Friction welding,mechanical properties february 2012

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Can-Eng Furnaces, Ltd.: Heat-Treating Furnaces
Leading North American designer and manufacturer of heat-treat-
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4 February 2012 - IndustrialHeating.com
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IndustrialHeating.com - February 2012 5
HEATING ELEMENTS
Custom Electric Manufacturing Co.
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CONTENTSCONTENTS
FEATUREARTICLES
Nonferrous Heat Treating
Gas-Fired Heat-Treatment Plant for Aluminum
Structural Parts
Adolf Hanus – LOIThermprocess GmbH; Essen,GERMANY
This article presents a heat-treatment plant for lightweight structural aluminum
parts.Over the past few years,mechanical-property requirements have become
more and more stringent for aluminum parts.Heat treatment is essential to
improve the mechanical properties of these parts.
Industrial Gases/Combustion
New Gas Piping Rules Will Change the Way You Do
Business
John R.Puskar – CEC Combustion Safety; Cleveland,Ohio
If your facility has a gas line running onto your property,there are new rules that
will impact you,no matter what kind of business you are in.Learn more about it
by reading this article.
Ceramics & Refractories/Insulation
Improved Monolithic Materials for Aluminum Melt-
Hold Furnaces
Andy Wynn,John Coppack andTom Steele – MorganThermal Ceramics; Augusta,Ga.
As aluminum producers strive to increase productivity,the environment within
furnaces for holding and melting aluminum is becoming more aggressive.
Chamber temperatures are increasing and more aggressive fluxes are being used.
Nonferrous Melting/Forming/Joining
Continuous Melting Furnace
John E.Tobolski – Consultant; Reading,Pa.
As the title indicates, a new idea for a melting furnace has been developed to
challenge the present-day rotary, reverberatory, crucible and stack furnaces
currently used in the scrap-metal industry.This new continuous melting furnace
achieves the best efficiency and cost effectiveness to date because of its smaller
size.
Nonferrous Melting/Forming/Joining
Friction Stir Welding
Scott Gordon – Denver Welding & Research; Golden,Colo.
Friction Stir Processing (FSP),Friction Stir Welding (FSW) and Friction Stir Spot
Welding (FSSW) are three novel joining processes that are making significant
inroads in a variety of industries.These solid-state interactions use the mechanical
energy of a rotating tool to heat,plasticize and disrupt a joint-interface oxide layer.
39
45
52
55
On the Cover:
This heat-treatment plant for different
structural aluminum parts uses a continuous
monorail furnace consisting of solution-
annealing furnace,air-quench system and
artificial age-hardening furnace (p.39).
February 2012 • Vol.LXXX • No.2
48

18
24
COLUMNS
DEPARTMENTS
32 Industry News
36 Industry Events
37 IH Economic Indicators
61 Literature Showcase
62 Aftermarket
64 Classified Marketplace
70 Advertiser Index
INDUSTRIAL HEATING (ISSN 0019-8374) is published 12 times annually, monthly, by BNP Media, 2401 W. Big Beaver
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16 Editorial
Nonferrous News
February is the month in which we focus on nonferrous materials and pro-
cessing.For this reason,we will use this space to look at what is happening
in this industry,which for our purposes is primarily aluminum and copper.
18 Federal Triangle
Federal Regulations are Destroying U.S.Industry
Everything from the price and availability of gas or electricity to whether
you can afford to ship products by truck from your loading dock is jeopar-
dized by a tsunami of federal regulations that now clog the U.S.economy.
20 The Heat Treat Doctor™
Temper Designations for Aluminum Alloys:
What They Are and Why We Need to Know
The properties of aluminum alloys depend on a combination of chemical
composition and response to thermal and/or mechanical treatments (i.e.
cold work).It is therefore important to have a designation system that
identifies the exact state or condition of the material at any point in its
manufacture.
24 Environmental & Safety Issues
Greenhouse Gas Regulation Takes Effect in California
California’s Cap-and-Trade Program for greenhouse gases became effec-
tive on Jan.1,2012.The program – a central element of the state’s land-
mark“Global Warming Solutions Act”(AB32) – is currently applicable only
to facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons of CO2-equivalent compounds.
26 Now You Know
Manufacturing Warmth
It’s the time of year to be thinking about how to get and stay warm.
Woodstoves have been successfully performing this function for
hundreds of years.Learn about how these heat makers are thermally
processed.
28 MTI Profile – Can-Eng Furnaces International Limited
30 IHEA Update – IHEA Welcomes New Induction Division
16
Industrial Heating is the official publication of ASM’s Heat Treating Society and
official media partner of ASM’s HT Expo & Conference.
SPECIAL SECTION
58 HTS insider
News from the ASM Heat
Treating Society
SM Heat
6th International Quenching
and Control of Distortion
and 4th International Distortion
Engineering Conference
Sept. 10-13, 2012
Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel
Chicago, Ill.The
First International Conference on
Quenching and Control of Distortion was
held in 1992 in Chicago. It returns to
Chicago 20 years later after events held
every three to four years in venues includ-
ing Cleveland, Prague, Beijing and Berlin.
Sponsored by the ASM
Heat Treating Society, IFHTSE and the
German Association for Heat Treatment and Materials Tech-
nology (AWT), this event offers presenters and attendees a
unique forum to discuss ongoing activities on solving distor-
tion issues. Conference highlights include:
• Selection of quenchants
• Quenching techniques
• Care and maintenance of quenching
• Measurement of residual stress to extend fatigu l
performance
The abst
6t
an
an
En CALL TO ACTION:ASM Heat Treating Handbook
Editorial plans are being developed
the ASM
Handbook, Volume 4, Heat
volumes being considered are:
•Vol. 4a Heat Treating Fundamenta
•Vol. 4b Induction Heating and Hea
•Vol. 4c Chemical and Thermochemica
•Vol. 4d Heat Treating Equipment and
•Vol. 4e Quenching and Quenching T
•Vol. 4f Quality Control & Performance of
Volume 4a Editors: Jon Dossett and G
Editorial Committee
(with other invitations in progress):
Torsten EricssonKiyoshi FunataniPeter HodgsonJohn Hubbard
John KeoughOlaf KesslerDan McCurdyMichael Schneider
Han
Ron
Volume 4b EditoEdito i
Heat
Treat Insider.indd 59
1/23/12 11:06 AM
Treating Society
Sponsored byGerman Assocnology (AWT),unique forum totion issues. Conf• Selection of qu• Quenching tech• Care and maint• Measurement ofperformance
The abst
Clements Outlines Goals as President of HTS
Mr. Thomas E. Clements, engineering manager, Metals &
Thermal Processes, Caterpillar Inc., is the new HTS president
for the 2012-2014 term. He presented his ideas for moving
the ASM Heat Treating Society forward during the next two
years at the HTS General Membership Meeting in Cincinnati
in October 2011.
Clements sees an exciting next couple of years for HTS.
The effects of market volatility and instability on the heat-treat
industry highlight the importance of HTS. “If we can build on
our strengths, we become even more vital,” he said.
Two top priorities are education and networking. It is nec-
essary to bring more young people and new ideas into the
heat-treating field and to keep HTS members at the cutting
edge of technology, products and processes. Education is the
key. If HTS focuses on these two priorities, a third priority –
growing membership – will begin to take care of itself. “We
must work together to make HTS more appealing and more
valuable, and people in the industry will inevitably realize that
they have to either join up with HTS or risk missing opportuni-
ties to better themselves,” Clements said.
d i novation HTS needs to help peo-
d t
phasize science, technology,
engineering and mathemat-
ics (STEM) curricula in sec-
ondary schools.
For mid-career education,
HTS has gone beyond the
three-ring binders of old and
offers the best technical in-
formation in the world, both
online and in print. The soci-
ety offers great webinars and
is also studying other multi-
media education tools. HTS
staff and committees are
constantly exploring ways to improve those products. “That
has been a point of emphasis, and it will remain so during my
presidency,” Clements said.
HTS will repurpose the HTS R&D Committee into the
world’s most important heat-treatment information conduit.
The vision is for the committee to stay atop R&D results from
all around the world and deliver news and information to HTS
members instantly and continually. “I pledge to keep focusing
d l city of information delivered
Heat Treat Insider.indd 58
1/23/12 11:06 AM

