United States Steel Corp. and CarbonFree Chemicals Holdings signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to jointly pursue the capture of CO₂ emissions generated from U.S. Steel’s Gary Works manufacturing plant using CarbonFree’s SkyCycle technology. If a definitive agreement is reached, the project is expected to capture and mineralize up to 50,000 metric tons of CO₂ per year, the equivalent of carbon emissions from nearly 11,000 passenger cars. Patented SkyCycle technology captures carbon emissions from hard-to-abate industrial sources before entering the atmosphere, converts the CO₂ into the specialty chemical precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) and produces hydrochloric acid as a co-product.

A U.S.-based international manufacturer of diversified mill products for a range of industries ordered a vertical vacuum furnace from SECO/VACUUM to increase its production capacity and upgrade its productivity. The new furnace will allow the company to heat treat larger parts, at higher quantities per cycle, than its existing furnace – all with improved quality control and reliability. The bottom-loading vacuum furnace with 6-bar nitrogen gas quench is 60 inches in diameter and 72 inches tall with a 3-ton-capacity work zone. This provides enough room to treat three of the company’s largest dies at once compared to only two per cycle with the old furnace.

Solar Atmospheres of California (SCA) successfully installed a 14-foot-long car-bottom air furnace with a total load capacity of up to 30,000 pounds. The furnace was surveyed in accordance with AMS 2750 and is uniform within ±10°F (Class 2). It has a work zone 60 inches square x 168 inches long and a maximum operating temperature of 1450°F (788°C). This furnace accommodates tempering of large tool-steel components; age hardening of 15-5 PH, 17-4 PH, 13-8PH and nickel-based alloys; and annealing of titanium forgings.

William Disler, president and CEO at AFC-Holcroft, is stepping down from the company effective March 30, 2023. As part of the departure news, the company also announced Tracy Dougherty and Ronald Waligora will share senior leadership responsibility for leading the company. Dougherty, formerly vice president of sales, has been named Chief Operating Officer for Sales, Applications, Marketing and Aftermarket Sales. Waligora, formerly senior engineering manager, has been named Chief Operating Officer for Project Management, Engineering, Manufacturing and Field Services.

The former Ipsen Ceramics’ facility in Pecatonica, Ill., is being repurposed for vacuum furnace hot-zone assembly. The plant is currently undergoing major refurbishments, including new lighting, HVAC, roofing, and other interior and exterior upgrades. The factory is less than 30 miles from Ipsen’s Vacuum Technology Excellence Center in Cherry Valley and will initially employ up to eight material assemblers. Incorporating the Pecatonica location into Ipsen’s vacuum furnace production and aftermarket process will provide added benefits to customers. In the future, Ipsen is considering other manufacturing activities in Pecatonica to supplement the needs of the Vacuum Technology Excellence Center.

SECO/WARWICK received an order from a China-based manufacturer of circuit breakers for three vacuum furnaces to be used metal heat treatment. The furnaces ensure a very high vacuum level and temperature uniformity within the entire load. The vacuum level in the furnace is maintained by vacuum pumps. Depending on the application, a single pump or a combination of mechanical, diffusion and/or turbomolecular pumps are used. The turbomolecular pump used in this application features high degassing velocity in the particle flow area and a high compression ratio. It also uses less energy than diffusion pumps.

Aalberts surface technologies – HIP|braze|heat treatment announced a significant expansion of its austempering capabilities and capacity in Canton, Ohio, and Ft. Smith, Ark. Three atmosphere-to-salt furnaces will be added at the existing facility in Canton. This expands the number of austempering locations in Aalberts surface technologies’ U.S. footprint to four. Infrastructure will be engineered at Canton to allow for up to six austempering furnaces in the future. The expansion in Canton will allow Aalberts to better serve customers located in the eastern U.S. The austempering and marquenching equipment is scheduled to start up in the fourth quarter of 2023. In response to growing demand in the region, additional capacity will also be added at the Ft. Smith plant. One furnace is scheduled to be installed in the third quarter of 2023, and another is planned for the fourth quarter of 2024.

Between May and December 2023, Nutec Bickley will manufacture and install five completely new furnaces for a U.S. manufacturer of high-quality alloy-steel and carbon-steel closed-die forgings. On-site work will be completed by Nutec Bickley one furnace at a time so that no more than one furnace will be out of operation in any given month to help the forging company keep its production schedules on track. The contract involves five lift-up furnaces: two for tempering and three for austenitizing. Each furnace will be fitted with a comprehensively modernized combustion system, control systems, complete fiber flues, and an exhaust and pressure control system. Operational temperature ranges will be 900-1950°F (480-1065°C) for the austenitizing furnaces and 840-1600°F (450-1065°C) for the tempering furnaces.

Wisconsin Oven Corp. designed, built and shipped an electrically heated conveyor oven with forced air cool-down to an automotive manufacturer. The oven will be used for tempering automotive parts and features a chain-style conveyor system with vertical pins. It has a maximum temperature rating of 500°F (260°C) and interior chamber dimensions of 3 feet, 6 inches wide x 20 feet, 10 inches long x 9 inches high. Guaranteed temperature uniformity of ±2.5°C at 163°C was documented with a temperature uniformity test. The recirculation system is designed with a top-down, bottom-up airflow configuration.

Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI), a North American steel producer and metals recycler, placed an order with SMS group for the supply of an aluminum flat-rolling mill for Aluminum Dynamics LLC, a joint venture of SDI to be built in Columbus, Miss. SMS will supply the integrated hot- and cold-rolling complex for a production capacity of 650,000 metric tons of aluminum strip per year, mainly for applications in the automotive and sustainable beverage packaging markets. SMS group’s main order scope includes the hot-strip mill, two tandem cold mills, a single-stand cold-rolling mill and two high-bay storage systems. The facility is expected to start production in the first half of 2025.