A Phoenix Heat Treating video that features an extreme heat treating process called “Solution Anneal.” The process uses a liquid nitrogen quench that is held for 7-seconds at minus-350F. Solution anneal is required for finish work on aluminum parts and components that are used in aerospace manufacturing. Automated processing technology is needed to a certify the treatment.
Tool Steels
Video of Phoenix Heat Treating and Quick Turn Processing Service on Tool Steels and Alloy Steels for machine or tool-and-die shops. One or two-day service on 01, A2, 4130, 4140, 1095 and 17-7 steels.
Stamping Parts
A short video of Phoenix Heat Treating and the cost effective Cast Link Belted Furnace that can process 2500-pounds of parts an hour; including fasteners, screw machine parts and stamped parts with neutral or light case work.
American Fastener Journal – Heat Treating is Your Last Line of Defense
In this feature article, American Fastener Journal asks: Are you certain that the quality of your heat treating is meeting your specifications from lot to lot? How do you know, if your heat treater isn’t providing you with digital print-outs that were recorded in real time to guarantee temperature ramp rates, atmosphere control and soak times? No longer can you assume that a thorough process of part design, production management, quality control and testing will guard against part failure, when processing is the lynchpin of final quality. A heat treat assurance program that includes a focus on digitally controlled cycles can produce repeatability with real-time monitoring of heat treating cycles. Read more on how heat treat cycles can be customized in modeling software to meet the material chemistry of your parts. Read more.
“Today it’s all about time and efficiency,” says Peter Hushek, a fourth-generation heat treater and metallurgical engineer. “Almost every manufacturing industry is seeking greater process efficiencies based on shorter cycles, lower energy usage and quicker turn-around times without having to sacrifice quality,” Peter explains in this feature article by Arizona Metalworker. That’s why Phoenix Heat Treating’s new quick-turn services are based on reduced cycle times and improved temperature uniformity that save on labor and energy to meet tighter manufacturing costs. Gaseous Nitrocarburizing, or FNC, in submerged fluid bed furnaces improves surface hardness with a case that resists wear and fatigue. Yet no quenching is required, there’s no change to hot-work steels, and the grinding step is eliminated. Read more about these new, lower-cost heat treating services. Read more.
American Fastener Journal – Process Automation is Redefining How Fastener Parts are Heat Treated
While trying to save on costs, manufacturers can’t lose sight of maintaining controlled uniformity in the metal properties of their heat treated fastener parts, especially when processing large lots of fasteners on a continuous furnace. The challenge with manually-operated in-line furnaces is in maintaining processing specifications as the parts move through the zones of temperature, atmosphere, agitation, belt speeds, loading, unloading and quench. Human involvement opens Pandora’s Box of problems when operators add their own ‘touches’ to the controls of the multiple zones. Don’t take risks with uncontrolled uniformity when you can process your fastener parts on an automated continuous furnace. Computerized modeling and programmable control of every zone guarantees that your fasteners will meet certifications every time. Read more.
Gear Solutions – Time to Shift Gears
For an in-depth examination of today’s heat treating industry, who better to consult than a fourth-generation industry professional. Read how a modern heat treating company runs a simulated carburizing cycle in a computer to meet a blueprint prior to heat treating a part. Many gear manufacturers have discovered that recent advances in process automation technology saves them time and money, as well as provides the added benefit of knowing exactly how much metal to leave for final grind. With the modeling simulator showing the carbon change in the core of the part during hardening and the required carbon at case depth during and after heat treating, it is now possible to achieve repeatable tolerances that were impossible to meet a few years ago. A ten-thousandths tolerance can now be reduced to four-thousandths, and repeated exactly the same a thousand times. Read more.
Arizona Metalworker – The Green Dragon
Phoenix Heat Treating’s continuous furnace is one of only a few fully automated volume processing systems in the western US, reports Arizona Metalworker. The company wanted to provide as much automation as possible for their customers to help them gain a competitive edge and to improve the quality of their processing. Their continuous furnace can process 2500 pounds of parts an hour to make that happen. “The company also wanted to control the continuous furnace from a network computer or a laptop from anywhere in the country via Ethernet in real time,” says Steve Thompson, president of Super Systems, Inc. makers of Phoenix Heat Treating’s process control software. With plant automation and a furnace that handles volume processing, Phoenix Heat Treating is positioned to help customers meet higher volume demands at lower costs. Read more.
Orbital Sciences Engineers Visit Phoenix Heat Treating
Orbital Science’s Pegasus XL rocket design combines state-of-the-art technologies, including many components that are made with aluminum alloys that have been processed for performance, manufacturability and reliability. The Pegasus is the only winged booster vehicle that is used as an expendable launch system intended for commercial and government space users to provide an effective, low-cost means of launching small payloads.
The rocket is launched from the under-belly of Orbital Science’s L1011 Stargazer which is carried aloft to approximately 40,000 ft., then jettisoned from the aircraft. Five seconds after release, the stage-one motor ignites, followed by stage two and three, to propel the rocket into low-orbit. The space booster rocket can be launched from anywhere, rather than being restricted to a launch pad. The rocket is 55-ft. long, 50-in. in diameter, weights 51,000 lbs., produces 140,000 lbs. of thrust and can carry a payload that weighs from 300 to 1000 lbs.
(Nov. 19, 2008), Members of Orbital Sciences Corp’s engineering staff attended a materials and process seminar at Phoenix Heat Treating. The purpose of the meeting was to focus on the properties of aluminum and stainless steels that have been processed in heat treating atmospheres prior to being used in manufacturing. The half-day seminar and plant tour was held to further educate the company’s designers and engineers on the characteristics of 6061, 2024 and 7075 aluminum and selected stainless steel. Their mission is to improve designs of valves, rocket propulsion parts, structural components and hydraulic tubing.
With first-hand knowledge of the properties of these various metal types, Orbital’s design engineers will be able to improve designs for manufacturing, reduce problems and improve the entire manufacturing process, stated Karl Payne, Senior Product Engineer.
“The presentation and information that Pete Hushek shared with our group was beyond the call of duty…right on target for our design engineer needs,” said Payne. “We appreciate the time and resources that were provided to us…knowing the mechanical properties of these materials will allow us to select precisely the materials our engineers are looking for,” Payne added.
Peter Hushek, president and owner of Phoenix Heat Treating, stated that his company’s doors are always open to engineers and designers who are interested in improving their knowledge of metal treating processes. “Our interest is to educated and inform engineers and designers on how to specify the right materials required for an application…corrosion resistance, tensile strength, machinability, component performance, or whatever they are looking for,” said Hushek.
Phoenix Heat Treating is one of the largest and leading heat treating companies located in the southwestern US. The company is privately owned and operated by a fourth-generation heat treating family.
Orbital is the industry leader in the development and manufacture of small space and rocket systems, including orbital satellites, spacecraft for scientific research, launch vehicles, rockets for missile defense and interspace boost vehicles. The company headquarters are located in Dulles, VA, and major facilities are located in Chandler, AZ, California and Maryland.
