Heat Treat Industry News

March 10, 2010

Tenova Core installs beam reheat furnaces at Hyundai Steel

Monday, 08 Mar 2010Tenova Core has recently completed the successful start up of two 235 tonnes per hour walking beam furnaces for reheating slabs for a new plate mill at Hyundai Steel's Dangjin in South Korean plant.more...

March 09, 2010

Oil and gas pipe maker TMK IPSCO to open facility near Marcellus Shale to meet growing demand

HARRISBURG, PA. — An oil-and-gas pipe maker says it plans to open a new facility close to the Marcellus Shale natural gas reserve beneath Appalachia.more...

March 05, 2010

AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL INSTITUTE APPLAUDS CONGRESS FOR EFFORTS TO HALT EPA FROM ECONOMICALLY-DAMAGING REGULATION OF STATIONARY SOURCES

Legislative Action Essential to Preserving Jobs

Washington, D.C.– The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) applauded efforts in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives to prevent economically-damaging action by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gases from stationary sources. Most American manufacturing facilities, including steel mills, would be impacted. more...

March 04, 2010

Managing Distortion in the Heat Treatment of Gears

Question:
We are doing gear hobbing, then case carburizing followed by oil quench and temper. Post heat treat, we perform gear grinding. If, for example, we have achieved a Gear Class of “7” during hobbing (for both profile as well as helix), what could be the best class after heat treatment? Is it possible to contain the distortion within “1 class” (i.e. “8”) for this case? What is your experience in this regard? more...

March 03, 2010

Steel Sell Off Creates Buying Opportunity

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Stocks of US and global steel majors have corrected sharply during the past six weeks.more...

March 02, 2010

Specialty Heat Treating to expand its Elkhart facility

Sunday, 28 Feb 2010It is reported that Specialty Heat Treating, a company that specializes in enhancing the properties of processed steel, will expand its facility in Elkhart, a move that is estimated to create up to 26 jobs by 2012.more...

February 26, 2010

Inductoheat Inc. ships billet heating system for upset forging

Inductoheat Inc. has recently designed, built and shipped a 600kW, 3kHz induction billet forge heating system to a leading supplier of automotive driveline components. This induction system for upset forging is capable of heating 1.5” to 3.0” diameter and 7” to 15” long billets at a nominal rate of 300 parts an hour. more...

February 25, 2010

MRO (Maintenance Repair Operations)

Question:
I’ve heard the term “MRO,” but I don’t know what it is or how it applies to heat treating. Can you help?

Answer:
MRO stands for "maintenance repair operations" and is typically applied to aftermarket components in all types of industries. Aerospace would be a prime example of an industry that would benefit from this type of strategy to keep their fleets flying. more...

February 24, 2010

UPC Completes Furnace Control Upgrades, Centralizes Monitoring

United Process Controls (UPC) has completed major upgrades in furnace control and data acquisition for a south central U.S. energy equipment supplier. The new multi-furnace control systems featuring Protherm 400 programmable controllers monitor and manage 4 batch carburizing furnaces, a vacuum furnace, 3 pit furnaces, and 4 draw furnaces.more...

February 23, 2010

Anti-dumping duty on Chinese tyre, steel

NEW DELHI: Concerned over surge in imports particularly from China, India has slapped anti-dumping duty on several stainless steel products and radial tyres. more...

February 22, 2010

First ever Danieli Micromill started up at CMC Arizona

Wednesday, 10 Feb 2010CMC Steel Arizona in Mesa has realized its vision with the new generation of Danieli of continuous casting rolling, compact, micro mills.more...

February 20, 2010

CastExpo ‘10 Preview

A week in the sun never sounded so good. For metalcasters enduring weak demand and idle production, the fresh ideas and technical insights upcoming at CastExpo will seem even more welcome than a few days of warm weather and relaxation. more...

February 19, 2010

Rio Tinto Alcan to invest US$7.6 million in Beauharnois facility to continue serving the aluminium primary foundry market

MONTREAL, Feb. 15 /PRNewswire/ - Rio Tinto Alcan plans to invest US$7.6 million in its Beauharnois, Quebec facility to maintain casting production to serve its primary foundry market customers. Construction work and other preparations are underway, and additional capacity could be online as early as this spring.more...

February 18, 2010

Variable Hardness Levels for A2 Tool Steel

Original Question:
We are a small machine shop and have some A2 tool steel measuring 1/8" thick by 3" square that we have heat treated to 50 HRC. We then wire EDM these pieces but didn't perform a stress-relief temper. I need to lower the hardness. Will stress-relief tempering do this for me? more...

February 16, 2010

Steel tube company expands in Youngstown

French-owned V&M Star to add 350 jobs.

A Texas-based steel pipe company has announced an expansion of its manufacturing plant in Youngstown. The 650 million dollar investment comes after the U-S declared that China has been illegally dumping steel in the American Market. more...

February 15, 2010

Air Products makes offer to acquire Airgas

Industrial gas distributor rejects requests to discuss deal

The offer was made in a letter to Airgas' board of directors after the CEOs of the two companies discussed Air Products' interest in acquiring Airgas and after Air Products made two written offers, and these offers and Air Products' requests to discuss them were rejected by Airgas. more...

February 12, 2010

China's demand on steel industry drives prices higher

Vale, the world's biggest iron ore producer, said it would ''struggle'' to meet demand for the steel-making raw material this year as China's economy expands. more...

February 11, 2010

Annealing to Achieve Soft Parts for Low-Carbon and Stainless Steels

Question
We manufacture gaskets for an automotive application made of both 1008 low-carbon steel and 305 stainless steel and want to anneal them. The gaskets are typically stampings around 0.50-0.75 inches (13-19 mm) in outside diameter and up to 0.020 inches (0.51 mm) thick. The anneal specification calls for a hardness less than 100 HK. Can this be done and what style unit would you recommend? more...

February 10, 2010

Emerson Adds Stainless Steel Transmitter Housing to Its Vortex Flowmeter Family

CHANHASSEN, MINN (February 3, 2010) -- Emerson Process Management announces the expansion of its Rosemount® 8800D Series of Vortex flowmeters to include stainless steel transmitter housings, which are often required for applications in corrosive environments. This new stainless steel housing increases the reliability and longevity of the transmitter in these environments, greatly reducing the overall cost of ownership. more...

February 09, 2010

Steel industry to continue restructuring

China is to speed up restructuring in the steel sector, supporting the development of three to five major steel enterprises in an effort to address the long-standing problems of overcapacity and low industry concentration, the Securites Daily reported Monday, citing a senior official. more...

February 08, 2010

Atmosphere Furnace Leak-Determination Procedure: Copper, Steel, Stainless Steel Test

The question is often asked, “Do I have an air leak or a water leak in my furnace, and how can I tell them apart?” Fortunately, there is a really simple test procedure that yields very accurate results. Here’s how it works. more...

February 05, 2010

U. S. Steel Announces Management Changes in North American Sales and Marketing Organizations

PITTSBURGH -- United States Steel Corporation (NYSE:X) today announced two advancements in the company's North American sales and marketing organizations. Robert Y. Kopf III has been appointed general manager-North American flat-rolled marketing. more...

February 04, 2010

Worthington Industries Inc acquires strip steel assets from Gibraltar Industries Inc

Metals manufacturing company Worthington Industries Inc reported on Monday that its Steel Processing business unit has acquired the steel processing assets of Gibraltar Industries Inc. more...

February 03, 2010

ArcelorMittal to restart blast furnace

EAST CHICAGO -- The glow of molten metal will be the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel as ArcelorMittal and United Steelworkers of America Local 1011 officials announced the restart of the No. 4 blast furnace and the No. 3 steel producing plant.more...

February 02, 2010

China failure to lower iron ore price shows limits to economic clout

HONG KONG: China is pressing to turn its status as the world's biggest steel producer into clout over global miners and cheaper iron ore prices.more...

February 01, 2010

China reschedules Zimbabwe steel maker debt

China has rescheduled to 2013 the debt of Zimbabwe's biggest iron and steel maker following a request by the Zimbabwean government, according to official sources. more...

January 31, 2010

Good news for steelworkers at Severstal, U.S. Steel

DEARBORN/ECORSE -- Announcements in two steelmaking centers indicate the industry is taking an up turn.

Severstal North America, with its headquarters in Dearborn is restarting facilities in several other locations in the United States. At nearby Ecorse, 1,400 unionized workers have been called back to U.S. Steel’s Great Lakes Works plant. more...

January 29, 2010

Severstal to Restart Idled North American Facilities

Russia-based global steelmaker OAO Severstal (Severstal) announced Monday that as part of its North American 2010 operating plan, certain facilities will be restarted that had been idled previously as a result of weak market conditions. more...

January 28, 2010

Atmosphere Furnace Leak Checking Procedure: Smoke Bomb Test

The following procedure will help you determine if your atmosphere furnace has an air leak (radiant tubes, door seals, quench chutes, shaft seals, etc.). A symptom of a leaky furnace is that your process requires excessive amounts of natural (enrichment) gas added to the endothermic gas (or nitrogen/methanol) atmosphere to maintain your furnace dew point or carbon setpoint or if excessive internal sooting is observed. more...

January 27, 2010

US steel producers will find it hard to raise prices

NEW YORK: Steel production costs, like iron ore, metallurgical coal and natural gas, are already slated for sharp gains in the first half of 2010, but US steel producers will find it difficult to pass on those increases to customers who have slowly increased orders. more...

January 25, 2010

Essar Steel to open a 250,000 tonnes p.a. Processing Centre in Jebel Ali Free Zone

The Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) has just announced that it will be home to a steel processing and service centre for Indian multinational conglomerate Essar Group’s subsidiary Essar Steel Middle East FZE. more...

January 22, 2010

Kobe Steel Output to Rise to Near Record Levels on China Demand

Kobe Steel Ltd. said output will rise to near record levels last seen before the global financial crisis because demand from China and Southeast Asia is increasing. more...

January 21, 2010

Latrobe Special Steel Wins AIST Award

Latrobe Specialty Steel’s VIM-VAR expansion project won the Association for Iron & Steel Technology's (AIST) award for 2009 Project Excellence. more...

January 20, 2010

Yichang Three Gorges orders two continuous annealing lines

Wednesday, 20 Jan 2010 - Yichang Three Gorges, China, has placed an order with SMS Siemag, Germany, for the supply of two continuous annealing lines. Both lines will process ultra-thin sheet which will then be electroplated and used as packaging material. more...

January 19, 2010

(3rd LD) Hyundai Steel starts its first-ever integrated furnace

Hyundai Steel Co., South Korea's No.2 steelmaker, on Tuesday started its first-ever integrated blast furnace in this southwestern coastal city after a three-year construction period. more...

January 18, 2010

Baoshan Steel Shares Drop After 2009 Earnings Fall (Update1)

Jan. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Baoshan Iron & Steel Co., China’s biggest steelmaker, dropped to the lowest in almost a month in Shanghai trading after full-year net income fell 11 percent to 5.75 billion yuan ($842 million). more...

January 16, 2010

U.S. Steel attacks investment act in court

U.S. Steel Corp. urged a Canadian judge to throw out a government lawsuit that claims the steelmaker failed to live up to commitments it made when it acquired Stelco Inc. in 2007.more...

January 15, 2010

Crucible Industries LLC in Geddes partners with Pennsylvania steel firm

Geddes,NY -- Crucible Industries LLC has partnered with Latrobe Specialty Steel Distribution to sell and market Crucible Particle Metallurgy, a very hard steel used in the automotive, aerospace and tool industries. more...

January 14, 2010

North American Aerospace Tubing Manufacturer First to Attain Dual Nadcap Accreditation

Plymouth Tube Company's - Salisbury Mill - has attained Nadcap accreditation for both heat treating and material testing laboratories. more...

January 13, 2010

Global Industry leader, Essar Steel to open a 250,000 tonnes p.a. Processing Centre in Jebel Ali Free Zone

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, January 12, 2010 (ME NewsWire): The Jebel Ali Free ZoneJebel Ali Free ZoneJebel Ali Free Zone Jafz (JafzaJafza) has just announced that it will be home to a steel processing and service centre for Indian multinational conglomerate Essar Group's subsidiary Essar Steel Middle East FZE. more...

