Additive Manufacturing

Hi: Time really flies. Have wanted to write a new addition for some time now, but those round to its always seem to pop up. Usually it is because there is a deadline to meet and as usual, ten other things need attention. On the other hand, I always am looking for something new to write about. However, at present, the game in town still appears to  be advanced manufacturing. This technology is not new, being a NASA tool for making objects for space, way back in the 90s. Obviously expense was no problem because they just couldn't find a different way.
Currently, in its wisdom, government has invented a new word called commercialization. What this means is that the government has put out a large outlay of funds for research and now they believe that it is fair to get a return on their investment. Therefore, this expensive technology developed by NASA so many years ago becomes today's commercial reality.There are several factors that make this more practical for consideration. One is the cost of materials. Everyone knows that things cost more today and when they are not readily available, the greater the cost.
Unfortunately most things start out as a solid bar which is forged, extruded or machined, or in some way made into a desired shape, say a gear. To do this, material is removed. If this material is, say a superalloy, the material is expensive, and as much as 80% can be removed as scrap chip. In addition, to make the desired shape, skilled labor is required to satisfy exacting dimensional control to permit the part to function in service and to mate with other parts. I think you can start to understand where I am going in relation to cost.
In addition, there is the matter of time involved. Quite often to just get the material to shape to size can require months. On top of this, in many cases, either one or a few items are required, which in turn adds to cost. Therefore an opening to drive this technology to commercial reality.
This now introduces a complete new industry entitled Advanced Manufacturing. The title covers a myriad of things, but in its most practical sense it requires an exact three dimensional drawing of the object to be made. This can be rapidly produced using a computer and programs developed to create the desired shape. Once the desired object is created, it is then a small matter to make the shape exactly to the size, and very close with little finishing, to the desired dimensions without one chip of scrap being generated. This is accomplished by creating a platform to contain a small layer of powder distributed and raked to a certain height. Once the powder is distributed, normally either a laser or an electron beam traverses the layer of powder, melting the incremental area designated by the three dimensional model. The only powder that is melted is the area that the laser or electron beam traverses. Therefore blind holes can be made, large pockets of undesirable material eliminated, and a desired shape, no matter how complicated be made without creating one machined chip. Once the desired increment of thickness has been formed and melted, another layer of powder is raked over the layer just shaped, again computer driven to form the next small increment of the part, built on top of the layer just created. This process is repeated until the part is built to the exact design of the desired part. Then, with minor finishing the part is ready for service.
The process has now been found to be useful for making parts like prototypes for creating dies for casting, forging and powder metallurgy molding, as well as first-kind products. If the part is not exactly to what is desired, the part is discarded, adjustments made to the three dimensional model, and again a first-kind part is produced in a matter of days, rather than months. Furthermore, a large facility may not be required to make the parts, but a part may become defective and using the technology described either repaired or made in the field, putting the equipment back into service quickly.
Although dormant all these years, this technology is now rapidly being accepted as being an economical process to produce a few parts quickly, in a few days, rather than months. It also is beginning to be understood as a way to quickly repair or create new parts for equipment that is as much as 50 years old and considered as obsolete and parts for replacement unavailable. Technology does move on. 

Corrosion- A Problem

Today, with the economy being what it is and few dollars being spent on research, one wonders where growth is occurring. Everything seems to be at a standstill waiting for Washington to do something. It used to be that Defense drove the country and the research dollars spun off for the benefit of all. Today, cyber technology and robotics seem to be where the action is. The big action in materials research remains as advanced manufacturing.
However, there are still mundane things to consider. One area still costing the world billions of dollars in losses is corrosion. This covers a wide area. One need only look at autos after a good snowy winter, when tons of salt have been put on roads. If you live in areas such as Buffalo, New York, you can expect to see large areas where the salt has corroded the fenders and the body of automobiles.
If you live at the shore, not only are autos the problem, but also aluminum window frames succumb to what is known as pitting corrosion.
I could continue, but I would like to center in on high temperature corrosion. In this case we have equipment that we would like to run at higher and higher temperatures in corrosive atmospheres. Currently nickel base superalloys are the workhorse materials for these applications, such as jet engines. We have just explored Mars and experienced a fly-by of Pluto. There is less and less space on earth, and earth is becoming a more dangerous place to live. Perhaps we are ready to establish a new frontier, such as the moon for starters. To do that we need alloys thaat surpass the performance of superalloys. What alloys will be developed?
What I am saying is that there is a vast area that is important to our every day living and to our future that is currently being ignored, or so it seems. Recently we have an opportunity to use our technology to resolve one of these problems. Originally the technology was developed to provide wear resistance to components subjected to movement and shock. We are now discovering that the technology just might solve some corrosion problems as well. MagnaTech hopes to enjoy the opportunity to resolve one of these problems. Perhaps you too may have a similar type problem. MagnaTech would be delighted to assist you in the resolution of this problem.

