(July 31) - Industrial Heating Online is reporting that VAC AERO has sold another brazing furnace and hot zone rebuild to Liburdi Turbine Services. For the complete details see IH's site here.
Two New Nitrex Systems - One Big & One Small
(July 27) - It's not every day that you hear about someone providing a small scale nitriding system, but with a work area some 400x600 mm one described in the first of these two press releases from Nitrex certainly qualifies. Seems things are busy:
Nitrex Receives Order for Small-Scale Nitriding System
Nitrex Metal Inc. (Montreal, Canada, www.nitrex.com) sold its first small-scale nitriding furnace to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., an Indian manufacturer of aircraft, helicopters, aeroengines, accessories and avionics. The NX-406 is one of three models available in the series and has a work zone diameter and height of 400 mm by 600 mm (15 ¾" by 23 ½"), with a 220-kg (440-lb) capacity. The furnace is integrated with the control system and shares similar design features as our large-scale furnaces, such as light ceramic fiber insulation for efficient heating, a double-wall Inconel retort, a recirculation turbine for uniform temperature distribution, and an automatic lift cover mechanism. The equipment will be used for nitriding fuel injection components. Installation is scheduled for fall 2006.
Nitrex Supplies Nitriding System for Pump Components
Nitrex Metal Inc. (Montreal, Canada, www.nitrex.com) installed a Nitreg® nitriding system at a large US manufacturer of automotive pump components. The furnace has a usable work zone of Ø 39.5" by 79" H (1000 mm x 2000 mm) and a gross loading capacity of 7500 lbs (3400 kg). The turnkey system is supplied with Nitreg®, a potential-controlled nitriding technology automated for process repeatability and tailored specifically to the application. Improved product quality and reduced processing time are key advantages of the new installation.
New Solar Order...Aided by CHS-Asia
(July 26) - Solar winning another furnace order is hardly news these days as it seems to be happening weekly. Winning that order in Asia with the help of CHS-Asia, however, is news. For those who don't remember CHS-Asia is Randy Simmons' (former MMI Service Dept manager) and David Pickup's company in Thailand. In addition to Solar's furnaces they also make atmosphere furnaces, sell a long list of heat treating spares and supplies and have the region's only Marathon-certified probe repair facility. Here's the PR from Solar:
Souderton, PA- A new, horizontal vacuum furnace order has been placed with Solar Manufacturing from a customer in southeast Asia. Solar’s expanding international sales come with the commitment and strong support of CHS-Asia.
The new furnace features a high efficiency, graphite insulated hot zone consisting of four layers of 1/2” thick WDF grade graphite felt with a FlexShield hot face. Operating temperature will be at a maximum of 2500°F, with the work zone measuring 42” wide x 42” high x 48” deep and a load capacity of 4000 pounds. Thin, profile-curved graphite heating elements will heat work loads rapidly and uniformly, while the improved, tapered graphite gas nozzles will focus quench gas directly on the work load for optimum gas cooling.
The newly designed 2-bar external gas quench system will consist of a 100HP motor and a Robinson radial fan wheel and diffuser. A state-of-the-art, interactive control system provides the ability to monitor, control, and display information graphically to enable an operator to quickly understand the status of the furnace.
Shipment is anticipated for a year-end delivery.
Solar Manufacturing designs and manufactures vacuum heat treating and brazing furnaces. To learn more about their diverse product line, contact Peter Reh, Vice President of Sales, at 267-384-5040 or pkr@solarmfg.com. More information can also be found on www.solarmfg.com.
Paulo Products Buys Bodycote Business in St. Louis
(July 25) - From the sound of the PR Paulo has purchased the equipment and contracts of the Bodycote facility in St. Louis and will move the work and, as needed, the equipment to its existing facilities. Here's the PR:
St. Louis, MO -- July 24, 2006 -- Paulo Products Company announces the purchase of the metal treating and brazing business of Bodycote Thermal Processing, located in St. Louis, MO. Paulo will transfer the processing of all work for customers, resulting from this acquisition, to its existing facilities. Equipment needed to best serve customers will be relocated to Paulo’s plant in St Louis.
Paulo has operated a commercial heat treating facility in St Louis since 1943. Paulo – St Louis is one of the largest and most complete heat treating facilities in the region, offering continuous belt, batch, vacuum, induction heat treating, furnace brazing, cryogenics, and black oxiding. Paulo provides a wide variety of innovative engineered solutions in heat treating, brazing, and metal finishing. Paulo also offers its customers a broad range of metallurgical services and extensive engineering resources. In addition to St Louis, Paulo operates facilities in Cleveland, OH, Kansas City, MO, Nashville, TN and Murfreesboro, TN. For more information about Paulo, contact Jim Heman, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, 314 450-4366 or visit their website at www.paulo.com.