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Everyday Metallurgy
Aluminum – The Innovative Metal
As a result of its unique properties, aluminum
has been of key importance in many of the develop-
ments of the past century. Why only a century or so?
Because even though aluminum is the most abun-
dant metallic element in the Earth’s crust (8%), me-
tallic aluminum was produced for the first time just
over 200 years ago. It was not until 1886 that a com-
mercial process was developed – the Hall-Heroult
process – to refine aluminum from alumina.
Online Exclusive
2011 Feature Article Bibliography
This exclusive is a complete list of feature articles that
appeared in the pages of Industrial Heating in 2011.
First, we list them by the month they appeared. Sec-
ond, we list the articles by subject matter. You can use
this as a resource to find any article from the past year.
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Most E-Mailed Articles
IH’s top-5 most e-mailed articles
in January:
1. Revealing Prior-Austenite Grain Boundaries
in Heat-Treated Steels
2. New Configuration May Make it Harder to
Say No to Thermal Regeneration
3. The Basic Principles of an Electrode Regula-
tion System
4. Jominy Testing: The Practical Side
5. Strategies for Eliminating Decarburization
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rr soso??
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ebruary again brings us to the month in which we
focus on nonferrous materials and processing. For
this reason, we will use this space to look at what is
happening in this industry, which for our purposes is
primarily aluminum and copper. Of the two, aluminum clearly
is the volume leader while copper remains a more highly priced
commodity.
On Monday, Jan. 9, Alcoa held a public meeting to discuss
2011 and look forward to this year. Through the marvels of tech-
nology, we were able to take part in this
meeting. What Alcoa experienced in 2011
and sees ahead should be similar to the
aluminum industry in general. In 2011, Al-
coa experienced a $193 million loss. They
attributed this loss to lower aluminum
prices, continued market weakness and
charges associated with closing high-cost
production capacity. They have decided to
reduce their smelting capacity by 531,000
tons (12%), which is opposite their decision to increase smelting
just one year ago.
Alcoa’s Chairman and CEO, Klaus Kleinfeld, indicated that
the primary aluminum industry finished 2011 with a slight supply
surplus. This, no doubt, contributed to the pricing pressures expe-
rienced by Alcoa and other primary aluminum producers. In this
column one year ago, we talked about “The China Factor,” which
appears to have affected the global supply and price pressures.
Kleinfeld believes that China will remove some of their supply be-
cause it is very unprofitable due to high input costs. Assuming that
this happens and factoring in Alcoa’s 12% smelting-capacity re-
duction, Kleinfeld is projecting a deficit of 600,000 tons of primary
aluminum in 2012. I’m sure the hope is that this will result in a
material price increase, which
would help the 2012 profit-
ability picture for Alcoa.
Some of the expected
2012 supply deficit is ex-
pected to be due to a pro-
jected overall global demand growth of 7%, which is down slightly
from 2011’s growth of 10%. In 2012, this growth is expected to be
comprised of 10-11% in aerospace, 5-10% in the North American
automotive industry and 3-6% for automotive worldwide with 5-7%
in heavy trucks and trailers in North America.
Kleinfeld mentioned that simply replacing the steel wheels on
trucks with aluminum will result in a 3-5% fuel savings. Alumi-
num usage in cars is up from less than 100 pounds in 1980 to
almost 300 pounds (on average) today. Future growth is expected
in aluminum sheet and extrusions for car body applications, par-
ticularly doors and hoods.
Aluminum substitution for steel in automotive applications
has been slow due to the higher cost of aluminum, resistance
to change and the costs associated with retooling. Aluminum is
on average 20-40% lighter than steel and can be made equally
crash-worthy at a cost premium of 300% as compared to steel.
The CAFÉ standards imposed by the DOT and EPA are putting
the pressure on manufacturers to reduce vehicle weight. Fuel-re-
duction requirements to take effect in 2016 will require a 7-20%
fuel-efficiency improvement. It is believed that switching a steel
body to one made primarily of aluminum will create a 10% gain in
fuel efficiency, which is why this becomes the low-hanging fruit.
A switch of this nature will cost $500-$1,500, but it could save up
to $4,000 in fuel costs, depending on the price of gasoline. For this
reason, expect car manufacturers taking this approach to pass this
premium along to car buyers.
The driving force to substitute aluminum for copper has in-
creased in the past few years. The copper/aluminum price ratio
has increased from 2 to a new high of almost 4, which encour-
ages the substitution for certain applications. On a per-pound ba-
sis, aluminum is actually more conductive than copper because
it is about one-third the weight. Substituting aluminum requires
a diameter increase compared to copper, so size-limited applica-
tions such as hand-held electronics will continue to use copper.
Alcoa believes that aluminum can replace 20% of the copper used
annually, but this is obviously a much smaller market than steel.
Industry experts believe this substitution will more realistically be
10%, which is about 1.5 million tons per year.
In addition to pricing and supply issues, another concern of the
aluminum industry is carbon taxation. The December issue of Alu-
minium International Today carried a news story that said, “Australia’s
new carbon pricing plan will cause a contraction in the country’s
energy-intensive aluminum industry, already under pressure from
cheaper Chinese output, the Australian Aluminium Council said.”
I couldn’t have put it better myself. Check out the Environmen-
tal & Safety column on page 24 to see what is already happening
right here in the U.S. What will the effect be on U.S. aluminum
producers if this goes national? IH
e
f
t
hFF
Editorial
Reed Miller,Associate Publisher/Editor | 412-306-4360 | reed@industrialheating.com
Nonferrous News

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matched to your own particular requirements.

