[incl/99dfx.htm]
Materials - METALS & ALLOYS
Constrained layer composites. Noise, vibration and heat problems may be solved using the Polycore family of products. QuietSteel is a damping material sandwiching a viscoelastic core between metal skins of steel, stainless steel, aluminum, galvalume or other substrate. Vibrational energy is converted into heat energy by shear deformation of the viscoelastic core. Thermalcore products are likewise used for acoustic and thermal containment needs. Metal skins cover a layer of aluminum foil, graphite, e-glass or adhesive film. Since many car owners equate quiet with quality, Ford uses this for valve covers in their Explorer, reducing noise up to 8dB. MSC Laminates & Composites Inc, Elk Grove Village, IL. Free info--Circle 610. Go direct to spec at: http://www.OneRS.net/102df-610
Materials ApplicationSpecialty alloy doubles airbag parts production
* However, with the introduction of Project7000 Type 304L, Hermetic Seal El Monte, CA, was able to increase its machining rate from 455 to 923 parts/hr, while holding an OD tolerance of ±0.0005 in. on its 5/16-in dia. x 0.225-in. long headers. Said supervisor Gary Fritz, "We could cut [this alloy] almost as fast as cold-rolled steel." * This grade is good for operations using large volumes of small diameter bar stock on long production runs of complex parts. Carpenter Specialty Alloys, Reading, PA. Free info--Circle 617. http://www.OneRS.net/102df-617 [incl/99dfx.htm] |
Breathable aluminum. Using a formulation of aluminum powder
and epoxy binder, air-permeable micro-porous METAPOR eliminates the need to drill vacuum
holes in thermoforming applications, allowing greater detail and smoother surfaces. portec
- North America, Studio City, CA. Free info--Circle 611. 
Electroless nickel. Nitec 9000 coating produces exceptional
hardnesses (both plated and heat treated) with low phosphorous content, running with the
ease and control of a mid-phos while approaching the hardness and wear performance of
low-phos product. Heatbath Corp, Springfield, MA. Free info--Circle 612. 
Slit strip flat wire. Substituting for drawn flat wire, strips
can be slit in ratios as low as 0.002- x 0.025-in. While drawn flat wire has to be
annealed, strip is available in both annealed and tempered conditions, and in ferrous and
non-ferrous materials. Since strip is a multiple-cut process, a variety of widths can be
made with less variation and more uniformity in physical properties, thickness and width. Gibbs
Wire & Steel Co, Southington, CT. Free info--Circle 613. 
Pure metal mesh. Woven or electroformed wire mesh is available
from stock, in a variety of pure metals including gold, platinum, titanium, tantalum,
aluminum, molybdenum, beryllium, copper and nickel for research or prototype development. Goodfellow
Corp, Berwyn, PA. Free info--Circle 614. 
Metal-formed assemblies. Feature-based parametric solid
modeling and multi-axis laser machining produces tooling, prototypes and finished products
for complex metal-formed components, to meet stringent aerospace specifications while
controlling costs. Bomco, Providence, RI. Free info--Circle 615. 
Stainless steel powders. Highly spherical, free-flowing 300-
and 400-series powders have a hard surface ideal for shot peening to prevent crack
initiation at the surface of a part, as well as for shot blasting to remove surface
blemishes from investment castings. These powders are essentially free of non-metallic
inclusions. Particle size distributions are between -35 and 325 MESH with a median
distribution of 100 µm. Starmet Corp, Concord, MA. Free info--Circle
616. 
*
Since they are used in a vital safety device, stainless steel headers for airbag actuators
must be held to strict tolerances. Free-machinable Project70 Type 304L low-carbon steel
provides these tolerances while allowing moderately fast production.