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Versatile gas analysis system
Versatile gas analysis system A m o d u l a r gas analysis system has been introduced by Balzers High Vacuum of Milton Keynes, UK, to assist the metallurgical industry, including powder metallurgy, in the monitoring of oven gas atmospheres. The GAM 400 system incorp o r a t e s a versatile q u a d r u p l e mass spectrometer. Balzers says that, d e p e n d i n g on t h e mass analyser used, the system can h a n d l e q u a l i t a t i v e a n d q u a n t i t a t i v e gas a n d v a p o u r analysis in the 1-200, 1-300 or 1-512 amu mass range. When connected to an IBM personal c o m p u t e r (PC) running Balzers' Quadstar software, the GAM 400 workstation is said to offer a wide range of d a t a acquisition, monitoring and analysis capabilities. These include the p r e s e n t a t i o n of spectra scans as analog d a t a or bar graphs; peak searches over predefined mass ranges; calculation of ion current ratios; and on-line scaling of ion currents. Spectra can be stored and retrieved, scrolled and selectively magnified. Background and reference s p e c t r a s u b t r a c t i o n are also h a n d l e d by the system. The GAM 400 is built into a m o b i l e c a b i n e t , w h i c h , says Balzers', e n a b l e s m o n i t o r i n g , analysis, trouble-shooting and quality control checks to be u n d e r t a k e n quickly and easily throughout the production plant.
Alan Bussell, Balzers High V a c u u m Ltd, B r a d b o u r n e Drive, Tilbrook, Milton Keynes M K 7 8AZ, UK; tel: 0908377277.
D e m a n d for r a r e e a r t h m a g n e t s up 30%
According to statistics from the J a p a n e s e Electronic Materials I n d u s t r i e s Association, J a p a nese production of rare earth m a g n e t s stood at 1154 t o n n e s in 1989, an 8% increase over the p r e v i o u s year, says Roskill's
Letter from Japan. Production in the first half of 1990 totalled 717 tonnes, w h i c h a m o u n t s to an annualized increase of 30% over
8
MPR April 1991
t h e p r e v i o u s year. In 1989 d e m a n d for neodymium magn e t s was t h e m a i n a r e a of growth and it is estimated t h a t neodymium m a g n e t s accounted for over 60% of d e m a n d for rare earth m a g n e t s in 1990. J a p a n e s e production of bonded rare e a r t h m a g n e t s has grown satisfactorily, and prod u c t i o n is t h o u g h t to have exceeded 300 tonnes (samarium and neodymium magnets) in 1990, says Roskill. The main areas of growth for rare earth magnets lie in voice coil s t e p p i n g motors, spindle m o t o r s and magnetic resonance image diagnosis instruments. Increased d e m a n d for motors using rare earth magnets is a result of growth in the market for h a r d and floppy disk drives. In the first half of 1990, p r o d u c t i o n of h a r d disks rose by 75% in t e r m s of u n i t s a n d o u t p u t of floppy disks rose by 35%. Rare e a r t h p e r m a n e n t magnets are also widely used in selfwinding m o t o r s for still and video cameras, a n d in zoom motors. Demand for samarium s h o w e d little f l u c t u a t i o n in 1990; t h e use of n e o d y m i u m increase significantly from 550 t o n n e s to 655 tonnes in 1990. A similar t r e n d is f o r e c a s t for 1991, a l t h o u g h t h e r a t e of growth in d e m a n d for neodymium is likely to be lower.
N i c k e l to b e classified as a carcinogen
It is now almost certain t h a t nickel will classified by t h e E u r o p e a n Commission (EC) as a Class 3 carcinogen, according to the European Powder Metallurgy Association (EPMA). Nickel and cobalt m e t a l s came up for classification as 'dangerous substances' by the Technical Progress Committee (TPC) of the EC's DirectorateGeneral DG XI (Environment, C o n s u m e r Protection and Nuclear Safety) on 31 January, 1991. The o u t c o m e is t h a t nickel will now almost certainly be ratified by all EC Member States as a Class 3 carcinogen. Cobalt, meanwhile, is not now e x p e c t e d to be classified as a carcinogen. The Class 3 classifi-
cation m e a n s t h a t people exposed to nickel or its alloys in certain forms could run t h e 'possible risk of toxicity with irreversible effects'. The EPMA says, in EPMA News, t h a t the classification of nickel will have i m p o r t a n t consequences for the E u r o p e a n PM community. For example, it will n o w be a m a t t e r o f s o m e urgency for powder producers and users involved with nickel powders to c o o p e r a t e in the formulation of suitable guidelines for the handling of nickel powders and alloy powder mixtures containing nickel in order to comply with the EC Preparations Directive 88/379/EEC due to come into force this summer. Particularly i m p o r t a n t will be the production of 'safety d a t a s h e e t s ' a n d 'labelling' procedures.
European Powder Metallurgy A s s o c i a t i o n , Old B a n k Buildings, Bellstone, Shrewsbury SY1 1HU, UK," tel: 0743364675; fax: 0743-362968.
Workplace exposure to c o b a l t r e v i e w e d A review of workplace e x p o s u r e to cobalt has been published by the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The report was compiled by an HSE specialist inspector, Dr Andrew Phillips, and outlines t h e p r o p e r t i e s a n d u s e s of cobalt. Levels of e x p o s u r e with reference to current e x p o s u r e limits are reviewed and control m e t h o d s indicated. The HSE says t h e report is aimed at those who have an occupational hygiene interest in cobalt and who may have to make a s s e s s m e n t s of exposures u n d e r the UK Control of Subs t a n c e s H a z a r d o u s to Health (COSHH) regulations. Occupational limits for cobalt a n d its c o m p o u n d s are currently u n d e r review, according to the HSE.
