The IV Heat Treatment Technical Forum gathers more than 70 experts to share the latest advances applied to the metallurgical industry

IK4-AZTERLAN Metallurgy Research Centre has hosted a new edition of this outstanding technical working frame with the participation of a relevant group of technicians from companies belonging to the value chain associated to heat treatments (from manufacturers and heat treatment companies to designers and end users, along with equipment manufacturers and suppliers associated to the heat treatment technology).

 

The 4th edition of this Heat Treatment Technical Forum “TRATER DAY 2019” has been celebrated on October 17th at the IK4-AZTERLAN facilities. This meeting, targeted at professionals linked to manufacturing and heat treatment technologies, aims at sharing the latest innovations within the sector. As a meeting point for the whole value chain of the heat treatment industry, the forum has offered the opportunity to discuss common concerns and challenges faced by the metal-mechanical transformation industry. The increasing requirements required to metallic components, the challenges associated to the development of new metallic alloys, new manufacturing processes and the 4.0 technologies undoubtedly push the sector to keep innovating and to offer more efficient and effective solutions.

In this context, a new edition of the “TRATER DAY 2019” has had a great convening capacity bringing together 76 professionals from 40 organizations linked to the industry.

Speakers and organizers of the TRATER DAY 2019 meeting

New technological developments for more efficient heat treatments

After a brief welcome from Dr. Garikoitz Artola, coordinator of the Materials Forming research line of IK4-AZTERLAN, and Mr. José Javier González, General Secretary of the Tabira Foundry Institute, the meeting has been shaped by diverse topics, such as the design of specific solutions beginning from data analysis, energy efficiency, or the presentation of new developments and heat treatment processes.

Opening the technical conference, Mr. Lucas Bustamante, Heat Treatment Project Manager at AIR LIQUIDE FRANCE INDSUTRIE, has presented various practical cases aimed at solving metallurgical quality problems directly linked to heat treatments. Mr. Bustamante has shared a working methodology in which the data analysis associated to the process is key to find the source of many problems. In his words, “the value lays on the capacity to understand and to give significance to data and the real performing conditions of the process”.

Lucas Bustamante, Project Manager of Heat Treatments at AIR LIQUIDE FRANCE INDSUTRIE during his presentation

Also focused on data management and analysis, Mr. Guillermo Domínguez, Technical Director of CEIBER, has talked about their experiences in energy efficiency (very important in the heat treatment processes). As shared by Mr. Domínguez, the intelligent exploitation of energy consumption and production data is a basic step for a correct decision making when purchasing energy. This can bring significant cost-reduction opportunities for energy intensive industries like the metal-mechanical transformation industry and the heat treatment industry.

IK4-AZTERLAN has introduced 2 technical presentations in the meeting. The first one, presented by the researchers Itziar Berriozabalgoitia and Dr. Garikoitz Artola, experts in forming technologies, showcasing a significant step forward in the design and launch of an on-line heat treatment process, by using the residual heat of forged components. A previous thermodynamic study based upon the characteristics of the part to be heat-treated and the mechanical properties pursued are key to make this innovative approach, which simplifies the heat treatment process, offering an advantage in time and with a significant cost reduction (feasible as well for plants with space limitations). In the words of the researchers, it is a solution applicable to specific families of components, even though a preliminary and detailed analysis is required.

IK4-AZTERLAN researchers Itziar Berriozabalgoitia and Dr. Garikoitz Artola present an innovative in-line heat treatment system

In the field of superalloys, Dr. Andrea Niklas, researcher at the Special Materials area of IK4-AZTERLAN, has presented a study on the Laves phase and its consequences on the mechanical properties of these special alloys. Dr. Niklas has explained the most effective heat treatments to dissolve these undesired phases from this kind of materials (mainly used in the aerospace and in the energy sector). As exposed by the IK4-AZTERLAN researcher, Laves phase reduces the resistance to tensile strength and to ductility, also reduces the fatigue resistance of superalloys. Specific heat treatments have proven to be a tool to improve the final properties of the components.

The second working session has gathered first level presentations that have shown developments coming from auxiliary industries. Representing ONDARLAN INDUCTOTHERM GROUP IBERIA, Mr. Eugenio Pardo, Forge and Induction Heat Treatments Manager, has shared the new IFP technology (“Independent Frequency and Power”) that allows to reach different induction hardening depths in components with diverse geometries and characteristics on demand by modifying the power output and the frequency during a continuous heat treatment cycle.

In the same line, Mr. Francisco Javier Jimeno, Market Development Manager of COHERENT | RPFIN-BAASEL ESPAÑA S.L., has presented many solutions based on laser hardening technology developed to answer to specific problems, such as: hardening at different material depths, avoiding over-heating in specific points preventing hardening the zones near to laser cladding of powder or wire. In the words of Mr. Jimeno “the idea to develop a solution for different problems has evolved from researching and innovating in the field of the laser source and transmission, to focusing on the shape of the beam and the development of the own process”.

With a vision centered in the heat treatment processes and the application of the corresponding quality requirements to the treatment furnaces, Mr. Jorge Almeida, engineer from the Furnace Division of the company INSERTEC, has shared with the attendees the main international standards applicable in the field of heat treatments as well as some of the methods that can be used to homologate heat treatment furnaces. As shared by Mr. Almeida, “the thermal process undergone by the components needs a rigorous control, registration and traceability. This determines the final quality of the manufactured product. Therefore, heat-treatment companies must ensure the required quality control to their final customers”.

To close the meeting Mr. Josep Manuel Merlo, expert in Oxide Prevention, Thermal Treatments and Surface Treatments from thecompany FUCHS LUBRICANTES, SAU has outlined the most recent developments of the company in the field of hardening and quenching fluids, as well as their correct use.

Josep Manuel Merlo, FUCHS LUBRICANTES S.A.U., during the presentation that closed the TRATER DAY 2019 technical forum

Heat Treatment Technical Forum “Trater Day”

“Trater Day” aims at being a meeting point and a benchmark for professionals, technicians and researcher teams specialized in the diverse fields of manufacturing and heat treatment technologies (tempering technologies, surface treatments, characterization, coatings…), as well as for reference companies from sectors applying heat treatment (automotive, wind energy, valves, railway, aeronautics, foundry, Oil&Gas, machine tooling…).

It is a technical working frame organized every two years to share knowledge oriented to the competitive improvement of the metal-mechanical transformation industry.