Barry Ashby,Washington Editor | 202-255-0197 | askbarry@industrialheating.com
Federal Triangle
verything from the price and availability of gas or
electricity to whether you can afford to ship products
by truck from your loading dock is jeopardized by a
tsunami of federal regulations that now clog the U.S.
economy.
The Obama Administration issued regulations on new busi-
nesses totaling 3,573 final rules in 2010, an in-
crease over the 2009 total of 3,503. There are
more than 4,200 new environmental, finan-
cial, labor and other rules pending on the fed-
eral docket today. At the beginning of 2012
there were 219 new rules pending issuance,
each having an estimated implementation
cost of at least $100 million. These were all
reported in the “Federal Register” as proposed
or final rules with their supporting studies,
consuming 81,405 pages last year.
The U.S. manufacturing sector is hardest hit by this nonsense
with the average regulatory cost burden (encompassing all types)
on all firms amounting to $688,944. For small businesses alone,
that’s $10,585 per employee. Eight final rules are estimated by the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cost over $1 billion
each to implement. This is madness.
The unintended consequences (those of us who view this Ad-
ministration as socialist do not think it is unintended) exacer-
bates problems of the shrinking U.S. industrial base and
“reshoring” of manufacturers from foreign locations.
For example, final national air toxics standards
affected 2,900 U.S. facilities, including chrome
platers. Directly due to this rule, out of 11 sup-
pliers in San Diego County, Calif., six pro-
cessors went out of business, one closed plat-
ing aspects of the business, two moved across
the border to Mexico and only two remain.
It is impossible to improve national unem-
ployment problems with this pig-headed ap-
proach to governance, which an overwhelming
majority of the U.S. public rejects. Another exam-
ple regards obfuscation of facts by the EPA and Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission with imposition of new rules
on electric utilities that will retire 81 gigawatts of output, about
8% of existing national capacity. A little-known fact, articulated
by Americans for Tax Reform, is that the true cost to Americans
for our government (taxes plus regulations) amounts to 63.41% of
national income. This is enough to make every citizen understand
that socialists running European Union (EU) economies have a
better grasp on government operation than those in America.
Some EU governments cost less than America. In truth, U.S.
citizens toil 231 days of the year just to meet all costs imposed by
government.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued
rules to reduce the number of hours truck drivers can work, de-
spite dramatically improved trucking industry safety, with the
result that more union drivers must be hired. U.S. carriers must
comply with the first stages of “cap and trade” carbon emission
standards under “regulations” when trucks connect to air trans-
porters, so Americans are at a self-imposed disadvantage.
The U.S. and EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) requires
adherence to regulations that are not authorized by U.S. law.
On Jan. 3, Cai Haibo, deputy secretary general of the China Air
Transport Association, said that “China will not cooperate with
the EU on ETS, so China will not impose surcharges on custom-
ers relating to emission taxes.” Submitting would cost China $123
million the first year and threefold more by 2020. Dubai Air and
Lufthansa, the two largest long-haul carriers in the world, refuse
to shoulder the costs of carbon-trading schemes. Why the U.S. is
foolish enough to play in such games, other than that this Admin-
istration wants to encumber and destroy the American way of life
and its history of industrial excellence, is perplexing.
There is one very dim light at the end of this tunnel. It is some-
thing each reader should endorse to their member of
Congress, although it is weak and a preferred ap-
proach would simply halt this regulation mania.
House bill H.R.2401 was introduced by John
Sullivan (R-OK) and has 44 co-sponsors. It
is titled the “Transparency in Regulatory
Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act of
2011” and requires the President to “estab-
lish a committee” to study “cumulative and
incremental impacts of covered rules and ac-
tions of the EPA” (see House Report 112-208).
Better yet, vote out every member of Congress
who thinks this namby-pamby approach to con-
trolling America is appropriate and beneficial. IH
Federal Regulations are
Destroying U.S. Industry
Snap this tag to learn more about
state and federal regulations.
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he properties of aluminum alloys depend on a combina-
tion of chemical composition and response to thermal
and/or mechanical treatments (i.e. cold work), so it is im-
portant to have a designation system that identifies the
exact state or condition of the material at any point in its manu-
facture. Temper designations for aluminum
alloys do just that but are often the subject of
angst among heat treaters. It’s time to clear
up any confusion. Let’s learn more.
In order to better understand temper
designations, it is important to recall that
there are two categories of aluminum: heat-
treatable and non-heat-treatable alloys. For
example, the 1xxx, 3xxx and 5xxx series
wrought aluminum alloys cannot be hard-
ened by heat treatment. These non-heat-treatable alloys produce
optimum mechanical properties through strain hardening, that is,
through the application of cold working.
By contrast, the 2xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx series wrought alumi-
num alloys are heat treatable, while the 4xxx series consist of both
heat-treatable and non-heat-treatable alloys. For cast alloys, the
2xx.x, 3xx.x, 4xx.x and 7xx.x series cast alloys are heat treatable
(note: mechanical-hardening methods are not generally applied to
castings). Recall that in previous Heat Treat Doctor columns we
have talked about how to achieve optimum mechanical proper-
ties through heat treatment (c.f. “Understanding Aluminum Heat
Treatment,” Industrial Heating, February 2006 and “Heating Treat-
ing of Aluminum Castings,” Industrial Heating, February 2010).
The temper designation system is used for all forms of wrought
and cast aluminum and aluminum alloys except ingots and is simply
an extension of their alloy numbering system, which consists of a
Temper Designations for Aluminum Alloys:
What They Are and Why We Need to Know
Daniel H.Herring | 630-834-3017 | heattreatdoctor@industrialheating.com
The Heat Treat Doctor
TT
Table 1. Basic temper designations[3]
Letter Code Meaning Description
F As fabricated
Applies to the products of shaping processes in which no special control over thermal conditions or strain hardening is
employed. For wrought products, there are no mechanical-property limits.
H Strain hardened
Applies to wrought products that only have their strength increased by strain hardening (with or without supplementary thermal
treatments to produce some reduction in strength). Two or more digits always follow the H.
O Annealed
Applies to wrought products that are annealed to obtain the lowest strength and to cast products that are annealed to improve
ductility and dimensional stability. A digit other than zero may follow the O.
T Thermally treated
Applies to products that are thermally treated, with or without supplementary strain hardening, to produce stable tempers other
than F, O or H. One or more digits always follow the T.
W
Solution heat
treated
An unstable temper condition applicable only to alloys that spontaneously age at room temperature after solution heat treatment.
This designation is specific only when the period of natural aging is indicated after the letter code (for example, W 1/2 hour)
F
As fabricated
O
Annealed (wrought
products only)
H
Cold worked
1 - Cold worked only
1
Annealed
4
1/2 Hard
8
Hard
2
1/4 Hard
6
3/4 Hard
9
Extra hard
1 - Partial solution
and natural aging
2 - Partial solution, cold
work and natural aging
3 - Solution, cold work
and natural aging
6 - Solution and
artificial aging
7 - Solution and
stabilizing
8 - Solution, cold work
and artificial aging
10- Partial solution, cold
work and artificial aging
9 - Solution, artificial
aging and cold work
5 - Partial solution and
artificial aging
4 - Solution and
natural aging
3 - Cold worked
and stabilized
T
Heat treated
2 - Cold worked and
partially annealed
Fig.1. Standard
temper designation
system[1]
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Table 2. Common subdivisions – T temper[3]
Letter Code
[a], [b]
Meaning Description
T1
Cooled from an elevated-temperature shaping
process and naturally aged to a substantially
stable condition
Applies to products that are not cold worked after cooling from an elevated-temperature shaping
process or in which the effect of cold work in flattening or straightening may not be recognized
in mechanical-property limits.
T2
process, cold worked and naturally aged to a
substantially stable condition
Applies to products that are cold worked to improve strength after cooling from an elevated-
temperature shaping process or in which the effect of cold work in flattening or straightening is
recognized in mechanical-property limits.
T3
Solution heat treated, cold worked and naturally
aged to a substantially stable condition
Applies to products that are cold worked to improve strength after solution heat treatment or in
which the effect of cold work in flattening or straightening is recognized in mechanical-property
limits.
T4
Solution heat treated and naturally aged to a
substantially stable condition
Applies to products that are not cold worked after solution heat treatment or in which the effect
of cold work in flattening or straightening may not be recognized in mechanical-property limits.
T5
process and artificially aged
Applies to products that are not cold worked after cooling from an elevated-temperature shaping
process or in which the effect of cold work in flattening or straightening may not be recognized
in mechanical-property limits.
T6 Solution heat treated and artificially aged
Applies to products that are not cold worked after solution heat treatment or in which the effect
of cold work in flattening or straightening may not be recognized in mechanical-property limits.
T7 Solution heat treated and overaged/stabilized
Applies to wrought products that are artificially aged after solution heat treatment to carry them
beyond a point of maximum strength to provide control of some significant characteristic.
Applies to cast products that are artificially aged after solution heat treatment to provide
dimensional and strength stability.
T8
Solution heat treated, cold worked and artificially
aged
Applies to products that are cold worked to improve strength or in which the effect of cold work
in flattening or straightening is recognized in mechanical-property limits.
T9
Solution heat treated, artificially aged and cold
worked
Applies to products that are cold worked to improve strength.
T10
process, cold worked and artificially aged
Applies to products that are cold worked to improve strength or in which the effect of cold work
in flattening or straightening is recognized in mechanical-property limits.
Notes: [a]Numerals 1 through 10 following the T indicate specific sequences of so-called basic treatments. [b] Additional digits, the first of which shall not be zero,
may be added to designations T1 through T10 to indicate a variation in treatment, which significantly alters the product characteristics that are or would be obtained
using the basic treatment.
series of letters and numbers (Fig. 1) that follow the alloy designa-
tion number being separated by a hyphen (e.g., 6061-T6). Should
some other variation of the same sequence of basic operations be
applied to the same alloy, which results in different characteristics,
then additional digits are added to the designation (see below).
Basic Temper Designations
Table 1 contains a list of the most common temper designations.
Common Subdivisions
Table 2 contains a list of some of the most common subdivisions of
the basic tempers shown in Table 1. The online version of this arti-
cle (www.industrialheating.com) contains a more complete listing.
Temper Variations (O)
A digit following the O, when used, indicates a product in the an-
nealed condition has special characteristics (Table 3). It should be
noted that the O temper is not part of the strain-hardened (H) se-
ries. Variations of O tempers do not apply to products that are strain
hardened after annealing and in which the effect of strain hardening
is recognized in the mechanical properties or other characteristics.
Unregistered Tempers
The letter P has been assigned to denote H, T and O temper varia-
tions that are negotiated between manufacturer and purchaser.
The letter P immediately follows the temper designation that most
nearly applies. IH
This column concludes online.
References
1. Kopeliovich, Dmitri, “Temper Designation of Aluminum Alloys,”
SubsTech Materials Forum (www.substech.com)
2. Anderson, Tony, “Understanding the Aluminum Alloy Designation
System,” AlcoTec (www.alcotec.com)
3. MIL-DHBK-5H, Chapter 3, “Aluminum”
Table 3. Common subdivisions – O temper[3]
Letter Code Meaning Description
O1
Thermally treated at approximately same time and temperature required
for solution heat treatment and slow cooled to room temperature.
Applies to products that are to be machined or formed prior to solution
heat treatment by the user. Mechanical-property limits are not applicable.

