Abstract: The present invention provides a producing method of a magnesium-based alloy wrought product capable of producing a plastic processing wrought product made of magnesium-based alloy with excellent productivity. A drawn material made of magnesium-based alloy obtained by drawing processing is subjected to plastic processing into a wrought product at processing temperature of lower than 250° C. Since the alloy structure is finely divided by the drawing processing, plastic workability can be enhanced in the plastic processing even if the processing temperature is lower than 250° C. Examples of the plastic processing are forging processing, swaging processing and bending processing.

Abstract: A lightweight insulated electric wire and an automobile wire harness using the same insulated electric wire where the insulated electric wire has a conductor portion including one or more first wires and one or more second wires, which are stranded together. The first wires are constituted by metal wires made from at least one type of metal selected from copper, copper alloy, aluminum and aluminum alloy. The second wires are constituted by metal wires different from the first wires and have a relative permeability of 4.0 or less.

Abstract: There is provided a stainless steel wire having both excellent corrosion resistance and an excellent fatigue strength while being fabricable with high productivity. A stainless steel wire consists of 0.01 to 0.25 mass % C, 0.01 to 0.25 mass % N, 0.4 to 4.0 mass % Mn, 16 to 25 mass % Cr, 8.0 to 14.0% Ni and the balance Fe with impurities, wherein the C+N content satisfies 0.15 mass % ?C+N ?0.35 mass %. The stainless steel wire contains 15 vol. % martensite phase induced by a drawing and the balance austenite phase and has a texture which causes the austenite phase to exhibit diffraction intensities satisfying both I(200)/I(111)?2.0 and I(220)/I(111)?3.0 by X-ray diffraction in the longitudinal direction of the steel wire.

Abstract: Magnesium-based alloy wire excelling in strength and toughness, its method of manufacture, and springs in which the magnesium-based alloy wire is utilized are made available. The magnesium-based alloy wire contains, in mass %, 0.1 to 12.0% Al, and 0.1 to 1.0% Mn, and is provided with the following constitution. Diameter d that is 0.1 mm or more and 10.0 mm or less; length L that is 1000d or more; tensile strength that is 250 MPa or more; necking-down rate that is 15% or more; and elongation that is 6% or more. Such wire is produced by draw-forming it at a working temperature of 50° C. or more, and by heating it to a temperature of 100° C. or more and 300° C. or less after the drawing process has been performed.

Abstract: There are provided a lightweight insulated electric wire capable of reducing influences of external magnetic fields while having an excellent conductivity and an excellent strength and an automobile wire harness using the same insulated electric wire. There is provided a signal electric wire including a conductor portion consisting of one or more first wires and one or more second wires, which are stranded together. The first wires are constituted by metal wires made from at least one type of metal selected from a group consisting of copper, copper alloy, aluminum and aluminum alloy. The second wires are constituted by metal wires different from the first wires and have a relative permeability of 4.0 or less. By setting the relative permeability of the constituent wires of the conductor portion to 4.0 or less, it is possible to suppress temperature rises caused by eddy current loses due to external magnetic fields, thus alleviating degradation of the insulation layer and poor insulation.

Abstract: [Problems] It is an object of the invention to provide a producing method of a magnesium-based alloy screw capable of producing a screw made of magnesium-based alloy having excellent strength with excellent productivity, and to provide a magnesium-based alloy screw. [Means to Solve the Problem] The producing method includes a head forging step in which a head working for forming a head portion of a screw on a wire made of magnesium-based alloy obtained by drawing is carried out by warm working to produce a screw blank, and a thread rolling step in which thread rolling for forming screw thread on the screw blank is carried out by warm working to produce a screw. The head working in the head forging step is carried out using holding die which fixes the wire and a punch which forms a head portion of the screw. The holding die and the punch are heated, in which at least the holding die are heated to 140° C. or higher and 250° C. or lower, thereby heating the wire to 140° C. or higher and lower than 250° C.

Abstract: A magnesium base alloy pipe having high strength and toughness is provided along with a method of manufacturing such pipes. A magnesium base alloy pipe, wherein the pipe is produced by drawing a pipe blank of a magnesium base alloy comprising containing either of the following ingredients (1) or (2): (1) about 0.1-12.0 mass % of Al; or (2) about 1.0-10.0 mass % of Zn and about 0.1-2.0 mass % of Zr. The novel alloy pipe is manufactured by a method comprising steps of providing the above-described pipe blank, pointing the pipe blank, and drawing the pointed pipe blank. The drawing step is executed at a drawing temperature above approx. 50 ° C.

