Issue No. 144 June 2016 June 2016 Issue No. 144 Inside . . . Page • Surface Engineering and Heat Treatment Industry Conference: there’s a place for you 3 • CHTA’s new Chairman: a profile 4 • CHTA AGM guest speaker 5 • CHTA Member Directory 2017 7 • Understanding Heat Treatment 11 • Member news 13 • The 100th Market Movements 14 • Diary 16 • Market movements 16 tell me more airproducts.co.uk/metals Ask the expert Q How can you preserve your surface carbon level in a sintering or hardening processes while avoiding surface oxidation? Ask the e t xper Ask the e : 080 T Air P Ask the e Q or har A a r a p oduc pr stem y s mor The s .c ts oduc uk@airpr 2 E: apbulk 20 0 389 0 : 080 f Hotline e sponsors o ts ar oduc r Air P t xper Ask the e Ho e carbon le ac f our sur e y v eser ou pr w can y ac f fa oiding sur v esses while a oc dening pr or har or es f o tmospher e carbon a ac f al sur In neutr oid decarburiz v o a t d e l l o r t n o c e b o t s a h t a h t r e t e m a esulting in a clean sur tion and r t within specifica oduc ed and c or t is monit w poin , the critical de stem ol the carbon poten tr on o c ying t eliable than tr e r mor e r tmospher stem includes a closed loop a y The s w om .c tering el in a sin v e carbon le tion? xida e o ac e d e h t , s e s s e c o o xida r dening p tering and har or sin e o ac f a ting sur n en ts’ ne v e , while pr tion a oid decarburiz oduc r Air P ith A ocarbons W . e finish ac f esulting in a clean sur dr y he h ting th equilibrium har egula y r olled b tr on ed and c - n tial, especially in non quisition and ol the carbon poten ac ta a ell as da tion as w egula e r w tell me mor .uk o .c ts oduc airpr w l w a c i t i r c a s i t n i o p w d d o obtain a d tion t xida ol tr on e c tmospher w a T T ts’ ne T This method is much d d d . ocarbons . es tmospher dening a h equilibrium har . tion onnec thernet c d E e tell me mor metals / .uk CHTA Secretariat Items for inclusion in Hotline and enquiries about CHTA activities should be addressed to: Contract Heat Treatment Association c/o SEA / BATF, Federation House, 10 Vyse Street, Birmingham B18 6LT Tel: 0121 329 2970 (or 0121 237 1123) Fax: 0121 237 1124 E-mail: [email protected]Website: www.chta.co.uk CHTA Secretary and Hotline Editor: Alan J. Hick B.Sc., C. Eng., FIMMM The Contract Heat Treatment Association is not responsible for the statements made or opinions expressed by contributors to Hotline. CHTA is affiliated to the Surface Engineering Association Members will again be able to update and network at this year’s Annual General Meeting, to be staged at SEA’s Birmingham headquarters. Full details will be circulated in April. Hotline 147 1 Issue No. 147 March 2017 Issue No. 147 March 2017 CEO Dave Elliott will update on Surface Engineering Association activities. Guest Speaker: Michael Mychajluk of Jaguar Land Rover. (See page 5) Chairman Simon Day will present the latest CHTA progress report. CHTA AGM 11th May 2017 A date for your diary…
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Ask the expertQ How can I improve my carburising process using nitrogen/methanol?
A The nitrogen/methanol route is broadly accepted by the heat treatment industry because of several process advantages over endothermic generated atmospheres. However, operators sometimes face challenges with methanol cracking due to the incorrect positioning and method of nitrogen/methanol injection into the furnace. Air Products’ specialists can help you in choosing the right injection technique and location for the nitrogen/methanol blend, ensuring the mixture is optimised to deliver high-quality parts and reduced operating costs.
tell me morewww.airproducts.co.uk/metals T +44(0)1270 614314; E [email protected] Air Products are sponsors of Hotline
Guido PlichtIndustry Manager, Metals Processing
Hotline 144 1
Issue No. 144
June 2016June 2016
Issue No. 144
Inside . . . Page
• Surface Engineering and Heat Treatment Industry Awards 3
CHTA Secretary and Hotline Editor:Alan J. Hick B.Sc., C. Eng., FIMMM
The Contract Heat Treatment Association is not responsible for the statements made or
opinions expressed by contributors to Hotline.
CHTA is affiliated to the Surface Engineering Association
In order to avoid surface oxidation you will need a carburising atmosphere without CO and other oxidising components(oxygen-free). With Air Products’ new plasma injector you can introduce an oxygen-free N2/hydrocarbon blend to theatmosphere that enables more effective carburising without intergranular oxidation. Using a new atmosphere control system,the technology allows operators to fully automate and repeat the process, thus avoiding the typical “sooting” problem.
tell me morewww.airproducts.co.uk/metals T +44(0)1270 612780; E [email protected] Air Products are sponsors of Hotline
How can I avoid intergranular oxidation during the gas carburising process?Q
Hotline’s newest advertiser focuses on thecapabilities of the company’s portableBRINtronic MD2 Brinell hardness tester.