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alifornia’s Cap-and-Trade Program for greenhouse
gases (GHG) became effective on Jan. 1, 2012. The
program – a central element of the state’s landmark
“Global Warming Solutions Act” (AB32) – is cur-
rently applicable only to facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons of
CO2
-equivalent compounds per year (com-
parable to burning approximately 40 million
BTU/hour of fuel continuously for a year).
Covered Entities
The California Air Resources Board’s
(ARB) draft list of “covered entities” con-
tains approximately 400 qualifying GHG
generators. It is populated primarily by
companies in the food (canning, drying,
brewing, dairy, baked goods), pulp/paper, petroleum extraction
and refining, industrial gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, glass, ce-
ment, nonferrous metal and power generation industries … plus a
catch-all category called “Electricity Importer.”
There are only three ways an included entity can escape from
the program: (1) improve fuel efficiency, (2) reduce production
or (3) shut down operations. Only option 3 takes effect immedi-
ately. The other two options take effect the year after the entity
has emitted less than the 25,000 MT/year threshold for an entire
three-year compliance period.
Compliance Instruments
Regulated entities can only emit GHG if they are in possession of
a “compliance instrument,” of which there are two types – allow-
ances and offsets.
An allowance is a tradable authorization to emit 1 metric ton
of CO2
equivalent. Initially, allowances are issued by ARB to gen-
erators at no cost, according to the baseline GHG emission levels
they reported in previous years. Later, ARB will auction off the
available allowances to the highest bidder. The minimum bid is
currently set at $10 per MT.
An offset credit is a tradable instrument that represents a re-
duction or removal of 1 metric ton of GHG. Offset credits may
be sold by one generator to another. According to the regulation,
such reductions must be “real, additional, quantifiable, perma-
nent, verifiable and enforceable.”
In the context of offsets, the term “real” means resulting from a
demonstrable action called an “offset project” (e.g., changing from
a high-carbon to a lower-carbon fuel); “additional” means beyond
compliance; “quantifiable” means accurately and reproducibly
measurable; “permanent” means irreversible (i.e. not simply due
to a temporary reduction in production); “verifiable” means the
offset project is documented sufficiently so that it can be reviewed
objectively by a third-party verifier; “enforceable” means subject to
action by the ARB if any provision of the law is violated.
California State GHG Budget
Each year, ARB determines how many allowances are available to
be auctioned. The sum total of allowances is equal to the state’s
GHG “budget,” or “cap.” The cap is initially equal to the sum of
baseline GHG emissions from the covered entities. The inventory
subject to the cap will be approximately 395 million MT in 2015.
Over time, ARB will gradually reduce the cap and auction off
fewer allowances; thereby, the state’s total emission of GHG will
be reduced. The program’s goal is to reduce California’s GHG
emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Ostensibly, the goal can be met
by annual cap reductions of 3%.
Auction, Trading, Banking, Retiring
ARB will establish auctions to disburse allowances. Any entity
that purchases, holds, transfers or surrenders compliance
instruments must be registered with ARB. Covered entities must
report their GHG emissions annually and surrender allowances
to match their emissions. There will be two auctions held in 2012:
Aug. 15 and Nov. 14. Beginning in 2013, auctions will be held
quarterly. Entities that must procure allowances will pass costs
on to their customers. ARB’s auction proceeds will be invested in
alternative-energy projects and given out as rebates to electricity
rate payers.
A covered entity that wishes to trade allowances to another
entity may do so at any time, but the trade is not recognized
by ARB until the parties submit appropriate paperwork.
Allowances not used in the year issued can be “banked” for use
in a future year. Allowances can also be purchased by entities
not covered under the program (e.g., “green” organizations) for
purposes of “voluntary retirement.” Emissions from combustion
of biomass fuels are not subject to compliance when reported as
“Biomass CO2
.”
Although entities responsible for generating less than 25,000
MT/year are not currently required to procure allowances, the
mandatory reporting threshold was recently reduced to 10,000
MT/year, which makes it appear that significantly more entities
will be covered by the program in the future. There is also specu-
lation that offsets will be less expensive than allowances, but the
price of each will ultimately be determined by market forces. IH
Greenhouse Gas Regulation
Takes Effect in California
Richard J. Martin | Martin Thermal Engineering, Inc. | 310-937-1424 | rmartin@martinthermal.com
Environmental
& Safety Issues
CC

t’s the time of year to be thinking about how to get and
stay warm. Woodstoves have been successfully performing
this function for hundreds of years. While the concept is
much as it was then, manufacturing and clean-burning
technology has certainly improved. Let’s look at a typical process
used by a specific U.S. manufacturer of premium stoves to see how
thermal processing plays a role in the manufacturing process.
An ASTM class-25 gray iron is used for woodstove castings.
Though the same base iron is poured for all of the castings, minor
alloying additions are made to improve the performance of stove
plate in the woodstoves and also to control the adhesion of the
porcelain enamel. Metal chemistry and processing is closely
controlled to produce the iron properties needed for a wide variety
of shapes and sizes.
Casting design provides flexibility of shapes and sizes, but
casting section thickness is kept to a nominal of 0.250 inches.
Section thickness is important for avoiding unnecessary weight
while maintaining the integrity of the casting. Pouring cast iron
into molds allows relatively complex shapes to be produced and
incorporated into a design that enhances the functions and
features of these stoves.
This particular stove-making foundry has three 30-ton vertical
channel induction furnaces that perform the melting. A vertical
channel furnace differs from a coreless induction furnace in that
the power is applied to a separate transformer-style core, which
heats the metal in channels. The molten metal in the channels is
circulated when power is applied.
Channel furnaces must keep the
metal molten throughout the life of the
furnace, so they are started with a “prime”
of molten metal. The 1,100-kW inductor
mounted on the bottom of the furnace
does the work, and the upper case of the
furnace provides the storage capacity.
Because vertical channel furnaces hold
liquid metal 24/7, their mode of operation
is more of a continuous-melting operation
than a batch melt. Once melted and
brought to the transfer temperature of
2700°F, the metal is then transferred into
a smaller pressure-pour furnace located at
the molding line that is used to pour iron
into the molds. Metal is transferred from
the melt furnace in 4,000-pound ladles.
The melting capacity of these furnaces is
approximately 2 tons per hour.
At the molding line, the metal is held
in a smaller channel furnace, which
is specially designed so that the furnace can be pressurized,
pushing the molten metal up into a launder from which it is
dispensed. Computer controls are monitored by the operator and
a vision system, which provides control feedback so the mold
filling is precisely controlled. The pouring furnace controls iron
temperature and flow rate into the molds.
The molding process consists of:
• A system with a capacity of 100 tons of molding sand used
to produce the sand molds into which the metal is poured.
“Green sand,” which uses natural clay binders mixed with a
small amount of water to hold it together, is used.
• An automated molding machine that makes the sand molds
(250 per hour) and transports them to the pouring process.
• An inventory of patterns that, when mounted to the
molding machine, produce the shapes in the sand.
Filling of the sand molds takes about 6-8 seconds. The metal
cools slowly as the sand molds continue down the conveyor. Metal
chemistry, pouring temperature and cooling rate all are critical to
producing gray iron in thin-walled castings. Molds are on the line
for 30-45 minutes before they drop into a shakeout system that
separates the castings from the molding sand. From the molding
machine, castings begin the shakeout process at 1000°F and finish
the process at 350°F.
The castings are then removed from the shakeout and sent
through a grit-blast cleaning process, which removes oxides and
other impurities to produce a good sur-
face for enamel adhesion. Certain cast-
ings may be annealed prior to grit blast
to assist in proper surface preparation.
For stoves receiving the porcelain-
enamel coating, a ground coat is applied
to the casting after grit blasting. The
coatings are sprayed on wet and then
dried through an infrared-heating tun-
nel. The castings are then loaded on a
monorail, which moves them through
a propane-fired furnace that fires the
enamel at 1500°F. After firing, castings
are then sprayed with a cover coat con-
taining the frit mixture needed to pro-
duce the desired color. The castings are
then fired through the furnace.
The result is the beautiful and func-
tional stoves you see pictured here. It’s
not your grandfather’s woodstove, but
it still keeps you warm on a cold winter
morning. IH
II
Thermal Processing & Metals in Everyday Life
Now You Know
Manufacturing Warmth
http://vermontcastings.com

