Quintus Technologies received an order from Piper Aircraft, an aircraft manufacturer, to provide a high-pressure hydroform fluid cell press for its facility in Vero Beach, Fla. The press generates a press force of 35,000 metric tons across the entire forming area of 39 x 118 inches (1,000 x 3,000 mm). It includes user-friendly features such as equipment serviceability, remote system control and a high degree of self-diagnostics. The installation will allow Piper to redirect component production from a 40-year-old ASEA press. The large forming area and advanced controls give the new press the ability to produce up to 1,000,000 formed sheet-metal parts per year.

Andritz received an order from Zouping Hongfa Aluminium Science Technology Co. Ltd., part of Weiqiao Aluminum Group, to supply one melting and holding furnace cell for its plant in Shandong Province, China. Start-up is scheduled for the first quarter of 2022. The furnace cell will include two 115-ton round-top melters and two 125-ton tilting holders. Andritz’s scope of supply includes engineering, manufacturing, commissioning, start-up and follow-up services. According to Andritz, the two melters are the largest ever supplied to China.

Tenova has been contracted by Guangdong Nanfang Donghai Iron & Steel Co. Ltd. to supply two electric-arc furnaces (EAFs) and Consteel Evolution plants equipped with Consteerrer technology for its melt shop in Guandong Province, China. Tenova’s EAF Consteel Evolution will allow the steelmaker to reduce pollution and CO₂ emissions while improving productivity. Consteerrer technology, which was jointly developed with ABB, is an electromagnetic stirring system that will provide more reliable and safer operations, higher steel quality and more precise logistics. It can be customized to match the needs of different EAF process steps.

Recently, however, aerospace manufacturers are researching the options of producing thermoplastic composites in an out-of-autoclave press consolidation technique because it reduces the production cycle from 4-7 hours to 10-30 minutes for small and mid-size parts.

Nucor Corp. broke ground on its 400-job, $1.7 billion steel-plate manufacturing mill in Meade County, Ky. The project is expected to employ up to 1,500 contractors during construction. Located along the Ohio River in Brandenburg, the 1.5-million-square-foot operation will provide Nucor with 1.2 million tons of annual capacity for steel-plate production. Full-time jobs will include equipment operators, production specialists, safety and environmental technicians, engineers and office support staff. The mill is scheduled to open in 2022.

U.S. Steel announced the successful start-up of its newly constructed, technologically advanced electric-arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking facility at its operations in Fairfield, Ala. The EAF, which will have an annual steelmaking capacity of 1.6 million tons, is the latest milestone providing customer value through the company’s “Best of Both” integrated and mini-mill technology strategy. In the start-up process, Fairfield EAF #1 commenced its first arc, charged and melted steel scrap and tapped its first heat of liquid steel on October 20.

The global aluminum company formerly known as Braidy Industries announced a new name. Introduced as Unity Aluminum, the Ashland, Ky.-based company will continue to play a leading role in the aluminum industry by addressing a substantial global aluminum shortage impacting American jobs and economic growth. The new name signifies the company’s steadfast commitment to its customers, innovative technologies and local community in Ashland. Unity Aluminum has accelerated its plans to build the world’s most technologically advanced aluminum rolling mill. It is currently working to finalize fundraising and begin construction.

Tenova started up what it says is the most productive electric-arc furnace (EAF) in history at Acciaieria Arvedi in Cremona, Italy, in September 2020. The Consteel EAF replaced an existing Consteel furnace that was originally installed in 2008. It has a tapping size of 300 metric tons and is designed to reach a power-on time of 37 minutes with a charge mix including up to 30% HBI or other scrap substitutes. The EAF has a 9.1-meter-diameter shell and is continuously fed by a 4-meter-wide slip-stick conveyor. It is also equipped with a state-of-the art automation package.

Industrial Heating, during a Q&A session at FNA 2020, announced that it will support the Reshoring Initiative with a $2,500 sponsorship. The mission of the Reshoring Initiative is to bring good, well-paying manufacturing jobs back to the United States by assisting companies to more accurately assess their total cost of offshoring and to shift collective thinking from offshoring is cheaper to local reduces the total cost of ownership. As part of this new relationship, the Reshoring Initiative will provide Industrial Heating with editorial content throughout 2021.

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. entered into a definitive agreement with ArcelorMittal S.A. pursuant to which Cleveland-Cliffs will acquire substantially all of the operations of ArcelorMittal USA LLC and its subsidiaries for approximately $1.4 billion. Upon closure of the transaction, Cleveland-Cliffs will be the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America, with combined shipments of approximately 17 million net tons in 2019. The company will also be the largest iron-ore pellet producer in North America, with 28 million long tons of annual capacity. The assets acquired include six steelmaking facilities (Indiana Harbor, Burns Harbor, Cleveland, Coatesville, Steelton and Riverdale), eight finishing facilities, two iron-ore mining and pelletizing operations, and three coal and cokemaking operations.