Friday, October 19, 2012

Forging Die Modification

MagnaTech is currently conducting a Phase II research study with NAVAIR to improve the wear and corrosion resistance of hook points used to arrest the speed of Navy jets when they land on the decks of aircraft carriers. The thrust of this research is to scale up patent pending processes of high temperature nano carburizing and nitriding. Although the present research is designed to provide wear and corrosion resistent hook points, MagnaTech is persuing additional research to adapt the technology to other applications.
The Department of Energy, in conjunction with various industries, has drawn up road maps to assist them in research to help the industries to grow and become more competitive. One of these industries is the forging industry.
In their road map, one of the key items requiring investigation is the improvement in the life of expensive forging dies. Currently there is confusion as to what is the average life of a die, and also what can be done to improve die life. Since forging dies are subject to extremes in temperature, shock and abrasion, MagnaTech believes that this newly developed processes may assist greatly in the improvement in forging die life, without adding costly additional processing to the die. Simply by modifying current heat treating procedures, nano alloying and diffusing of carbon or nitrogen to the surfaces of these dies could result in extensive improvement to dies currently, or soon to be placed, into service. MagnaTech is searching for partners to explore use of the developed technology  for cost effective improvement of die life in individual applications of interest to interested companies seeking to develop their processing for their most troublesome dies, regarding life and performance.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

MagnaTech Returns to the Powder Metallurgy Industry

MagnaTech was established 27 years ago to develop processing and material development, mainly for magnetic applications. At that time metal injection molding development was a dream to many, and a good friend made the statement that parts would be made by this process when all other processes failed. Furthermore, he said, parts will never be larger than the size of a dime.
Today, not only has the development of parts made using metal injection molding grown into a fledgling industry, but the promise of improved properties resulting from the technology is becoming reality.
MagnaTech has evaluated some of the magnetic parts made using this technology and we have not been too impressed. However, MagnaTech has just begun working with a new customer who intends to use metal injection molding technology to fabricate some of its parts. MagnaTech has just received the first set of these parts for evaluation. Actually, they are not the parts themselves, but metal injection molded rings that received identical processing as the parts. Prior to this shipment of rings, the rings that have been evaluated were distorted and discolored. Rings of this nature are always suspect because the discoloration suggests impurities and the distortion suggests stress. Both are detrimental to obtaining the magnetic properties required for the application. However, the rings just received are shiny and are not distorted. MagnaTech therefore looks forward to evaluation of these rings and a long term relationship with our new customer.