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i lif
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Temp. 1600 F Temp. 1800 F
HT
AA51
Temp. 2000 F
UnitofTime

stablished in 1964, Can-Eng Furnaces International
Limited has grown to become a leading designer and
manufacturer of thermal-processing equipment for
ferrous and nonferrous metals. Whether manufactur-
ing a simple, manually controlled furnace or a turnkey automated
system, Can-Eng focuses on the development of high-volume batch
and continuous industrial furnaces for challenging applications.
Research and Development
Can-Eng leads improvements and changes in the industry with its
Research and Development programs. The company’s R&D has
three areas of focus: developing new technology, developing new
processes, and improving and optimizing existing technology.
Can-Eng utilizes existing engineering tools such as 3-D
modeling and computational fluid dynamic modeling in its R&D
initiatives. Can-Eng’s Technology Development Center, which is
dedicated to process development research and product testing,
is comprised of multifunctional pieces of equipment focusing
on both ferrous and nonferrous applications and is overseen by
dedicated R&D engineers.
Whether you are looking for confirmation of material properties
using a new process or trying to optimize your current processes
or properties, Can-Eng has the experience and tools available to
support your current and future development needs.
Upgrading Existing Equipment
Can-Eng is constantly upgrading its own designs and materials
and keeps abreast of developments in the field of heat treating
that contribute to increased reliability and energy efficiency.
The company passes these technological improvements on to its
customers in the form of rebuilding and retrofitting services. In this
way, Can-Eng can bring outdated, uneconomical equipment up to
a level of operating efficiency equal to that of present-day furnaces.
Product Lines
Can-Eng’s strength is the ability to custom-engineer a furnace for
any customer requirement. The company designs and manufac-
tures rugged thermal-processing equipment for commercial and
captive heat treaters; stamping and fastener companies; automo-
tive-component producers; tube and pipe manufacturers; steel
mills; aluminum foundries; and agricultural, construction and ap-
pliance manufacturers.
Equipment designs include: continuous mesh-belt atmosphere
furnace systems, continuous bar product quench and temper sys-
tems, roller-hearth furnace systems, screw-hearth furnace systems,
rotary-hearth furnace systems, walking-beam and walking-hearth
furnace systems, plate heat-treating systems, car-bottom furnace
systems, batch integral-quench furnace systems, aluminum solu-
tion and aging furnace systems, aluminum modular furnace sys-
tems, precision air quench systems, and basketless heat-treating
systems (BHTS®
) for the T4, T5, T6 and T7 processing of alumi-
num castings and forgings.
Can-Eng offers a complete range of ancillary equipment includ-
ing quenching and descale technologies, SCADA Level II auto-
mation systems, and automation and material-handling solutions.
The Can-Eng product portfolio also includes an oven line
(walk-in, cabinet, lab, bench and high-temperature systems) and
a comprehensive Parts and Service Department that provides
responsive service, repairs, parts and troubleshooting for all of its
products around the world.
Can-Eng is an ISO 9001:2008-certified company. Its head
office and manufacturing facility is located in the heart of
the Niagara Peninsula in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Can-Eng is
proud of the name it bolts onto every furnace. It stands for an
enduring commitment to serve our customers with integrity,
professionalism and quality.
EE
Can-Eng Furnaces International Limited
Metal Treating Institute | 904-249-0448 | www.HeatTreat.netMetal Treating Institute | 904-249-0448 | www.HeatTreat.net
MTI Profile

A fully automatic universal and macro hardness tester with
innovative features and increased automation is a natural
complement to any production environment testing large or
heavy samples in cast iron, steel and aluminum.
The DuraVision creates ef ciencies in a production
environment. An entire test cycle of load application,
indentation, focusing, illumination adjustment and hardness
evaluation is now carried out automatically – thereby
ensuring 100% repeatability in testing.
It’s fast, simple and accurate.
For more information about Struers complete hardness
testing product range, contact your local Struers
representative at 1.888.STRUERS (787.8377) or visit our
website at www.struers.com.
Reaching new Heights
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Unique test load range from 1 kgf – 3000 kgf (1-250•
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Automatic test cycles including autofocus and•
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DuraVision - Struers Newest Universal Macro Hardness Tester
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IHEA Welcomes New Induction Division
Industrial Heating Equipment Association | 859-356-1575 | www.ihea.org
IHEA Update
uring IHEA’s 2011 Fall Business Meeting in Pittsburgh,
we hosted several induction equipment manufactur-
ers to discuss the values and benefits of developing an
Induction Division within IHEA. IHEA Board mem-
bers met with representatives from Ajax TOCCO Magnethermic,
CEIA USA, Radyne and SMS Elotherm Induction Technology.
Attendees discussed what they want from an association, key
elements of their unique role in the industry and why it’s important
to create this division. IHEA believes the Induction Division could
provide a common voice for induction equipment manufacturers
regarding the efficiency of industrial heating technology, sustain-
ability, automation, energy-intensity improvement and more.
There was a lot of enthusiasm created from this meeting, and
IHEA is now in the process of developing an Induction Seminar
to provide further education for those in the induction equipment
manufacturing sector and for those interested in learning more
about induction technology. If you would like to participate in the
development of the Induction Seminar and/or IHEA’s Induction
Division, please contact Anne Goyer at anne@goyermgt.com or
941-373-1830.
Register for Safety Standards & Codes Seminar
The Safety Standards & Codes Seminar for Industrial Furnaces
and Ovens (March 6-7, Des Plaines, Ill.) provides a complete
review of NFPA 86: Ovens and Furnaces. This highly regarded
seminar is designed for individuals involved in the design, manu-
facture or operation of industrial furnaces and ovens.
The seminar’s goal is to provide understanding of the NFPA 86
Safety Standards as they apply to industrial furnaces and ovens
and heating systems used for processing materials and products.
Speakers have firsthand working knowledge of the development
of the NFPA 86 Standards, either serving on the NFPA Technical
Committee on Ovens and Furnaces or being involved with IHEA
in the review of standard changes.
For more information and/or to register, visit www.ihea.org and
click on the Safety Seminar button on the right side of the page.
Member List
Below is a current list of IHEA members. For more information
about becoming a member, visit www.ihea.org and click the
“Membership Application” link on the left.
u
w
e
IDD
Martin Feroce of SMS Elotherm shares his thoughts about what his
company wants from IHEA’s new Induction Division.
Safety Seminar speaker Glen Mortensen of Zurich Services Corp.
delivers his presentation,“Location,Construction and Ventilation”
to a full house.
• Ajax Electric Co.
• ALZETA Corp.
• Bloom Engineering Co., Inc.
• BNP Media
• C.I. Hayes,
Division of Gasbarre Products
• CECOF
• Custom Electric Manufacturing Co.
• Despatch Industries, L.P.
• Diamond Engineering Co.
• Dry Coolers, Inc.
• Duke Energy
• Eclipse, Inc.
• Elster Kromschroder
• Emerging Technology
Applications Center - Northampton
Community College
• Fireye Inc.
• Fives North American
Combustion, Inc.
• Fostoria Process Equipment -
a Division of TPI Corp.
• Furnace Parts, LLC
• Gaumer Process
• George Koch Sons, LLC
• Honeywell International
• I.T.A.S S.p.A.
• INEX Inc.
• INFRATROL Manufacturing Corp.
• Invensys Eurotherm Inc.
• Japan Industrial Furnace
Manufacturers Association
• Karl Dungs, Inc.
• Maxitrol Co.
• Maxon, A Honeywell Company
• Nutec Bickley
• Protection Controls, Inc.
• Red-Ray Manufacturing Co., Inc.
• Rolled Alloys
• SCC, Inc.
• SECO/WARWICK
• Selas Heat Technology Co. LLC
• SOLO Swiss Group
• Southern Company
• Steeltech, Ltd.
• Surface Combustion, Inc.
• Vulcan Catalytic Systems Ltd.
• Waukee Engineering
Company, Inc.
• Wellman Furnaces, Inc.
• WS Thermal Process
Technology Inc.
MEMBERLIST