Abstract: A magnesium alloy sheet having an adequate strength and an excellent bendability is provided along with a method of manufacturing such an alloy sheet. The method comprises, rolling a magnesium alloy sheet through a reduction roll, the alloy thereof containing about 0.1-10.0 mass % of Al and about 0.1-4.0 mass % of Zn, wherein the magnesium alloy sheet has a surface temperature of about 100° C. or below at the time just before it is fed in the reduction roll, and the reduction roll has a surface temperature in the range of about 100° C. to 300° C. Particularly, when executing multipass rolling, at least the last pass is accomplished in non-preheat rolling wherein the magnesium alloy sheet and the reduction roll have specified surface temperatures, respectively.

Abstract: Magnesium-based alloy wire excelling in strength and toughness, its method of manufacture, and springs in which the magnesium-based alloy wire is utilized are made available. The magnesium-based alloy wire contains, in mass %, 0.1 to 12.0% Al, and 0.1 to 1.0% Mn, and is provided with the following constitution. Diameter d that is 0.1 mm or more and 10.0 mm or less; length L that is 1000 d or more; tensile strength that is 250 MPa or more; necking-down rate that is 15% or more; and elongation that is 6% or more. Such wire is produced by draw-forming it at a working temperature of 50° C. or more, and by heating it to a temperature of 100° C. or more and 300° C. or less after the drawing process has been performed.

Abstract: A high-strength steel wire for heat-resistant springs has both excellent high-temperature tensile strength and excellent high-temperature sag resistance at a temperature as high as 350 to 500° C., particularly at 400° C. or so (these properties are needed for spring materials). The steel wire contains (a) 0.01 to 0.08 wt % C, 0.18 to 0.25 wt % N, 0.5 to 4.0 wt % Mn, 16 to 20 wt % Cr, and 8.0 to 10.5 wt % Ni, (b) at least one constituent selected from the group consisting of 0.1 to 3.0 wt % Mo, 0.1 to 2.0 wt % Nb, 0.1 to 2.0 wt % Ti and 0.3 to 2.0 wt % Si, and (c) mainly Fe and unavoidable impurities both of which constitute the remainder. The steel wire has (a) a tensile strength of at least 1,300 N/mm2 and less than 2,000 N/mm2 before being treated with low-temperature annealing, and (b) a maximum crystal-grain diameter of less than 12 &mgr;m in the &ggr; phase (austenite) in a transverse cross section of the wire.

Abstract: A steel wire of pearlite structure containing 0.8-1.0 mass % of C and 0.8-1.5 mass % of Si is disclosed. In the cross section of the steel wire the average hardness in a region up to 100 &mgr;m from the surface thereof is at least 50 higher that that in a deeper region based on micro-Vickers hardness. The steel wire is manufactured by working a wire rod having the abovementioned chemical composition through shaving, patenting and drawing processes, then strain-relief annealing the resultant wire, and thereafter subjecting the thus annealed wire to a short peening process. The steel wire can be produced through a drawing process without applying a quenching and tempering process, and are superior in heat resistance and fatigue strength.

Abstract: A steel wire of pearlite structure containing 0.8-1.0 mass % of C and 0.8-1.5 mass % of Si is disclosed. In the cross section of the steel wire the difference in average hardness between a region up to 100 &mgr;m from the surface thereof and a deeper region is within 50 in micro-Vickers hardness. The steel wire is manufactured by working a wire rod having the abovementioned chemical composition through shaving, patenting and drawing processes, then strain-relief annealing the resultant wire, and thereafter subjecting the thus annealed to a shot peening process. The steel wire has a high heat resistance and a high fatigue strength, and can be produced through a drawing process without applying a quenching and tempering process.

Abstract: A steel wire of pearlite structure containing 0.8-1.0 mass % of C and 0.8-1.5 mass % of Si is disclosed. In the cross section of the steel wire the difference in average hardness between a region up to 100 &mgr;m from the surface thereof and a deeper region is within 50 in micro-Vickers hardness. The steel wire is manufactured by working a wire rod having the abovementioned chemical composition through shaving, patenting and drawing processes, then strain-relief annealing the resultant wire, and thereafter subjecting the thus annealed to a shot peening process. The steel wire has a high heat resistance and a high fatigue strength, and can be produced through a drawing process without applying a quenching and tempering process.