January 12, 2010

Seco/Warwick Allied Completes Installation of 7 Base Hydrogen Bell Annealing System in Columbia, South America - Mumbai, India -

Hydrogen Bell Annealing Equipment installed at Corpacero, Barranquilla Columbia more...

January 11, 2010

Steel offtake up 8% in Apr-Dec on auto, core sector demands

NEW DELHI: India’s steel consumption rose close to 8 per cent during April-December 2009, over the year ago period, buoyed by strong demand from the automobile and infrastructure sectors, as per the provisional data of steel ministry. It is estimated that growth gathered pace in the three months to end-December compared with the first half of the current financial year ending September, partly due to low base effect of the previous year. more...

January 08, 2010

Influence of Alloying Elements in Steel – Manganese (Part 1)

This blog is the continuation of "Influence of Alloying Elements in Steel: Part 1," which was posted March 4, 2009. You can read that blog here. more...

January 06, 2010

Evraz to deliver NTMK's API grade slabs to its North American mills

SteelOrbis - The Russian steel producer Evraz Group plans to supply its North American pipe producing mills with up to 400,000 mt of slabs per year produced at its Russia-based subsidiary Nizhny Tagil Iron and Steel Works (NTMK), the Russian information agency Prime-TASS reports citing vice president of Evraz's Urals division, Dmitry Sotnikov.more...

January 05, 2010

Oven Materials of Construction to Resist Hydrobromic Acid Corrosive Attack

Question:
We are interested in designing an oven, and there is hydrogen bromide in the area (it is used as a flux). It can sometimes drip onto the oven, and fumes can also enter the unit. We are planning on using 304 stainless steel for the oven design but don’t know if it will hold up. Do you have any information on this or know where to look? more...

January 04, 2010

Steel stalwarts raise prices

New Delhi, Jan. 2 (PTI): A rise in demand in the local markets has prompted steel companies SAIL, Tata Steel, Essar, Bhushan and JSW to raise prices of their products by up to Rs 2,000 a tonne.more...

December 30, 2009

U.S. sets preliminary penalties on Chinese steel grating

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) --The U.S. Commerce Department said on Tuesday that it has set preliminary antidumping duties (AD)on imports of steel grating from China, a move that might escalate trade disputes between the two countries. more...

December 29, 2009

Despite meltdown, metals industry sees yr-end shine

Mumbai: The year 2009 seemed to have ended well for the Indian metals industry, which saw quite a number of deals being executed, despite the continued slowdown in the US and Europe. more...

December 28, 2009

ArcelorMittal may buy mines to boost iron ore supply

ArcelorMittal, the world’s biggest steel-maker, may buy more mines in 2010 to increase its supply of iron ore as prices for the raw material used to make the metal are expected to rebound.more...

December 24, 2009

Oven Materials of Construction to Resist Hydrobromic Acid Corrosive Attack

Question:
We are interested in designing an oven, and there is hydrogen bromide in the area (it is used as a flux). It can sometimes drip onto the oven, and fumes can also enter the unit. We are planning on using 304 stainless steel for the oven design but don’t know if it will hold up. Do you have any information on this or know where to look? more...

December 23, 2009

Alcoa may be cut to junk by Moody’s on Ma’aden deal

Alcoa Inc, the largest US aluminum producer, may have its credit rating lowered to junk status by Moody’s Investors Service on concern about a new joint venture with the Saudi Arabian Mining Co amid the industry’s slow recovery.more...

December 22, 2009

Steel prices set to soar globally

After hitting a high in July-August 2008, steel prices declined by more than 50-60% in the aftermath of the global recession.more...

December 21, 2009

Lions Gate Metals Inc. and Ausnico Limited Announce Business Combination

Lions Gate Metals Inc. and Ausnico Limited announced that they have entered into a binding letter of intent ("LOI") dated December 17, 2009 containing the principal terms of the business combination transaction disclosed in the Company's news release dated September 3, 2009.more...

December 18, 2009

Can-Eng to Build Heat-Treating Plant for Steel Castings

Russian project is one part of a complete railcar manufacturing complex

Can-Eng Furnaces reports it has an order from a Russian railcar manufacturer for two 10-metric tons/hour rotary-hearth furnaces for normalizing steel castings. TVSZ will install the equipment at its plant in Tikhvin, Russia, to quench and temper components for railroad truck assemblies, side frames, and bolsters. more...

December 17, 2009

Flame Hardening 101

Question:
We have a possible interest in doing flame hardening on the end of a 52100 shaft. Who does this type of work? more...

December 16, 2009

Keppel AmFELS Opts for Induction Straightening

EFD Induction recently delivered one of its new generation Terac 25 induction straightening systems to Keppel AmFELS in Brownsville, Texas. The delivery makes Keppel AmFELS the first purchaser in the Americas of the new Terac 25 system. more...

December 15, 2009

Severstal Said to Be in Talks to Sell Steel Service Centers Share Business

Dec. 15 (Bloomberg) -- OAO Severstal, Russia’s largest steelmaker, is in talks with two potential strategic buyers for its U.S. steel service centers, a person familiar with the process said. more...

December 14, 2009

Nation rolls out steel tax on US

China, the world's largest maker and consumer of steel products, fired back yesterday at the United States for its anti-dumping measures against Chinese steel exports, launching its own punitive taxes on steel from US as well as Russia. more...

December 11, 2009

China Slaps Penalties on U.S., Russian Steel

BEIJING - China said Thursday it will impose penalties on steel imported from the United States and Russia, claiming the countries were allowing it to be sold at a cut price. more...

December 10, 2009

Vacuum Hot-Zone Construction for the Heat Treatment of MIM Materials

Question:
I am interested in sintering 316L or 17-4PH MIM materials. Should I sinter these steels in a graphite or metal hot zone? What are the differences in a graphite versus a metal hot-zone furnace? more...

December 09, 2009

Mesa steel mill to employ about 200

CMC Steel Arizona officially opened its state-of-the-art steel mill in east Mesa Tuesday in the face of an economic recession that has severely depressed demand for the plant's output.more...

December 08, 2009

Rising Chinese steel capacity a worry for other nations

The fall in steel prices in the wake of global economic meltdown has consigned many balance sheets of groups taking the metal in the red. The drop in demand in the final quarter of 2008 was so steep and steel product prices turned so uneconomic, particularly for high cost mills in western countries, that the industry in many regions was forced to switch off half the capacity.more...

December 07, 2009

Horsehead Holding to acquire International Metals Reclamation Company

Dec 03, 2009 - Horsehead Holding Corp. is planning to acquire The International Metals Reclamation Company, Inc. (INMETCO), a recycler of metals-bearing wastes in North America. Horsehead is a producer of specialty zinc and zinc-based products and a recycler of electric arc furnace dust. INMETCO is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Vale Inco Limited, a producer of nickel, copper and cobalt. Both Horsehead and INMETCO are based in the US. more...

December 04, 2009

China Works on ‘Feasible’ Plan to Cut Steel Capacity (Update2)

Dec. 3 (Bloomberg) -- The Chinese government is studying a “more feasible” plan to tackle steel overcapacity in the world’s largest producer of the metal, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said. more...

December 03, 2009

Bending Fish Hooks

Question
When I tried to heat a high-carbon steel fish hook so that I could bend it to a different shape, it broke. How do I heat and bend this steel without it breaking? Should I cool it slow or fast or cool and reheat it again to keep its strength? more...

December 02, 2009

Niagara Falls, NY, USA: Globe Specialty Metals Reopens Metallurgical Grade Silicon Plant

Globe Specialty Metals, a silicon manufacturer, has reopened its Niagara Falls plant, investing $27 million and creating 138 jobs as part of the first phase of a $60 million economic development project. The company has restarted its two furnaces and has upgraded the equipment used to produce approximately 30,000 tons of metallurgical grade silicon each year. more...

November 30, 2009

BHP dismisses reports ore venture is in trouble

BHP Billiton on Thursday brushed aside reports its proposed US$116bn Western Australian iron ore joint venture with Rio Tinto was in difficulty only weeks ahead of a deadline for the mining groups to conclude a “definitive agreement”. more...

November 27, 2009

Duties on Chinese steel imports provoke retaliation in U.S., Canada could face similar rebuke

TORONTO - Canadian steel producers applauded a preliminary decision by Ottawa to slap a duty on Chinese steel imports, but reaction to a similar move by the United States indicates Canadian-Chinese trade relations could suffer as a result. more...

November 26, 2009

Tips for Nickel Brazing Two Inconel 625 Parts Using BNi-3 Filler Metal (Part 2)

Question:
We are investigating brazing a large cylindrical component to a series of tubes and supporting them in a graphite fixture. Both are manufactured from Inconel 625 alloy. We will use a BNi-3 braze alloy. Can you provide us with any tips on how to proceed?more...

November 25, 2009

Ipsen Ships Titan Vacuum Furnace to Japan

Ipsen, Inc. announced today that the company recently shipped a new Titan Vacuum Furnace to Japan. The furnace features a 1.9-bar nitrogen or argon internal quench system, diffusion pump, an energy efficient graphite hot zone with shaped graphite heating elements capable of processing temperatures up to 2,400 ºF (1,315ºC), and a Vacu-Prof interactive control system. The unit has an 18" (457 mm) wide x 18" (457 mm) high x 24" (610 mm) deep effective work zone, and is capable of handling loads up to 2,000 lbs (907 kg). more...

November 24, 2009

Weekly Industry Crib Sheet: Leading Economic Indicators on the Rise

September-October Steel Shipments and Inventories more...

November 23, 2009

SABIC, Danieli ink deal to build steel plant

DUBAI - Saudi Basic Industries Corp said Sunday its unit, The Saudi Iron and Steel Co., or Hadeed, signed a contract with Italian steel mills builder Danieli & Co to build a steel plant in the kingdom.more...

November 20, 2009

Severstal Mill In Ohio To Resume Operations

WHEELING, W.Va. (AP) -- Severstal Wheeling Inc. says its cold rolling mill in Yorkville, Ohio, is resuming operations in mid-December. more...

November 19, 2009

Tips for Nickel Brazing Two Inconel 625 Parts Using BNi-3 Filler Metal

Question:
We are investigating brazing a large cylindrical component to a series of tubes and supporting them in a graphite fixture. Both are manufactured from Inconel 625 alloy. We will use a BNi-3 braze alloy. Can you provide us with any tips on how to proceed? more...

November 18, 2009

Beijing China - Strong demand leading to steel overcapacity in China

21st Economic Herald citing Mr Tang Bin Chief Engineer of National Development and Reform Commission said in 7th China Iron and Steel Annual Meeting lately held in Beijing that "Now, some small blast furnaces and the outdated facilities which have been closed before are starting operation again." Nowadays, production speed and investment is picking up in China steel industry, driving oversupply to increase again. The data shows, national output of crude steel was posted at 472.47 million tonnes during January to October 2009 edging up 10.5% from one year ago, and the output came at 51.75 million tonnes in the single month of October a growth of 42.4%YoY.more...

November 17, 2009

Waukee Engineering Opens Sales & Service Centers in China

Waukee Engineering Company, a leader in flow meters and controls and a member of United Process Controls, has recently made substantial investments to boost its presence in China. more...

November 16, 2009

ArcelorMittal Energy Project to Create Jobs

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded ArcelorMittal $31.6 million to fund an industrial energy efficiency project at its Indiana Harbor facility in East Chicago. more...

November 13, 2009

Essar Steel continues to bleed: loses $123M in Q2

Essar Steel Algoma Inc. remains in the grips of akness in the global economy.more...

November 12, 2009

Tips for a Successful Ammonia Installation

Question:
My company is looking at using anhydrous ammonia to nitride gears for wind turbines. Do you have information on specifications, tanks and installation details? more...

November 10, 2009

Air Products awarded $30 million from feds to build ‘green’ power plant at Works.

MIDDLETOWN — A ?$300 million project that will create about 220 temporary construction jobs and generate electricity for AK Steel’s Middletown Works operations is headed to Middletown. more...

November 09, 2009

Dow Corning acquires U.S. and Brazilian silicon metal manufacturing assets

Dow Corning Corporation has acquired two chemical grade silicon manufacturing assets from Globe Specialty Metals, in an acquisition valued at approximately $175 million (USD). more...