Memorial Day

It is hard to believe that MagnaTech P/M Labs has been in business for 30 years. MagnaTech started as a partnership with a company known as Windfall Products, located in St. Marys, Pennsylvania. This relationship lasted for five years, at which point Windfall was requested by General Motors to install their own laboratory and in-house metallurgist. Since then, MagnaTech has been owned and operated by Ken Moyer. During this time MagnaTech has cooperated with a large number of commercial customers to upgrade and to introduce new products. MagnaTech's most recent accomplishment was completion of a Phase II SBIR contract with the Navy to provide improved wear, corrosion, impact and fatigue resistance for hook points.
Current interests of MagnaTech include advanced manufacturing and efforts to bring new products to market that will eliminate the expensive material waste and  labor to reduce a solid billet to a part of a specified geometry. Often as little as 15 % of the material may remain after the billet has been reduced to final desired geometry. In addition,  labor cost to accomplish this reduction to size may be extremely expensive. Often processing of the material can contribute to both damage to the environment and also to the welfare and health of the workers  necessary to produce the final part. Advanced manufacturing offers the promise of reducing if not eliminating these troublesome problems . Advanced manufacturing, using either a laser or an electron beam for energy, with the assistance of a three dimensional computer design, can construct a part to size with little waste of material and reduced human labor, in a safe non-hazardous environment. The catch is that the initial cost of equipment is of the order of a million dollars. With time and demand this initial cost should be reduced to a more reasonable price range.
One area of interest that could be satisfied using this new technology is aircraft. Currently, progress is limited by the capability of present day superalloys. These alloys are expensive, and they are at their limit of capability. There are always solutions however, most at cost for material for advantage provided. Most obvious solutions require heavy, expensive, scarce refractory metals. These are unacceptable at a time where we are looking more and more for dollar value and increased return on investment. MagnaTech believes that we have solutions that will inexpensively produce improved superalloys  to deliver increased payloads faster in advanced aircraft design.
MagnaTech is a veteran owned company, totally devoted to research and consulting with our own arrangement of supporting laboratories. Should you be interested in this kind of research, MagnaTech would be delighted to work with you to resolve your problems.

Is Aluminum In Our Future

MagnaTech is currently working to develop a system of aluminum alloys for one of its customers. Aluminum powders have been available for some time now, but  the application for their use has not progressed. Both ASTM and MPIF have specifications that define mechanical properties of both 2014 and 6061 alloy sintered parts. However the difficulty in reducing the stable oxide and the limited possibilities for alloying to improve strength and retain ductility are limited. Other possibilities for consolidation to improve sintered density are cost prohibitive.
However, improvements in alloy technology have increased interest, particularily in the automotive industry where weight reduction to improve fuel economy and emissions control are driving factors.Current usage includes marine transport, hand tools and office machinery.
In the automotive industry, the major application is the cam shaft bearing cap.Additional potential applications include connecting rods and oil pump gerotors for automatic transmissions.
MagnaTech is proud to share a small part in this research that may have impact on future materials. MagnaTech has  experience in alloy development, especially developing powders for emerging applications. Therefore MagnaTech has interest in the development of advanced materials for turbine applications as well and has proposed work for development in that area as well..

Welcome 2015

 Well, 2014 is just about finished. It was a transition year for MagnaTech P/M Labs. In January we successfully completed our Phase II SBIR contract to develop a process to modify the surfaces of low alloy, ferritic and martensitic stainless steels to improve wear, corrosion, fatigue and toughness. Unfortunately we were not favored with a Phase 2.5 contract to go to the next step to qualify the technology. However, the Navy wishes that the technology be commercialized. One of the steps to achieve this goal is application and award of patents. We now have received five patents protecting the technology that was developed. In addition, MagnaTech has five years of SBIR rights protection after the contract is completed.
As an additional step to assist in commercialization, the Navy provided the services of Dawnbreaker to prepare MagnaTech for a Navy sponsored two-and-a-half-day exhibition showing the technology to top Navy personnel and Prime Contractors for the Navy. In addition, we were alloted a twenty minute slot to present the technology to a select audience. From these activities MagnaTech made two contacts that are starting to appear as strong potential for additional development for the Navy next year. Not only will our patented technology be required for this work, but also new laser melting technology will be necessary. Therefore, MagnaTech expects to be busy pursuing this opportunity in early 2015.
In addition, MagnaTech has also been active in attempting to establish licensing or a partnership to commercialize the patented technology. MagnaTech has made presentations to several companies that could benefit from the technology. MagnaTech continues to work with SCORE to develop additional strength in developing this kind of relationship. MagnaTech realizes that our strength resides in research and development, and that is where we wish to use our time. However, we are looking for opportunities for furnace manufacturers, heat treaters or powder metal fabricators either to license or co-operate to form a company that will introduce the technology to the market place for financial gain to the partner or licensee as well as MagnaTech.
With this, MagnaTech wishes all of our customers, friends and supporters a very prosperous New Year.