No matter what industry you work in, thesimple fact is that, if you’re constructing,assembling or engineering any heavyequipment, Brinell hardness testing is anabsolute must. For many companies, thishas always been something relegated to alaboratory, with delicate machines andbroad samples of the used materials. WithFoundrax’s portable BRINtronic MD2 andtheir range of other static and portableBrinell hardness testers, they’re saying thatit doesn’t have to be. The main advantage of the MD2 over itsconventional static cousins is its flexibility.Let’s say you have a customer who haschallenged the hardness and integrity ofyour manufactured steel. With a statichardness tester, this means them sending asample back, you testing it, and then youconvincing them that they were wrong. Witha portable model like the MD2, this is asimple matter of taking it in your car to theirlocation and testing in front of them, aprocess that takes seconds. Additionally,with the low uncertainty of measurementprovided by all Foundrax BRINtronic sys-
Foundrax Engineering Products Ltdtems, the result cannot be reasonablydisputed.Foundrax are the inventors of automaticBrinell hardness measurement, producingtheir first system in 1982. With their systemsin use in foundries, forges and heattreatment plants, and used in the oil, gas,automotive, rail and steel industries, theycontinue to lead the industry in precision,speed and durability.
hand grinder. This scope is often integ-rated into the Type-D test heads availablefor our Brinell hardness testing machines,but in the case of the new MD2, it comesas an ergonomic, compact and ruggedstainless steel standalone unit, providingmaximum portability while retaining theBRINtronic system’s laboratory-gradeaccuracy.Even with the testing head separate andhandheld, the system maintains a lowuncertainty of measurement. No operatoradjustment to illumination, lenses, edgedetection/definition or calibration is req-uired. Positioning does not have to be asaccurate as it does with other systems. Inaddition, the system has comprehensivesoftware traps covering unprepared sur-faces, microscope misalignment issuesand surface contamination detection, and,in the case of any of these errors, thesoftware will simply not return a result –ensuring all measurements you do recordare entirely accurate, providing unpara-lleled confidence to both you and yourcustomers.With all the accuracy, reliability andrepeatability of results that you get with afull-sized static Brinell hardness tester in asmall, portable package, why not giveyour customers the confidence in yourproducts that your business deserves?
CONFERENCE/EXHIBITION
INCLUDINGCHTA MEMBERS
All Foundrax BRINtronic systems feature afully-automatic Brinell microscope, capableof performing as accurately on rough sur-faces as they do on mirror finishes, andunlike many other Brinell testing scopes,with the Foundrax models the surface onlyrequires 3-5 seconds of preparation with a
There’s a place for you at an event not to be missed!
Following on from the success of the first, plans for this October’s second Surface Engineering and Heat Treatment Industry Conference/Exhibition at Chesford Grange hotel, announced in Hotline 145, are now well advanced.Co-sponsored by CHTA, the Surface Engineering Association and Wolfson Heat Treatment Centre, the event will be open to members and non-members and will comprise a dual-session conference accompanied by table-top displays and followed, in the evening, with a drinks reception and dinner.
ConferenceThe conference will encompass a short plenary session, on themes of common interest, followed by two separate streams, one on heat treatment and the other on surface engineering / metal finishing. For the heat treatment stream, CHTA Secretary Alan J Hick is compiling a programme of presentations on advances in industrial practice. Full details will be announced shortly.
Industry sponsorshipSEA is promoting company sponsorship
of this prestigious event. Details of the options, benefits and charges appear below.
Exhibits SEA is also inviting applications from those interested in having a table-top display at the event. Rates appear in the table below.
Package Member Non-member
Conference only £150 £250
Conference and dinner only £200 £300
Conference, dinner and B&B £275 £375
Dinner only £50 £75
Benefits Package 1
Package 2
Complimentary conference registrations (conference and dinner only) Up to 4
Complimentary conference registrations (conference, dinner and accommodation) Up to 6
Table-top exhibit ✓ ✓
Company logo and mention on conference homepage ✓ ✓
Company logo included in pre- and post-marketing ✓ ✓
Company logo included in e-mail newsletter promotion ✓
Social media plugs ✓ ✓
Colour print in conference electronic pack (programme) Half page Full page
Named in press releases ✓ ✓
Listed on website as event sponsor ✓
SEA website banner (rolling banner) 3 months 1 year
Company logo included on signage ✓
Rate (excluding VAT) £2150 £3550
Package Member Non-member
Exhibitor £400 £500
Delegate fees (excluding VAT): Industry sponsorship
Member rates apply to members of CHTA, SEA and subscribers to Wolfson.
Table-top displaysIncluding conference registration and dinner for one delegate, fees (excluding VAT) are:
Delegates can register online at:
www.sea.org.uk/industry-conference/
For further information about delegate registration, table-top displays and industry sponsorship, contact SEA’s Michaella Mais, event administrator, at [email protected]; tel: 0121 237 1123.
