Abstract: A method for manufacturing structured press elements comprises at least the following steps: the step of providing an element of metal; the step of providing a mask on a surface of the element for shielding portions of the surface; the step of treating non-shielded portions of the surface of the element; the step of removing the mask; wherein the method comprises at least a step in which the surface of the element is subjected to an ultrasonic treatment and/or that the step of providing the mask comprises at least a treatment with infrared radiation and/or that the step of chemically treating is performed with the surface directed downward.

Abstract: Controlling product production in multi-stage manufacturing process automatically generates by machine learning causal relationships between the processing conditions and the product quality based on product genealogy data and product quality data. Real time sensor data from sensors coupled to processing units in a manufacturing facility implementing the multi-stage manufacturing process are received, and control rules are instantiated based on the real time sensor data. An instantiated control rule firing causes an actuator to automatically set a processing variable to a set point specified in the control rule.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a mechanical component made of steel including a surface-hardening phase. The method includes creating a rough form of the component with regions to be hardened, then successive case hardening with cooling without quenching, heating to an austenitizing temperature of the steel by induction heating the zones, and quenching.

Abstract: The heat treatment method of the present invention includes: a first step of mist cooling a treatment object retained at a prescribed temperature by supplying mist-like coolant, to a target temperature near to and higher than a first transformation point at which a structure of the treatment object begins to be transformed into a prescribed structure; a second step, following the first step, of retaining the treatment object for a prescribed time in a state where supply of mist-like coolant is stopped; and a third step, following the second step, of cooling the treatment object to a temperature lower than or equal to the first transformation point. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a heat treatment method capable of suppressing irregularity and deformation in the structure of the treatment object.

Abstract: A deformation correcting device to correct a deformation occurring in a ring shaped article, which has been heated, while the heated ring shaped article is cooled, includes a support table, on which the ring shaped article in a heated condition is placed; a pair of receiving rolls; a press roll provided in opposition to the pair of the receiving rolls with the ring shaped article intervening therebetween; a press roll drive mechanism for driving the press roll between an advanced position, at which the press roll is urged against the outer peripheral surface of the ring shaped article, and a retracted position, at which the press roll is separated away from the outer peripheral surface of the ring shaped article; and a press roll rotating mechanism for rotating the press roll then urged against the ring shaped article by the press roll drive mechanism.

Abstract: Provided is a manufacturing method of a hot-rolled steel sheet which enables manufacturing of a hot-rolled steel sheet having excellent surface properties and a fine structure. The manufacturing method of a hot-rolled steel sheet uses a heating device, descaling device, row of finishing mills, cooling device disposed in the row of finishing mills, and rapid cooling device disposed immediately after the row of finishing mills, and the operations of the heating device, cooling device and rapid cooling device are controlled, thereby controlling a temperature T1 of the material to be rolled on an entry side of the row of finishing mills, a temperature T2 of the material to be rolled on an entry side of a final stand in the row of finishing mills, and a temperature T3 of the material to be rolled on an exit side of the rapid cooling device.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are described for extruding materials. In certain embodiments, one or more hollow billets are loaded onto an elongate mandrel bar and transported along the mandrel bar to a rotating die. The billets are transported through fluid clamps, which engage the mandrel bar and provide cooling fluid to the mandrel bar tip, and through mandrel grips, which engage the mandrel bar and prevent the mandrel bar from rotating. One or more press-rams advance the billets through a centering insert and into the rotating die. A quench assembly is provided at an extrusion end of the extrusion press to quench the extruded material. A programmable logic controller may be provided to control, at least in part, operations of the extrusion press system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for basic leaching are provided. In various embodiments, a method is provided comprising leaching a slurry comprising a copper bearing material and an ammonia leach medium, adding copper powder to the slurry, separating the slurry into a pregnant leach solution and solids, and performing a solvent extraction on the pregnant leach solution to produce an loaded aqueous stream.

