selecting the most optimum solutions that meet market expectations,” said Jarosław Talerzak, VP, Thermal Heat Treatment Furnace Systems at SECO/WARWICK.

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Vacuum Brazing, Quench and Temper Furnaces Part of Heat Treat Expansion

A Polish heat treatment provider recently announced the startup of vacuum brazing processes at its newest plant in Kalisz for the power generation and aerospace industry. The new facility houses vacuum furnaces as well as borescopes, spectrometer, welding systems, hardness testers, selective plating equipment and a sandblasting cabinet.

In addition, Hauck Heat Treatment has invested in the installation of new heat treatment equipment at their Dzierżoniów location, including new sealed quench furnaces (batch size 910mm x 760mm x 1220mm), one tempering furnace and one endogas generator.

The company also reported that its services to the Eastern European market have expanded with the addition of thermo-chemical treatment, carbonitriding.

 

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TimkenSteel Increases Quench-and-Temper Capacity with New Facility

A leader in customized alloy steel products and services has brought online its newest thermal-treatment asset and has begun processing orders for the oil and gas industries.

Tom Moline, Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations, TimkenSteel

The $40 million advanced quench-and-temper facility, located at the company’s Gambrinus Steel Plant in Canton, Ohio, increases TimkenSteel’s existing capacity by 50,000 tons or 45 percent and brings the company’s total annual thermal-treatment capacity to 500,000 process tons.

“We’re pleased to bring this newest asset online now that market demand for thermal-treated bars and tubes has increased,” said Tom Moline, executive vice president of commercial operations. “The advanced quench-and-temper facility is the largest of our four thermal-treatment facilities and enables us to meet customer needs faster and at more precise specifications. In addition to servicing automotive applications, this will be especially beneficial for our oil and gas customers’ most demanding applications in down-hole tools and top-of-hole infrastructure.”

TimkenSteel announced its plan to build the advanced quench-and-temper facility in October 2014. The company announced earlier this year that it expected the startup to occur in the fourth quarter, after deferring commissioning of the facility in response to market conditions.

Manufactured by SMS Group with custom modifications made by TimkenSteel’s in-house team of scientists and engineers, the facility can accommodate 4-inch to 13-inch bars and tubes.

 

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Austenitizing, Salt Quenching Processes Enhance Auto Supplier’s Heat Treating Capabilities

A Mexico-based automotive supplier recently awarded a contract for the design and manufacture of a 1,500 lb/hr mesh belt furnace system for the austenitizing and molten salt quenching of unique components used in the manufacture of its drivetrain systems.

This contract was awarded to Can-Eng Furnaces International Ltd, which has scheduled the project to be commissioned early 2018 in Mexico’s centralized automotive manufacturing corridor. Incorporating several technological advancements for continuous atmosphere processing of products requiring carbon diffusion and quenching via a molten salt system, known as austempering, the new system includes: automated bin-dumping loading, mesh belt atmosphere hardening furnace, salt quench, post-quench wash and rinse system, mesh belt temper oven, and endothermic gas generator.

 

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No Cal Heat Treat Services Supplier Adds Austempering, Marquenching Capabilities

A brazing and heat treating services supplier based in Northern California has announced the expansion of process services to their heat treating line. ThermoFusion now offers marquenching and austempering, in addition to their annealing, hardening, vacuum, and hydrogen services, for clients in the aerospace, automotive, medical, energy and general manufacturing industries.

Marquenching and austempering use a less aggressive quenchant, reducing the cooling rate slightly, and reducing distortion caused by rapid temperature change (thermal shock).  In high carbon material, these alternative processes allow for the formation of bainite instead of martensite, which allows spring steels to remain “springy” as they get hard.

 

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