Industrial Heating articles from May 2001

Industrial Heating archives from May 2001

How Do We Measure Up.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... ED KUBEL JR. To The Metric System? The loss of NASA's Mars Climate Orbiter (MCO) in September 2000 due to a contractor using English rather than metric units of measurement in a navigation software program prompted the NASA Office of...

To Get From Here to There.
May 1, 2001... Last month, this column described problems of (and caused by) "Big Steel" and promised to discuss solutions to these real issues. Over the past three decades, the vertically integrated steel sector (with six companies remaining) cost American...

Solar Power: An Environmentally Friendly Solution To Growing Energy Problems.
May 1, 2001... In a recently completed Space Solar Power (SSP) Exploratory Research and Technology (SERT) Program, NASA further defined new systems concepts (including space applications), better defined the technical challenges involved in SSP, and initiated...

Energy Phobia.(Secretary of Energy, Spencer Abraham.)
May 1, 2001... It isn't uncommon for legislatures to take extreme positions in attempts to influence their constituents. Many in the environmental arena have been accused, and some rightly so, of using scare tactics to gain attention and support. The new...

Homogenization.
May 1, 2001... A homogeneous chemical composition and microstructure always is desired and seldom attained in practice. Corrosion resistance, age hardening and machinability are just a few material characteristics that are affected by chemical segregation....

ThermaFab Alloy Inc.
May 1, 2001... When You Need it Right the First Time...And Every Time Since opening its doors in 1931, ThermaFab Alloy, Cleveland, Ohio, has evolved into a premier fabricator of heat and corrosion resistant alloys, stainless steel and carbon steel...

Ipsen International Inc.
May 1, 2001... Stepping Out of the Box The vision and creative spirit to design and develop heat treating technology is boundless at Ipsen International, Rockford, Ill. The challenges of excelling in technology, quality and service are met by stepping...

Understanding Equipment Purchases -- Machine Tools and Durable Goods.
May 1, 2001... New orders for machine tools is another indicator that affects the industrial heat treating market. Since most machine tools are heat treated, the volume by which they are sold gives some indication of the market activity. As you can see from...

Two Strip Annealing Furnaces Contracted.(Drever Group)
May 1, 2001... Drever Group, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., has received contracts to build two stainless steel strip annealing and pickling lines having a production rate of 37 tph for Tai Yuan Iron and Steel Co. (TISCO), China. The furnaces, with scheduled...

Heat Treatment Center Planned in South Carolina.(ALD Vacuum Technologies AG)
May 1, 2001... ALD Vacuum Technologies AG, Hanau, Germany, plans to build a heat treatment center in South Carolina to focus on heat treating precision parts for use in common-rail fuel-injection systems for diesel engines. The project involves an investment...

Furnace Contract Received.(Bricmont, Canonsburg, Pa., has received a contract from Mitsubishi International Corp)
May 1, 2001... Bricmont, Canonsburg, Pa., has received a contract from Mitsubishi International Corp. in New York to furnish a 235-m (771 ft) long tunnel furnace for a new hot strip mill at Tangshan Iron and Steel Co. of Tangshan, China. A fully operational...

Furnace System Installed in India.(Banco Products (India) Ltd.)
May 1, 2001... Banco Products (India) Ltd. has purchased an Active Only[R] semicontinuous controlled atmosphere aluminum-brazing furnace for its facility in Gujarat, India from SECO/WARWICK Corp., Meadville, Pa. The system is designed to braze aluminum heat...

Vacuum/Hydrogen Furnace Delivered.(Thermal Technology)
May 1, 2001... Thermal Technology (TTI), Santa Rosa, Calif., has delivered an Astro Group 1700 automatic vacuum/hydrogen furnace to the Argonne National Laboratory. The Argonne specification requires the furnace to operate up to 2910[degrees]F...

Three Vacuum Furnaces Ordered.(Vac-Aero International Inc.)
May 1, 2001... Vac Aero International, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, received an order for three vacuum furnaces from Chromalloy, Gas Turbine Corp., located in Orangeburg, N.Y. The furnaces are identical in size with mechanical and diffusion pumps, carbon felt...

