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ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES • APRIL 2014 16
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industry
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ROFIN-SINAR Technologies Inc.
(ROFIN), Plymouth, Mich., acquired
FiLaser USA LLC (FiLaser),
Portland, Ore. ROFIN manufactures
lasers and laser-based systems for
industrial material processing
applications. Products range from
single laser beam sources to
complex systems, covering
technologies such as CO2 , fiber,
solid state, and diode lasers, and
the entire power spectrum from
single-digit watts up to multi-
kilowatts. FiLaser develops
advanced laser process
technology for precision cutting
and drilling brittle materials
including glass, sapphire, and
semiconductor substrates with
applications in the touch panel,
LCD, cell phone display, LED, and
semiconductor markets.
, .
The ThyssenKrupp Steel USA
rolling and coating plant in Calvert,
Ala., was sold to a consortium of
ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel &
Sumitomo Metal Corp. Upon
closing, ThyssenKrupp received a
purchase price of $1.55 billion
from the consortium.
,
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A faculty team at the South
Dakota School of Mines &
Technology, Rapid City, received
nearly $1 million in funding from
the U.S. Dept. of Defense – Army
Research Lab through a sub-
award from the University of
Alabama. Focusing on novel
extraction technologies for rare
earth ores, the research will use a
multidisciplinary approach to
develop new leaching and
concentration techniques and
strategies for recovery of rare
earth metals. .
Conference highlights thermal process modeling
ASM International’s Heat Treating Society, Materials Park, Ohio, will cosponsor the
5th International Conference on Thermal Process Modeling and Computer Simulation
(ICTPCS), taking place June 16-18 in Orlando, Fla. The other conference cosponsor is the
International Federation for Heat Treating
and Surface Engineering (IFHTSE). Addi-
tional industrial sponsors include Bodycote
and the Computational Materials Data Net-
work. The event will collocate with the 2014 AeroMat Conference and ICTPCS attendees
will have access to all AeroMat technical sessions and the exposition area. The conference
has evolved from a predominately theoretical meeting involving specialists in computa-
tional materials science, solid mechanics, and fluid mechanics to one comprised of both
theoretical and practical implementation of modeling and simulation.
Sixty-four technical presentations will explore the broad field of thermal process mod-
eling, while several papers deal strictly with computational issues of efficiency, accuracy,
and solver methods. Some processes covered include surface treatments such as carburiz-
ing, nitriding, thermal spraying, and cladding; immersion quenching in liquids that boil; gas
quenching processes; phase transformations during heating and cooling; induction hard-
ening and spray quenching; controlled cooling of castings and forgings; and welding.
Keynote presentations will be given by Dr. Sabine Denis of Université de Lorraine, Prof.
Christoph Beckermann of the University of Iowa, and Dr. Howard Kuhn of the University
of Pittsburgh. Their respective subjects include immersion quenching with transient boil-
ing; distortion, stresses, and defects in solidifying castings; and modeling of additive man-
ufacturing processes. For more information, visit
Events/modeling/index.jsp.
Nanostructured alloy for copper-beryllium replacement
Integran Technologies Inc., Toronto, received the 2013 Strategic Environmental Research
and Defense Program (SERDP) Project-of-the-Year Award for Weapons Systems and Plat-
forms for developing a nanostructured alloy that can replace copper-beryllium. Beryllium is
particularly useful because it is both lightweight and strong. However, it is a toxic material that
can be harmful to workers who must handle it during assembly and repair.
With support from the U.S. Dept. of Defense SERDP program and Industry Canada’s
Strategic Aerospace and Defense Initiative (SADI) program, Integran developed and vali-
dated an electroforming process that produces a nanostructured alloy to match the desir-
able properties of copper-beryllium, particularly for use as high-load bushings. The pulsed
electroplating process creates near-net-shape components that require little to no machin-
ing to achieve final dimensions, producing little material waste. This innovative process
can be used successfully for large metal sheets and high conductivity wires, both of which
are used in multiple military applications.
“The validation testing performed in this project demonstrates that these nanostruc-
tured alloys could result in substantial cost savings for the U.S. DoD and Canadian military
through the decreased use of toxic substances,” says Brandon Bouwhuis, Integran’s aero-
space and defense R&D unit manager. .
Canadian Plastics Industry Association joins recycling effort
The recycling committee of SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association an-
nounced that the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) joined SPI’s effort to
pursue zero waste by participating in , a recycling marketplace
that connects buyers and sellers of scrap plastic materials and recycling services.
Launched in June 2013, the recycling website is accessible to both association members
and nonmembers. Buyers, and those seeking recycling services, can search for suppli-
ers via keyword search or by clicking on a category to find suppliers.
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PROCESS TECHNOLOGY