|
|
Infrared Controls Continuous Annealing
Steel producers meet increasing quality demands using Infrared thermometers to continuously scan temperatures (and surface characteristics) of steel strip during annealing. Modern multi-wavelength IR instruments and data processing algorithms can account for the variations in steel strip emissivity. They consider differences in composition, surface oxidation, and off-design fabrication conditions.
|
Pump Up the Quality Quotient
New vacuum pump technology is a gas when it comes to boosting quality of steel and cutting production energy costs up to 90% less than steam ejector methods. The oil-free degassing system for alloys removes trace metal and refractory dust. It uses three successive stage dry pumps to achieve improvements.
|
|
|
Buy American (Well, Sort Of)
Recently the U.S. Congress altered the Buy American Act so that DoD suppliers wouldn't have to supply 100% domestic specialty metal for weapons systems. Previously, contractors had to list the origin of all specialty metals. This forced large commercial operations to ask if the military business justified the effort. Is 'Buy America' a good idea?
What do other engineers think of this?
See for yourself at
CR4 — GlobalSpec's Engineering Community.
|
Copper, to Your Health!
The International Copper Promotion Council (India) touts copper's health benefits for storing and drinking water. In antimicrobial properties, copper is nearly unmatched. When certain microbes contact copper or alloys, a reaction occurs and they die rapidly. Hospitals are looking at copper to reduce secondary infections.
|
|
 |
Don't Let the Name Fool You!
Control Plastics, Inc.
Control Plastics works with more than just plastics. They're also known for precision machined components, stamping, and other metal services. Offering you engineering and technical support, Control Plastics helps you to keep control over your projects.
Contact Control Plastics for more information.
|
Zinc Strips
Jarden Zinc Products, Inc.
Various alloys of steel, copper, brass, and aluminum find frequent use in metalforming applications. Zinc, an alternative metal not normally considered, offers distinct advantages over these materials. Parts made from zinc strip and sheet find use in the roofing/raingoods market, automotive fuses, and cathodic protection products for steel reinforced concrete structures and highways.
|
|
|
PM Moves Into Rapid Manufacturing
Powder sintering is used in rapid manufacturing and prototyping. Manufacturers laser sinter production parts and prototypes from metal powders. Steel and two stainless steels are targeted at producing injection mold tools and tool inserts. Other uses include direct metal laser-sintering to make biocompatible metal alloy prostheses.
|
MIM Expands in Germany
Magnesium metal injection molding applications are on the move in Germany. Systems which combine injection molding with die casting help automakers to trim costs while forming complex parts. A leading German materials technology center is formulating new metal alloys for specific use with MIM systems.
|
|
|
The Incredible Shrinking Transistor
As one Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs of 2007, Wired selected Intel's use of hafnium to fabricate microelectronic switches. Working on devices with features down to 45 nm, the technology helps continue shrinking circuit size. It also promises greater energy savings because the metals are less prone to current leaks.
|
Magnetic Metal Foam Shape Shifter
Researchers at Boise State (Idaho) and Northwestern (Chicago) developed magnetic shape-memory foam from a nickel-manganese-gallium alloy. The foam's metal grain deforms up to 10% under a magnetic field. The material retains the resulting shape when the field is removed, but returns to its original shape if the magnetic field is rotated 90 degrees. What applications can you envision?
What do other engineers think of this?
See for yourself at
CR4 — GlobalSpec's Engineering Community.
|
|
|
Specialty Steel Warehouse Products
All Metals & Forge, LLC, Forging Division
All Metals & Forge is an ISO-9002/AS9100 supplier of specialty steels, stainless steels, cobalt, titanium, aluminum, magnesium, tungsten, molybdenum, tool steels, alloy and carbon steels in mill forms, forgings, and rolled seamless rings. Additionally, Inconel wrought-alloys, aluminum alloy plate and aluminum mold plate, nickel, and corrosion-resistant materials. More info...
|
Precision Component Supply, Local Support,
and Worldwide Resources
Dynacast
Dynacast is the world leader in precision zinc, aluminum, and magnesium die-cast component manufacturing. Through a strong North American foundation and an international network of 31 facilities in 20 countries, Dynacast provides customers with design, tooling, and production compatibility on a worldwide basis.
|
|
| |
A Better Job Search by Design
Dice
DiceEngineering.com offers thousands of quality engineering jobs at top technology and engineering companies. Find jobs in your area of expertise. Search now.
|
Smithing is Alive and Well
The blacksmithing arts for crafting iron and steel are thriving in many places, such as Vail, Colorado, where clients want unique home décor items. One craftsman, Franz Froelicher says, "Blacksmiths are supported well here," noting the genre varies from traditional to "organic and nuevo." He also fosters the craft with grant donations to the Francis Whitaker Foundation for apprentices to become proficient in the art.
|
|
Tell a Tale of Titanium
Want to know if that present you received last month is made from genuine titanium rather than some imitation, or just named after the metal in some marketing hype? It's easy, says Popular Science magazine. Simply apply a grinding wheel to an unobtrusive area and observe the shower of white-hot sparks if it's the real deal. If the shower is yellow, then it's a steel. And aluminum won't produce any sparks.
|
Share Your Thoughts . . . Join a Conversation About This Month's Topic...
Material or Mythical Metal Markets
You be the guru — are one or more of the nickel, copper, lead, zinc, and aluminum markets heading for a downturn? Or will base metals have a positive year in 2008?
|
|
|
|
|
