As we move into 2020, metal 3d printing becomes a more exciting technology for manufacturers owing to its precision and flexibility. New to the list of positives is also the number of solutions being offered below the 100K price point, allowing more manufacturers to invest in the technology. But it is the exacting and additive nature of 3D printing that…Read more ›
While manufacturers scramble to realize the full promise of 3D metal printing with new methods, better throughput and more accuracy, a survey of 3d Printing technology in 2017 shows that Powder Bed Fusion, or Direct Energy Deposition methods still dominate most equipment. Both these methods require a sintering phase where the printed part is purged of catalysts, and non-uniformities introduced…Read more ›
In MIM design there are many variations of the initial forming process where MIM manufacturers add their particular process differentiators. Whether your processes involves metals or ceramics, the key to reproducible production of precise metal parts requires a carefully planned and controlled sintering/debinding operation. Molding plastic parts is similar to molding metal parts in many ways such as designing draft…Read more ›
High-temperature sintering furnaces are utilized in powder metallurgy for sintering stainless steel and, in some cases, iron-based materials. They are exclusively used in refractory-metal fabrication of molybdenum, tungsten and rhenium. High-temperature sintering furnaces are also utilized in the nuclear-fuel industry for sintering uranium oxide. The ceramic industry has always used high-temperature processes for sintering, co-firing and metallizing. To properly select and…Read more ›
It is very common in several industries to discuss the output of a continuous furnace in terms of pounds/hour. This is an interesting number and easy to understand, however, it is misused most of the time. The origins of this output rating came from lower-temperature furnaces, specifically traditional mesh belts. If you were to speak with the belt manufacturers themselves,…Read more ›
For production sintering operations, certain furnace design considerations are common regardless of whether you are working in metals, ceramics, or glass and regardless of what industry you work in. In order to achieve compression without liquefication, accurate temperature control and careful atmosphere monitoring are essential to uniformity and throughput. Furnaces for normal sintering applications are often continuous-belt furnaces like our…Read more ›
In the latest technological solution to a decades old problem, researchers have determined that using blast furnace slag through a process called vitrification, can reduce the volume of radioactive material by 90%. This astounding breakthrough in nuclear fuel disposal melts waste down into little cubes of glass making it way easier to dispose of. The current treatment method for non-compactable…Read more ›
If you are one of the thousands of machine shops or prototype houses throughout the country that is routinely outsourcing their heat treatment work to expensive labs with long lead times, we have a suggestion for you: Consider bringing your heat treating capabilities in-house. Some of the more common processes that machine shops outsource include: Hardening or Tempering of…Read more ›
While the topic of the “hydrogen economy” has heated up in recent years, there is still no conclusive research showing that hydrogen production for fuel is cost effective in the long run. But in the world of industrial furnaces, hydrogen has been a heated topic for fifty years (pun intended…) Pure hydrogen gas (H2) is one of the most effective…Read more ›
Calcination is one of the most common processes used in the ceramics industry among many others. The most common application for Calcining is the decomposition of calcium carbonate to calcium oxide and carbon dioxide, in order to create cement. The product of calcination is usually referred to as “calcine,” regardless of the actual minerals undergoing thermal treatment. Calcination is carried out in furnaces or…Read more ›