Abstract: Systems and methods for basic leaching are provided. In various embodiments, a method is provided comprising leaching a slurry comprising a copper bearing material and a leach medium comprising ammonia and ammonium carbonate, adding copper powder to the slurry, separating the slurry into a pregnant leach solution and solids, and performing a solvent extraction on the pregnant leach solution to produce an loaded aqueous stream.

Abstract: A heat treatment line for producing a heat treated metal component includes a heating station, which heats the metal component to a component temperature above the austenizing temperature, and a temperature treatment station, wherein the temperature treatment station has an internal temperature which essentially corresponds to the temperature of the metal component.

Abstract: A hybrid method manufacturing apparatus for a torsion beam according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of side punch molds where a semi-finished product material heated to approximately 880 to 800° C. is molded and a press mold where a cooling water circulation line decreasing the temperature of the processed finished product to approximately 750 to 450° C. while the semi-finished product material is molded to a processed finished product is installed, an advantage of high-temperature molding having high dimensional accuracy is maintained at the time of manufacturing the torsion beam and additional heat treatment such as tempering is selectively performed only when additional heat treatment such as tempering increases toughness because only a martensite structure is not formed in quenching treatment.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the invention include a method and apparatus for cooling a metal strip that is being advanced in a generally horizontal fashion. The method involves delivering a coolant liquid onto a lower surface of the strip from below across the entire width of the strip, preventing the coolant liquid from contacting the upper surface of the strip, and optionally subsequently removing the coolant liquid from the lower surface. The coolant liquid is prevented from contacting the upper surface by forming a gas-directing channel immediately above the upper surface of the strip adjacent to one or preferably both lateral edges of the strip and forcing a gas through the channel in a direction generally away from a center of the strip towards the one or both lateral edges to deflect coolant liquid away from the upper surface of the strip. The apparatus provides means for carrying out these steps.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cooling apparatus of a hot-rolled steel sheet capable of manufacturing a hot-rolled steel sheet having ultra fine crystal grains. In the cooling apparatus, when defining as L1, a length in a transporting direction of a steel sheet, of a zone from a rolling reduction point in a final stand to an exit side of a housing post; defining as L2, a length in the transporting direction of the steel sheet, of an area where high-pressure water is continuously sprayed over the steel sheet, within the zone; and defining a ratio of L2/L1 as X, an average value Ps [kPa], in the transporting direction of the steel sheet, of an impact pressure of the high-pressure water on a surface of the steel sheet in the area of the length L2 satisfies Ps?2.5X(?1/0.6) on the above upper surface and lower surface of the steel sheet.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for producing pipes made of steel. According to the invention, within a period of time of no more than 20 seconds after the last deformation at a temperature greater than 700° C., but less than 1050° C., during passage a cooling medium is applied with elevated pressure onto the outside circumference of the pipe over a length of greater than 400 times the pipe wall thickness in a quantity which during rapid cooling provides an equivalent cooling speed of greater than 1° C./second of the pipe wall over the pipe length to a temperature in the range of 500° C. to 250° C., whereupon further cooling of the pipe down to room temperature is carried out by exposure to air.

Abstract: A hybrid method manufacturing apparatus for a torsion beam according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of side punch molds where a semi-finished product material heated to approximately 880 to 800° C. is molded and a press mold where a cooling water circulation line decreasing the temperature of the processed finished product to approximately 750 to 450° C. while the semi-finished product material is molded to a processed finished product is installed, an advantage of high-temperature molding having high dimensional accuracy is maintained at the time of manufacturing the torsion beam and additional heat treatment such as tempering is selectively performed only when additional heat treatment such as tempering increases toughness because only a martensite structure is not formed in quenching treatment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing molten iron. The present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing molten iron including a charge container receiving the supply of reducing material in which hot fine direct reduced iron from multiple fluidized-bed reactors are mixed; at least one pair of roller presses to which the fine direct reduced iron is supplied to undergo roll pressing, thereby producing continuous compacted material having lumped portions adjacent to each other; a crusher crushing the compacted material produced by the roller presses; and a melter-gasifier to which is charged crushed compacted material that is crushed by the crusher. Each of the pair of roller presses include pressed portions and protruded lines formed between the pressed portions.

