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Sandvik buys MKTS but not Krupp
D i r e c t o r y lists powder suppliers A 24-PAGE directory of leading North American suppliers of metal powders and refractory metals and p r o d u c t s is now available from the Metal Powder Producers Association and the Refractory Metals Association. The free directory lists 79 products. The listings for metal powder manufacturers include information in available granular, flake and speciality powders and products, along with manufacturing capabilities and special e q u i p m e n t . The directory also provides inform a t i o n on c o m p a n i e s t h a t supply refractory metals. MPIF: tel: ÷ 1 - 6 0 9 - 4 5 2 7700; f a x : + 1-609-987-8523.
Sandvik buys MKTS but not Krupp SWEDISH h a r d m e t a l p r o d u c e r Sandvik AB, says t h a t it has a acquired a 50% share in Russian h a r d m e t a l firm MKTS. But its p r o p o s e d a c q u i s i t i o n of Krupp Widia looks unlikely to go ahead. Sandvik has worked with MKTS, which makes and sells hardmetals, for some 20 years. Since the Moscow-based group was privatized in 1993, Sandvik has gradually increased its stake. The firm says t h a t MKTS plays an i m p o r t a n t p a r t of its e x p a n s i o n into Eastern Europe and it will buy more shares in the Russian group. "When the Russian economy's recovery takes off, this will be an i m p o r t a n t base to provide its industry with h a r d m e t a l products," says Sandvik International's head Svante Lindholm. The firm's plans for further a c q u i s i t i o n s may, h o w e v e r , have hit a snag. Sandvik had h o p e d to buy German hardmetal manufacturer Krupp Widia but this now seems to be unlikely to take place. The sale is being blocked by the German government. Sandvik has seen a strong recovery in its automotive and engineering business this year and recently a n n o u n c e d profits for the first six m o n t h s some 53% up on the same period in 1993.
MPR October 1994
Star 2 0 0 0 improves sieve test analysis THE EFFICIENCY of sieve test a n a l y s i s c a n be i m p r o v e d thanks to its new Star 2000 machines, says E n d e c o t t s Ltd. The Star 2000 sieve test analyser and recorder is an u p g r a d e d version of the company's Star II equipment. It is fast and accurate, providing detailed information about the particle size distribution of a sample in a clear concise manner, says Endecotts. The unit i n c o r p o r a t e s a precision balance linked to a microprocessor and printer. It accurately weighs and memorises the net weight of the sieves a n d r e c e i v e r b e f o r e sieving. It c o m p a r e s t h e s e with the gross weight after sieving and makes the necessary calculations to produce a detailed analysis of the particle distribution. The results
are tabulated and automatically p r i n t e d out after completion of t h e test. It will store results for future reference, enabling
c o m p a r i s o n s with up to five m a s t e r test results. E n d e c o t t s Ltd; tel: + 44181-542-8121;fax." ÷ 44-181543-6629.