Dana May Cut Retiree Benefits...Delphi Execs Get Bonuses
(July 24) - Bankruptcy is a strange thing. Not a lot of news this weekend but we did catch a couple snippets from Dana and Delphi. As everyone knows, both companies are in bankruptcy and struggling financially to say the least. Although companies should keep their promises it's not completely a surprise to see Dana moving to cut benefits to retired workers - heck United Airlines killed retirement plans completely.
The more baffling one is that Delphi's top executives are getting a second round of bonuses while the rest of the company is having salaries slashed. All told some 460 top executives are getting some $56 million in bonuses. That works out to about $121,000 per executive or $58.52 per hour (assuming they work a 40 hour week like the rest of us). Nice bonus.
We're speachless.
Korean (South) Heat Treat Show Shots
(July 21) - Trem Trading Co. of South Korea sent these shots from a couple of their recent trade shows. We know there is lots of heat treat for the South Korean Automotive market (Kia, Hyundai, etc.) but we really don't hear a whole lot over here from this part of the world. Here are the shots of their booth:
General Heat Treat (Syracuse, NY) Closes Its Doors
(July 20) - We just heard that General Heat Treat in Syracuse has closed its doors for good and that the former owner, Tom Edwards, has taken the Heat Treat Manager job at New Venture Gear. Good luck Tom!
Induction Heating 2006 / Canada
(July 20) - We picked this one up while reading one of our favorite sites over at JMA Heat Treat. ASM is sponsoring the 2006 Induction Heating Technology and Applications meeting this September in Mississauga, Ontario. Here's the blurb from ASM's site:
Induction Heating Technology & Applications Meeting
September 13-14, 2006 - Mississauga, Ontario Canada
Don’t miss your only opportunity this year to meet with and learn from some of the top experts in the field of Induction Heating.
Enjoy the beautiful surroundings and international flavor of Mississauga as you renew old acquaintances and make new contacts.
Topics include:
Basics of Induction
Induction Heat Treating Applications
Induction Heat Treating Metallurgy
Defining Induction Heat Treating Par Specification
Quenching for Induction Heating
Selecting the Proper Induction Machine
Induction Process Monitoring
Computer Simulation of Induction Heat Treating
Advanced Design and Construction of Induction Coils
Magnetic Flux Controllers
Induction System Matching and Maintenance
Safety
Induction Heat Treating of Gears
See you in Toronto!
SPAM Sagas
(July 19) - It seems heattreatnews.com isn't the only business being plagued by spammers. We got a couple notes from yesterday's stories that we can share with you:
"I can receive over 400 spam e mails per day, with about a dozen on business. It seemed to start all of a sudden for us. It started about 8 to 10 weeks ago. We are just inundated. Is coke better than Pepsi, Do you eat at McDonalds more than Burger King, Viagra, singles and so on"
Please take a moment to visit our web site at www.pyemet.com
"At Marathon we have a dedicated anti-spam server that stops over 10,000 spams per day. It wasn't cheap but it was definitely a great investment as it has saved our people countless hours of wading through junk email. It also scans for viruses which saves even more time."
Yvonne Spooner, Marathon Sensors Inc.
Solar's New Order Revisited
(July 19) - Yesterday we reported on a new order for Solar Manufacturing and alluded to the company's storied beginnings. It turns out what we had heard over the years needed some corrections which Roger Jones (Bill Jones' son and the President of Solar Atmospheres) was kind enough to provide. Here is Roger's note:
Thank you for publishing the news release concerning Solar Manufacturing and the purchase of the third 24' car bottom by Solar Atmospheres of Western, Pa. I just wanted to comment on your opening statement.
My father Bill Jones wasn't "bought out under duress". He actually sold Vacuum Furnace Systems Corporation (VFS) to the existing management team for a fair price at that time. The idea here was sharing of technology, and the purpose of a good working relationship.
Unfortunately that didn't happen, and to make matters worse, the new management owners sold, at a considerable profit, the company to IPSEN, (not an admired competitor), the rest is history. I feel if Bill Jones had to do it all over again he would have kept the ownership of VFS and restructured the management team.
In any event you are correct concerning innovation and attention to details. Solar Manufacturing is a growing company, and even in a difficult market continues to grow.
Thank you once again for the news concerning Solar Manufacturing. Heat Treat News will see more of Solar Manufacturing in the future. Best Regards to you and your staff.