November 06, 2009

US slaps tariffs on Chinese steel imports

The US imposed duties of as much as 99 per cent on steel pipes from China after American producers led by US Steel Corp. complained they were being dumped at below-market prices. China's government protested.more...

November 05, 2009

Nitriding of Hot-Forming and Blanking Dies

Question:
I have several questions. The first is about hot-forming dies. These are not “impact” dies. They are used for a slow press at high pressure. We heat them up on two “platen” machines to 1450°F (790°C). They currently do not have any surface treatment on them. I am wondering if gas or ion nitriding would help extend their life? more...

November 04, 2009

Goodrich to Develop Next Generation Lean Burn Nozzles for Rolls Royce

Goodrich Corporation (NYSE: GR) has signed a research agreement with Rolls-Royce to develop the next generation of fuel nozzles for "lean burn" combustion technology systems, which would be used on future environmentally responsible gas turbine aircraft engines. more...

November 03, 2009

United Spiral Pipe Dedicates New Plant in Pittsburgh

The new United Spiral Pipe (USP) facility, which is expected to create approximately 120 new full-time manufacturing jobs in Pittsburg, required about 320,000 hours of local building and construction trade labor to build the facility. more...

November 02, 2009

China, ‘Prisoner of Success,’ Facing Ore Price Gain (Update1)

Oct. 30 (Bloomberg) -- China’s biggest adversary in this year’s iron ore price talks is China.

The nation’s 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) stimulus package has sparked record imports of the steelmaking material and prices may jump 14 percent next year to the second-highest on record, according to a Bloomberg News survey of analysts. more...

October 30, 2009

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. to Idle Three Iron Ore Pellet Furnaces

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: CLF), a global mining and natural resources company, today reported that it has initiated production curtailments at two of its six North American Iron Ore mines. more...

October 29, 2009

Considerations in Cooling Large Loads

Question:
We process large-size components and heavy loads in our gas-fired car-bottom furnace. What can we do during the cooling portion of the cycle to protect the area from all the heat that’s being generated? more...

October 28, 2009

Polish Operation Receives Grant to Expand Services.

VAC AERO’s Kalisz, Poland Operation Receives EU Grant to Expand Services.

VAC AERO Kalisz Sp. z o.o. recently received a grant equivalent to approximately $400K CDN from the European Union Sectoral Operational Program for the Improvement of the Competitiveness of Enterprises. The grant application was based on expanding special process capabilities for the heat treating and coating of shafts for gas turbine engines. more...

October 27, 2009

Coal earnings to gauge strength of steel recovery

Earnings reports from a string of U.S. coal producers starting this week should provide another gauge on the strength of the rebounding manufacturing economy. more...

October 26, 2009

Balli Steel Reports China Dominating Global Steel Market

Balli Steel has revealed that China is dominating the global steel market as worldwide production declines

LONDON, ENGLAND, Balli Steel, one of the world's largest privately owned independent commodity traders, reports that China is expanding into the iron ore market and increasing its steel production capacity, against a backdrop of declining worldwide production. more...

October 23, 2009

Precautions When Using Hydrogen for Partial Pressure and Quenching

Question:
What safety measures should I put into place if I am using hydrogen for partial pressure or quenching? more...

October 21, 2009

Rio Tinto boosts iron ore guidance on strong production

Rio Tinto has reported record third-quarter iron-ore production in the period to end-September, and has boosted its guidance for the full year by up to 7.5%. more...

October 20, 2009

Metaldyne Corporation Completes Sale of Substantially All of Its Assets to MD Investors Corporation

Click image to enlarge Plymouth, Mich. -- MD Investors purchased certain assets related to Metaldyne's Sintered Products, Vibration Controls Products, European Forging Products and Powertrain Products Groups, including its balance shaft module, driveline machining and assembly, and tubular products operations. In addition, certain chassis related assets were acquired. more...

October 19, 2009

Edwards installs steel degassing system in India

Edwards has won an order worth more than £200,000 for its new generation steel degassing system in India. This is the first system of its kind in the country and has been installed at Shyam Forgings Pvt in New Delhi. It is being used to perform Vacuum Oxygen Decarburizing (VOD) in a production environment and offers potential energy cost savings of more than 90 per cent over traditional steam ejector systems. more...

October 16, 2009

Experience with Helium and Hydrogen for Partial Pressure and Quenching

Question:
When is helium and hydrogen used as a partial-pressure atmosphere, and can they be used for quenching? Will using these gases result in cycle-time savings? more...

October 15, 2009

Twin towers warship sets sail

A ship built of salvaged steel from the World Trade Center is to be reunited with the city it was named after. more...

October 14, 2009

China to invest as much as US$9 billion in Guinea, Minister Says

China may invest as much as US$9 billion in Guinean infrastructure over the next five years, Mines Minister Mahmoud Thiam said. more...

October 12, 2009

SECO/WARWICK offers free trials for a limited time in new 25 Bar HPQ equipped with PreNit and FineCarb Technology

SECO/WARWICK has recently introduced a 25 Bar Single Chamber Vacuum Furnace as a process alternative to furnaces using an oil quench. In certain applications, the 25 Bar HPQ™ delivers the same hardness properties as an oil quench. When equipped with optional PreNit and FineCarb advanced LPC vacuum carburizing, this technology can reduce cycle times up to 50% in certain applications.more...

October 09, 2009

Carpenter, Manhattan Scientifics Partner on New Class of Metal Alloys

Carpenter Technology Corp. and Manhattan Scientifics Inc. announced a joint technology agreement involving a new class of high-strength metals with broad applications in aerospace, energy, defense, transportation and medical products. more...

October 08, 2009

US mulls import penalties on Chinese steel pipes

WASHINGTON: The United States launched a probe on Wednesday to look into slapping penalties on imported Chinese steel pipes in a move that could widen a trade spat between the two key powers. more...

October 07, 2009

NORTHWEST PIPE COMPANY TO REVITALIZE BOSSIER CITY FACILITY

Governor Jindal Announces Northwest Pipe Co. to Revitalize Idle Bossier Facility

Pipe Manufacturer Will Create up to 120 New Jobs

BOSSIER CITY, LA--(Marketwire - September 24, 2009) - Today, Governor Bobby Jindal joined Northwest Pipe Company's Tubular Group President Bob Mahoney, Greater Bossier Economic Development Foundation (GBEDF) President David Rockett and several local leaders to announce the revitalization of Northwest Pipe's facility in Bossier City that has been idle for three years. Recently, Northwest Pipe Co.'s tubular products group began work on a major revitalization of its dormant Bossier City facility. When fully operational, the re-tooled facility is expected to create up to 120 jobs at an average annual salary of $39,000 plus benefits. more...

October 06, 2009

Thermcraft Acquires Contemporary Kilns, Inc.

Acquisition Expands Thermcraft’s Presence into the Quartz Fabrication Industry

Winston Salem, North Carolina, September 24th, 2009 Acquisition Expands Thermcraft’s Presence into the Quartz Fabrication Industry WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.— September 24, 2009 —Thermcraft, Inc., the nationally recognized designer, manufacturer and marketer of high-quality custom and standard industrial and laboratory heaters, ovens and furnaces, has acquired Contemporary Kilns Inc., Thermcraft President Tom Crafton announced today. more...

October 05, 2009

Ipsen Ships Titan Vacuum Furnaces to European Client

Ipsen, Inc. announced today that the company has shipped two new Titan Vacuum Furnaces to a manufacturer of hydraulic components and complete hydraulic systems located in Europe. more...

October 02, 2009

American Iron and Steel Institute Disappointed by Boxer-Kerry Climate Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) expressed its disappointment in the Boxer-Kerry climate bill, known as the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, introduced today by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which aims to reduce emissions by 20 percent by 2020 – going further than the House bill that was passed in June. more...

October 01, 2009

THE HEAT TREAT DOCTOR: Stainless Steels Part Two: Heat Treatment Techniques

Heat treating of stainless steels depends to a great extent on the type (wrought or cast) and grade of stainless steel, as well as the reason for the treatment, most often to ensure that the properties altered during fabrication are restored (e.g. corrosion resistance, ductility, or hardness) so that the stainless steel component can perform in its intended service environment. There are quite a variety of different heat treatments available. Let’s learn more.more...

September 30, 2009

Grupo Mexico rises to 2-year high on liability offer

Grupo Mexico SAB rose to the highest in two years after Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd offered to limit the Mexican miner’s liability if the Indian rival wins a court case over US copper producer Asarco LLC. more...

September 29, 2009

Westinghouse Specialty Metals Orders Vacuum Annealing Furnace

Westinghouse Specialty Metals Plant in Blairsville, Pa., purchased a high-vacuum retort annealing furnace from SECO/WARWICK. The furnace, which will be used to process zirconium tubes, is custom engineered to meet the exceptionally tight uniformity standard of ±5ºF in the 48-inch x 6-inch x 216-inch hot zone. The furnace is rated for 1200ºF and will be equipped with a cold cap high-vacuum diffusion pump. Westinghouse is increasing their plant capacity to meet the needs of customers in both China and the United States. more...

September 28, 2009

China Metallurgical shares rise in Shanghai debut

Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd rose 28% on its first day of trading in Shanghai, less than half this year's average debut gain, as rising supply and valuation concerns weighed on demand. more...

September 24, 2009

How to Achieve Different Mechanical Properties on SAE 4340 at 30 HRC

Question:
We have a competition here at school and are trying to heat treat two samples of DIN 1.6582 to achieve hardness in the range of 25–33 HRC in two ways. more...

September 23, 2009

State 'cautiously optimistic' about big new steel plant

Company may not decide until next year

BATON ROUGE -- The state's chief industry-hunter told a joint legislative committee Monday that he remains "cautiously optimistic" that a Charlotte, N.C., steel-manufacturing plant will locate to Louisiana, but an announcement may not come until the second quarter of 2010. more...

September 22, 2009

Acerinox to Post Third-Quarter Profit as Steel Recovery Starts

Sept. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Acerinox SA, the world’s biggest stainless-steel maker, expects to make its first profit since the second quarter last year as European and U.S. customers replenish dwindling stockpiles.more...

September 21, 2009

Grupo Mexico wins bankruptcy judge’s support to retake Asarco

Grupo Mexico SAB should be allowed to regain control of its bankrupt U.S. copper mining unit, Asarco LLC, by giving creditors almost US$2.5 billion, a judge said, rejecting an offer from Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd.more...

September 18, 2009

Steel Production in China to Rise 6%, MIIT Forecasts

Sept. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Steel production in China, the world’s largest maker, will rise 6 percent this year as demand from manufacturers and builders increases, according to figures from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. more...

September 17, 2009

Heat Treating 440C Stainless Steels

Question:
I have a question on vacuum hardening 440C stainless steel. Just combing the literature, I see references to 1700°F (925°C) and 1900°F (1040°C) austenitizing as well as low tempering 350°F (175°C) and 900°F (315°C) for secondary hardening. There are also references to the need to freeze for retained austenite (RA). The old heat treat I worked at did not do much if any 440C, so I have no real hands-on experience to draw upon. How would you process it? more...

September 16, 2009

SMS Concast to Supply VD/VOD Facility

Brazil’s Dedini S/A Industrias de Base awarded an order for a VD/VOD facility to Switzerland’s SMS Concast. The plant will be treating 30-ton to 35-ton heats of carbon steel, low-alloy and stainless steel grades. more...

September 15, 2009

Rio selling ore at interim price as talks stall on Hu

Rio Tinto, whose chief iron-ore negotiator in China is in prison for allegedly stealing trade secrets, said annual contract talks remain suspended and it's selling the material at an interim price to Chinese mills.more...

September 14, 2009

Mechel Announces Commissioning New Equipment at Beloretsk Metallurgical Plant

Beloretsk, Russia – September 11, 2009 – Mechel OAO (NYSE: MTL), one of the leading Russian mining and metals companies, announces commissioning of the new production line for cold-deformed reinforcement wire held today at its Beloretsk Metallurgical plant (BMP) subsidiary. more...

September 11. 2009

China Strongly Opposes U.S. Duties on Steel Oil Pipes (Update1)

Sept. 10 (Bloomberg) -- China “strongly opposes” a ruling by the U.S. Commerce Department to impose duties of as much as 31 percent on steel pipes, the Ministry of Commerce said today. more...

