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Boring Made Interesting

August 2, 2011
A local tunneling project to extend a subway line created interest in the large Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) being used. Just how does this 23-foot-diameter machine with a length of 200 feet and a weight of 1.2 million pounds cut 35 feet of tunnel every day? And how does thermal processing play a role?
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Artificial Joints - A Hot Topic

June 29, 2011
The aging of the largest segment of our population (the boomers) will surely increase the number of joint failures. When joints fail, the solution is often to replace the problem area with an artificial joint. Before that can happen, however, a number of thermal processes must take place because most of these replacement joints are made from a cast metallic alloy.
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Metal failure due to brittle steel played a large part in the sinking of the Titanic
History of Industrial Heating

The Titanic - A Study in Metal Failure

Why did the Titanic’s hull fail?
May 31, 2011
The story of the Titanic is a tragic tale of life lost. We have long been intrigued with the reasons why this catastrophe occurred.
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Blacksmithing involves working with the tools and techniques utilized for many centuries
History of Industrial Heating

History of Blacksmithing

Who were the first blacksmiths?
April 27, 2011
Who has a more personal connection to high-temperature metals processing than the blacksmith? Do you think blacksmiths no longer exist? Think again. This field is experiencing a bit of a resurgence as people look for a craft with an artistic component that can provide a usable product for those who are looking for something out of the ordinary.
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Principles of Gas Nitriding

Daniel Herring
Daniel H. Herring
March 31, 2011
Nitrogen is a case-hardening process in which nitrogen is introduced into the surface of a ferrous alloy such as steel by holding the metal at a temperature below that at which the crystal structure begins to transform to austenite on heating as defined by the Iron-Carbon Phase Diagram.
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The lower door hinge of a refrigerator is one of the components to rely on thermal treatment for proper functioning
History of Industrial Heating

Keeping it Cool with Heat Treatment

How can heat treatment keep things cool?
March 29, 2011
What could be more common than the household refrigerator? It is the most-used appliance in America with more than 99.5% of homes having one. How did this come about, and what does heat treatment have to do with cooling things?
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