Abstract: A method for forming a part having a dual property microstructure includes the steps of: forming a blank having a narrow top portion and a wide base portion; heating the blank to an elevated temperature; and forming a dual property microstructure in the blank by cooling different portions of the blank at different cooling rates.

Abstract: A method includes product side showering of showering a first surface (the surface of a product (11) opposite to a feeder head (12)) of an Al alloy casting (10) including the product (11) and the feeder head (12) with mist of cooling liquid, and feeder head side showering of showering a second surface (the surface of the feeder head (12) opposite to the product (11)) of the Al alloy casting (10) with the mist of the cooling liquid. The feeder head side showering starts showering the second surface of the Al alloy casting (10) after a start and before an end of the product side showering to quench and cool the Al alloy casting (10) together with the product side showering.

Abstract: A thick, high-toughness high-strength steel plate has excellent strength and toughness in the central area through the plate thickness. The thick steel plate has a specific chemical composition and includes a microstructure having, throughout an entire region in the plate thickness direction, an average prior austenite grain size of not more than 50 ?m and a martensite and/or bainite phase area fraction of not less than 80%. A continuously cast slab having the specific chemical composition is heated to 1200° C. to 1350° C., hot worked with a strain rate of not more than 3/s and a cumulative working reduction of not less than 15%, and thereafter hot rolled and heat treated.

Abstract: A material for stainless steel cold rolling suitable for producing a cold-rolled stainless steel sheet that has sufficient corrosion resistance and ridging resistance as well as excellent formability and surface properties is provided. The material for stainless steel cold rolling according to the present invention contains, in terms of % by mass, C: 0.007% to 0.05%, Si: 0.02% to 0.50%, Mn: 0.05% to 1.0%, P: 0.04% or less, S: 0.01% or less, Cr: 15.5% to 18.0%, Al: 0.001% to 0.10%, N: 0.01% to 0.06%, and the balance being Fe and unavoidable impurities, wherein the material has a microstructure that includes 10% to 60% of a martensite phase in terms of area fraction, with the remainder being a ferrite phase, and the martensite phase has a hardness of HV500 or less.

Abstract: A control pin for controlling the flow of molten metal through a down spout in a casting process is provided. The control pin comprises a body having an elongated shape, a lower portion insertable in the down spout, and a terminal end, opposite the lower portion. The body includes a central core, preferably a hollow tube or a rod of alumina or mullite; a heating element disposed around the central core, and an intermediate layer surrounding the central core and encasing the heating element, the intermediate layer being made of a solidified ceramic putty. Finally, an outer shell, preferably made of woven fiber reinforcing fabric in a matrix of ceramic, surrounds the intermediate layer.

Abstract: A high strength cold rolled steel sheet has a chemical composition including, by mass %, C: 0.06 to 0.13%, Si: 1.2 to 2.3%, Mn: 0.6 to 1.6%, P: not more than 0.10%, S: not more than 0.010%, Al: 0.01 to 0.10% and N: not more than 0.010%, the balance comprising Fe and inevitable impurities. The steel sheet includes a microstructure containing not less than 90% in terms of volume fraction of ferrite with an average grain diameter of less than 20 ?m and 1.0 to 10% in terms of volume fraction of pearlite with an average grain diameter of less than 5 ?m. The ferrite has an average Vickers hardness of not less than 130. The steel sheet has a yield ratio of not less than 65% and a tensile strength of not less than 590 MPa.

Abstract: Processes for the production of tantalum alloys and niobium are disclosed. The processes use aluminothermic reactions to reduce tantalum pentoxide to tantalum metal or niobium pentoxide to niobium metal.

Abstract: A smelting ladle and a method for improving use efficiency thereof. The smelting ladle includes a housing, a working layer, and a permanent layer. The method includes: 1) rebuilding the working layer to have an outer layer and an inner layer, the inner layer being a consumable working layer which contacts with molten steel and steel slag, and the outer layer being a circulating working layer which contacts with the permanent layer or directly contacts with the housing; 2) allowing the smelting ladle to work, when the thickness of the consumable working layer is reduced to be between 0 and 20 mm, removing a residue of the consumable working layer and masoning a new consumable working layer for the smelting ladle; and 3) repeating 2) until the circulating working layer reaches a designed service life thereof, and casting a new circulating working layer for the smelting ladle.

Abstract: Multi-chamber furnace for vacuum carburizing and quenching of gears, shafts, rings and similar components has at least two process chambers connected in parallel, with a continuous feeding mechanism for individual workpieces. Those chambers—the first one being a heating chamber, the second being a carburizing chamber and the third one diffusion chamber—are configured in a vertical arrangement, placed in a shared vacuum space with gas-tight division, whereas at the ends of each chamber there are incorporated heating chambers with thermal insulation, with a graphite heating system and stepping feeding mechanism incorporated in the core for the purpose of continuous feeding of individual workpieces.