September 10, 2009

Critical Temperatures for Precipitation Hardening Stainless Steels

Question:
As 15-5 Mo and 17-4 PH are martensitic precipitation-hardening stainless steels, I assume they have the typical critical temperatures where austenite begins to form and completes formation. I know the upper critical is below 1800°F, the solution temperature. But I am trying to get a handle on the lower critical. Can you help?more...

September 09, 2009

China swoops on Aussie iron ore, uranium firms

State-owned firms to fund explorers in return for supply contracts and equity

SYDNEY: Chinese state-owned firms expanded their footprint in Australia’s mining industry yesterday, agreeing to help fund two iron ore explorers in return for supply contracts and taking a controlling stake in a uranium prospector. more...

September 08, 2009

Steel recycling on the rise

Over a third of global steel production now comes from recycled scrap material, but recycling rates vary a lot across the globe, according to a report by the WorldWatch Institute.more...

September 04, 2009

Timken collaborates with Daido Steel Co to expand its steel solutions offerings in Asia

Friction management and power transmission products and services provider The Timken Company (NYSE:TKR) expanded its engineered steel solutions offering to customers in Asia by collaborating with Daido Steel Co Ltd (Tokyo:DADSF), the company revealed on Wednesday. more...

September 03, 2009

Annealing Platinum-Iridium Alloys

Question:
We anneal a platinum-iridium alloy at around 2550ºF (1400ºC) using a direct gas-fired box furnace, followed by water quenching into an external tank. We want to wind up with less surface oxidation and are hoping to “improve" the atmosphere. What atmosphere conditions are needed? What changes or improvements can you suggest that might help and what is the "correct/best" atmosphere for keeping this material at least clean if not bright? more...

September 02, 2009

Ipsen Ships Vacuum Furnace to Taiwan

Ipsen Inc., Cherry Valley, Ill., shipped a new HR58x48 2-Bar Nitrogen Quench MetalMaster® Horizontal Vacuum Furnace to a Kaori Heat Treatment Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of plate heat exchangers and related components, with locations in the Taiwan area and mainland China. more...

September 01, 2009

Rio Coal Sale Approved

Publishing Date 21 Aug 2009 11:35am GMT Author Mining Journal The US$761 million sale of Rio Tinto’s Jacobs Ranch coal mine to Arch Coal Inc has been approved by the US Federal Trade Commission.more...

August 31, 2009

U.S. Steel Restarts Hamilton, Ontario Blast Furnace (Update2)

Aug. 28 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Steel Corp., the largest U.S.- based steelmaker by sales, is restarting one of two Canadian blast furnaces to meet an increase in demand. more...

August 28, 2009

Toyota to expand Huntsville plant

Toyota Motor Corp. will invest $147 million to expand the capacity of its Huntsville, Ala., plant to produce four-cylinder engines.more...

August 27, 2009

Annealing Copper and Copper Alloys

Question:
We have some bent coils of 1/8-inch (3.2 mm) diameter copper tubing. The curved portions are "work hardened" by the bending process. If this material were left in a shed where the ambient temperature reaches approximately 100ºF (38ºC), would the tubing anneal over period of time? more...

August 26, 2009

ArcelorMittal restart of East Chicago blast furnace returns employees to work

EAST CHICAGO | Shifts in operations at ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor East will return some employees to work at the plant, but leave some without work within the next month.more...

August 25, 2009

USW VICTORY: Government of Canada Investigates Chinese Steel Dumping

TORONTO, Aug. 24 /CNW/ - The United Steelworkers union welcomes today's announcement of a federal investigation into unfair steel imports from China and seeks legal reform that would allow it to participate in this process.more...

August 24, 2009

US Navy takes delivery of $1B ship containing steel salvaged from World Trade Center rubble

AVONDALE, LA. — With the signature of Cmdr. Curt Jones — inked at precisely 9:11 a.m. CDT Friday — the Navy took delivery of the New York, a $1 billion amphibious vessel with a bow containing 7 1/2 tons of steel salvaged from the rubble of the World Trade Center.more...

August 22, 2009

Solar-Panel Manufacturer Purchases Bell-Type Furnaces

L&L Special Furnace Co. shipped two high-uniformity bell-type furnaces for use in the manufacturing of photovoltaic solar panels. more...

August 21, 2009

Continued Tightness in Coal Market

Krishnan Exclusive To Coal Investing NewsFont Scale: 20 August 2009 @ 11:13 am ET Print E-Mail
Rising Chinese interest in buying US steel-making coal is stirring the US markets. In addition to Consol Energy Inc confirming a sale recently, several ships have been hired to haul US coal to China. Analysts cite demand in China, steel mill restarts and Australian struggles to fill orders for a metallurgical coal price rise to $160 a metric tonne from less than $100 a few months ago.more...

August 20, 2009

JUNE STEEL SHIPMENTS UP 12.1 PERCENT FROM MAY Down 47.5 Percent from Last Year

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported today that for the month of June 2009, U.S. steel mills shipped 4,797,000 net tons, a 12.1 percent increase from the 4,282,000 net tons shipped in the previous month, May 2009 and a 47.5 percent decrease from the 9,136,000 net tons shipped in June 2008. more...

August 19, 2009

Charter Wire Starts Up Hydrogen Annealing Furnace System

RAD-CON, Inc. announced that a 100% hydrogen annealing furnace system, commissioned for Charter Wire’s new manufacturing facility in Menomonee Valley, Wis., is now operational. more...

August 18, 2009

More Warning Signs in Concrete than Steel

Concrete structures show warning signs of construction issues faster than steel structures, according to an industry expert.more...

August 17, 2009

Arrested: Rio four

Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu and the three other Rio employees detained in China have been officially arrested (although not yet charged according to Rio Tonto).more...

August 14, 2009

Rio to sell North American coal mines

Rio Tinto will offload the bulk of its remaining North American coal assets via an initial public offering (IPO), tentatively valued at US$500 million.more...

August 13, 2009

South Korean Company Orders Vertical Strand Annealer

South Korea’s Poongsan Corporation ordered a HICON/H2® vertical strand annealer from EBNER for its Ulsan facility, which will be used to bright anneal cold-rolled copper and copper-alloy strip. The strip is heated to a maximum of 1742°F in a gas-fired muffle furnace using high convection in a straight hydrogen process atmosphere. more...

August 12, 2009

Therm-Tech expands into Loveland

LOVELAND - Heat-treating specialist Therm-Tech of Waukesha, Wis., has set its sights on the growing aerospace industry and has opened Therm-Tech of Colorado in Loveland as its regional manufacturing base. more...

August 10, 2009

China steel mills say suppliers encourage speculation

Publishing Date 31 Jul 2009 1:49pm GMT Author Mining Journal China's steelmakers, stalled in iron-ore price talks with Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, said producers of the steelmaking material are encouraging speculative trading, and wants to control the role of importers.more...

August 07, 2009

Miller Centrifugal Casting Acquired by Austrian Firm

Miller Centrifugal Casting Co., a Cecil, Washington County-based metal casting foundry, has been acquired for an undisclosed price by foundry Eisenwerk Sulzau-Werfen of Austria.more...

August 06, 2009

Segregation and Banding in Steel Revisited

Question:
It has been suggested to us that we make it standard practice to check all incoming material for "banding." We are told that it can affect the microstructure, especially core hardness and strength. What do you think?more...

August 05, 2009

U.S. Steel Locks Out 150 Workers at Canadian Plant (Update1)

Aug. 4 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Steel Corp., the largest U.S.- based steelmaker by sales, locked out the remaining workers at a Canadian plant idled since March after failing to reach a new labor agreement. more...

August 04, 2009

Minmetals studying restart of Avebury

China Minmetals Corp, the nation’s biggest metals trader, is studying the restart of the Avebury nickel mine in Australia after a rebound in prices.more...

August 03, 2009

Unlike Tatas, LN Mittal doesn't regret global acquisitions

NEW DELHI: Unlike business icon Ratan Tata, steel tycoon L N Mittal has no regrets about his global acquisition spree that earned him the 'biggest steel maker' title and, with it, tons of problems. more...

July 31, 2009

Timken announces the sale of their Needle Roller Bearings business to JTEKT

On July 29, 2009, the Timken Company signed an agreement to sell the assets of its Needle Roller Bearings business, which primarily serves customers in the automotive original-equipment sector, to Japan’s JTEKT Corporation in a cash transaction. The agreement is subject to customary regulatory approvals and certain closing conditions. more...

July 30, 2009

Understanding Pressure Scales (psia versus psig)

Question:

What is the difference between psia and psig? more...

July 29, 2009

International Enforcement

China’s detention of Rio Tinto Group executives amid allegations of espionage and bribery should serve as a reminder to foreign companies that they may also risk prosecution by enforcement agencies in the US. Singapore-based law firm Cassin Law LLC advised that "it is not just domestic law that may be involved”, said Cassin's Richard Cassin. more...

July 28, 2009

Burton Industries Orders Vacuum Carburizing Furnace

Ipsen, Inc. received a purchase order from Burton Industries for an AVAC™ (acetylene vacuum carburizing) low-pressure carburizing furnace with a 2-bar gas and oil quench. This furnace system was ordered as part of Burton’s expansion program. It will have a 36-inch x 48-inch x 36-inch workspace. Ipsen will design and build this unit at its Rockford, Ill., facility and will install the furnace in the coming months. Ipsen offers both single and multi-chamber AVAC furnaces for low-pressure carburizing applications. more...

July 27, 2009

BHP Billiton to expand Mt Arthur

BHP Billiton, the world’s largest mining company, said it would spend US$260 million to expand output at the Mt Arthur thermal coal mine in Australia by 30% amid a rebound in demand. more...

July 24, 2009

Siemens VAI starts up vertical slab caster at Baosteel, China

In the Spring of 2009, Siemens VAI Metals Technologies started up and commissioned a new vertical slab caster at Baosteel's Special Steel Branch in Shanghai, China. This solution enables a wide range of highly critical steel grades to be continuously cast, which would otherwise not be possible to produce in a conventional bow-type caster. more...

July 23, 2009

NFPA 86 and Furnaces Operating Below 1400ºF (760ºC)

Question:
We have an electrically heated mesh-belt furnace that uses an exothermic gas atmosphere. We normally use the furnace for brazing at temps of 1900ºF (1040ºC) and higher. We'd also like to anneal parts at 1100ºF (590ºC). I was wondering if we'd be violating NFPA 86 guidelines if we ran exothermic gas at furnace temps lower than 1400ºF (760ºC)? The furnace has flame curtains at either end. What do you think? .more...

July 22, 2009

Peru government rejects Doe Run smelter plan

Peru’s government rejected a proposal by Doe Run Peru to reopen its shuttered lead and zinc smelter, saying the company needs to put up more cash.more...

July 21, 2009

SECO Warwick to Open New Test Facility to Help HVAC Manufacturers Change from Copper to Aluminum

Citing the need for HVAC/R manufacturers to change production from copper to aluminum condensers and evaporators, SECO/WARWICK S. A. is scheduled to open a new test facility in September 2009 to allow customers to run trials and prototype cores. The HVAC/R industry is changing from copper to aluminum for several reasons: more...

July 20, 2009

Redcar Must Be Saved

They have been producing and processing iron and steel in Redcar on Teesside for around 150 years.

Generations of workers have sweated and struggled to make a living, have brought up families and lived their lives in the shadow of the works. more...

July 17, 2009

Peru Government Rejects Doe Run Smelter Plan

Peru’s government rejected a proposal by Doe Run Peru to reopen its shuttered lead and zinc smelter, saying the company needs to put up more cash.more...

July 16, 2009

Decarburization Protection for M-Series High-Speed Steel

Question:
How do you protect the surface of M-series high-speed steel from decarburization? Is there a coating or paint that can be applied?more...

July 15, 2009

China widens inquiry into steel industry

The Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said on Tuesday efforts to free an Australian detained in China over claims of spying took precedent over bilateral ties and he was not worried about antagonising Beijing.more...

