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.

MagnaTech Gains Sole Ownership of Phosphorus Iron Alloy Patent

In 2003 MagnaTech and Procedyne  were awarded a Patent that nanoalloyed phosphorus with iron powder to formulate the  popular 45P and 80P powders that are used in advanced designs of fractional horsepower motors. The modern car today contains close to 100 of these motors for many electrical requirements, such as window wipers, sensors and rotor or stator segments. Procedyne recently decided that renewal of this patent was not in their interest because they have other opportunities to pursue. MagnaTech therefore has just paid the maintenance fees and now maintains sole ownership of the patent. MagnaTech is currently exploring further opportunities for development of this technology because there is a problem with excess phosphorus in waste water. Therefore MagnaTech is exploring ways to alleviate the problem of contamination of our fresh water supply and the restoration of the environment. MagnaTech welcomes partners that may wish to contribute to this venture. Contact Ken Moyer at moyer@snip.net for additional information.

Magnatech Submits Proposal for A Phase II NAVAIR SBIR

Hi: It was just two short weeks ago that we received an e mail giving us the opportunity to provide a Second Phase proposal to continue the work that we have pioneered to carburize surfaces of martensitic stainless steels.  We have demonstrate  that we can carburize a surface to a depth of 1 mm and a hardness of greater than 58 HRC in less than half the time required for an equivalent depth  by conventional carburizing. MagnaTech has already applied for a patent to protect the technology that was developed. If the Navy accepts the proposal MagnaTech will continue their effort to improve the process and to scale up the process for application to surfaces of Navy components such as tailhook shoes and helicopter gearing for advanced aircraft. The immediate objective is to improve the wear resistance of the tailhook shoe without sacrifice of corrosion resistance. If Magnatech is successful in being awarded patent protection and successful in being awarded a Phase II SBIR contract, upon the completion of the two year effort, MagnaTech would establish a production heat treat shop to carburize or nitride first Navy parts, then those required by the Department of Defense and the commercial sector. In addition, MagnaTech would consider selective licensing of the technology. Any interested parties should contact Ken Moyer at moyer@snip.net or call 856-786-9061. Now that MagnaTech may have established this line of research, MagnaTech is concentrating on developing technology that will improve the environment by converting  sewer water to valuable product. Again Ken Moyer is interested in talking with interested partners regarding this technology.

Good News At Magnatech

Magnatech has just been advised by NAVAIR that they may proceed to write a proposal to petition for a Phase II SBIR award. If accepted Magnatech will receive an award of $750,000 for two years to scale up and commercialize a process to carburize stainless and low alloy steel tailhooks. Magnatech has already applied for patent rights to the technology that has been developed. The process developed will provide a carburized surface of a given hardness for a given depth in less than half the time that is required by those using presently developed carburizing processes. Magnatech is currently contacting interested parties that require surfaces that require wear resistance regarding the usage of the newly developed technology.

MagnaTech Applies for Second Patent

MagnaTech recently completed two Navy contracts. These contracts were to improve the wear and corrosion resistance of tail hook components. One of the contracts involved development of a carburization process to improve the wear resistance to scuffing and gouging of these components while maintaining corrosion resistance. The alloy carburized was Pyroware 675. The feature of the development was that higher carburizing temperatures were used that are not considered practical because grain growth may result.  The MagnaTech process permits deposition of carbon on the surface at higher concentration, and owing to the higher deposition temperature, diffusion to a required depth of hardness occurs in less than half the time required of traditional processes. The process is also cleaner and more friendly to the environment.

MagnaTech shortly will file a second patent regarding a new alloy that they developed to satisfy the same requirements. The alloy developed is a powder metallurgy powder, water or gas atomized using conventional equipment. The atomized powder  is then nitrogen alloyed to produce alloys containing as much as 0.8 % nitrogen. The nitrogen is alloyed within either a vacuum furnace, using a partial pressure of nitrogen, or in a fluid bed. After consolidation into a part of net shape, the nitrogen alloyed part may be further carburized or nitrided to harden the surface to a specified hardness for a specified depth of hardness. A further feature of the process is that instead of nitrogen alloying the powder, conventional martensitic stainless steels may be carburized or nitrided in similar fashion. In many cases, through hardening to specified hardness may be accomplished owing to the deposition concentration and the diffusion that occurs from carburizing or nitriding at the higher temperatures.

MagnaTech now wishes to proceed to exploit the developments described briefly above. For more detailed information regarding the practice of these innovations please contact moyer@snip.net.

Revisiting the Iron Phosphorus Alloys

MagnaTech has recently learned of a new possible way of economically creating sintered iron phosphorus alloys. These alloys are currently used where higher strength is required, compared with traditional iron-carbon, and iron-copper-carbon sintered powder parts. In addition, the iron phosphorus alloys have improved resistivity for AC magnetic applications. Also, when sintered properly, these alloys exhibit higher permeability and lower coercive force than most soft magnetic alloys. MagnTech would like to discuss the research that they intend to propose in December to interested parts fabricators that wish to improve their sintered parts at reduced material costs. Interested parties may contact Mr. Moyer at moyer@snip.net.