Industry News
This is the first American-made vacuum
furnace purchased by the company. The
TITAN is easily installed in just a few days.
Its control system comes equipped with
multi-language capabilities. The TITAN also
provides real-time data acquisition and
stores up to a thousand recipes.
www.ipsenusa.com
Annealing, Aging Oven
Despatch Industries received an order
from Spirit AeroSystems, a Kansas-based
independent supplier of commercial air-
plane assemblies and components, for a
large aluminum annealing and aging oven
with a custom process-control system. The
company will utilize the oven to heat treat
aluminum parts for increased strength and
ductility. Oven system delivery and installa-
tion is scheduled for this month. Despatch
is also providing several additional com-
ponents to the oven system, including a jib
crane at the front and back of the oven to
load and unload parts from the truck.
www.despatch.com
Equipment News
Dual-Chamber Furnace
Lucifer Furnaces Inc. shipped a Red Devil dual-chamber
heat-treating furnace to Anomatic Corp. of Newark, Ohio.
With an upper hardening chamber of 9 inches high x 12
inches wide x 14 inches long and a lower tempering chamber with the
same working dimensions,this unit is a complete heat-treating system
with 7 kW of power. Both chambers feature a ceramic hearth plate for
load support of 25 pounds per square feet of hearth area and are lined
with 4.5 inches of combined lightweight firebrick and mineral-wool
insulation for energy-efficient operation. The upper chamber heats
to 2200°F with easy-to-replace, heavy-gauge, wire-wound heating
elements in radiant panels. The lower draw chamber heats to 1200°F
with air recirculation provided by a rear-mounted,stainless steel,high-
volume CFM fan assembly. Each chamber is controlled independently through Honeywell
digital temperature controllers. www.luciferfurnaces.com
Vacuum Furnace
Ipsen Co.Ltd.,Japan sold a TITAN® H6 vacuum furnace to Japan’s Nagoya Netsuren Industry
Co. It was recently installed and is fully operational.The TITAN H6 furnace has a graphite hot
zone and high-vacuum system. Nagoya Netsuren Industry Co. also added the TITAN loader
option. The furnace will be used in the industrial manufacturing of rare earth material
and sophisticated parts to meet the technical demands of Nagoya Netsuren Industry Co.
r with the
ng system
h plate for
d are lined
eral-wool
ber heats
d heating
to 1200°F
teel,high-

VOD Facility
SMS Siemag LLC of Pittsburgh,Pa.,received an order for the supply of
a VOD (vacuum oxygen decarburizing) facility from Ellwood National
SteelofIrvine,Pa.Theprojectwillenabletheproductionoflow-carbon
stainless steel forgings with a demanding combination of strength,
toughness and corrosion resistance. This unit will be equipped with
a mechanical vacuum pump rather than a steam ejector system with
a boiler.The scope of supply is comprised of the mechanical process
equipment, complete with an alloy addition system, and the entire
electrical and automation systems. Start of production is planned
for December 2012. Germany’s SMS Mevac will be providing process
know-how,training and basic engineering.www.sms-group.com
Conarc Furnace
Essar Steel commissioned its second Conarc Furnace at its Hazira,
India, steel complex.The furnace has a capacity of 2.5 million metric
tons per year, increasing the facility’s annual capacity to 5 million
metric tons. The Conarc Furnace will be fed with inputs from the
plant’s blast furnace, which has an annual capacity of 1.73 million
metric tons, DRI and two Corex units. With the commissioning of
this furnace, Essar Steel has commissioned all the steelmaking,
iron-making and rolling units that are part of a 10-million-metric-
ton expansion project. The fully integrated facility will produce the
entire range of flat products and will also be capable of producing
high-strength steels. www.essar.com
HEXOLOYSILICONCARBIDEThe Name
That Makes
A World
Of Difference
No other company in the world has more expertise with silicon carbide than
Saint-Gobain Ceramics. Our Hexoloy®
sintered alpha silicon carbide is the
material of choice for high performance thermowell/thermocouple protection
tubes in furnace applications throughout the worldwide market. They offer
high temperature strength, excellent thermal shock resistance, universal
corrosion resistance, high thermal conductivity, exceptional wear resistance
and are available in custom lengths. Wherever you’re located in the global
market, specify Hexoloy silicon carbide, the name that delivers performance
you can count on.
Saint-Gobain Ceramics
23 Acheson Drive
Niagara Falls, New York 14303 www.hexoloy.com
Telephone: 716-278-6233
Fax: 716-278-2373
scd.sales@saint-gobain.com
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goes to the American Cancer Society

Industry News
Solar Atmospheres Receives Patent
Solar Atmospheres announced that the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued
U.S. Patent No. 8,088,328 covering Solar’s
new vacuum gas-nitriding furnace design.
The patent, including 14 claims, centers on
an all-graphite hot-zone design featuring
graphite heating elements, graphite gas
baffles, graphite fan and graphite felt
insulation housed in a vacuum-chamber
enclosure.The advantage of the all-graphite
hotzoneisthecombinationofnon-nitriding
components that do not require retort
teardown and scrubbing to restore nitriding
constants, as with prior 330 alloy retorts.
The low-mass hot zone provides rapid
heating, and combined with an external
gas blower and heat exchanger, allows fast
heat up and cool down for nitriding cycles
that are 50% faster than standard brick or
retort designs. According to Roger A. Jones,
corporate president of Solar Atmospheres,
the new furnace has proved equally useful
for bright tempering of alloys like H11, 13,
D2 and bright annealing of brass alloys.
UBQ Furnace
AFC-Holcroft delivered a universal batch quench (UBQ) furnace to a commercial heat-
treating operation in the southern U.S. The 36-inch x 72-inch x 44-inch furnace has a gross
capacity of 6,000 pounds and is a near duplicate of existing AFC-Holcroft furnaces currently
running production parts for the customer.
www.afc-holcroft.com
Business News
EFD Induction Sells Heat-Treat Operation, Opens Manufacturing Facility
EFD Induction announced the sale of its Germany-based commercial heat-treatment opera-
tion EFD Härterei F.Düsseldorf GmbH.The operation,which has units in Freiburg,Munich and
Bielefeld, has been acquired by VTN Holding Company and renamed VTN Fritz Düsseldorf
GmbH. EFD Induction also
announced the opening
of a new manufacturing
facility in Romania. The
3,300-square-meter facil-
ity in Vidra will help EFD
Induction meet strong Eu-
ropean demand for induc-
tion equipment,particular-
ly for induction hardening
machines.

Alcoa to Close or Curtail 531,000 Metric Tons
of Capacity
Alcoa announced that it intends to close or curtail approximately
531,000 metric tons, or 12% of its global smelting capacity, to
lower the company’s position on the global aluminum cost curve
and improve its competitiveness. Alcoa will permanently close its
smelterinAlcoa,Tenn.,whichwascurtailedin2009,alongwithtwo
of the six idled potlines at its Rockdale, Texas, smelter. Together,
these closures will reduce Alcoa’s global smelting capacity of 4.5
million metric tons per year by 291,000 metric tons, or about 7%.
The curtailments, to be announced in the near future, will reduce
Alcoa’s global smelting capacity by an additional 240,000 metric
tons. The curtailments are expected to be complete by the first
half of 2012.
Plansee Group Sells PMG Unit
Austria’s Plansee Group sold its PMG division to asset-manage-
ment company VVG, which is headquartered in Essen, Germany.
The agreement to buy the PMG unit as a whole was signed on
Dec. 15. PMG is a specialized manufacturer of powder-metal
components for the automotive industry with seven production
plants in Spain, Germany, Austria, China and the U.S. It employs
approximately 1,150 people.The sale was made because Plansee
plans to focus more strongly on developing its molybdenum- and
tungsten-based materials in the future.
Air Liquide Expands Relationship with Nucor Steel
Air Liquide Large Industries U.S. announced the expansion of
its relationship with Nucor Steel in Louisiana.Air Liquide has been
selected to supply Nucor’s new Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) plant
in Convent, La., and has extended its contracts to serve Nucor’s
plants in Berkeley County,S.C.,and Blytheville,Ark.Air Liquide will
supply approximately 794 tons per day of oxygen to Nucor’s new
Convent plant with capacity from its new air separation unit (ASU)
in Geismar,La.
Carpenter Technology Acquires Canadian Machining
Company
Carpenter Technology agreed to acquire the assets of ARwin
Machining Plus Ltd.for approximately $1.4 million.The assets will
become integrated into the Canadian division of Amega West
Services, a subsidiary of Carpenter Technology that specializes in
directional drilling manufacturing.Both companies are located in
Nisku,Alberta.
Posco E&C to Build Steel Plant in Brazil
South Korea’s Posco Engineering & Construction (E&C) signed
a contract worth a reported $4.3 billion to construct a steel mill
for Companhia Siderurgica do Pecem (CSP) in Brazil’s Ceara state.
Posco E&C will be responsible for engineering,equipment supply,
construction and commissioning. The integrated steel plant,
which will have an annual capacity of approximately 3 million
metric tons of steel slabs, is scheduled to be completed by 2015.
CSP is a joint venture between Brazil’s Vale (50%), South Korea’s
Dongkuk Steel Mill (30%) and Posco (20%). The mill’s production
will mostly be supplied to Dongkuk Steel Mill.
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201 Leverington Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Phone (800) 544 TRENT Fax (215) 482-9389
EVERYTHING ABOUT
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MADE IN USA