Abstract: A method of quenching a ring shaped article includes a heating step (S1) of heating the article (W) to a quenching temperature; a primary cooling step (S2) of cooling the article (W) down to a deformation correction initiating temperature, which is higher than a martensitic transformation point; and a secondary cooling step (S3) of cooling the article (W) down to a temperature lower than the martensitic transformation point by, while a pair of receiving rolls (3) are held in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the article (W) for rolling motion about an axis of rotation parallel to a center of the article (W), pressing a press roll (4), rotatable about an axis of rotation parallel to the center of the article (W), against the outer peripheral surface of the article (W) from one side of the article (W) opposite to a point intermediate between the receiving rolls (3).

Abstract: A method of cooling both surfaces of steel plate, which stably secures precision of cooling control from a start of cooling to an end so as to uniformly cool the top and bottom surfaces of the steel plate and thereby stably secures the steel plate quality and cools the steel plate down to a target temperature with a good precision. The method comprises dividing a steel plate cooling region into at least a spray impact part region and a spray non-impact part region, predicting a heat transfer coefficient for each divided region in advance, computing a predicted temperature history of the steel plate based on this predicted value, and setting and controlling amounts of sprayed coolant on the spray impact part regions by top and bottom surface nozzles.

Abstract: In the press hardening process when a blank is formed and cooled in cooled tools (30,31), the tools are used as a fixture during the hardening. The tools have alternately contact surfaces (33,34) and clearances (35) in a certain area against the formed product (20-24) and the contact surfaces have an area that is less than 20% of the area. As a result, this area will be a soft zone (11) of the final product and the zone will have good dimensional accuracy.

Abstract: A method for extraction a metal from a mineral ore including a refractory ore contained in a metal. The method includes concentration of refractory ore followed by micronization of the concentrate until gold is liberated by the extraction solution and mixing of micronized concentrate with concentration rejects or by-products to facilitate recovery of the treatment solution.

Abstract: A process for producing a component of metal includes a) carrying out a heat treatment to harden the component, which ends with a heating process, especially with a tempering or microstructural transformation process, at a given temperature (TE); carrying out at least machining of the component at room temperature (TU) in order to provide its desired geometrical shape; and c) subsequent heating of the component to a temperature (T) which is greater than room temperature (TU).

Abstract: The present invention provides an effective method for mechanically removing iron oxide films formed on surfaces of a hot rolled steel strip with a high temperature.

Abstract: Method for heat treating rolled stock leaving a rolling train (12), wherein the rolled stock (13) undergoes a rapid cooling treatment in a rapid cooling assembly (11) located immediately downstream of the last rolling pass, the first cooling step being followed by a temperature-equalisation step in air and at least by a second cooling treatment before being discharged and collected, the temperature-equalisation step in air and the at least second cooling treatment being set so as not to modify the surface and inner crystalline structure of the rolled stock (13) which has formed at the outlet of the first cooling treatment, the at least second cooling treatment being followed by a short segment of temperature-equalisation in air and then directly by the collection of the rolled stock (13) into compact form, such as rolls coils bundles or packs, wherein the slow cooling of the rolled stock (13) collected in compact form leads to the transformation of the crystalline structure in the stable structures.

Abstract: Process for continuously producing on a production line a rolled stainless steel sheet product having an improved surface state, characterized in that the hot produced sheet is subjected to a treatment comprising at least:a primary pickling for removing scale,cold rolling in at the most three rolling passes,a final annealing,a final pickling, anda cold rolling of the "skin pass" type.There is optionally effected, before the primary pickling, a stretcher levelling which produces a residual elongation of 1 to 5% for cracking the layer of oxide and rendering the sheet planar. Apparatus for carrying out the invention process is also described.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for correcting a hardening deformation of an annular element made out of steel, during the cooling stage of hardening, the annular element which still has an austenitic structure is subjected to working on either the outside or inside diameter, with the degree of working being 0.05-1.0% if it is on the outside diameter with the annular element being pressed into a mold, and 0.5-3.0% if the working is on the inside diameter. Thus the deformation that develops in annular steel elements due to heat treatments is effectively corrected to yield completely round, strain-free or deformation-free annular elements.