(July 18) - Sometimes it seems like some malicious pinhead must have run around and signed heat treat news up for every spam emailer in the world! Seriously, we have spam-filters stopping literally thousands of bogus emails every day and we still get a pile of them. (makes you wonder if the anti-spam folks and the spammers aren't in league with each other).
What about you and your workplace? Are bulk emails with hot stock tips, misspelled words and v1agra offers cluttering your mailbox? Drop us a note at admin@heattreatnews.com and sound off.
Solar New Order
(July 18) - Solar is a great story...guy sells out to his management team and tries to form a cooperative relationship, but that doesn't happen and things turn Sourth. Instead of sulking and moaning he returns with a new company to teach the industry the meaning of innovation and attention to detail. Ask around. Anyway...seems Solar has another new furnace order to crow about and this is as good a place as any to do it:
Souderton, PA. Solar Manufacturing has received another order placement of a 24-foot, 50,000lb capacity, car bottom vacuum furnace. This is the third furnace of its kind designed and built by Solar Manufacturing and will be shipped to an undisclosed plant site in North Western USA. A duplicate of the two furnaces in operation at the Solar Atmospheres plant in Hermitage, Pa., this new furnace will process Ti alloy structural parts for the Aerospace industry.
Construction and testing of the new car bottom furnace will take place at the Solar Manufacturing plant in Souderton, Pa., a sister company to Solar Atmospheres. This furnace complements four large car bottom 50,000lb capacity vacuum furnaces within the Solar corporation, with one currently under installation in the Solar heat treating plant Souderton, Pa. and three installed in the Solar plant in Hermitage, Pa. Shipment of the new furnace is planned for Spring 2007.
Solar Manufacturing designs and manufactures vacuum heat treating and brazing furnaces. To learn more about their diverse product line, contact Peter Reh, Vice President of Sales, at 267-384-5040 or pkr@solarmfg.com. More information can also be found on www.solarmfg.com.
Ford Woes: Downgraded Again
(July 17) - Ford Motor is targeting 22,000 to 24,000 hourly job cuts by the end of next year but still the financial industry is not pleased and has downgraded their stock and credit ratings yet again.
Ford claims their "way forward" downsizing effort is ahead of schedule, but the apparent success of Ford's buyout program comes amid an otherwise deteriorating financial situation and hasn't seemed to make much of a difference to Wall Street. Bloomberg News, citing unnamed sources, said Friday that Ford could lose as much as $3 billion this year.
Deutsche Bank analyst Rod Lache, who estimates Ford will use up $4 billion in cash reserves in 2006, said the company's continuing loss of market share and weak product mix have put its North American restructuring plan in jeopardy.
Goldman Sachs' Robert Barry had similar comments: "We do not think a dividend cut would be as necessary if Ford was making good progress on its 'way forward' restructuring plan, which targets returning the (North American) auto business to profitability by 2008. It has been our view that this goal is ambitious and unlikely."
On Friday, Moody's Investors Service lowered its Ford debt rating further into junk status, citing "considerable additional stress" on the automaker in the region.
Ford's shares were buffeted by the growing concern over the company's future Friday, with shares losing 18 cents to close at $6.38.
Some analysts said Ford's shares are likely to fall even lower.
World's Largest Sealed Quench Austempering Furnace Installed
(July 14) - Here's the lastest PR from ADI Furnace:
ADI Treatments has recently installed the world's largest sealed quench Austempering furnace. The new facility, costing more than GBP 1 million, provides controlled atmosphere heat treatment services for cast iron and steel component manufacturers. The principal application will be in the production of Austempered ductile iron castings with dimensions up to 1.8m; steel fabrications can also be processed.
The furnace is an extended version of the plant operated at the company's West Bromwich, UK factory since 1997.
US market leaders AFC Holcroft, who built the original plant, were asked to customise the new furnace for larger component and batch loads.
Maximum temperature is 1000 deg C with gross loads of up to 2.75 tonnes.
The patented design incorporates a controlled atmosphere batch furnace with re-circulating roof fans, radiant tubes, intermediate purge transfer chamber, enclosed vestibule and integral Austempering quench tank.
AFC were able to modify their proven design and enhance capability.
Particular attention was given to the circulation in the enlarged salt quenching facility, to ensure homogeneity of the process and final material properties.
Fast cool facilities have been incorporated in the furnace and quench tank modules to improve turnaround for customers.
A state of the art HMI was also added to enhance process and quality control.
The actual manufacture was outsourced to AFC's Mexican partners.