Abstract: A molten metal holding and pouring box with a rectangular-shaped upper section and a pyramidal-shaped lower section provides a relatively constant flow of molten metal being poured from the box through each of two bottom nozzles into two separate foundry molds at the same time. The two bottom nozzles are contained in a unitary dual nozzle assembly that facilitates replacement as required by wear, or a change in location of the sprue cups in the two separate foundry molds being filled with molten metal.

Abstract: A method for pouring a melt using a bottom-pouring-type ladle comprising a melt-pouring nozzle and a stopper rod, comprises an opening step, in which the stopper rod is separate from the nozzle; a first closing step, in which the stopper rod moves downward, such that a lower end portion of the stopper rod comes into contact with a tapered surface of the nozzle when the horizontal distance between their center axes becomes 2 mm or more; and a second closing step, in which a lower end portion of the stopper rod further moves downward along the tapered surface of the nozzle to close the nozzle.

Abstract: The invention relates to systems for transferring molten metal from one structure to another. Aspects of the invention include a transfer chamber constructed inside of or next to a vessel used to retain molten metal. The transfer chamber is in fluid communication with the vessel so molten metal from the vessel can enter the transfer chamber. A powered device, which may be inside of the transfer chamber, moves molten metal upward and out of the transfer chamber and preferably into a structure outside of the vessel, such as another vessel or a launder.

Abstract: To enable a ladle-tilting automatic pouring device to take less time for identification of the parameters and the device to pour highly precisely by sequentially updating pouring model parameters according to the pouring situation, the present pouring control method is based on a mathematical model of a process from input of control parameters to pouring of molten metal, the method including: identifying, using an optimization technique, a flow rate coefficient, a liquid density, and a pouring start angle that is a tilting angle of the pouring ladle when the flowing of the molten metal starts, which are the control parameters in the mathematical model, based on weight of liquid that flows out of the pouring ladle and tilting angle of the ladle that are measured during pouring, and a command signal that controls the tilting of the pouring ladle; and updating the control parameters to the identified control parameters.

Abstract: A cooling tank for the thermal treatment of a rail head provided with a structure comprising a first volume (2), adapted to be filled with a cooling fluid; a second volume (4), arranged above the first volume and communicating therewith, so that the fluid passes from the first to the second volume and the rail head to be thermally treated can be immersed therein; a partition plate (5) between first and second volume, provided with a single row of holes (6), preferably arranged at the center of the width of the second volume, for generating jets of cooling fluid from the first to the second volume; a pair of longitudinal bulkheads (7), arranged in said second volume perpendicular to the plate and symmetrically with respect to the single row of holes, adapted to direct the jets of fluid exiting from the holes vertically upwards.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a SiOx nanoparticle manufacturing apparatus that can not only manufacture a SiOx nanoparticle in large quantities but also prevent a silicon melt residue from being stuck and solidified on an inner bottom surface of a crucible by designing a sliding type tapping structure, and a SiOx nanoparticle manufacturing method using the same.

Abstract: A transient heating burner including at least two burner elements each including a distribution nozzle configured to flow a first fluid and an annular nozzle surrounding the distribution nozzle and configured to flow a second fluid, the burner also including a controller programmed to independently control the flow of the first fluid to each distribution nozzle such that at least one of the distribution nozzles is active and at least one of the distribution nozzles is passive, wherein flow in an active distribution nozzle is greater than an average flow to the distribution nozzles and flow in a passive distribution nozzle is less than the average flow to the distribution nozzles, wherein the first fluid contains a reactant that is one of fuel and oxidant and the second fluid contains a reactant that is the other of fuel and oxidant.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and a method for recovering good solder for re-use from dross. Dross is introduced into a chamber (108) which is heated, whilst agitation is provided by means e.g. of an impeller (116). Recovered solder is drained through a drain valve (118) which is suitably thermally activated. Waste can be collected by inversion of the vessel via a motorised pivot.

Abstract: A high-strength spring steel wire is provided which secures excellent hydrogen embrittlement resistance even when the adding amount of alloy elements is suppressed, and has 80 area % or more of tempered martensite and 1,900 MPa or more of the tensile strength, in which a predetermined chemical composition is satisfied, with C and Si satisfying the relation of the expression (1) below, with prior austenite grain size number being No. 10 or more, and with the hydrogen absorption amount being 14.0 ppm or more. 0.73%?[C]+[Si]/8?0.90%??(1) where [C] and [Si] express the content (mass %) of C and Si respectively.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for condensing vapour phase compounds or elements, typically metals such as magnesium, obtained by reduction processes.

Abstract: A cooling plate for a metallurgical furnace comprising a body (12) with a front face (18) and an opposite rear face (20), the body having at least one coolant channel (14) therein; the front face (18) being turned towards the furnace interior and preferably comprises alternating ribs (22) and grooves (24). The cooling plate includes wear detection means comprising: a plurality of closed pressure chambers (26, 28) distributed at different locations in said body, said pressure chambers being positioned at predetermined depths below the front face (18) of said body; and a pressure sensor (30) associated with each pressure chamber (26, 28) in order to detect a deviation from a reference pressure inside said pressure chamber when the latter becomes open due to wear out of said body.