Wednesday, November 24, 2010

MagnaTech Is Awarded Phase I SBIR Option

On 15 November 2010 MagnaTech was advised that they had been granted a Phase I Option to continue work that they had completed in August to develop a carburization process to protect martensitic stainless steels against wear and corrosion under adverse operating environments. A Phase I Option provides funding for an additional six months of research extending the concept developed during the prior six month Phase I program. This work demonstrated that improved surface protection against wear and corrosion was possible by carburizing Pyroware 675 in less than half the time required in conventional processing. The surface of the stainless steel was improved without any sacrifice in the mechanical properties required of the alloy. The new six month extension of the work includes a continuation of the carburizing cycle that was developed and will also include developing a sister nitriding process to determine which process, carburizing or nitriding will provide the best surface protection at the lowest cost. The program is for a six month period. The Phase I Option is normally a prelude to a Phase II contract that extends the contract for two additional years of development designed to demonstrate the practicality of the technology developed for commercial application. At the end of the two year program, a plan to commercialize the technology is enacted. MagnaTech has applied for patent protection of both the carburization and the nitriding process that has been developed.

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