The Star 2000 unit can improve the efficiency of sieve test analysis
Nanomaterials to feature in aircraft engine bearings A NEW generation of bearings t h a t combine high s t r e n g t h with resistance to wear and f r a c t u r e m a y be p o s s i b l e t h a n k s to n a n o s t r u c t u r i n g technology. The University of Connecticut's Institute of Materials Science, t h e US Naval Research Laboratory (NSL) and aircraft engine m a k e r Pratt & Whitney, are to look at developing the bearings for use in gas turbine aircraft engines from ultrafine powder version of AISI MS0 high speed steel
(HSS). In n a n o m a t e r i a l s micros t r u c t u r a l f e a t u r e s such as grain size or layer thickness
are 100 time smaller t h a n in commercial materials, offering c o n s i d e r a b l e p o t e n t i a l for p r o p e r t y i m p r o v e m e n t . New material compositions can also be created because the nanoscale materials are formed directly from vapour or mixed at atomic level. The C o n n e c t c u t p r o j e c t will study Mb0 steel, a bearing material used extensively in gas t u r b i n e engines. According to Connecticut's Professor Gonsalves this material is satisfactory in current applications b u t an i m p r o v e d bearing m a t e r i a l is n e e d e d for t h e new generation integrated high-performance tur-
bine engine technology (IHPTET). This engine core could be used in both military and commercial aircraft. The new programme b u i l d s on p r o m i s i n g w o r k being done by the University of Connecticut and Pratt & Whitney, in which nanostructured powder of multi-compon e n t Mb0 steel was chemically synthesized. It will determine the best t e c h n i q u e s for making kilogram quantities of the Mb0 powder a n d for vacuum hot pressing it. K. Gonsalves, University o f Connecticut; tel: + 1-203486-4745; f a x : + 1-203-4866134
Conference to explore opportunities for nanomaterials BUSINESS o p p o r t u n i t i e s in the field of n a n o p a r t i c u l a t e materials will be covered in a c o n f e r e n c e to b e h e l d in Monterey, California, 13-15 November 1994. 'Nano-Particulates 94: Business Opportunities, Technologies, Markets a n d Applications' will assess emerging opportunities, developing applications and i n t e r n a t i o n a l t r e n d s , says o r g a n i z e r Gorh a m / I n t e r t e c h Conferences. It will bring t o g e t h e r companies currently developing and selling n a n o - s t r u c t u r e d materials
( i n c l u d i n g n a n o - s i z e d powders and n a n o - c o m p o s i t e s ) ; potential and current users of t h e s e materials; and special i s t s w h i c h are d e v e l o p i n g novel n a n o - t e c h n o l o g i e s or n a n o - s t r u c t u r e d materials. Gorham/Intertech says t h a t new m e t h o d s to synthesize, scale-up and use nanop h a s e materials are beginning to i m p a c t m a n y industries. The n a n o m a t e r i a l s are used in applications such as structural materials, turbine blade coatings, t h i n film devices, membranes, catalysts, sensors and magnetic materials.
"In North America t h e r e are at l e a s t 12 c o m p a n i e s p r o d u c i n g n a n o - s i z e d diamond, ceramic, metal, intermetallic and fullerene powders by a variety of techniques," says G o r h a m / I n t e r tech. "While sales of nanop r o d u c t s a m o u n t to only $10 million worldwide today, research and d e v e l o p m e n t exp e n d i t u r e total $100 millions a year." J u l i e Grant, G o r h a m / I n tertech Conferences; tel: + 1207-781-9800; f a x : + 1-207781-2150.
Sandvik buys MKTS but not Krupp SWEDISH h a r d m e t a l p r o d u c e r Sandvik AB, says t h a t it has a acquired a 50% share in Russian h a r d m e t a l firm MKTS. But its p r o p o s e d a c q u i s i t i o n of Krupp Widia looks unlikely to go ahead. Sandvik has worked with MKTS, which makes and sells hardmetals, for some 20 years. Since the Moscow-based group was privatized in 1993, Sandvik has gradually increased its stake. The firm says t h a t MKTS plays an i m p o r t a n t p a r t of its e x p a n s i o n into Eastern Europe and it will buy more shares in the Russian group. "When the Russian economy's recovery takes off, this will be an i m p o r t a n t base to provide its industry with h a r d m e t a l products," says Sandvik International's head Svante Lindholm. The firm's plans for further a c q u i s i t i o n s may, h o w e v e r , have hit a snag. Sandvik had h o p e d to buy German hardmetal manufacturer Krupp Widia but this now seems to be unlikely to take place. The sale is being blocked by the German government. Sandvik has seen a strong recovery in its automotive and engineering business this year and recently a n n o u n c e d profits for the first six m o n t h s some 53% up on the same period in 1993.