Abstract: An Ni-based or Ni—Co-based heat-resistant alloy wire excellent in resistance to sag at high temperatures ranging from 600 to 700° C., which excellent resistance is most suitable for spring materials. The heat-resistant alloy wire contains (a) 0.01 to 0.40 wt % C, 5.0 to 25.0 wt % Cr, and 0.2 to 8.0 wt % Al; (b) at least one constituent selected from the group consisting of 1.0 to 18.0 wt % Mo, 0.5 to 15.0 wt % W, 0.5 to 5.0 wt % Nb, 1,0 to 10.0 wt % Ta, 0.1 to 5.0 wt % Ti and 0.001 to 0.05 wt % B; (c) at least one constituent selected from the group consisting of 3.0 to 20.0 wt % Fe and 1.0 to 30.0 wt % Co; and (d) the remaining constituent consisting mainly of Ni and unavoidable impurities. The wire has (a) a tensile strength not less than 1,400 N/mm2 and less than 1,800 N/mm2, (b) an average crystal-grain diameter not less than 5 &mgr;m and less than 50 &mgr;m in a cross section, and (c) a crystal-grain aspect ratio (a major-axis/minor-axis ratio) of 1.2 to 10 in a longitudinal section.

Abstract: A method for heat-treating steel, which method uses a coolant having a large coefficient of heat transfer and which method treats the steel at low cost and in an environment-friendly manner (no pollution), and an apparatus for the method. The heat-treatment method cools austenitized steel in a coolant, which is a mixture of solid particles and water. It is desirable to cool the steel by passing it through a deposited layer of the solid particles in the water. It is desirable that the solid particles be oxides or graphite powders. It is also desirable to fluidize the solid particles. One type of the heat-treatment apparatus submerges steel in a coolant bath described below. The coolant bath comprises (a) a liquid bath that contains water and (b) a solid-particle bath that is partitioned in the liquid bath by a mesh and that contains solid particles. The mesh has openings smaller than the particle diameter of the solid particles.

Abstract: It is proposed to lessen the weight and improve the mechanical strength of a retainer of a valve open-close mechanism driven by an electromagnetic actuator used in an automotive internal combustion engine. The electromagnetic actuator is mounted in a housing mounted on an internal combustion engine body. A first stem has its tip abutting the valve, which is provided with a retainer and carries a first coil spring. A second stem is provided on the other side of an armature. The second stem has a retainer. Between this retainer and the housing, a second coil spring is mounted. At least one of these parts is made of a metal smaller in specific weight than iron or its alloy. Each retainer has a boss and an arcuate corner portion having a radius of curvature R of 1.0 mm or over between a spring abutting surface and the boss to relieve stress concentration.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage laminated material can be obtained which is capable of achieving reduction in weight as well as being mass-produced industrially while assuring excellent hydrogen storage capability. The hydrogen storage laminated material (10) has a laminated structure of a first layer (6a) and a second layer (7a), wherein the first layer is formed from an alloy or compound including an element of a group 2A or 3A or an element of at least one of the groups 2A and 3A, and at least partially includes a bcc structure, and the second layer is formed from an alloy or compound including an element of one of groups 6A, 7A and 8A or an element of at least one of the groups 6A, 7A and 8A.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage material (1) having excellent hydrogen storage capability and having such a low hydrogen desorption temperature as not to significantly hinder the use thereof, and also capable of being mass-produced, and a manufacturing method of the same can be obtained. The hydrogen storage material has a layered deformation structure including plastic deformation, and one layer (2) of the layered deformation structure is formed from an alloy or compound including an element of groups 2A, 3A and 4A or an element of at least one of the groups 2A, 3A and 4A, and another layer (3) being in contact with the one layer is formed from an alloy or compound including an element of groups 6A, 7A and 8A or an element of at least one of the groups 6A, 7A and 8A.

Abstract: A superconducting composite comprising a compound oxide type superconductor and an outer metal pipe on which said superconductor is supported, characterized in that (i) said outer metal pipe is made of at least one of metals selected from a group comprising gold, silver and platinum metals and their alloys or (ii) an intermediate layer made of these precious metals is interposed between the compound oxide and the metal pipe. The composite may be in a form of a solid pipe or a hollow pipe having a superconducting thin layer deposited on an inner surface of the metal pipe.

Abstract: It is proposed to lessen the weight and improve the mechanical strength of a retainer of a valve open-close mechanism driven by an electromagnetic actuator used in an automotive internal combustion engine. The electromagnetic actuator is mounted in a housing mounted on an internal combustion engine body. A first stem has its tip abutting the valve, which is provided with a retainer and carries a first coil spring. A second stem is provided on the other side of an armature. The second stem has a retainer. Between this retainer and the housing, a second coil spring is mounted. At least one of these parts is made of a metal smaller in specific weight than iron or its alloy. Each retainer has a boss and an arcuate corner portion having a radius of curvature R of 1.0 mm or over between a spring abutting surface and the boss to relieve stress concentration.