Site Updates
(July 11) - We're just finishing some updates to our archives formats and getting ready to start sending out our email newsletter. Please be patient with updates as our people are doing this computer-geek stuff and aren't overly talented in that area. Something about soot, oil and computer parts...
Edelbrock Foundry Corp. San Jacinto, CA
(July 11) - Edelbrock Foudry is a subsidiary of Edelbrock Corp. ("The Most Respected Name in Performance") makes some of the most sought-after, entirely US-made engine manifolds and water pumps for the auto industry. Edelbrock produces almost 3,000 castings/day. Business is good and Elderbrook is about to get started on a 70,000-square-foot addition to its auto-parts casting plant on Buena Vista Avenue. And what will be in this new addition? A heat treat department and a permanent mold foundry.
Ipsen and VFS "Realign" (Merge) Channels
(July 10) - With two of the biggest names in vacuum furnaces owned by the same parent company, it was only a matter of time before someone saw the advantage of leveraging sales channels to create one behemoth with two strong brands. Here's the PR:
SOUDERTON, PA – Capitalizing on the combined strengths of the two well-respected vacuum furnace brands, VFS Corporation and Ipsen International Inc., Chairman Dr. Hendrik Grobler announced today that the North American sales representative networks will be realigned as of October 1, 2006 to better serve its customer base. Since 2000, both VFS Corporation and Ipsen International Inc. have belonged to the same parent company. The change announced today will result in one representative network for both brands designed to take full advantage of the best local expertise available, delivering improved technical guidance on both new furnaces and aftermarket service. This will also provide more flexibility for representatives to recommend the best performing product to meet the specific needs of the combined customer base in North America."
For more information, contact:
Vacuum Furnace Systems Corporation, Geoffrey Somary, Phone: (215) 723-8125 or Ipsen International Inc., John Schmitt, Phone: (815) 332-4941
BMI Holds Open Day to Cover its ALLNIT® Technology
(July 4) - BMI just sent out a press release on their most recent Open Day where they discussed ALLNIT® low-pressure nitriding. Although it's a bit dated (March), here's the scoop:
On 21 March last, BMI held an open day for which the main theme was ALLNIT® low-pressure nitriding. 5 countries, 30 people and almost as many companies were represented at this event. French, Germans, Swiss, Italians and Spanish met in a convivial atmosphere to discover about this process developed by our company. After an introductory conference on low-pressure nitriding and a lively lunch, we visited BMI and then met for cocktails at Peugeot-PSA’s B56RN furnace. This very large capacity furnace equipped with ALLNIT® nitriding (useful processing zone: 1000 x 1000 x 1500 mm for 2000 kg charge) completes the set of furnaces dedicated to the processing of tooling for car manufacturers.
We have strengthened our presence at the PSA group which in 2004 equipped itself with a B86T hardening furnace of similar size.
Low-pressure nitriding, available as an option on the whole range of BMI tempering furnaces, offers several advantages. Among other things, the exceptional homogeneity of ALLNIT® enables a variety of charges to be processed: semi bulk, compact or tapered parts, parts with blind holes, cavities, hidden faces, etc.
What with BMI’s expertise, the flexibility of both vacuum and the process and the ease of application, not only are the predictability and reproducibility of results ensured, but also layer selectivity and optimum parts cleanliness. Apart from their performance and high-quality manufacture, B5_RN furnaces also fly the Green flag because of their low gas and electricity consumption.
In response to its customers’ requirements, BMI is now offering a whole range of ALLNIT® nitriding furnaces. The standard range comprises equipment whose useful zones range from 450 x 450 x 450 mm for 150 kg charge to 1200 x 1200 x 1800 mm for over 2 tonnes charge.
ISO 9001:2000 for Marathon's China Subsidiary
(July 5) - Looks like Marathon's subsidiary in China has been hard at work on their ISO 9001:2000 certification. This operation, which supports Marathon's products throughout Asia, is about a year old at this point and currently has ten employees. Here's their PR:
After three months of hard work beginning in March 2006, the Beijing New Century Certification Company examined MMI China for its ISO TI9001: 2000 application on June 27th and 28th. After two days of inspection that included review of process documents, flows, tools, equipments, and all recorded numbers and figures, the committee was satisfied with our quality management procedures and processes and granted approval to MMI China for the ISO 9001 certification. The ISO confirms MMI China’s commitment to quality for our customers as well as gives us the confidence not only in our products but also in our quality management processes.
US Independence Day
(July 4) - Today the US celebrates Independence Day. In between visiting with friends and family, BBQ-ing and setting off fireworks feel free to take a look at this brief history of the 4th of July (click here).
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