'Cobalt - - A Review of Properties, Use and Levels of Exposure', Specialist Inspector Report No. 25, is available from: H S E Public E n q u i r y Points at Broad Lane, SheJ)~eld $3 7HQ, UK; tel: 0742-752539; and: Baynards House, 1 Chepstow Place, London W2 4TF, UK; tel: 071-221-0870.
Alan Bussell, Balzers High V a c u u m Ltd, B r a d b o u r n e Drive, Tilbrook, Milton Keynes M K 7 8AZ, UK; tel: 0908377277.
D e m a n d for r a r e e a r t h m a g n e t s up 30%
According to statistics from the J a p a n e s e Electronic Materials I n d u s t r i e s Association, J a p a nese production of rare earth m a g n e t s stood at 1154 t o n n e s in 1989, an 8% increase over the p r e v i o u s year, says Roskill's
Letter from Japan. Production in the first half of 1990 totalled 717 tonnes, w h i c h a m o u n t s to an annualized increase of 30% over
8
MPR April 1991
t h e p r e v i o u s year. In 1989 d e m a n d for neodymium magn e t s was t h e m a i n a r e a of growth and it is estimated t h a t neodymium m a g n e t s accounted for over 60% of d e m a n d for rare earth m a g n e t s in 1990. J a p a n e s e production of bonded rare e a r t h m a g n e t s has grown satisfactorily, and prod u c t i o n is t h o u g h t to have exceeded 300 tonnes (samarium and neodymium magnets) in 1990, says Roskill. The main areas of growth for rare earth magnets lie in voice coil s t e p p i n g motors, spindle m o t o r s and magnetic resonance image diagnosis instruments. Increased d e m a n d for motors using rare earth magnets is a result of growth in the market for h a r d and floppy disk drives. In the first half of 1990, p r o d u c t i o n of h a r d disks rose by 75% in t e r m s of u n i t s a n d o u t p u t of floppy disks rose by 35%. Rare e a r t h p e r m a n e n t magnets are also widely used in selfwinding m o t o r s for still and video cameras, a n d in zoom motors. Demand for samarium s h o w e d little f l u c t u a t i o n in 1990; t h e use of n e o d y m i u m increase significantly from 550 t o n n e s to 655 tonnes in 1990. A similar t r e n d is f o r e c a s t for 1991, a l t h o u g h t h e r a t e of growth in d e m a n d for neodymium is likely to be lower.
N i c k e l to b e classified as a carcinogen
It is now almost certain t h a t nickel will classified by t h e E u r o p e a n Commission (EC) as a Class 3 carcinogen, according to the European Powder Metallurgy Association (EPMA). Nickel and cobalt m e t a l s came up for classification as 'dangerous substances' by the Technical Progress Committee (TPC) of the EC's DirectorateGeneral DG XI (Environment, C o n s u m e r Protection and Nuclear Safety) on 31 January, 1991. The o u t c o m e is t h a t nickel will now almost certainly be ratified by all EC Member States as a Class 3 carcinogen. Cobalt, meanwhile, is not now e x p e c t e d to be classified as a carcinogen. The Class 3 classifi-
cation m e a n s t h a t people exposed to nickel or its alloys in certain forms could run t h e 'possible risk of toxicity with irreversible effects'. The EPMA says, in EPMA News, t h a t the classification of nickel will have i m p o r t a n t consequences for the E u r o p e a n PM community. For example, it will n o w be a m a t t e r o f s o m e urgency for powder producers and users involved with nickel powders to c o o p e r a t e in the formulation of suitable guidelines for the handling of nickel powders and alloy powder mixtures containing nickel in order to comply with the EC Preparations Directive 88/379/EEC due to come into force this summer. Particularly i m p o r t a n t will be the production of 'safety d a t a s h e e t s ' a n d 'labelling' procedures.
European Powder Metallurgy A s s o c i a t i o n , Old B a n k Buildings, Bellstone, Shrewsbury SY1 1HU, UK," tel: 0743364675; fax: 0743-362968.
Workplace exposure to c o b a l t r e v i e w e d A review of workplace e x p o s u r e to cobalt has been published by the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The report was compiled by an HSE specialist inspector, Dr Andrew Phillips, and outlines t h e p r o p e r t i e s a n d u s e s of cobalt. Levels of e x p o s u r e with reference to current e x p o s u r e limits are reviewed and control m e t h o d s indicated. The HSE says t h e report is aimed at those who have an occupational hygiene interest in cobalt and who may have to make a s s e s s m e n t s of exposures u n d e r the UK Control of Subs t a n c e s H a z a r d o u s to Health (COSHH) regulations. Occupational limits for cobalt a n d its c o m p o u n d s are currently u n d e r review, according to the HSE.
'Cobalt - - A Review of Properties, Use and Levels of Exposure', Specialist Inspector Report No. 25, is available from: H S E Public E n q u i r y Points at Broad Lane, SheJ)~eld $3 7HQ, UK; tel: 0742-752539; and: Baynards House, 1 Chepstow Place, London W2 4TF, UK; tel: 071-221-0870.