Taegutec coated inserts raise turning output

For high-speed machining of steel, Taegutec has developed its Alpha-AL CVD coated inserts for external and face turning.

Available in Taegutec's TT8115 and TT8125 grades, the Alpha-AL has been designed for high speed and high feed interrupted and continuous turning applications for steel.

With its wear resistance and toughness, the Alpha-AL is suited to mass production operations in the automotive and heavy industry sectors, offering an extended tool life.

The Alpha-AL design is aimed at delivering consistent performance when conducting long batch runs.

The inserts are suited to a diverse range of applications.

The TT8115 grade is applicable to high-speed machining of low-carbon steel and low-carbon alloy steels at feeds of 300 to 800m/min, with carbon steel and alloy steel having a machining range of 100 to 400m/min.

More applicable to lower speed and higher feed machining, the TT8125 is suitable for machining mild steel, low-carbon steel and low-carbon alloy steel at between 200 and 500m/min.

The TT8125 will replace the current TT3500 grade that is being phased out for the new grade that delivers higher performance across a wider feed and speed range.

For cutting carbon and alloy steel the TT8125 comfortably machines at 100 to 350m/min.

The grade guarantees outstanding tool life and productivity, while feeds and speeds are beyond competitor products, said Taegutec.

Electric wire strand annealing furnace cuts costs

By replacing a gas furnace with an electrically heated furnace, a UK speciality wires producer has reduced energy costs and the mill's 'carbon footprint'.

The UK's oldest manufacturer of specialty wires, Webster and Horsfall, has replaced a gas furnace with an electrically heated furnace from Meltech Engineering.

The electric furnace has cut energy costs and reduced the company's carbon footprint.

The Meltech MT1100 is used for strand annealing Webster and Horsfall's range of austinitic and super duplex stainless steel wires.

Founded in 1720 by James Horsfall, Birmingham-based Webster and Horsfall manufactures carbon steel spring, music and rope wire, stainless steel spring wire, low alloyed steel spring wire and strip for springs, clips and pressings.

Over the past 12 months its energy costs have increased by over 50%.

"We needed to cut our energy costs and contacted Meltech Engineering," said Charles Horsfall, managing director, Webster and Horsfall.

"The MT1100 is far more energy efficient than our gas furnaces.

It also gives us greater versatility in our manufacturing operations.

Until now we've had to start the gas furnace the night before using it to give it time to heat up to temperature; the cost against demand for annealing means we can no longer justify keeping the gas fired furnace on all the time.

With the MT1100 we can turn it on as we need it; and the furnace is up to temperature within a fraction of the time," he explained.

The MT1100 furnace is being used to strand anneal stainless steel wires from 0.7mm - 4mm at 1,100 deg C.

It is designed on the Meltech 'low thermal mass' principle and features multi-zone temperature control.

Customisation of element design allows optimisation of the MT1100's performance to fine tune temperature zoning and increased element operational life.

In addition, the MT1100 uses advanced ceramic and insulation materials to give 90% thermal efficiency, leading to more consistent and manageable heating across the length of the furnace and reduced furnace heating running cost.

Horsfall sees the move away from gas to electric as both inevitable and welcome.

"The switch from a gas furnace to the MT1100 will have two positive benefits to our business, as well as reducing our energy costs.

It will improve the quality of our heat treatment and significantly reduce our carbon footprint ahead of any government legislation.

Electricity can be generated from various fuel sources which hopefully will improve long-term security of supply.

Ultimately we plan to replace all our gas furnaces with electric," he said.

Nitrogen gas wiping improves steel surface finish

Nitrogen gas wiping process - used to improve strip steel surface finish for automotive body painting - reduced nitrogen consumption by up to 50% when compared with other systems.

At the Tube 2008 International Tube and Pipe Trade Fair in Dusseldorf, Germany, the Gases Division of The Linde Group will show a 'breakthrough' process for steel strip gas wiping using nitrogen.

Linde's process reduces nitrogen consumption by up to 50% compared to other patented methods using nitrogen, said the company.

Linde told manufacturingtalk.com that surface wiping with nitrogen is quickly gaining popularity among automotive body strip producers.

The reason is that the process produces a smooth finish and superior look and feel when painted.

"Our new process significantly improves surface wiping quality in continuous strip annealing and galvanising lines compared to conventional solutions using air," said Akin Malas, project manager at the Heat Treatment, Applications Development, The Linde Group.

He explained: "Linde's improved nitrogen wiping application is most appropriate for medium to large size steel strip manufacturers in the semi-finished segment, as well as in integrated iron and steel works".

Nitrogen wiping provides a smooth surface finish and makes higher line speeds possible.

This quality improvement comes at half the cost of current nitrogen wiping processes, due to a significant reduction in nitrogen consumption.

Linde is currently exploring partnerships with wiping knife manufacturers in order to further develop and commercialise this new technology.

There are currently plans to offer a complete system, including heat treatment services for the furnace atmosphere, such as strip heating and annealing.

* About the Linde Gases Division - the Gases Division of The Linde Group is a leading supplier of industrial and medical gases and related services.

From March 31 to April 4, 2008, Linde Gas at the Tube 2008 International Tube and Pipe Trade Fair in Dusseldorf will be on Stand B17 in Hall 8a.

The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with around 50,000 employees working in about 100 countries and achieved sales in the 2007 financial year of EUR 12.3 billion.

The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services.