Abstract: A coating system and method of using same for coating a hot rolling strip coil, such as zinc coating of steel strip, is disclosed. The coating system includes sequentially arranged coil uncoilers, a strip welder, a pickling tank, a heating and deoxidizing furnace, a coating pot, and a coiler. A rolling mill with at least one cold rolling mill stand is interposed between the pickling tank and the heating and deoxidizing furnace. In certain operations with hot rolling strip coil having a larger than desired thickness, the cold rolling mill is operated to reduce the strip material thickness. In operations where the strip material is of proper desired thickness, the strip material is passed through the cold rolling mill without carrying out cold rolling. The system and method accommodate a single coating line usable with a wide variety of hot rolled strip material and finish coated material thicknesses.

Abstract: Household sealed cell alkaline and zinc carbon batteries may be recycled for use in steel making as follows. The batteries are pulverized then run through an acidic bath to neutralize the alkaline electrolyte. Next the materials are rinsed, then dried and mixed with granulated carbon steel typically in a ratio of 5 parts battery material to 95 parts granulated carbon steel. The mixture is compressed into briquettes for introduction into steel making furnaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for cooling a traveling strip of heated material. The apparatus includes a cooling header comprising an external pipe having disposed therein a plurality of internal pipes having discharge holes. The external pipe has an exit which communicates with the discharge holes, and further includes a first chamber which communicates with a source of air and a second chamber which communicates with the first chamber and the internal pipes.

Abstract: In the manufacture of formable steel strip having a thickness between 0.5 and 1.5 mm, the following process steps are performed sequentially in a continuous process:(a) in a continuous casting machine forming liquid steel into a hot slab having a thickness of less than 100 mm,(b) hot rolling the hot slab from step (a), in the austenitic region and below 1100.degree. C., to form strip having a thickness of between 2 and 5 mm,(c) cooling the strip from step (b) to a temperature between 300.degree. C. and the temperature T.sub.t at which 75% of the steel is converted to ferrite,(d) rolling the cooled strip from step (c) at said temperature between 300.degree. C. and T.sub.t with a thickness reduction of at least 25% at a rolling speed not more than 1000 m/min.,(e) coiling the rolled strip from step (d).

Abstract: Process and apparatus are provided for selective heating a portion of a workpiece to achieve improved ausforming and isoforming processes when the workpiece is plastically deformed by mechanical working above the M.sub.s temperature. The process and apparatus includes a preheating step where a larger portion of the workpiece is preheated to less than the austenitic critical temperature while the final heating step conducted at a temperature higher than the austenitic critical temperature heats a smaller portion of the workpiece which is subsequently subjected to plastic deformation.

Abstract: The partial tempering of rolled wire (WD) takes place in a quenching chamber (2), which is disposed following the winding layer (1). Thus work can proceed at the typical rolling speeds of up to 120 m/s, and the annular disposition of the wire in the quenching chamber makes it possible for the cooling line required for tempering to be much shorter. The rolled wire (WD) is shaped into loops (S) in the state in which it is still hot from the rolling mill, and as a result excessuve abrasion of the winding layer (1) does not occur, and the cooled wire has no strains, because the hardened steel does not have to be bent.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heat treating steel plates subject to longitudinal length distortion wherein the plate at a temperature of the critical temperature of the steel passes through leveling rolls to remove the length distortion and immediately thereafter through quenching rolls which maintain length uniformity during quenching of the plate.

Abstract: Thin walled broached parts are heat treated from manufactured dimensions to predetermined dimensions through control of heating, cooling and pressurization parameters during the heat treating cycle.

