An overview of insulating firebricks
Ceramic refractory materials are useful for the following functions:
1. Serving as a thermal barrier between a hot medium and the wall of a...
Heat treatment techniques overview
Editor’s note » This is the third in a five-part series.
In this third segment of my series on heat-treating techniques, I will discuss the pros and...
Microstructural evolution, its effect on Ti6Al4V alloy
Titanium alloys are extensively used in aerospace, petrochemical, marine, and medical applications, thanks to their superior strength-to-weight ratio at elevated temperature, corrosion resistance, and...
Cooling rate after tempering
In this column, I will discuss the effect of cooling rate after tempering.
Introduction
During heat treatment of steel, the process is generally austenitize, quench, and...
Non-Martensitic Transformation Products (NMTP)
Whether formed during a conventional quench and tempering process, carburizing, or induction hardening, non-martensitic transformation products (NMTP) are widely considered undesirable microstructural features. However,...
Q&A with Greg Jennings
What’s a typical day like for you at Wisconsin Oven?
My typical day is quite a bit of fun. I’ve got three kids, and it’s...
IFHTSE website gets an update
The website of IFHTSE (www.ifhtse.org) recently has been upgraded to include the program and proceedings of many of the member conferences and IFHTSE congresses....
Getting Control — Let’s Start with PID
It does not matter what thermal treatment work piece requires, proper control is the foundation for repeatability and quality processing. For heat-treating processes, there...
Is there a furnace problem?
That question is much easier to answer if you learn the indicators, alarms, switches
5th International Conference and more coming in 2023
The 5th International Conference on Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering of Tools and Dies (HTSE-TD), sponsored by the Chinese Heat Treating Association, will be...
Inducing heat treatment for case hardening
Induction hardening has become an increasingly popular heat-treatment method for steel due to its extremely fast processing speeds. Compared to other case hardening methods,...
Member spotlight: Chiz Bros. provides exceptional customer service and engineering expertise
Chiz Bros. Refractory & Insulation Specialists is excited to become a member of IHEA this year. Founded in 1968, the company began as a contractor in...
Alessandra Palombi wins Aichelin Young Speaker Award
Alessandra Palombi from the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” was given the Aichelin Young Speaker Award at the...
Q&A with Tim Donofrio
Can-Eng Furnaces was recently awarded two contracts for its high-capacity line of mesh belt fastener heat treatment systems. What made this system ideal for...
Induction Hardening Choices for Gears
Of the various types of applied energy processing, induction hardening is the most common. Induction heating is a process that uses an alternating electrical...
Good leaders properly manage from start to finish
Anyone who tells you that running a business — any business — is easy, is lying to you. Each one has its pitfalls. When...
IHEA rings in 2023 with some great events
February
IHEA’s Fundamentals of Industrial Process Heating Online Course starts February 20: IHEA’s Fundamentals of Industrial Process Heating Online Learning Course has been a successful...
Enhanced properties of metal matrix nanocomposites
Application of carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced metal matrix nanocomposite (MMNC) has been increasing rapidly since the discovery of CNT in the 1990s. These novel...
IHEA education coming this fall – Learn from the best
This fall, the Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA) will offer its Combustion Seminar and Safety Standards and Codes Seminar in Indianapolis, Indiana, October 3-4,...
Intergranular corrosion of austenitic stainless steels
In this column, I will discuss the intergranular corrosion of austenitic stainless steels (3XX) and discuss the thermal processing causes.
Introduction
Austenitic stainless steels, such as...
Process Control and Scada
Heat treaters are always looking for methods to improve productivity without compromising quality. One method that many heat treaters have put in place is...
The State of Process Controls
It is hard to find a market segment that has not benefited from technology advancements. Heat-treating process control is no different. While there are...
An argument in support of Nadcap
I think it is safe to assume that the majority of Thermal Processing readers have, in some capacity and at some point in their...
Stainless Steels
Kitchen sinks, refrigerator or oven doors, and tableware are what many people think of when they are asked what’s made from stainless steel (SS)....
Future of heat treating of gears is similar to garage sale mentality
When and how does a heat treater determine whether to purchase new equipment or rebuild an old furnace?
Several years ago I participated in a...
Q&A with Bob Wells
What are some factors one should consider in cryogenic processing of gears?
First off, what is the size I need? Secondly, how do I want...
Tadashi Furuhara to be given IFHTSE medal at World Congress
IFHTSE Medal will be awarded to Prof. Tadashi Furuhara of Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan.
The citation reads: “For his life-time achievement in the physical...
Q&A with Dennis Beauchesne
When was vacuum carburizing introduced?
The process has been around since the 1960s. Vacuum carburizing enables more precise control of case depth and microstructure than...
Q&A with Matthias Pascher
What is your role at Buehler?
I am the product manager for our hardness testing equipment within Buehler.
Buehler is a global supplier of apparatus for...
QMULUS harnesses power of data to transform operations
In the rapidly evolving industrial landscape, efficiency, reliability, and adaptability are paramount. Industries ranging from manufacturing to energy production face the constant challenge of...
Important to consider carbide formation during simulation
Low pressure carburizing (LPC) processes are a popular choice in industry due to LPC’s reduced cycle time, lack of oxidation/decarburization at and near surface,...
Q&A with Eric Ford
What does Graphite Metallizing Corporation do for the heat-treat industry?
Graphite Metallizing Corporation makes a product called Graphalloy. It’s basically a graphite/metal alloy, that we...
The journey toward decarbonization
Decarbonization. Sustainability. Carbon neutral. These are definitely the latest buzz words flying around the industrial heating industry, and everywhere else for that matter. The...
Finding leaks in an atmosphere furnace
Visual inspection, routine preventative maintenance of atmosphere furnaces is critical to maintaining safety, efficiency
Characterizing equipment using simple modeling tools
Often, the terms “digital twins” or ICME (Integrated Computer Materials Engineering) are used when talking about computer modeling of actual parts or the behavior...
ECHT 2024 to focus on processes, tech for sustainable future
The ECHT 2024 Conference and the 50th Annual A3TS Congress will be together in Toulouse, France, June 5-7, 2024. The focus will be on...
Q&A with Roseanne Brunello
What do you and Mountain Rep do for the heat-treat industry?
Mountain Rep is a manufacturing rep firm that has been in business for 35...
Case Depth Determination
Methodology to ensure design intent is satisfied
Improving temperature uniformity during tempering
The final step in any steel heat-treatment quenching process which produces a martensitic microstructure is tempering. Martensite is a metastable phase and is extremely...
Materials Selection for Induction Hardening Processes
Induction hardening is the most common technique of the various types of applied energy processing. It uses alternating current that induces a magnetic field...
