When you think of all the ways to join metals, friction stir welding probably isn’t the first concept that pops into your head. This is especially true if you use powder metallurgy.

In 1968, a prominent heat treater in Oakland, Calif., joined forces with a local brazing company. The companies wanted to do both heat treating and brazing in one shop. The combo proved to be a great idea.

This article is a Q & A with Rune Strand regarding ExpaniteHard-Ti. Strand is project manager and material scientist at Expanite A/S, and he holds an MSc in material science and manufacturing. He has spent most of his career in the field of surface hardening and heat treatment of stainless steel.

Stainless steel is considered the material of choice in applications where corrosion resistance is of utmost importance.

We continue our discussion of the heat treatment of fasteners.

The need for lighter and safer vehicles increases the demand for stronger steels in automotive bodies. Aerospace components have many of the same demands but on a more rigidly controlled level with a wider variety of materials.