July 14, 2009

Commercial Metals Boosts Output on Asia, U.S. Demand

July 13 (Bloomberg) -- Commercial Metals Co., the largest Texas-based steel recycler and producer, may increase operating rates at its mills by 10 percentage points as China’s economic stimulus boosts demand and U.S. customers replenish depleted stockpiles. more...

July 13, 2009

World's largest wind farm scrapped in financial downturn

The Texas oil billionaire T Boone Pickens has scrapped a $10 billion (£6.3billion) plan to build the world's largest wind farm.more...

July 10, 2009

Alcoa (AA) Expands Into Oil and Gas Market, Agreeing To Buy IP From Noble Corp (NE)

Alcoa (NYSE: AA) announced that it has reached an agreement with Noble Corporation (NYSE: NE) to buy Noble's intellectual property pertaining to welded aluminum risers used in offshore oil and gas exploration and development. more...

July 09, 2009

Rio Employees Held in China

Rio Tinto, deadlocked in talks on iron ore prices with Chinese steel mills, said four of its employees have been detained for three days in Shanghai.more...

July 08, 2009

Bodycote Opens Finnish Heat-Treatment Center

Bodycote Finland opened a new heat-treatment center in Tampere’s Vehmainen quarter on May 19. The 3,500-square-meter facility is intended primarily for the case hardening and austempering of large machine parts, gear wheels and axles. more...

July 07, 2009

Tenova successfully commissioned one furnace in France and one in Germany.

Düsseldorf, June 30th, 2009. Tenova Italimpianti Deutschland GmbH, a Company of Tenova LOI Italimpianti, has successfully commissioned two furnaces in June. more...

July 06, 2009

Arcelor-Mittal to re-open furnace in Belgium plant

BRUSSELS: Steelmaker Arcelor-Mittal would re-open the second blast furnace at its plant in Ghent, Belgium, in August, local media reported on Sunday. more...

July 04, 2009

ArcelorMittal Keen To Cooperate With Chinese Cos On Iron Ore

BEIJING -(Dow Jones)- ArcelorMittal (MT), the world's biggest steel producer by output, hopes to cooperate with Chinese steel makers on iron ore exploration and mining, Roland Verstappen, global vice president of the firm, said Saturday.more...

July 03, 2009

U.S. Steel to recall 900 employees in Canada and Illinois

U.S. Steel Corp. is recalling about 900 laid-off steelworkers to resume production in Ontario and a blast furnace in Illinois, but the company declined to say whether laid-off steelworkers in the Mon Valley will be returning to their jobs. more...

July 02, 2009

Nitriding Stop Off

Questions:
We have heard of a stop-off material called “Sel-Nite” that is used in the nitriding process and were wondering if you had heard of it, whether it worked and, if so, how effective it is? more...

June 30, 2009

Sapa Group makes $95 million offer for Indalex

Merged firm would have 21 aluminum extrusion plants in North America

Aluminum products firm Sapa Group plans to buy bankrupt aluminum extruder Indalex in a move that could increase the Scandinavian firm's North American extrusion capacity by as much as 315,000 metric tons annually. The $95 million purchase plan is to be presented to a bankruptcy court judge for approval as lead (or stalking horse) bidder in an early July auction of assets.more...

June 29, 2009

Australia to probe alleged aluminium dumping by China

Publishing Date 24 Jun 2009 10:23am GMT Author Mining Journal Australia is investigating the alleged dumping of aluminum extrusion products by China, the world’s largest producer of aluminum, after an application by domestic producer Capral Ltd. more...

June 26, 2009

Austempering SAE 1050 Steel

Questions:
We are thinking of making a part out of SAE 1050 steel and austempering it to produce a hardness of 42–48 HRC. However, the part is quite thick, being approximately 0.130” (3.3 mm) in the thickest section. We were wondering if it is too thick for austempering? Also, what should our salt temperature be? more...

June 25, 2009

US, EU file unfair-trade cases against China

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: While the US and the EU filed charges with the WTO over Chinese export restrictions, Beijing asked the trade body to probe a US poultry ban more...

June 24, 2009

Siemens expects new contracts worth nearly USD 21 bn

Thanks to stimulus plans unveiled by governments worldwide, diversified German group Siemens AG expects to win contracts worth 15 billion euros (about USD 20.75 billion) over the next three years. Of the amount, the entity anticipates green technologies to account for about 40 per cent. more...

June 23, 2009

'Steel cycles have become much shorter'

The global recession has impacted all commodity sectors, but more so steel. Prices touched an all-time high of over $1200 per tonne and crashed by over 60% from those levels in the same year. Steelmakers across the world are burdened with heavy debts. However, the surge in demand from the rural sector has come to the rescue of domestic firms. DNA invited Seshagiri Rao, joint managing director and group CFO, JSW Steel, Anil Sureka, executive director (finance), Ispat Industries, Vikram Amin, executive director (sales and marketing), Essar Steel, and Pawan Burde, senior research analyst, Angel Broking, for a discussion on the issues facing the sector and its prospects. more...

June 22, 2009

Essar Steel Algoma's New Cogeneration Facility

Essar Steel Algoma of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontaio, Canada announced the started up of a new, 70 MW Cogeneration Facility. Final performance testing was conducted on June 13, 2009, which confirmed the facility meets all necessary operating standards as required by the Ontario Power Authority. more...

June 19, 2009

H-Band Boron Steels

Questions:
We make steel shackles for padlocks, and the material we use is 15B21H steel. The parts are carbonitrided, and we need to achieve a 40+ HRC core hardness. We also must comply with SAE J1268. My questions are as follows: more...

June 18, 2009

Hearing held on stabilizing, revitalizing US steel industry

The Congressional Steel Hearing, chaired by U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-1st, held a hearing on Tuesday to listen to the concerns of the steel industry and discuss policy solutions aimed at stabilizing the industry. more...

June 17, 2009

Congressional hearing focuses on stabilizing weak steel industry

Union leaders, steel industry executives and analysts testified Tuesday before a congressional panel on Capitol Hill petitioning lawmakers to support legislation that would help save the domestic steel industry. more...

June 16, 2009

NEW PM DEVELOPMENT FACILITY

TAT Technologies, Inc., Summit, N.J., will open a Technology Development & Training Center in a recently acquired 5,000 sq. ft. building located in the Stackpole complex in St. Marys, Pa., reports Harb S. Nayar, president. more...

June 15, 2009

Steel ministry for higher duty on iron ore, steel products

NEW DELHI: The Steel Ministry is understood to be pushing for 15 per cent export duty on iron ore, besides a similar percentage of import duty on vital steel items to protect the interests of the domestic steel industry. more...

June 12, 2009

Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton plan iron ore joint venture

World steel industry attacks the plan as noncompetitive

Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto has scrapped its $19.5 billion deal with China's Chinalco, choosing instead to raise $15.2 billion in a stock sale and setting up an iron ore production joint venture in Western Australia with rival Australian miner BHP Billiton.more...

June 11, 2009

Induction Heating of Forgings

Question:
We typically induction heat the upset ends of long drill pipe for the oil industry. Our forging process takes place at 2100-2300ºF. The steel we use is typically 4140/4330. At what temperature would incipient melting occur, and at what temperature would we start seeing a drooping effect? We are concerned that the ends stay concentric to the body. Also, when normalizing, should all the residual stresses caused from forging or cold working be taken out? We normalize and temper in a continuous furnace after forging.more...

June 10, 2009

Rio and BHP's savings to double from merger

RIO Tinto and BHP Billiton could reap $US20 billion ($25.2billion) in savings from the ambitious plan to combine their huge West Australian iron ore operations -- double the amount previously flagged.more...

June 09, 2009

China fears iron ore 'monopoly' in Rio-BHP venture

CHINESE steelmakers have toughened their opposition to the $US116 billion iron ore joint venture between BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, denouncing the plans as monopolistic.more...

June 08, 2009

ArcelorMittal Lets Potential Buyer Tour Plant

HENNEPIN — Members of United Steelworkers of America Local 7367 as well as state and local legislators have been trying to pressure ArcelorMittal to put Hennepin rolled-steel plant up for sale if the company is not going to operate the facility it closed this winter.more...

June 05, 2009

China's iron ore stockpile will reach 120m tonnes

CHINA'S swelling iron ore stockpile is expected to soar as high as 120 million tonnes this month, with as much as 60 million tonnes entering the country's ports in May alone and more ships already lining up in Tianjin harbour in the country's north.more...

June 04, 2009

Stress Relief (Part 2: Alternative Techniques)

In Part 1, we talked about what stress relief is, how it is performed in an oven or furnace and talked about a few typical applications. However, there are other ways (typically by mechanical methods) to perform a stress-relief operation than by applying heat. more...

June 03, 2009

Worthington Industries Inc acquires Piper Metal Forming Corp

Worthington Industries Inc (NYSE:WOR), a metal processing company, said on 1 June that it has acquired the assets related to the business of Piper Metal Forming Corporation, U.S. Respiratory Inc and Pacific Cylinders Inc for an undisclosed sum. The acquired assets will be included in Worthington's Pressure Cylinders business segment. more...

June 02, 2009

China’s U.S. Dumping Probe May Not Hurt Ties, Steel Group Says

June 2 (Bloomberg) -- China’s first investigation into dumping of U.S. steel products may not increase trade frictions between the two countries as the volume affected is “too small,” Beijing-based Mysteel Research Institute said. more...

June 01, 2009

Virbhadra Singh Committed to Curb Cheap Steel Threat

Virbhadra Singh brings in a breath of fresh air to the steel ministry. He may not be the youngest minister, but demonstrates energy that could embarrass many youngsters. Excerpts : more...

May 29, 2009

Heat Treatment of Copper-Beryllium Alloys

Question:
Can you explain to me the difference between AMS-H-7199 and AMS 2728 when it comes to heat treating copper-beryllium alloy parts? more...

May 28, 2009

Steel increase comes as spotlight again falls on pricing formula

Africa’s largest steel producer, ArcelorMittal South Africa, confirmed on Wednesday that it intended raising prices for the first time in nine months as of July 1. The company said it would roll over its May prices into June, but gave notice to its customers that it would increase prices on both long- and flat-steel products as from July.more...

May 27, 2009

Kennametal to sell high speed steel drills business to Top Eastern Drill

Kennametal, Inc. has entered into an agreement to sell its high speed steel drills business and related product lines to Top Eastern Drill Co., Ltd., a China-based manufacturer of high speed steel drills and taps, for approximately $29 million. more...

May 26, 2009

Severstal says no plans to leave US market

MOSCOW — Russia’s largest steelmaker Severstal said Friday it had no immediate plans to sell any of its loss-making U.S. assets and would seek to turn them into profitable ventures. more...

May 25, 2009

Temperature Uniformity Survey Tips (Part One: Atmosphere Furnaces)

Temperature uniformity surveys (TUS) are a key part of any good heat-treat operation. Specifications such as AMS 2750D (Pyrometry) have been referred to by some as the nemesis of many a good heat treater or quality engineer. However, if our goal is to ensure we are heat treating to the tightest practical tolerances, we must find ways to streamline the process for checking uniformity so that we will want to do it more often and with better accuracy. Let’s learn more.more...

May 22, 2009

Aussie Rio Tinto shareholders seek new Chinalco deal Production and Markets

Publishing Date 21 May 2009 9:54am GMT Author Mining Journal Top Australian shareholders in Rio Tinto Ltd called for changes to the company's planned US$19.5 billion tie-up with China's state-owned Chinalco, and a newspaper reported that Chinalco will restructure the deal. more...

May 21, 2009

Rio Tinto says half of China iron-ore mines may have shut

Publishing Date 18 May 2009 10:46am GMT Author Mining Journal Roughly half of China's iron-ore mines may have shut down since prices dropped, opening the door for other low-cost producers to supply China with the key mineral for making building materials, an executive at Rio Tinto said on Monday. more...

May 20, 2009

Inauguration of New Powder Production Facility for Spherical Cast Tungsten Carbide (SWC)

Tekna Plasma Systems Inc., Sherbrooke, Canada, is pleased to announce the inauguration of its new induction plasma powder production line for metal and ceramic powders. This new line will increase Tekna’s capacity to over 200 tons per year and will be used mainly for producing Spherical Cast Tungsten Carbide powder (SWC) and for customized powder treatment tolling services.more...