Simulation System Purchased.(The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory)
May 1, 2001... The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, D.C., installed a Gleeble physical simulation system to investigate materials used in construction of ships and submarines. The Gleeble 3200 is capable of heating specimens at...

Aerospace Plate Capacity Expanded.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Alcoa, Pittsburgh, Pa., plans to increase productive capacity for aerospace and tooling plate by 30% at its Davenport, Iowa sheet and plate facility to meet growing world demand. Alcoa will break ground for this additional capacity with a new...

Carlson Installs Abrasive Waterjet Cutting System.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... G.O. Carlson, Thorndale, Pa., has installed an abrasive waterjet cutting system at its Coatesville, Pa. manufacturing facility. The system allows Carlson to produce intricate shapes in stainless steel, nickel alloy, titanium and copper-nickel...

Delphi Automotive to Close Nine Plants and Cut Nearly 11,500 Jobs.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... As a result of uncertain automotive production volumes and the decision to more rapidly implement long-term portfolio plans, Delphi Automotive Systems Corp., Troy, Mich., has confirmed intentions to sell, close, or consolidate nine plants,...

BOC Edwards and Castion Recognized for Environmental Excellence.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... The Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recognized two Bay State companies -- BOC Edwards of Wilmington and CASTion Corp. of Ludlow -- for their commitment to...

Zircar Ceramics Adds Distributor to West Coast Territory.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Zircar Ceramics, formerly part of Zircar Products, Inc., Florida, N.Y., has appointed ASA Sales, Inc., Torrance, Calif., as its exclusive distributor/representative in the company's western territory. This appointment, according to Zircar's...

The Furnace Works Establishes Combustion Controls Division.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... The Furnace Works, Sheffield, Ohio, has established a new division, Furnace Combustion & Controls Co. (FC3). The company performs instrument calibrations, furnace uniformity surveys, combustion and controls repairs, upgrades, and retrofits for...

Ford Motor Co. Reopens Casting Plant.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Ford Motor Co. reopened its casting plant outside Cleveland, Ohio, after an outbreak of Legionnaires disease killed two workers. The plant, which closed March 14, reopened on March 19 at midnight. There were four confirmed cases of Legionnaires...

Rockwell Automation Team Receives Award.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... A team of six employees at Rockwell Automation, Greenville, S.C., was presented with the Rockwell Annual Chairman's Team Award. Established in 1992, the award program recognizes the outstanding efforts of worldwide employees that work together...

AssetTrade Enters Global Agreement with Bethlehem Steel.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... AssetTrade, an asset recovery management and disposition company in King of Prussia, Pa., has signed a global, three-year agreement with Bethlehem Steel Corp. Under terms of the agreement, AssetTrade will use its internal redeployment software,...

Slater Steel Announces Permanent Closure of Meltshop.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Slater Steel, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, announced that employees at its Fort Wayne Specialty Alloys Div. and the applicable representatives of the United Steelworkers of America, Local 14 were notified that the meltshop at Fort Wayne...

Techint and VAI Form Joint Company.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Techint Compagnia Tecnica Internazionale SpA (Techint), Milan, Italy, and Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau (VAI), a company of the VA Technologie AG, have agreed to combine their activities in continuous billet casting plants and long-product...

EPA Waives $547,150 in Penalties for Seven Companies.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Philadelphia, Pa., is waiving a potential $547,150 in penalties against seven companies-six in Pennsylvania and one in Virginia-after they voluntarily disclosed and corrected chemical reporting...

CORRECTIONS.(Correction Notice)
May 1, 2001... In the Commercial Heat Treat Directory featured in the March 2001 issue of the Industrial Heating, the contact information for Alliance Metal Treat is incorrect. The correct information can be found online at http://www.industrialheating.com or...

Vacuum Carburization of High-Performance Automotive PM Parts.
May 1, 2001... Parts made using conventional powder metallurgy (PM) techniques fall short of the required bending and surface fatigue properties for use in some high-performance applications. However, the necessary performance levels can be achieved by...

Rethink Before You Rebuild.
May 1, 2001... Evaluating all the possibilities before refurbishing a furnace can lead to some unexpected performance benefits. A recent furnace rebuild project demonstrates how design changes can dramatically improve furnace efficiency and productivity. ...