Industry Events
Starbar and Moly-D elements
are made in the U.S.A.
with a focus on providing
the highest quality heating elements
and service to the global market.
I Squared R Element Co., Inc.
Akron, NY Phone: (716)542-5511
Fax: (716)542-2100
www.isquaredrelement.com
Email: sales@isquaredrelement.com
Over 40 years of service and reliability
MARCH
2-4 IFEX 2012 – 8th International Exhibition on Foundry
Technology,Equipment and Supplies; Bangalore,India
www.ifexindia.com
11-15 TMS 2012 – Linking Science and Technology for Global
Solutions; Orlando,Fla.
www.tms.org/meetings/annual-12/AM12home.aspx
15-16 6th International Iron & Steelmaking Conference;
Visakhapatnam,India • info@steelmetallurgy.com
19-21 MIM 2012 – International Conference on Injection
Molding of Metals,Ceramics and Carbides; San Diego,Calif.
www.mpif.org/calendar.asp
26-30 Tube 2012 – International Tube and Pipe Trade Fair;
Düsseldorf,Germany
www.mdna.com/trade-shows/details/tube
26-30 Wire 2012 – International Wire and Cable Trade Fair;
Düsseldorf,Germany
www.mdna.com/trade-shows/details/wire
APRIL
17-20 116th Metalcasting Congress; Columbus,Ohio
www.afsinc.org/content/view/1005/308/
24-25 PM China – International Powder Metallurgy Exhibition
& Conference; Shanghai • www.cn-pmexpo.com
MAY
7-10 AISTech 2012 – The Iron and Steel Technology Conference
and Expo; Atlanta,Ga.www.aist.org/aistech
9-12 Metal + Metallurgy China 2012; Beijing,China
www.mm-china.com
17-19 MeltMetech – Exhibition on Melting and Metallurgical
Technology,Equipment & Supplies; Mumbai,India
www.meltmetech.com
22-25 Ceramitec 2012; Munich,Germany
www.ceramitec.de/en/home
22-23 WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo; Dallas,Texas
www.wirenet.org/events/wireexpo/index.htm
JUNE
10-13 PowderMet 2012 – International Conference on Powder
Metallurgy & Particulate Materials; Nashville,Tenn.
www.mpif.org/calendar.asp
11-15 ASME Turbo Expo 2012 – Turbine Technical Conference
& Exposition; Copenhagen,Denmark
www.asmeconferences.org/TE2012//

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REQUEST FOR QUOTE ORDERS
BACKLOG GENERAL HEALTH
June 18-21 Aeromat 2012 Conference and Exposition;
Charlotte,N.C.
www.asminternational.org/aeromat
25-27 IFHTSE 2012 – 1st International Conference on Energy
and the Future of Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering;
Bangkok,Thailand
www.mtec.or.th/EFhtse2012/
SEPTEMBER
9-13 Superalloys 2012 – 12th International Symposium on
Superalloys; Champion,Pa.
www.tms.org/meetings
10-13 6th International Quenching and Control of Distortion
Conference; Chicago,Ill. www.asminternational.org/qcd
OCTOBER
2-3 FNA 2012 – Furnaces North America; Nashville,Tenn.
www.furnacesnorthamerica.com

IH11064Ste.indd 1 10/26/06 10:13:29 AM
Now accepting Visa, Mastercard, American Express
and Discover
1251 Phillips Ave. SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49507 616.243.7920 Fax: 616.243.0091 alloys@steeltechltd.com www.steeltechltd.com
Contact our Customer Service Hotline 24 Hours 7 Days a Week 800.897.7833 “Talk to a Human Being at 3 a.m.!”

remium car manufacturers
have considerable experience
with the use of aluminum in
body parts as a substitute for
steel and for forming complex structures.
Thin-walled aluminum parts have already
been used in the aluminum body shells
for several years. The use of lightweight
aluminum parts significantly reduces the
weight of a vehicle body, improving fuel
economy and cutting emissions. These
parts are heat treated in a continuous fur-
nace plant (Fig. 1). Minimizing residual
stress in the parts is critical for maximiz-
ing the potential part loading under work-
ing conditions. So, the treatment should
result in minimal residual stress. This is
dependent on the quenching media (Fig.
2), and air quenching offers the lowest re-
sidual stress.
Heat-Treatment Process
The plant heat treats aluminum compo-
nents for cars, which are usually produced
in a left-hand and a right-hand version.
The purpose of the heat treatment is to
reach mechanical properties such as ten-
sile strength, yield strength and elonga-
tion at the rupture specified by the body-
work designers.
The aluminum parts – produced in die-
casting machines – feature thin walls and
complex geometries. In order to avoid the
need for complex straightening follow-
ing heat treatment, any distortion of the
parts during the process (especially during
quenching) must be minimized. For this
reason, the quench facility is a key compo-
nent of the plant. The quenching medium
used is air. Air quenching ensures compli-
ance with the specified mechanical proper-
ties at the same time as minimizing any dis-
tortion and the residual stress of the parts.
The solution-annealing temperature
is 460-500°C (860-932°F) with a tem-
r
h
w
b
l d
PP
FEATURE | Nonferrous
Heat Treating
Gas-Fired Heat-Treatment Plant forGas-Fired Heat-Treatment Plant for
Aluminum Structural Parts
Adolf Hanus – LOI Thermprocess GmbH; Essen, GERMANY
This article presents a heat-treatment plant for lightweight structural aluminum
parts. Over the past few years, aluminum parts have become increasingly complex
and also lighter. As a result, mechanical-property requirements have become more
and more stringent. In order to improve the mechanical properties of these parts,
heat treatment is essential. Especially for the structural parts, the integrated air-
quench facility is an integral part of the plant.
150
100
50
Redidualstress,MPa
Water Polymer Air
20˚ 40˚ 60˚ 80˚ Aluquench ALC - 50˚ HISAQ
8%
12%
16%
Fig.1. Schematic diagram of heat-treatment plant for structural aluminum parts
Fig.2. Residual stress after heat treatment for different
quenching media
Fig.4. Solution-
annealing furnace
Charging Solution furnace Air Age-hardening furnace Discharging
table 2 sections quench 4 sections table
Top
view
Furnace section view