Fall Beginnings

Well, here it is Labor Day and the beginning of Fall. Vacations are mostly gone and it is time to review how best to close this year and start freshly with a new year. Don't get me wrong because there are still four productive months this year. The question is, for many of us, where are we going? MagnaTech has been in business for 29 years. It has been an exciting time with plenty of research that was needed to make life better for all. Now we are into the age of miniaturization, robots, drones, electronic devices, and we appear to be running faster and faster with no direction in mind. MagnaTech has specialized in materials development and processing. When we started up, there was a need for better ferritic stainless steels. MagnaTech led the way in development of these alloys from powder metallurgy processing to produce injectors and sensors for the automotive industry. MagnaTech continued with assisting other powder producers to develop processes to make ferrophosphorus powders for developing magnetic applications. MagnaTech then saw a need for improved properties of soft magnetic alloys. We developed high temperature atmosphere sintering to improve structure sensitive magnetic properties through larger grained higher purity parts. This activity led us to assisting others to develop processes to improve corrosion and wear resistance of surfaces of parts. This occurred from development of technology of partial pressure vacuum processing. Through this technology we then improved on the processing by developing carburizing and nitriding processes that provided improved wear, impact and corrosion resistance of surfaces of ferrous materials. These developments resulted from NAVAIR contracts that were awarded for improvement of these properties for advanced hook points for aircraft landings. MagnaTech has been awarded five patents as a result of these efforts. So what does the future hold? MagnaTech specializes in research and development. The government would like to commercialize what has been developed on taxpayers' money. We are in the process of exploring ways of doing this. MagnaTech does not wish to enter into manufacturing, but we are exploring ways in which we could develop a relationship with other companies that will permit them to use the technology developed, while permitting MagnaTech to continue exploration of ideas to continue the development of the technology, while capitalizing on what is ready for production. MagnaTech expects that much of our activity during the last quarter of this year will be expended in attempting to establish relationships in this area.

August Issue

Well my dog is shedding like crazy and so get ready for a scorching August. For MagnaTech it is always a hot and an opportune time. It is tough to contact people and to get things done, yet life moves right along at its own pace.MagnaTech has five patents and one pending, mostly aimed at improving surfaces of steels for improved wear and corrosion resistance. In June MagnaTech participated at a Navy forum. This forum generated many leads from Navy branches regarding this technology. Among these were leads for restoration of worn parts. MagnaTech is offering proposals to use our technology coupled with advanced manufacturing to restore these surfaces for renewed use of expensive parts. MagnaTech has also been talking with various sources to partner the technology to the next level or production. In addition, although it has been stated that there is water, water, everywhere, this is not really the truth. Many regions are arid; some do not have the facilities, and yet others may be in trouble from overpopulation.I guess the first thought is of how do you gain water where there is none, and that began with our manned space flights. It was then that novel ideas were studied to maintain the self preservation and comfort of the astronauts. Since then, many communities have encountered threat to our groundwater supply. This, in many locations, result from hot weather when we fertilize our lawns with phosphates, and in the winter, when salt is used to permit safe driving conditions. Other areas where fresh water supply is endangered include waste water from the reclamation of oil from oil sands. Still others include arid regions that are adjacent to seawater. New techniques are needed to recover both energy and waste product from these sources. MagnaTech has ideas on how to resolve some of these problems, and intends to participate in some of the required research to resolve these pressing problems. Last there is the excitement of advanced technology processes that are just beginning to be explored. MagnaTech will be a participant in this area as well. MagnaTech therefore is actively seeking companies that are forward thinking to co-operate with to participate in these new avenues of interest, where solutions of current problems are mandatory. Please contact us if you believe that we have something to contribute to your program.