May 19, 2009

Lucifer Furnaces has released Series 4099 ovens - large, high-velocity models ideal for tempering, annealing, stress relieving, shrink fitting and heat treatment of large workloads. more...

May 18, 2009

Sinter Hardening (Part 1: Alloying Additions)

Question: I am investigating sinter hardening and want to understand the role that Mn, Cr and Si play in hardenability since they are lower-priced alternatives to, say, Ni or Mo. What alloy elements are better in a PM grade? I seem to recall that there is an equation that relates the effect of different alloys additions. Can you help me find it? more...

May 15, 2009

China cuts loans to curb steel overproduction: reports

China has told banks to curb loans to steel makers that are increasing production despite falling demand and falling prices, state media reported Thursday.more...

May 14, 2009

AK Steel Likely to Idle Ashland, KY Steel Operations

Company Adjusting To Automaker Announcements And Continued Global Downturn

WEST CHESTER, Ohio, May 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AK Steel announced today that it will likely idle most of its Ashland (KY) Works beginning late in July or early August. The idling will affect about 750 hourly and salaried employees, and is the result of recent announcements by GM and Chrysler of significant production curtailments, along with the continuing global recession. The company said the plant is likely to remain idled at least through the balance of 2009.more...

May 13, 2009

Supplier of Flanged Axle Shafts Orders Induction Systems

Inductoheat Inc. shipped two VSM95 induction-hardening systems to a supplier of flanged axle shafts for heavy-duty trucks. The VSM95 system is used for high-volume scan hardening of many cylindrical parts. This machine has a dual-spindle arrangement that allows for 70 inches of travel while scan hardening two, 60-pound flanged axle shafts at 30 inches/minute. A STATIPOWER® SP7 power supply uses 600kw at 1/3 kHz to achieve the desired penetration depth for this application. To keep the system flexible, it automatically adjusts for varying part lengths and is integrated in a fully automated cell with robot. more...

May 12, 2009

Siemens to build wind turbine production facility in the U.S.

Additional capital investment in green technologies - 400 new jobs to be created

Siemens intends to build a new production facility for wind turbines in the state of Kansas. Initially, 400 new jobs are expected to be created in the new wind turbine production facility in Hutchinson, Kansas. When production begins at this facility, Siemens will be able to even more effectively meet the strong demand for wind turbine equipment in North and South America in the future.more...

May 11, 2009

Solar Atmospheres Receives Patent for Low Pressure Vacuum Carburizing

Solar Atmospheres chief executive officer, William R. Jones, announced the receipt of U.S. Patent No. 7,514,035 B2 issued on April 7, 2009. The patent is for a "Versatile High Velocity Intergral Vacuum Furnace". more...

May 08, 2009

Stress Relief (Part 1: Steel Components)

Stress relief is a type of heat treatment used to reduce or remove internal stress induced into metal components from various manufacturing methods (bending, shearing, forging, sawing, machining, grinding, milling, turning, welding, heating, cooling). As a general rule, the larger or more complex the part, the greater the amount of internal stress present.more...

May 07, 2009

Wire Form & Compression Spring Manufacturer Celebrates Tenth Anniversary

HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwire - May 5, 2009) - Spring manufacturer Katy Spring & Mfg., Inc. will celebrate its 10th anniversary next month. Founded by original partners, James West, Scott Pitney, and Mark West, the manufacturer has upgraded its facility four times since 1999 to keep up with the growth and demand for compression spring, torsion, extension and flat spring manufacturing. more...

May 06, 2009

More low-priced steel imports may be coming

AISI members concerned about foreign mills dumping steel on U.S. market

With the world steel market in recession, buyers in North America can expect even more low-priced steel imports in the near future. more...

May 05, 2009

Bodycote Appoints President of Aerospace, Defense and Energy Division

Bodycote Thermal Processing

Bodycote, the world's leading provider of heat treatments, hot isostatic pressing and coatings services, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Tracy Glende as President of its newly formed Aerospace, Defense and Energy division. more...

May 04, 2009

Alcoa To Sell Wire Harness And Electrical Distribution Business -

(RTTNews) - Aluminum producer Alcoa, Inc. (AA: News ) Thursday said it agreed to sell its wire harness and electrical distribution business to Platinum Equity, a California-based private equity group, for an undisclosed amount.more...

May 01, 2009

Jindal Steel in talks with Aussie co for coking coal exploration JV

NEW DELHI: Naveen Jindal-led Jindal Steel & Power (JSPL) is in advanced talks with New South Wales-based mining firm Hudson Resources to form a joint venture for exploration and mining of coking coal in Australia, said a person who is mediating in the proposed venture. The JV is expected to absorb investments of $100 million, once mining commences in the proposed coal block. more...

April 30, 2009

Steel inventories too high; timing of recovery unclear--analysts

Analysts agreed world steel inventories are too high, but differed on the
timing of any recovery as they addressed a packed house Tuesday at the
Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries annual convention in Las Vegas.more...

April 29, 2009

Selas Heat Technology Company Aquires Pryonics, Inc.

Montgomeryville, PA, April 24, 2009 - Selas Heat Technology Co. LLC (“Selas”) announced today the acquisition of Pyronics, Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Pyronics”) from its owner. The combined companies have robust synergies that now allow Selas to offer one of the widest range of products of industrial burners, process burners, mixing systems and related combustion accessories and equipment. more...

April 28, 2009

Global steel demand to drop 15%

World steel demand is likely to fall 14.9 per cent this year, making the decline by far the biggest in the industry since the end of the second world war, according to forecasts issued Monday by the World Steel Association. more...

April 27, 2009

Health and Safety in the Heat-Treat Shop
by Daniel H. Herring - April 3, 2009

When most of us think about health and safety in the heat-treat shop, we tend to focus on things that are hot, heavy or dangling overhead. The threats we can see, smell, hear or perhaps even taste are most often dealt with quickly. The old adage, “what you can’t see, won’t hurt you,” doesn’t apply in our industry. Let’s learn more. more...

April 24, 2009

Houston HT - the fastest growing heat treater in North America

Houston Heat Treat/Houston, Texas, USA. We do not have to hesitate for one second before naming Houston HT as the fastest growing heat treater in North America in the past two years. more...

April 23, 2009

Blast furnace problems at Mittal and USS could affect workforce

ArcelorMittal (AM) is readying for the outage of the No. 4 blast furnace at its Indiana Harbor facility--the only one currently in operation there--in a move which the company said will result in more layoffs more...

April 22, 2009

Flame Treating & Engineering Co., The

Come and see what we have to offer!

As in past years, Flame Treating will again be participating in the EASTEC Exposition sponsored by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers on May 19-21 in Springfield, MA. more...

April 21, 2009

Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. Announces Operation Efficiencies and Additional Third Party Accreditations

Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. announces numerous header and secondary operation efficiencies as well as additional third party accreditations within the realm of our cold formed fastener product line. more...

April 20, 2009

Lufkin Industries Inc./Lufkin, Texas, USA.

It's unfortunate that so few captive heat treaters like to advertise their heat treating departments no matter how impressive, however "it is what it is" and we can understand their viewpoint even if we don't always agree with it. more...

April 17, 2009

Micro Air Clean Air Systems has developed a new mist collector using the newest technology and proprietary engineering to achieve extreme efficiency (99.98%) without the use of additional HEPA filters. more...

April 16, 2009

Plan steers stimulus cash to steel cities

WOLLONGONG risks becoming a ghost town if the steel industry declines any further, the main steel union has warned.more...

April 15, 2009

TMK Ipsco/Baytown, Texas, USA. If it has to do with heat treating we’re interested! April 14/09

“DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., April 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Construction of a new heat treat facility has been completed at TMK IPSCO's Baytown Works in Baytown, Texas. more...

April 14, 2009

USW, OCTG Producers File Case Against China

Seven domestic oil country tubular goods (OCTG) producers and the United Steelworkers (USW) filed an antidumping trade case against China imports with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission. more...

April 13, 2009

Datapaq Releases a New Data Logger for Furnace Surveying

Datapaq's XDL12 data logging system provides the complete solution for temperature uniformity surveying in batch and vacuum furnaces where data collection, external to the furnace is desirable.more...

April 10, 2009

Seco/Warwick. "A New England Manufacturer has purchased a 2 BAR Vacuum Brazing Furnace from SECO/WARWICK to enhance their vacuum brazing capabilities for specialized products used in fabricating machinery." April 6/09 more...

April 09, 2009

Bodycote’s Kitchener has been awarded Nadcap accreditation to AC7102 for Aerospace Heat Treating services.

Bodycote. Bodycote’s Kitchener, ON (Canada) facility, part of the Heat Treatment North American division, has been awarded Nadcap accreditation to AC7102 for Aerospace Heat Treating services. more...

April 08, 2009

Timken Receives Precision Slot Quench System, Induction Preheaters

Thermatool Corp. announced the successful commissioning of a precision slot quench system along with multiple induction preheaters for austenitizing and tempering operations on an induction/gas quench-and-temper line at Timken Steel. more...

April 07, 2009

Datapaq Introduces External Data Logging System

April 2009 - Datapaq, the worldwide leader of temperature profiling systems, announces the release of its' new external data logging system - XDL12. The XDL12 Furnace Survey System provides the complete solution for performing temperature uniformity surveys in batch and vacuum furnaces where external data collection is required. more...

April 06, 2009

Mark Siebenaller's views on the US and Heat Treatment

Recently we welcomed Mark Siebenaller over from Eurotherm-UK (Global Business Director – Heat Treatment) he visited a variety of our Customers along with Current opportunities we have across the US.more...

April 03, 2009

Steel industry wants out of ETS

Now is not the time to impose new costs on businesses contributing significantly to employment and export revenues, New Zealand Steel president Ross Murray told MPs reviewing the Emissions Trading Scheme yesterday.more...

April 02, 2009

Local jobless rate increases at fastest pace since '80s

The Pittsburgh area unemployment rate has climbed more steeply in the 12 months that ended in February than it had since the collapse of the steel industry in 1983.more...

April 01, 2009

Australia approves China investment in Fortescue

Australia approved a US$438 million Chinese investment in iron-ore producer Fortescue Metals Group on Tuesday, only a few days after it stunned investors and blocked a separate Chinese mining investment. more...

March 31, 2009

American Iron and Steel Institute Supports Automakers in Meeting New Emissions Requirements Announced by the Department of Transportation

American Iron and Steel Institute

The steel industry is working with automakers on advanced lightweight steel technologies to boost fuel efficiency and cut emissions WASHINGTON, March 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) said today that it is actively supporting automakers as they work to produce more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles that can meet the Department of Transportation's (DOT) new requirements. more...

March 30, 2009

Wallwork Heat Treatment Ltd./Bury UK suffered a fire in Bury, UK

Wallwork Heat Treatment Ltd./Bury UK. One of the larger commercial heat treaters in the UK, Wallwork in Bury, UK (near Manchester) suffered a fire earlier this week. Not an uncommon event by any means in the heat treating industry; the only written comments we have come across are below. In addition to this brief note further down we have a news item about the company from February 2009. March 25/09 more...

March 27, 2009

PLANSEE Manufactures Huge HIP Cylinder

The furnace construction department of PLANSEE Metall GmbH manufactured a cylinder for the world’s largest hot isostatic press (HIP) for Sweden’s Avure Technologies. more...

March 26, 2009

Solar Manufacturing Ships Two Vacuum Furnaces for Diffusion Bonding of Porous Metal Products

Souderton, Pa.- Solar Manufacturing, Inc. recently completed the shipment of two large vacuum furnaces to a major, multi-divisional manufacturer of diffusion bonded porous metal products used for filtering, transpiration cooling and noise suppression.more...

March 25, 2009

Lawmakers push "Buy American" resolutions

LORAIN — The Chinese are taking advantage of the recession to dump foreign steel here, and America needs to fight back by using American-made steel for the bridges, buildings and other economic stimulus projects, U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton said Monday. more...

March 24, 2009

Schnitzer Steel Acquires Puerto Rico Metals Recycler

Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. has acquired Ponce Resources, Inc., of Salinas, Puerto Rico. Terms of the transaction were not announced. more...