Abstract: A process is provided for heat treating steel in which each segment of a piece of steel is quenched in a quenching zone by directing the flow of a sufficient amount of a cooling medium against a surface of each segment to lower the temperature of the segment to a desired temperature while vaporizing substantially all of the cooling medium to create a vapor blanket around at least one surface of each segment so cooled. In one embodiment, steel pipe is heated above its critical transformation temperature and then each longitudinal segment of the pipe is sequentially quenched by substantially simultaneously sending a sufficient amount of water against the inside and outside surfaces of each segment to reduce the temperature of the segment to within a predetermined range while vaporizing substantially all of the water to create a steam blanket around the segment.

Abstract: An apparatus for distributing curtain walls of coolant around a passing hot rolled, extruded, or drawn round, metal article, and optimizing the cooling thereof. A circular liquid coolant header comprises an enclosure divided into two abutting annular compartments; the first compartment containing a smaller annular concentric compartment with openings communicating with the second abutting compartment, which, in turn, has several circumferentially positioned and evenly spaced nozzle assemblies for delivering the curtain walls. A nozzle assembly is located between two semi-round compartment inlets which receive coolant from the first compartment and diffuse and direct the coolant flow into a respective nozzle assembly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for compensating for axial deformation of screw shafts due to heat treatment, wherein in the process of hardening of a screw shaft, the screw shaft is twisted to produce permanent twist deformation by an amount corresponding to the pitch error of the screw shaft caused by hardening, so as to correct the pitch error.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process and apparatus for hot working metals whereby a finer and more uniform grain structure is produced in the wrought product. In conventional hot working operations, the workpiece is initially heated to an elevated temperature within the hot working temperature range of the particular metal or alloy, and the heated workpiece is then hot worked by deformation until the workpiece becomes chilled, thereby necessitating reheating prior to further hot working. In accordance with the present invention, the reheating of the workpiece is accomplished by subjecting the chilled workpiece to electric induction heating at a frequency preselected to concentrate the induced heat in the chilled outer portions of the workpiece to thereby rapidly return the workpiece to the optimum hot working temperature throughout so that continued hot working can be reinitiated before appreciable grain growth can occur.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for cleanly and efficiently fabricating winged lawn mower blades from unfinished milled blade blanks. The unfinished blades are positioned in a magazine and fed one after the other to a heating station where they are inductively heated from one side only to increase the effective thickness of material available to support the flux. When a preselected temperature above the curie temperature of the blade metal is reached the blade is automatically moved to a press and hot-formed therein. The blade then is delivered edgewise into an agitated non-polluting quench solution containing polyalkylene glycol and vigorously sprayed to assure a consistent Rockwell C hardness. A conveyor delivers the blades from the quench tank to a tempering furnace for further heat-treatment.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooling rolled wire rod consists of a first part which guides the wire rectilinearly and cools it with water, a turn-laying unit which forms the wire into turns and lays the turns in staggerred disposition on a continuously running conveyor, and a second part comprising the conveyor which allows passage of an approximately vertically directed stream of air to the turns and conveys the wire turns to a coil forming station which collects them. In order to provide substantial adaptability to various cooling requirements by means of simple and inexpensive conversion, the two parts are composed of a plurality of modules of the same modular length or an integral multiple of the modular length. A base frame carries the modules and the turn-laying unit is fixed on the base frame in a longitudinally displaceable manner. Thus, the lengths of the first and second parts can be changed, and individual modules or groups can be replaced.

Abstract: Cooling water is sprayed under a predetermined pressure range and at a predetermined discharge rate over the both surfaces of a sheet to be treated which is reciprocated lengthwise at such a velocity that the product of the reciprocating velocity and thickness of the sheet may be maintained within a predetermined range. The spraying direction of each spray nozzle is individually controlled so that any water remaining over the surface of the sheet may be expelled out. The method and apparatus is especially adapted for use in the normalizing process and in the process for cooling hot-rolled sheet steel.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for cooling a steel strip in a continuous annealing line, which has a first cooling step in which the steel strip immediately after an overageing treatment is cooled from the overageing temperature to a temperature in the range of from about 95.degree. C. to 60.degree. C., a temperature which prevents a surface oxidation but allows self-drying of the strip, in a protective atmosphere using a liquid coolant; and a second cooling step in which the steel strip is cooled to a temperature suitable for a subsequent temper rolling using liquid coolant at a temperature no higher than 40.degree. C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing steel spring leaves. The apparatus incorporates successively arranged entry guide rollers with an inductor in-between, bending rollers, a cooler and exit guide rollers. An additional inductor with cooler is provided between the exit guide rollers to enable surface-hardening of spring leaves. The cooler, additional inductor with cooler and the exit guide rollers are arranged along a circular arc whose radius is that of a specified radius of curvature of the spring leaf.