Compact.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Compact, single- and double-body gas flow control valves combine the functions of safety shutoff, gas pressure regulation and air-gas ratio control, utilizing multiple SKP actuator combinations. Proven, reliable and safe.

Precise gas flow control.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Precise gas flow control is achieved with the SKP Series of multifunctional actuators. Modular design allows for installation with a wide range of gas valve diameters.

Ultra accurate control motors.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Ultra accurate control motors with auto/manual switch improve process results and simplify field commissioning. Direct connect to butterfly valves for optimum control.

Single loop temperature/pressure control.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Single loop temperature/pressure control is a standalone RID controller with three analog inputs, two binary inputs and one configurable modulating PID output. Floating control option eliminates the need for electronics in actuators.

Flame safeguard.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Flame safeguard and leak proving controls ensure safe operation of combustion systems. Flame safeguard features 24-pin connection, providing the functionality of expensive competitive products. The leak proving system enhances safety -- not...

Compact control actuators.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Compact control actuators for low torque, proportional or floating control applications. The units can be mounted in any orientation with an optional feedback potentiometer.

Industry Benefits from Government Lab Test Facility.(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... The high pressure burner rig (HPBR) test facility at NASA Glenn Research Center is a relatively inexpensive, versatile system that combines ease of operation and alternate testing configurations together with test condition capabilites...

Selecting Refractories for PM and MIM Sintering Furnaces: Part 2.(powder metallurgy (PM) and metal injection molded (MIM) parts )
May 1, 2001... Selecting the right ceramic refractory for sintering furnaces to process PM and MIM parts can be difficult considering the wide variety of ceramic refractories available. However, a good understanding of why some refractories work better than...

Vacuum--Formed Ceramic--Fiber Insulation Manages High Process Temperatures.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... High-temperature ceramic-fiber insulation that is vacuum formed as an integral part of plant ductwork and other components provides advantages over castable insulating material. The material offers substantial energy savings potential and takes...

Plasma-Assisted Nitriding Offers Production Flexibility.(for surfaces)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... The flexibility of plasma-assisted surface treatment has fostered its use in a broad market. The environmentally friendly process not only provides enhanced properties and performance characteristics of treated parts, but also, it offers the...

Nu- Tride[R].(Kolene Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Proven Technology for Enhancing Performance The Kolene[R] Nu-Tride[R] process, described in this 4-p brochure from Kolene Corp., Detroit, Mich., is a proven method for enhancing the engineering properties of ferrous metal components. This...

Burner Control Unit.(G. Kromschroder AG)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Kromschroder BCU[R] 480 is suitable for continuous and intermittent operation and provides individual control of the pilot and main burner. The ignition transformer and all electronics are contained in a die-cast aluminum housing,...

Dry Vacuum Pump System.(BOG Edwards)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... BOG Edwards The SOLSTAR dry vacuum pump system is designed to handle the pumping requirements of filter dryers. A Drystar chemical dry pump is incorporated in the system, which enables execution of necessary compression and vacuum steps by...

Metallographic Consumables.(Struers A/S)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Struers The RepliSet replication system is designed for use in nondestructive testing and inspection. It can transfer the microstructure of a surface to a highly accurate and stable replica and produce a three-dimensional copy of the...

Gas Ignition Controls.(Kidde-Fenwal Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Kidde-Fenwal Fenwal 35-70 is a 120 VAC direct spark ignition device for controlling a gas valve, monitoring flame and driving a combustion blower to ignite LP and natural gas. Highlighted by on-board diagnostics with LED output for safe,...

Thermal Insulation.(Unifrax Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Unifrax Carp. Isofrax[TM] 1260C paper is manufactured by forming Isofrax 1260C fiber in a nonwoven matrix. The fibers are randomly oriented during manufacture, then held in place with a binder system. Due to its high fiber melting point,...

Power Controller.(Marelco Power Systems)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Marelco Power Systems The MAPS power controller integrates a universal input control transformer with a regulated 24 VDC power supply module. Unit features include universal primary input voltage from 190 to 480 volts AC at either 50 or 60...

Power Supply Systems.(ProcessPower UPS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Solid-state Controls The ProcessPower[TM] uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is available in sizes ranging from 10-125 kVA three phrase. The units feature advanced communications capability, along with a high-resolution alphanumerical LCD...