Heat Treating
perature tolerance of = ±3K. The tem-
perature for the elevated-temperature age-
hardening process is 160-240°C (±3K).
During air quenching, the parts must be
cooled to less than 240°C (464°F) within
two minutes. For some alloys, this time
may even be shorter. High reproducibility
is achieved by automatic operation of the
plant.
Charge Carriers
After removal from the mold and stamp-
ing, the aluminum castings are inserted
into a charge carrier. It is possible to ar-
range several charge carriers in a charging
rack. The charge carriers are specifically
designed for the parts to be treated. They
are produced after the optimum position
of the aluminum parts in the cooling
airflow and the charging rack have been
determined by tests. The charge carriers
support the aluminum castings in such a
way as to prevent deformation during the
solution-annealing process at 460-500°C.
The useful dimensions of the charg-
ing racks are dependent on the require-
ments of the specific production. Several
parts are positioned in the charge carriers,
which are designed to take up a sufficient
quantity of aluminum parts to ensure
adequate capacity utilization in the heat-
treatment plant. At the same time, the
air-quench process must be the same for
all the parts, and reproducibility must be
ensured (Fig. 3).
The charging racks are designed for
handling by forklifts and roll conveyor
within the production facility.
Heat-Treatment Plant Concept
The heat-treatment plant is a continuous
roller-hearth furnace plant designed for
solution annealing and elevated-tempera-
ture age hardening. The conveyor systems
outside the furnace and in the quench-
ing chamber include roller conveyors and
cross conveyors designed to allow fully au-
tomated operation of the heat-treatment
plant (Fig. 1).
All the conditions in the furnace zones
and the transport operations are fully au-
tomatically controlled. A batch tracking
system allows identification of each part
and details the related heat-treatment
process. Heating of the furnace can be ac-
complished by gas burners or by electrical
heaters.
The loaded charging rack is positioned
on the roller table upstream from the solu-
tion-annealing furnace using a forklift or a
roll conveyor. After positioning the charg-
ing rack on the roller table, the worker ac-
knowledges the rack on the plant control
system and releases it for heat treatment.
After a step in the cycle has elapsed, the
charging rack is moved forward into the
heat-up zone of the solution-annealing
furnace. It may also be necessary to select
a heat-treatment program on the plant
control system. From this point, all the
steps in the heat-treatment process are
completed automatically.
Solution Annealing
The solution-annealing furnace is a con-
tinuous roller-hearth furnace operated in
steps with an entry and an exit door. It is
designed to handle several charging racks
positioned behind each other and has
control zones with recirculation fans. In
the heat-up zone, the material is brought
to the solution-annealing temperature,
which is maintained until the comple-
tion of the step. When the step has been
completed, the rack is transferred to the
next zone, where the annealing tempera-
ture is also maintained. Before the rack
is transferred to the last zone, the zone
temperature must reach the temperature
setpoint again after the opening and
closing of the exit door. The next charg-
ing rack is then loaded into the heat-up
zone by the roller table upstream from
the furnace (Fig. 4).
Using the furnace control system, it is
possible to set variable setpoints for the
zone temperature and the recirculation
fan speed in the heat-up zone. A separate
temperature curve can be programmed in
each of the control zones, and the heating
is controlled continuously to obtain opti-
mum heat-up and soaking curves for the
parts to be treated.
Air Quench
Downstream from the solution-annealing
furnace, the charge is quenched in air.
Before the solution-annealing furnace
exit door is opened, the controlled-speed
cooling fans are started up. A charging
rack with charge carriers is then dis-
charged into the quench facility in only
10 seconds, and the parts are cooled to
less than 240°C in two minutes. During
the quenching process, the charging rack
is reversed on the rollerway inside the
quench facility in order to ensure homo-
geneous cooling of the charge.
Air nozzles are distributed evenly over
the side walls and floor of the quench
Fig.3. Charging rack at station upstream from elevated-temperature age-hardening furnace

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Heat Treating
chamber. The quench airflow rates can
be varied using the speed control of the
quench-air fans. Manual butterfly valves
in the various nozzle zones allow adjust-
ments for the optimum quench airflows for
different aluminum parts.
Quench air is routed to and from the
quench facility via a duct system. The
temperature of the quench air is con-
trolled by a motor-operated butterfly valve
system in the ducting. In the winter, the
cold air drawn in from outside the build-
ing is heated slightly by the spent quench
air to ensure reproducible quench-air tem-
peratures.
The two roller gates at the quench fa-
cility entry and exit are closed during the
quenching process. An extraction fan is
installed on the roof of the quench fa-
cility to remove the quench air from the
chamber downstream from the charge. Si-
lencers are installed in the air intake line.
Together with the insulated casing of the
air-quench chamber and the roller gates,
these silencers help to limit the noise level
of the plant.
Following the completion of quench-
ing, the charging rack is transferred to the
entry roller table of the elevated-tempera-
ture age-hardening furnace.
Age Hardening
When the heat-up zone of the elevat-
ed-temperature age-hardening furnace
has become vacant, the furnace door is
opened and the charging rack is charged
into the furnace. As with the solution-an-
nealing furnace, the first furnace zones are
designed for heating up and soaking. In
view of the longer soaking time required
in this furnace, the elevated-temperature
age-hardening furnace has more rack sta-
tions with more control zones and recircu-
lation fans. The design temperature range
is 160-240°C (320-464°F).
For the elevated-temperature age-hard-
ening furnace, the heat-treatment pro-
gram may define a shorter step time than
for the solution-annealing furnace. Once
again, the control system allows a variable
setpoint to be selected for the zone tem-
perature and the speed of the heat-up zone
recirculation fan to be changed during the
step. A temperature curve that has been
optimized for the parts being treated can
be set for each control zone. As in the so-
lution-annealing furnace, the gas-burner
output is continuously controlled.
When the step has been completed,
the exit door is opened and the charging
rack is discharged onto the downstream
roller table. After the exit door has closed
and the temperature in the exit zone has
reached the setpoint again, the charging
racks in the furnace are moved forward by
one station.
The roller table downstream from the
elevated-temperature age-hardening fur-
nace is also equipped with a cross convey-
or that moves the charging rack to an un-
loading station. It ensures that the roller
table is empty so that another charging
rack may be discharged from the furnace
when the next step has concluded.
The temperature curves and times
for the entire process are documented.
In the event of temperature tolerance or
step-time infringements during the heat-
treatment process, the charging racks in
the appropriate furnace zones are shown
with a “not-OK” symbol on the plant dis-
play. The worker must eliminate and reset
the malfunctions. The material tracking
system ensures that the affected charges
are marked as “not OK” until they leave
the heat-treatment plant. Warning signals
then alarm the workers, who must move
the rack concerned to a quarantine posi-
tion and carry out additional material
tests if appropriate.
Summary
This plant for heat treating aluminum
body parts was based on a plant design
already used successfully to treat similar
body parts. The plant features a number
of benefits:
• Flexible setting of temperature curves in
each furnace zone
• Variable recirculation flow rates in heat-
up zones
• Tight temperature tolerances in control
zones
• Flexible air-quench facility
• Charging racks with replaceable charge
carriers
• Minimum distortion of aluminum parts
and good mechanical properties thanks
to air quenching
• Controlled quench-air temperature for
reproducible quenching conditions
• Low noise level thanks to encapsulated
air-quench facility
• Expansion possible by extension of fur-
nace length
• Extension by parallel heat-treatment
line with transferable quench facility
also possible (Fig. 5)
• Automatic material and process track-
ing system
The heat-treatment plants for alumi-
num parts offered by Tenova LOI Italim-
pianti are tried and tested systems with an
air-quench facility that can be used flex-
ibly for large and small quantities of parts
in the automobile industry. IH
For more information: Contact Adolf Hanus,
LOI Thermprocess GmbH, Essen, GERMANY;
tel: +49 201 / 1891 846; e-mail: e-mail: adolf.
hanus@loi.de
Fig.5. Layout for an extension of the plant (top view)
Charging Solution Air quench Age-hardening Discharging
table furnace serving 2 lines furnace table

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superalloy grades and the various thermal-treatment methods used to
improve hardness, corrosion resistance and/or to ensure that the properties
altered during fabrication have been restored.
A point of emphasis will be heat treatment processes for operations such
as annealing (e.g., subcritical or process annealing, bright annealing),
hardening (quench & temper), case hardening (carburizing & nitriding),
stabilization and sub-zero treatments. Ample examples of both good and
bad heat treatment methods will be shown.
This presentation will also include examples of the various types of furnaces
and ovens commonly used for heat treatment and discuss processing
problems, providing tips to simplify maintenance, improve quality and
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FACILITY-WIDE ENERGY-SAVING APPROACHES
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September 13 | 2:00pm EDT | Speaker: Stan Zinn
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November 15 | 2:00pm EST | Speaker: Dan Herring
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Friction welding,mechanical properties february 2012

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