HP Inc. opened its 3D Printing and Digital Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Barcelona, Spain. The facility brings together hundreds of additive-manufacturing experts in more than 150,000 square feet of space and is dedicated to the development of HP’s industrial 3D-printing portfolio. It integrates flexible and interactive layouts, co-development environments and fleets of HP metals and plastics 3D production systems to drive rapid and agile product development. Companies such as BASF, GKN Metallurgy, Siemens, Volkswagen and others across the automotive, industrial and healthcare markets will collaborate with HP on new 3D-printing and digital-manufacturing innovations at the Center.

Dave Strand was hired by Wisconsin Oven Corp. as a shop worker in 1986. In 2019, he retires as president and CEO of Thermal Product Solutions, the parent company of Wisconsin Oven. Strand dedicated 33 years to the continued growth of Wisconsin Oven, and his presence will be greatly missed by employees, customers and community partners.

Fives received an order from Baosteel, the largest automotive steel producer in China, to supply the complete thermal portion for a continuous annealing line (CAL) with a production capacity of 630,000 tons per year. The CAL, which aims to produce both standard steel grades and advanced high-strength steels, includes a Stein Digiflex furnace and Celes induction heaters. The first coil is scheduled to be produced by the end of 2021.

L&L Special Furnace Co. Inc. shipped and installed a box retort furnace to a manufacturer of aerospace components located in the southern U.S. The furnace will be used to debinder ceramic-matrix-composite (CMC) parts. The main function of the furnace is to remove all organics and other materials used in the product prior to placing it in a high-fire vacuum chamber. This debindering process allows for a finished product that is not only very strong but also lightweight.

ParkOhio completed the previously announced acquisition of Erie Press Systems (formally EFCO Inc.) of Erie, Pa. Erie Press manufactures advanced forging presses, hydraulic and mechanical presses, and metal stretch-forming and carbon extrusion machines for end markets including aerospace and defense, primary metals and high-speed rail.

Liberty Steel, part of the global GFG Alliance, acquired Johnstown Wire Technologies (JWT) of Johnstown, Pa., the largest producer of value-added carbon and alloy wire in North America. The acquisition gives Liberty valuable capacity to manufacture a range of high-value carbon and alloy wire products for multiple end markets, including the automotive industry. The 638,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility in Johnstown will complement Liberty’s melting and rolling operations in Georgetown, S.C., and Peoria, Ill.

Retech Systems, a subsidiary of SECO/WARWICK Group, supplied two vacuum induction melting (VIM) systems to Siemens Power and Gas division. The VIM systems will play a key role in the casting of components such as turbine blades and vanes for the power-generation industry. One VIM directional solidification/single crystal/equiax pitless (VIM DS/SC/EQ) combination casting furnace and one VIM directional solidification/single crystal (DS/SC) casting furnace were installed.

Protolabs launched production capabilities for its metal 3D-printing service. The new capabilities use secondary processes to improve the strength, dimensional accuracy and cosmetic appearance of metal parts. Protolabs uses direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) technology, which is ISO 9001- and AS9100D-certified, to 3D print metal production parts. Once parts are built, several secondary options like post-process machining and heat treatments are possible, and quality-control measures like powder analysis, material traceability and process validation are taken.

Industrial Heating, in cooperation with the Metal Treating Institute and the MTI Educational Foundation, invite you to nominate an MTI member company for the 2019 Commercial Heat Treater of the Year award. You can nominate any company you feel is qualified – including your own if you are a commercial heat treater. This honor will be given to one MTI commercial heat treater that demonstrates they are “making a positive impact on their community and their industry.”

Solar Atmospheres of Western PA installed a 14-foot-long car-bottom air furnace that was surveyed in accordance with AMS2750 Rev E and is uniform within ±10°F (Class 2). With a work zone measuring 60 inches wide x 54 inches high x 168 inches long, the furnace will be capable of handling workloads up to 30,000 pounds. A maximum operating temperature of 1400°F allows the furnace to accommodate the tempering of large tool-steel components and the age-hardening processes of nickel-based alloys and precipitation-hardenable stainless steels.