March 23, 2009

“Pinpoint” Laser Heat-Treating Process Now Available

Laser Cladding Services, of Houston, Texas, USA, has introduced LaserHeat, a laser pinpoint heat-treating process, to their array of laser treatment services designed to extend the lifecycle of critical parts.more...

March 21, 2009

A Deeper Look at Green Industry Jobs By Heide B. Malhotra

WASHINGTON—More than 2 million Americans applied for unemployment insurance during 2008, the highest annual level since 2002, according to U.S. Department of Labor Statistics.
The Obama administration is scrambling to find new employment opportunities for the nation’s unemployed. more...

March 20, 2009

China alumina imports up on weak prices

Publishing Date 13 Mar 2009 12:21pm GMT Author Mining Journal Chinese aluminium smelters are increasing imports of spot alumina after overseas prices fell more than 10% in less than a month and because of more bank credits, smelter officials and traders said on Friday. more...

March 19, 2009

U. S. Steel Announces Management Changes at U. S. Steel Canada Subsidiary

United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) today announced two management changes at its U. S. Steel Canada Inc. subsidiary. David J. Rintoul, who currently serves as general manager of U. S. Steel's Great Lakes Works near Detroit, Mich., has been named president-U. S. Steel Canada. more...

March 17, 2009

Alcoa sees China as linchpin in aluminum market Production and Markets

Publishing Date 11 Mar 2009 10:21am GMT Author Mining Journal China has been the linchpin in the global aluminum industry with its sizable production cuts and measures to boost industrial demand, steps that have brought the global market into balance despite a rapid decline in the metal price, Alcoa Inc's chief executive said on Tuesday.more...

March 16, 2009

Heat Exchangers are available with copper brazed plate.

February 26, 2009 - Offered in sizes to meet various dimensioning and installation requirements, brazed plate heat exchangers are available with stainless steel plate packs, with thermal output from 1,700 to 8.5 million BTUs/hr, and copper brazing. Various accessories and internationally accepted connection types are available. Areas of use include radiant heating, snow melt, HVAC, and commercial/domestic hot water applications. more...

March 10, 2009

Aluminum Industry to Benefit From Stimulus Package

The Aluminum Association announced that $6.5 billion from the nation’s stimulus plan will be spent for more aluminum transmission lines. This will enable new renewable sources of clean, green energy such as solar and wind to be connected to the transmission grid. more...

March 06, 2009

Sudden, painful Iron Range slump evokes talk of the '80s

The Minntac plant in Mountain Iron will see layoffs of 590 people, half its workforce.

VIRGINIA, Minn. — Mining layoffs and slowdowns. An imploding economy. A drop in steel demand. The current business climate reminds some on the Iron Range of the tough times in the 1980s, when similar conditions crushed the region's mining industry.more...

March 04, 2009

U.S. Steel Further Consolidates Operations for Greater Efficiency

PITTSBURGH, March 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- United States Steel Corporation announced today that further consolidation is necessary to maximize efficiency while meeting customer demands. more...

February 27, 2009

Benefits of Heat Treating (Part 5): Time-Temperature-Transformation (TTT) Diagrams

The phase transformations described in "Benefits of Heat Treating" Parts 2, 3, and 4 occur by nucleation and growth and are diffusion-controlled. The kinetics or rates of these transformations are a function of temperature and steel composition and can be described with a TTT diagram for the eutectoid steel.more...

February 26, 2009

Universal Wrecking Corp. Completes Scrap Metal Recycling Project

Universal Wrecking Corp. recently completed a project that consisted of the purchase of scrap metal as well as various obsolete equipment from a private client. Competitive scrap prices were paid to the for their scrap metals and the work was completed safely.more...

February 20, 2009

MTI Seeing the Impact of Sluggish Economy

Reflective of the U.S. recession, Metal Treaters experienced a large decline in sales in January 2009. A total $55.6 million in sales was reported. By comparison, in January 2008 the industry tallied $72.2 million in sales.more...

February 17, 2009

Alcoa Forms Agreement with Chinese Province

Alcoa announced that it has formed a strategic cooperation agreement with the People’s Government of Henan Province in China to jointly establish projects for the fabricated and primary aluminum industry. Henan is located in central China and is the nation’s largest producer of nonferrous metals. more...

February 13, 2009

A Soft Annealing Question

I have a question about soft annealing of DIN 1.6582 steel. We have manufactured a ring 159 mm (6.25 inches) thick. After “soft annealing” at 680°C (1256°F) for 3.5 hours and furnace cooling over 18 hours to 150°C (300°F), we obtained a higher-than-desired hardness, namely 320 HB. Also, after the forging practice the ring was cooled in the furnace. Now we want to fully anneal this ring, but we can only find information on soft annealing. What’s the difference between soft annealing and regular annealing? more...

February 12, 2009

Steel Industry Urges Leadership to Keep Buy America Provisions

In a letter to Congressional leadership and members of the Conference Committee working on reconciliation of Senate and House versions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the American Iron and Steel Institute, more...

February 06, 2009

A Question about Normalizing

Question: We have a 4340 steel that is used for gear production by our customer. The production sequence is melting, forging, primary heat treatment (normalizing and/or annealing), machining, stress relieving, final heat treatment (surface hardening). To obtain the optimum balance of machinability and high hardness, which will be better for the primary heat treatment, normalizing or annealing? more...

February 05, 2009

Steel industry backs 'Buy America' in stimulus bill

WASHINGTON — Steel industry representatives today urged members of Congress to keep controversial "Buy America" provisions in an economic stimulus bill working its way through Congress, arguing that doing otherwise would effectively undercut American workers with their own tax dollars.
While critics of the measure say it's protectionist, steel industry representatives told the Congressional Steel Caucus that they compete against international steelmakers that are subsidized by their own governments. Ohio Democrats Betty Sutton, Zack Space and Charlie Wilson attended the hearing.more...

January 30, 2009

Benefits of Heat Treating (Part 4): Martensite Formation & Tempering

When austenite is rapidly cooled (i.e. quenched) to room temperature, an unexpected phase transformation can occur. Instead of forming ferrite and pearlite or cementite and pearlite, austenite can transform to martensite, a highly stressed body-centered-tetragonal (BCT) phase. more...

January 27, 2009

Echoes of Ravenscraig as Corus axes 2500 British steelworkers

Another round of large-scale job losses were announced yesterday ensuring that this month will be one of the worst in the history of the British labour market. more...

January 26, 2009

ArcelorMittal sued over coal contract

Mine operator Foundation sues steelmaker ArcelorMittal over coking coal contract

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- The U.S. arm of ArcelorMittal is facing a breach of contract lawsuit that accuses the world's largest steel producer of reneging on a $40 million deal to buy more than 200,000 tons of coal used for making steel.more...

January 20, 2009

Metal forming companies expect slight uptick in business conditions

According to the January 2009 Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) Business Conditions Report, metal forming companies expect a slight uptick in business conditions during the next three months. Conducted monthly, the report is an economic indicator for manufacturing, sampling 163 metal forming companies in the United States and Canada. more...

January 16, 2009

Induction Tempering of Cast Iron

Question: We are considering doing induction tempering on a cast iron (class 30) piece that had just been hardened.more...

January 13, 2009

What is Good Heat Treating?

A Look Ahead…

I believe we can all agree that heat treating should strive to produce the best product quality possible. But just how do we go about doing this, in other words, how does one define “good” heat treating? Let’s learn more.more...

January 12, 2009

China influencing global trends for steel prices

A steel user, however big or small, is always concerned about steel buying as it is normally a big ticket item, but there is no bench mark available to steel buyers to compare their transaction prices, which in a big way decided their bottom line. Lastly, steel has been very volatile in last 6 months and has effected many users in a very severe way making it all the more important to track the prices and trends.more...

 

January 08, 2009

WEEKLY TECH TIP: Why Is It Important To Control Carbon Potential When Carburizing?

The process of carburizing is perhaps the oldest of all of the heat treatment process techniques. Man was carburizing 4000 years ago, but did not realize what was happening to the iron he was working with. As he was heating the iron for forging, he really was in fact carburizing the iron, and in a crude way, making steel.more...

January 07, 2009

Tin lags growth in LME trading volumes

The London Metal Exchange (LME) achieved another record year in 2008 with over 113 million lots traded, representing a year-on-year increase of nearly 22%. 2008 annual volume represented some $10.24 trillion in turnover, an increase of 7% on 2007. The bulk of activity was in the traditional non-ferrous metals contracts, although more recently introduced plastics and steel billet contracts also contributed to the record total. more...

January 05, 2009

Axle Sells Tonawanda Forge Plant

American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) has agreed to sell its Tonawanda Forge operations to a third party, who will then lease the facility to FormTech Industries. more...

January 02, 2009

US - Potential Export Destination for Low-cost Steel

The US remains a major export potential destination for low-cost steel producers. The country, due to low production, will import crude steel to fulfill its rising demand. more...

January 01, 2009

Steel makers had boom-to-bust scenario in 2008

PITTSBURGH — U.S. steel prices reached all-time highs, and the stocks of companies in the sector climbed, before the industry tumbled with the global economy and ended 2008 with production cuts, layoffs and fears demand will continue to slide.more...

December 30, 2008

Shift in China Trade Policy Could Accelerate Western Steelmakers’ Slump

The steel business faces its biggest hurdle in 60 years with some analysts predicting double digit production cuts in 2009. Now, a sudden change in China trade policy may spell even more trouble for Western steelmakers, as Beijing is currently considering measures to shore up its ailing steel industry with new export policies. more...

December 29, 2008

Benjamin Steel employees thankful for surprise

Company program passes along its good fortune in the form of Christmas bonuses of up to $500.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Just before Thanksgiving, Tiffany Lambert volunteered to read a memo to her co-workers at Benjamin Steel, thinking it was just another run-of-the-mill announcement. more...

December 26, 2008

Alcoa, Hydro Quebec Sign Power Agreements Through 2040

Alcoa announced it has finalized new power agreements in Quebec through 2040. The agreements will supply clean, renewable energy to all three of the company’s aluminum smelters in the province – Baie Comeau, Becancour and Deschambault – and enable Alcoa to upgrade and expand Baie Comeau production. The agreements cover approximately 1.1 million tons per year, or more than 25% of Alcoa’s production. Alcoa plans to convert and upgrade the smelting technologies at Baie Comeau to be more environmentally friendly as well as expand output. The upgrade would reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 40%. more...

December 25, 2008

WEEKLY TECH TIP: Efficiency vs. Effectiveness

At the risk of appearing to be a wordsmith or a hair splitter, I’d like to suggest that “Efficient” and “Effective” are distinctly different assessments of an effort. But because the two can easily be confused, let’s do a little wordsmithing and split a few hairs. If a football team scores from forty yards out on a double reverse, nobody cares that the ball carriers involved covered more than sixty yards because they scored. They were effective, if not too efficient. more...

December 23, 2008

SSAB to Build R&D Facility for North American Division

SSAB, a global producer of high-strength steel headquartered in Sweden, plans to construct a research and development facility adjacent to its Montpelier, Iowa, steel facility. more...

December 22, 2008

Bailout soothes area dealers' jitters

A government plan to provide financial help to General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC was a relief to area dealers, several said Friday. more...

December 19, 2008

ThyssenKrupp Orders Largest Hydrochloric-Acid Regeneration Plant

SMS Demag Process Technologies has been awarded an order to supply the world’s largest hydrochloric-acid regeneration plant for the new integrated rolling mill at ThyssenKrupp Steel USA in Calvert, Ala. more...

December 18, 2008

A Must Read for Owners, Managers and Sales People

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” Proust

It seems that everyday, you wake, and according to the media and others, hope is bleak for the future. Apparently they have forgotten to look into the past and see that after every great economic boom, there is an economic correction. "Trimming of the fat" you might say. However, after every great economic correction, there is a rising economic boom that takes place. Knowing that there is hope, now is the best time for your people to dig in and find opportunity. The following is an encouraging article we found that each of your key managers and sales people should read. It is what separates those who achieve greatness from those who don't. Read on... more...

December 17, 2008

Can Quench be Delayed?

A reader writes, "I am under the impression I need to quench a part right after the hardening process. Would delaying the quench cause problems? If, for example, we austenitize at 1600°F (870°C) and then allow it to cool to say 1300-1400°F (700-760°C) prior to quench, will this allow us to get the required hardness without generating other metallurgical problems?” more...