Alumina Composite.(Zircar Refractory Composites' RS-100)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2001... Zircar Refractory Composites Refractory sheet type RS-100 is a fiber reinforced structural alumina composite designed for use in thermal, structural and electrical insulation applications, as well as in the transport of molten nonferrous...

Gas Injection System.(Praxair CoJet)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2001... Praxair The CoJet[TM] gas injection system technology has been expanded into the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) market. In the BOF application, the system uses a lance and lance tip design having an injector nozzle that delivers coherent...

Steel Bearings.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Graphite Metallizing Corp. Self-lubricating Graphalloy[R] graphite/metal alloy bearings and bushings can operate at temperatures to 1000[degrees]F (540[degrees]C), eliminating the need for lubricants that burn off in most steelmaking...

Wire and Tube Bending Machine.(2010 CNC wire and tube bending machine from Montorfano)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2001... Montorfano s.n.c./FT Industries The 2010 CNC wire and tube bending machine uses a precision wire feeding system to pull wire through dual plane straightening rolls at the rate of 1 m/s (3.3 ft/s) to the overall (underdeveloped) length...

Video Measuring System.(Mitutoyo America Corp's Quick Vision 404 Pro)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2001... Mitutoyo America Corp. The Quick Vision (QV) 404 Pro offers a 16 in. x-axis, 16 in. y-axis and a 6 in. z-axis measuring capability. The system uses the QV Pak Version 5.3 software, which allows difficult-to-measure pieces to be programmed...

Pressure Indicating Films.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Sensor Products The Pressurex Pressure Points[R] tactile force indicating films are metrology tools used to assess compressive magnitude and distribution between contacting and impacting surfaces. The films are available in sizes ranging...

Industrial Heat Exchanger.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Des Champs Laboratories The Series 85 air-to-air energy recovery unit uses the Z-Duct[R] heat exchanger principle to effectively recover and return energy and provide building makeup air heating. Features include two separate water-wash...

Organic Absorbent.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Sorbent Products Co. Cansorb[TM] organic, oil-only absorbent is made of high quality large-fiber sphagnum peat moss. During processing, a bitumen wax is released from within the peat moss fiber, coating the fiber surface to give the...

Die Steel.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Carpenter Technology Corp. Micro-Melt[R] CD #1 alloy is designed to be used in coining and cold-work tooling applications. Wear resistance comes from the material's good hardness and vanadium, chromium and molybdenum carbides. The steel...

Coating System.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Alon Surface Technologies The AlcroPlex[R] coating system is an advanced bidiffusion (two-step) system incorporating chromium, silicon and aluminum, providing a dual-layer diffusion coating that offers increased resistance to...

Coaxial Connector.(Ceramaseal SHV)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2001... Ceramaseal The SHV coaxial connector is constructed using ceramic-to-metal sealing technology, and is designed to mate with a standard 10 kV SHV plug. The smaller diameter of the connector does not compromise the 10 kV voltage rating. The...

Machineable Ceramic.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Hottec Fabceram 45 is a gray ceramic that can be machined into any shape using conventional machine shop practices. Without further processing, it can be used at temperatures to 1100[degrees]F (595[degrees]C) as insulators, stand offs, and...

Trace Gas Detector.(Model 196 Leakseeker from ITI QUALITEK)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2001... ITI QUALITEK The Model 196 Leakseeker uses a micro-volume thermal conductivity cell to pinpoint and quantify trace amounts of most nontoxic gases including helium, carbon dioxide, argon and refrigerants down to 1 x [10.sup.-5] atm cc/sec...

Cleaning Systems.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... AmeriVap Systems The AmeriVap/R.E.A. Saturno systems deliver saturated dry steam at 240[degrees]F (120[degrees]C) and at a pressure of 150 psi (1 MPa). Being a state of aeriform aggregation, it has increased propagation capacity in...

PERSONNEL CHANGES.
May 1, 2001... Ipsen Appoints International Sales Manager Rob Atkins has been promoted to international sales manager for Ipsen International, Rockford, Ill. Mr. Atkins is responsible for total sales management of all Ipsen products and services for...