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Copper composite takes the heat off components
(continued) The SMS group now consists of business areas SMS Siemag and SMS Meer, which supplies tube, long product, press and forging technology. As the largest business area in the SMS group, the range of products and services from SMS Siemag will remain the same.
Höganäs suffers sales drop in first quarter of 2009 A report on the first quarter of 2009 from steel powder producer Höganäs reveals a reduction in sales compared to the same period in 2008. The report indicated a downturn of 42% in net sales due to “sharp volume contraction,” while sales volumes reduced by 50% compared to the first quarter of 2008. According to the report, the significant consumption downturn in the automotive industry in late 2008, resulted in inventory levels being ‘abnormally high at last year-end.’ The effect was that customers around the world made production stoppages to adjust inventory levels in early 2009. Accordingly, the demand for Höganäs’ products was very weak in the first quarter. Some stimulus measures, such as scrapping premiums in Germany, France and Italy, and tax easings and discounting on durable goods in Asia initiated a subsequent consumption increase, however this did not have any effect on Höganäs’ sales volumes until the end of the quarter. Höganäs CEO, Alrik Danielson, said “Against this background, I am pleased that our action-plan meant that we were able to generate a positive cash flow from operating activities in the period. Meanwhile, I note how our continued work on future technologies is continuing to generate results, through a feasibility study for environmental DRI production that we have agreed to conduct alongside LKAB and StatoilHydro.” On 31 March 2009, Höganäs’ share capital was unchanged at SEK 175 494 660 divided between a total of 35 098 932 class A and B shares, all with a nominal value of SEK 5.00 per share.
metal-powder.net
Copper composite takes the heat off components Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute have developed a material containing copper and diamond powder, suitable for efficiently dissipating heat in electronic devices such as portable computers, giving them a longer life. The miniaturisation of components on substrates and microchips in electronic devices means they are progressively being packed more densely, allowing more circuits to be accommodated on each chip. As the components radiate heat, the limited space means that it is increasingly more difficult for the devices to dissipate the heat, often resulting in the product being put out of action. The components are only able to withstand temperatures of 90 – 130°C. Consequently a small copper or aluminium plate is mounted underneath the components to conduct the heat away. However, if heated up, the plate, soldered to ceramic components or silicon, can expand three or four times as much as the ceramics or silicon, which can cause tension and lead to cracks in the soldered joints.
Along with industrial partners including Siemens and Plansee, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Applied Materials Research (IFAM) in Dresden managed to surpass the already relatively high thermal conductivity of copper by adding diamond powder to the copper. A key benefit of the material is that it does not expand to a greater extent than ceramics or silicon at high temperatures. “Diamond conducts heat roughly five times better than copper,” said IFAM project manager Dr. Thomas Schubert. “The resulting material expands no more than ceramics when heated, but has a conductivity one-and-a-half times superior to copper. This is a unique combination of properties.” To chemically bond the two materials, the researchers used chrome. “Even small amounts form a carbide film on the diamond surface, and this film easily bonds to copper,” explained Schubert. The material was developed as part of the EU project “ExtreMat,” which aims to develop materials for extreme environments in various application fields.
May 2009 MPR
5
Höganäs suffers sales drop in first quarter of 2009 A report on the first quarter of 2009 from steel powder producer Höganäs reveals a reduction in sales compared to the same period in 2008. The report indicated a downturn of 42% in net sales due to “sharp volume contraction,” while sales volumes reduced by 50% compared to the first quarter of 2008. According to the report, the significant consumption downturn in the automotive industry in late 2008, resulted in inventory levels being ‘abnormally high at last year-end.’ The effect was that customers around the world made production stoppages to adjust inventory levels in early 2009. Accordingly, the demand for Höganäs’ products was very weak in the first quarter. Some stimulus measures, such as scrapping premiums in Germany, France and Italy, and tax easings and discounting on durable goods in Asia initiated a subsequent consumption increase, however this did not have any effect on Höganäs’ sales volumes until the end of the quarter. Höganäs CEO, Alrik Danielson, said “Against this background, I am pleased that our action-plan meant that we were able to generate a positive cash flow from operating activities in the period. Meanwhile, I note how our continued work on future technologies is continuing to generate results, through a feasibility study for environmental DRI production that we have agreed to conduct alongside LKAB and StatoilHydro.” On 31 March 2009, Höganäs’ share capital was unchanged at SEK 175 494 660 divided between a total of 35 098 932 class A and B shares, all with a nominal value of SEK 5.00 per share.
metal-powder.net
Copper composite takes the heat off components Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute have developed a material containing copper and diamond powder, suitable for efficiently dissipating heat in electronic devices such as portable computers, giving them a longer life. The miniaturisation of components on substrates and microchips in electronic devices means they are progressively being packed more densely, allowing more circuits to be accommodated on each chip. As the components radiate heat, the limited space means that it is increasingly more difficult for the devices to dissipate the heat, often resulting in the product being put out of action. The components are only able to withstand temperatures of 90 – 130°C. Consequently a small copper or aluminium plate is mounted underneath the components to conduct the heat away. However, if heated up, the plate, soldered to ceramic components or silicon, can expand three or four times as much as the ceramics or silicon, which can cause tension and lead to cracks in the soldered joints.
Along with industrial partners including Siemens and Plansee, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Applied Materials Research (IFAM) in Dresden managed to surpass the already relatively high thermal conductivity of copper by adding diamond powder to the copper. A key benefit of the material is that it does not expand to a greater extent than ceramics or silicon at high temperatures. “Diamond conducts heat roughly five times better than copper,” said IFAM project manager Dr. Thomas Schubert. “The resulting material expands no more than ceramics when heated, but has a conductivity one-and-a-half times superior to copper. This is a unique combination of properties.” To chemically bond the two materials, the researchers used chrome. “Even small amounts form a carbide film on the diamond surface, and this film easily bonds to copper,” explained Schubert. The material was developed as part of the EU project “ExtreMat,” which aims to develop materials for extreme environments in various application fields.
May 2009 MPR
5