MPR October 1994
Star 2 0 0 0 improves sieve test analysis THE EFFICIENCY of sieve test a n a l y s i s c a n be i m p r o v e d thanks to its new Star 2000 machines, says E n d e c o t t s Ltd. The Star 2000 sieve test analyser and recorder is an u p g r a d e d version of the company's Star II equipment. It is fast and accurate, providing detailed information about the particle size distribution of a sample in a clear concise manner, says Endecotts. The unit i n c o r p o r a t e s a precision balance linked to a microprocessor and printer. It accurately weighs and memorises the net weight of the sieves a n d r e c e i v e r b e f o r e sieving. It c o m p a r e s t h e s e with the gross weight after sieving and makes the necessary calculations to produce a detailed analysis of the particle distribution. The results
are tabulated and automatically p r i n t e d out after completion of t h e test. It will store results for future reference, enabling
c o m p a r i s o n s with up to five m a s t e r test results. E n d e c o t t s Ltd; tel: + 44181-542-8121;fax." ÷ 44-181543-6629.
The Star 2000 unit can improve the efficiency of sieve test analysis
Nanomaterials to feature in aircraft engine bearings A NEW generation of bearings t h a t combine high s t r e n g t h with resistance to wear and f r a c t u r e m a y be p o s s i b l e t h a n k s to n a n o s t r u c t u r i n g technology. The University of Connecticut's Institute of Materials Science, t h e US Naval Research Laboratory (NSL) and aircraft engine m a k e r Pratt & Whitney, are to look at developing the bearings for use in gas turbine aircraft engines from ultrafine powder version of AISI MS0 high speed steel
(HSS). In n a n o m a t e r i a l s micros t r u c t u r a l f e a t u r e s such as grain size or layer thickness
are 100 time smaller t h a n in commercial materials, offering c o n s i d e r a b l e p o t e n t i a l for p r o p e r t y i m p r o v e m e n t . New material compositions can also be created because the nanoscale materials are formed directly from vapour or mixed at atomic level. The C o n n e c t c u t p r o j e c t will study Mb0 steel, a bearing material used extensively in gas t u r b i n e engines. According to Connecticut's Professor Gonsalves this material is satisfactory in current applications b u t an i m p r o v e d bearing m a t e r i a l is n e e d e d for t h e new generation integrated high-performance tur-
bine engine technology (IHPTET). This engine core could be used in both military and commercial aircraft. The new programme b u i l d s on p r o m i s i n g w o r k being done by the University of Connecticut and Pratt & Whitney, in which nanostructured powder of multi-compon e n t Mb0 steel was chemically synthesized. It will determine the best t e c h n i q u e s for making kilogram quantities of the Mb0 powder a n d for vacuum hot pressing it. K. Gonsalves, University o f Connecticut; tel: + 1-203486-4745; f a x : + 1-203-4866134
Conference to explore opportunities for nanomaterials BUSINESS o p p o r t u n i t i e s in the field of n a n o p a r t i c u l a t e materials will be covered in a c o n f e r e n c e to b e h e l d in Monterey, California, 13-15 November 1994. 'Nano-Particulates 94: Business Opportunities, Technologies, Markets a n d Applications' will assess emerging opportunities, developing applications and i n t e r n a t i o n a l t r e n d s , says o r g a n i z e r Gorh a m / I n t e r t e c h Conferences. It will bring t o g e t h e r companies currently developing and selling n a n o - s t r u c t u r e d materials
( i n c l u d i n g n a n o - s i z e d powders and n a n o - c o m p o s i t e s ) ; potential and current users of t h e s e materials; and special i s t s w h i c h are d e v e l o p i n g novel n a n o - t e c h n o l o g i e s or n a n o - s t r u c t u r e d materials. Gorham/Intertech says t h a t new m e t h o d s to synthesize, scale-up and use nanop h a s e materials are beginning to i m p a c t m a n y industries. The n a n o m a t e r i a l s are used in applications such as structural materials, turbine blade coatings, t h i n film devices, membranes, catalysts, sensors and magnetic materials.
"In North America t h e r e are at l e a s t 12 c o m p a n i e s p r o d u c i n g n a n o - s i z e d diamond, ceramic, metal, intermetallic and fullerene powders by a variety of techniques," says G o r h a m / I n t e r tech. "While sales of nanop r o d u c t s a m o u n t to only $10 million worldwide today, research and d e v e l o p m e n t exp e n d i t u r e total $100 millions a year." J u l i e Grant, G o r h a m / I n tertech Conferences; tel: + 1207-781-9800; f a x : + 1-207781-2150.