Abstract: In a method of treating a coil spring to improve its performance and reliability when operating at elevated temperatures, the spring is first stressed by applying a load of preselected magnitude and then, while the load is maintained, the spring is heated until it relaxes or collapses to a predetermined extent at which stage the heating is automatically discontinued and the applied load is afterwards removed. Apparatus for carrying out the method in relation to compression springs includes a spring supporting base, an overhead operating head with a vertically movable ram or plunger for applying the predetermined load, means for passing an electric heating current through each spring while beneath the operating head, and limit switch means which responds to the position of the ram or plunger and terminates the supply of heating current when the loaded spring has reached the required predetermined value of relaxation or collapse.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for treatment of metallized iron ore produced by direct reduction techniques principally for use in various iron and steelmaking furnaces. The apparatus and process receives the product from a direct reduction facility consisting of hot metallized fine sizes of reduced iron ore such as from a fluidized bed reactor system that can be combined with metallized iron ore pellets or like agglomerates from other types of direct reduction reactors. The present invention involves dry and wet treatment and handling apparatus and procedures wherewith the hot metallized fine sizes, optionally including metallized pellets or agglomerates, are rendered immune from reoxidation and degradation for unlimited periods of time whether in open storage or during transport, whereafter the stabilized product can be readily used in various types of iron and steelmaking furnaces.

Abstract: A technique for heat treating the upper surface of the head of an in situ rail is disclosed. A car carrying an induction heater followed by an air quencher and then an air and water quencher is passed along the track. In this way the upper surface of the rail head passes through successive stages of heating from ambient temperature, austenization, hardening, tempering and cooling to ambient temperature thus bringing about desired hardening of the rail head. The tendency of the rail to bend concave upwardly due to this heat treatment is counteracted by applying an upward mechanical force to the rail to tend to bend the rail in the opposite direction i.e. concave downwardly. The mechanical force is applied by a lifting mechanism carried on the rail car, the lifting mechanism progressively bending the rail simultaneously with the heat treatment.

Abstract: The device enables the machine to undergo without damage the passage of deformed metal sheets or metal sheets whose thickness exceeds the gap between the rollers of the machine. For this purpose, the upper rollers carried by an upper frame of the machine are mounted in bearings which are supported elastically by means of spacer blocks. Sealing elements operating under conditions particular to each sealing element are provided. The main application of this device is in machines for effecting an accelerated cooling or hardening of metal sheets.

Abstract: In the quenching of sheet metal, the sheet metal is passed through a stream of quenching fluid in the form of an aerosol and which is caused to flow in a direction perpendicular to the direction of passage of the metal sheet and parallel to the general plane of the metal sheet.

Abstract: Bumper bars are shaped from easily workable relatively thin gauge sheet or strip steel into bumper bar shell profile provided with a horizontally elongated body portion and spaced apart integral upper and lower flanges of substantial width extending freely angularly from the body portion, and opposite end portions turned angularly away from the body portion in the same direction as the flanges. The body portion and the flanges are heat and quench hardened throughout their major extent, thereby providing the bar with a beam strength and yield strength to withstand bending stresses from repeated impact forces of a high order of magnitude without significant damage, and the opposite end portions are maintained free from heat and quench hardening as warpage control areas and thereby maintaining the bumper bar free from detrimental warpage.Apparatus for carrying out the method is provided.