December 16, 2008

AFT Implements SSi Controls, Software

Advanced Fiber Technologies (AFT) has successfully implemented Super Systems Inc. (SSi) controls and software to provide the vacuum heat-treat department with a new control panel at its Sherbrooke, Quebec, facility. more...

December 15, 2008

Latrobe Specialty Steel Receives Award from Department of Defense

The Department of Defense awarded a technology investment agreement to Latrobe Specialty Steel (LSS) to reduce production lead times by increasing production capacity for specific vacuum melted or remelted alloys. more...

December 12, 2008

Steel Companies Receive Recognition

Nucor Corp. is the “sector's best positioned company, and it could play an important role as an acquirer domestically and internationally,” according to Goldman Sachs. The analyst further indicated that the Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker is positioned well to meet the challenges of the current economic climate in the steel industry. more...

December 11, 2008

Steelmakers hope for demand surge for plate, structurals

Big business, including the steel industry, is lining up to support President-elect Barack Obama's plan to stimulate the economy with the biggest spending spree on roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects since the Dwight D. Eisenhower administration. He has asked his economic team to develop an economic recovery plan for both Wall Street and Main Street that will help save or create at least two and a half million jobs, while rebuilding the highway infrastructure, improving schools and reducing national dependence on oil.more...

Steel prices to fall by Rs 1,400 per tonne

Steel majors JSW Steel and Ispat Industries will pass on the 4 per cent reduction in the ad valorem Central Value Added Tax (Cenvat) rate to the consumers, effective midnight.more...

December 04, 2008

U.S. Steel Consolidates Production, Idles Facilities

United States Steel Corp. announced it is taking further steps to consolidate operations to meet customer demand, including temporarily idling three facilities. more...

December 02, 2008

Heat Treating Sales Up 3.4% Over 2007

October sales for the Metal Treating Industry members reporting were $76.7 million, a slight decline of 1.4% from October 2007’s sales of $77.8 million. For all of 2008, sales totaled $743.6 million, outpacing 2007’s figure of $719.5 million by 3.4%. Four of nine MTI districts reported higher billings in October. For the year to date seven districts experienced higher sales than 2007. more...

December 01, 2008

After Record Profits, Steel Shaken by Sudden Drop

PITTSBURGH (AP) _ Just weeks after posting record profits, steel makers including Ohio-based AK Steel are facing a harsh new reality: dwindling orders, production cuts, layoffs. And tougher times lay ahead, analysts say. more...

November 28, 2008

After record profits, steel shaken by sudden drop

PITTSBURGH (AP) _ Just weeks after posting record profits, steel makers including Ohio-based AK Steel are facing a harsh new reality: dwindling orders, production cuts, layoffs. And tougher times lay ahead, analysts say. more...

November 27, 2008

Steel Shipments Continue to Slide

According to the latest report from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), U.S. steel mills shipped 7.92 million net tons for the month of September, a 6.8% decrease from the 8.49 million net tons shipped in September 2007 and a 10.7% decrease from the 8.86 million net tons shipped in August 2008. Steel shipments to the automotive market are down 4.4% according to a year-to-year comparison of year-to-date shipments. The report is based on the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. more...

November 26, 2008

TECH TIP: Pre-nitriding Treatment for Cutting Carburizing Cycle Time - Answer to Question at FNA 2008

As a participant in the FNA2008 technical track, Business Development Director, Wojciech Modrzyk gave a paper on SECO/WARWICK’s patented SimVac® simulation software for low pressure vacuum carburizing. A comment that sparked discussion in the group was the method presented of limiting grain growth in high temperature carburizing by introducing ammonia early in the cycle. more...

November 25, 2008

Future iron ore contracts may be linked to OTC prices

The lack of a sophisticated iron ore futures market limits miners' and steelmakers' access to modern hedging instruments used by major companies that utilize commodities traded on futures exchanges.more...

November 24, 2008

Steel Industry Implores Government to Stand Up to China

The United Steelworkers, American Iron and Steel Institute, Steel Manufacturer’s Association, Specialty Steel Industry of North America and The Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports released a joint statement yesterday urging the U.S. government to insist that China have WTO-consistent policies on raw materials and semi-finished and finished steel products to ensure no U.S. manufacturers are disadvantaged. more...

November 21, 2008

4B NTC Watchdog "Elite" Multi-Functional Hazard Monitor

The 4B Watchdog Elite, which has established itself as the industry-standard product for hazard monitoring in bucket elevators and conveyors, has now been relaunched with continuous bearing temperature monitoring.more...

November 20, 2008

LOSS TIME TIP: Back Injury Prevention

Provided by Sentry Insurance - MTI Business Insurance Consultant

Back injuries are a principal source of workers’ compensation claims. While a back injury may seem to be caused by a single well-defined accident, the real cause is often the combined interaction of several work and non-work related risk factors. Work relates more...

November 19, 2008

Metal finishing system churns out parts in 25 minutes

BIRCHWOOD Casey has released a metal finishing system which uses its magnetite finishing process for treating iron and non-stainless steel parts. more...

November 18, 2008

Steel makers worried over Railways’ iron ore classification plan

Change will increase rail freight by 6%.

Steel producers are worried that the earlier plan of the Railways to hike the classification of iron ore for domestic movement from 170 to 180 will come into force any day. The change in classification will increase the rail freight by about six per cent. more...

November 17, 2008

ATW Chooses South Carolina for Titanium Facility

American Titanium Works (ATW) announced that it will build a world-class titanium mini-mill facility in Laurens County, S.C. The new plant will include plasma-arc melting and vacuum-arc melting furnaces along with raw-material preparation and blending equipment. more...

November 12, 2008

Some steel mill workers back to work; others still laid off

Some employees who were laid off at ArcelorMittal in Georgetown were back at work this week, but others in the plant do not have a date to return, said James Sanderson, head of Steelworkers Union Local 7898. more...

November 10, 2008

Steel Companies Under Intense Pressure Due to Sluggish Demand

The ongoing global financial crisis is badly impacting steel companies across the country. They are taking various cost cutting measures to cover their losses. Major steel companies such as JSW, Essar and Ispat Industries have already cut down their production due to steep decline in demand across various sectors. more...

November 05, 2008

Benefits of Heat Treating (Part 1)

Making Parts Stronger

To fully understand the advantages of heat-treating processes to manufacturing it is important to first understand a fundamental principal of metals – structure. As a molten metal solidifies, the atoms orient themselves into a repetitive pattern that we call a crystal structure. Body-centered cubic (BCC) and face-centered cubic (FCC) are two of the more common crystal structures. Elements such as Aluminum (Al), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Molybdenum (Mo), Nickel (Ni) and Silicon (Si) are a few examples of metals having these crystal structures. more...

November 04, 2008

Iron ore goes from boom to bust

Amid a deteriorating market for iron ore, Australian miners are facing the prospect of a 40 percent fall in the benchmark price of the steelmaking material next year and the curtailment of existing production and growth plans.more...

November 03, 2008

Severstal Receives More Financing for Expansion

Severstal has received an additional $100 million in secured financing from GE Commercial Finance Corporate Lending for its flat-rolling steel mill in Columbus, Miss. more...

October 31, 2008

Blanchard Metals Orders Vacuum Furnace

Blanchard Metals Processing Co. has ordered a Model H2323 6-bar TinyTurbo vacuum furnace from Ipsen, Inc. of Rockford, Ill. The unit will be used for heat treating aerospace components at Blanchard’s Salt Lake City, Utah, facility. Blanchard, which is Nadcap and ISO 9001 accredited, services major aerospace companies in the U.S. The TinyTurbo meets the requirements of AMS 2750D and has a work zone measuring 18 inches wide x 14 inches high x 24 inches deep with a gross load capacity of 400 pounds at 2400°F. The furnace requires minimal floor space for easy integration into existing operations. more...

October 29, 2008

U.S. Steel Profit Triples But Company Sees Lower 4Q

NEW YORK – United States Steel Corp.'s quarterly profit more than tripled as higher prices led to record gains in its tubular and flat-rolled steel businesses, but the company warned Tuesday that softening demand in North America and Europe will hurt results for the rest of the year. more...

October 28, 2008

IH Economic Indicators: All Indices Under 50

Industrial Heating’s monthly economic indicators for October 2008 failed to show growth in the thermal-processing industry. All four indices were under 50 for the first time since January and for only the second time since August 2003. The change in the number of request for quotes was the highest figure at 48.3. The change in the number of orders (45.9) was at its lowest point since May 2003. October 2008’s index numbers reflect the changes experienced by responding companies as they compare their September 2008 business levels to their August 2008 levels. more...

October 24, 2008

China seeks unified iron ore price from importers

QINGDAO: China’s steel industry will seek a unified iron ore price from Brazilian, Australian and Indian miners in 2009 pricing negotiations, the head of the Chinese industry body said on Thursday. “We are seeking one price for iron ore imports from Australia, Brazil and India,” Shan Shanghua, Secretary General of the China Iron and Steel Association, told reporters at a conference in Qingdao. more...

October 23, 2008

U.S. Steel breaks ground on modern coke ovens

United States Steel Corp. broke ground today for its $1.2 billion coke oven replacement project in Clairton, a project praised as a major commitment to the region's economy.more...

October 22, 2008

China trade dominance looms over US

No city is more closely linked to the history of American industry than Pittsburgh.more...

October 16, 2008

Nymex launches Midwest U.S. contract for hot-rolled sheet steel in coil

After an ownership change and months of uncertainty and indecision, the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) now plans to introduce a futures contract based on prevailing market prices for hot-rolled steel coil in the Midwest early in the fourth quarter of 2008. However, instead of using existing domestic sources of steel prices, the subsidiary of CME Group of Chicago has decision to settle contracts against an index developed by a new CRU Indices subsidiary of the London-based CRU International metals consultancy.more...

October 15, 2008

The End of The Beginning

A slew of injections that would put this season's flu vaccination centres to shame continued around the world. Various banks were force-fed fresh capital whether they wanted/needed it or not. The process of shoring up and laying a new foundation for the badly damaged global financial system was well under way, just two days after the summit of national leaders finally resulted in the recognition that enough was enough - thus a new word found its way into the various communiques.more...

October 14, 2008

Steel makes case for place in low-carbon economy

Industry trade association argues it is making good progress in cutting emissions and delivering lighter materials more...

October 09, 2008

TECH TIP OF THE WEEK: Fluidized Bed Furnace & Inspection of Incoming Materials

The use of the fluidized bed furnace is a proven and well established thermal furnace technology.

The furnace technology is capable of: more...

October 08, 2008

U.S. Steel Downgraded to Hold

Pittsburgh, PA-based United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X - News) is a leading steel manufacturer in the U.S., and the 5th largest worldwide. It produces and sells steel mill products in North America (72% of revenue) and Europe (28% of revenue). U. S. Steel has global annual raw steel production capacity of 31.7 million net tons. more...

October 07, 2008

Solar Manufacturing Wins Order From U.S. Mint

Solar Manufacturing has received a contract to build a vacuum heat-treating furnace for the United States Mint for the purpose of heat treating coin dies of A9 tool steel. The contract was secured after running extensive tests for the A9 dies as trials with Solar Atmospheres’ heat-treating plant. The furnace will have an operating temperature of 2000°F with a circular hot zone mounted in a 304SS ring to encompass an effective work area of 18 inches wide x 14 inches high x 24 inches deep. Shipment of the furnace is scheduled for April 15, 2009.more...

October 02, 2008

IH Economic Indicators: All Indices Show Growth, Remain Over 50

Industrial Heating’s monthly economic indicators for September 2008 continued to show growth in the thermal-processing industry. All four indices were over 50 for the second straight month and the 17th time in the past 19 months. The expected change in the health of the thermal-processing industry increased slightly from August and was the highest figure at 52.2. September 2008’s index numbers reflect the changes experienced by responding companies as they compare their August 2008 business levels to their July 2008 levels. more...

 

 

For more information on our services, please contact us via e-mail

Robert Gutierrez - RGutierrez@HoustonHeatTreat.com
Mark Tate - Sales or Technical assistance - MTate@HoustonHeattreat.com

or call us at 281-590-9600.