CHTA CHAIRMAN
CHTA’s new Chairman: a profile
Decision time I thoroughly enjoyed my high-school experience and never missed a day. It gave me the opportunity to meet my mates and play sports. It didn’t really occur that an academic or indeed any education was its primary purpose! So, on leaving my South Yorkshire Comprehensive in the long hot summer of 1976, it dawned on me I had three choices: get a job in the steel industry; go down the pit; or go back into full-time education and augment my mediocre O-levels with something that might afford slightly broader horizons. It was a bit of a toss-up but, rightly or wrongly, I chose the latter. A year later, I’d improved my grades sufficiently to land a job in…the steel industry! In retrospect, I think I dodged the bullet with the pit.
TrainingAs a trainee Metallurgical Technician at Flather Bright Steels, in the rather cosseted environment of the lab, it was the people, as it was to prove time and again, who inspired me. There were many, but two stand out: the first was not only a great sportsman but a brilliant Metallurgist; the second was a Maintenance Fitter whose party piece was demonstrating solutions to differential equations in chalk, on the fitting shop floor! These were real characters, who never swore and were genuinely funny. As a teenager, I couldn’t have wished for better role models.I began training at Richmond College of FE in 1978, on day-release and evening
classes, alongside no less than sixty metallurgical trainees. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was to be among the last cohort of technicians. Upon finishing my studies at Rotherham Technical College in 1982, there were fewer than ten of us. At the same time, the steel industry was entering a programme of rationalisation and transfer to the private sector. In one of these pogroms, sorry – programmes, known as Phoenix II, a number of businesses, including Flathers,
were to close and production would consolidate in Tipton in the West Midlands. (Just as an aside, I’ve since been involved in a number of expansions and consolidations and it never ceases to amaze how often colleagues try to banner these things “Phoenix”. In my experience, projects with this tag inevitably end up in ashes).
Early careerI didn’t fancy becoming a one in ten, so I applied for and got one of the jobs internally advertised for the Tipton factory. (Thanks for the advice, Norman Tebbit). I now had the title “Inspection Supervisor”, working for British Bright Bar Ltd, and a new chapter in the West Midlands beckoned. The first year in the job can be summarised in one word: chaos, not even organised
chaos, created, unsurprisingly, by wedding the disparate culture and systems of three businesses, then transposing this onto a unionised, disaffected and militant workforce (couldn’t blame them really). What could possibly go wrong? In hindsight, this was invaluable experience. I drew personal lessons on leadership, managing expectations (by getting it wrong) but mostly by observing how not to deliver change management.Things settled down in year two, although clearly still not a good situation. Following a clear-out of the Directors (the coup de grace delivered on Christmas Eve…nice), the writing was on the wall, so I began looking for other opportunities.Early in 1986, I secured my next career move as Quality Manager for Ductile Hot and Cold Mills, a division of Glynwed International. My brief was to achieve BS5750 as quickly as possible and develop and institute statistical process control methods. This business was a completely different proposition. By mid-80s standards, it was lean, focused and commercially astute. It taught me the necessity to focus on productivity and what could be achieved with few resources. It also purported that business was war; it clearly isn’t, but it was miserable.
Into heat treatmentIn 1988, purely by chance, I came across a Quality Manager’s job for a contract heat treatment company. I expressed interest and was asked to attend an interview by their human resources advisor at his
8 Hotline 143
RETIREMENT
LOOKING FOR SPECIFIC HEATTREATMENT CAPACITY?
Where a job is proving difficult to source, the “Ask the Members” page on CHTA’s website allows thevisitor to ask all CHTA members if
they have appropriate capacity. Once submitted, such an enquiry is e-forwarded to members instantly;
any able to help reply directly.
CHTA WEBSITE
Life and time passes so fast when you areenjoying yourself. Amazingly, after whatfeels like a few minutes, I am about to startthe next phase of mine, following myretirement from Bodycote this April.I was born and brought up in Sheffield -the steel city - where my father wasemployed at “Sammy Foxes”, whichbecame part of BSC and now Tata. Thiswas destiny; when I came to choose, inmy second year at senior school, betweenLatin, Russian, Spanish, Italian or Germanas second foreign language course, Ichose Engineering Science, it was almostinevitable that I would do a sciencedegree. So I went to Sheffield to studymetallurgy and from there my path was set.On leaving university, in 1975, I went toLincoln to become Works Metallurgist atClarkes Crank and Forge, part of theWater Somers Group at the time. Fromday one, I was into annealing, normalisingand oil harden/temper of many of the old,and still loved, En steels, together with allthe usual in-house mechanical testing andthe meeting of quality and audit require-ments of the external bodies, such asLloyds and Norske Veritas.In mid-1978 I moved to Ruston GasTurbines in Lincoln, initially as FabricationProject Engineer and then, in mid-1979,working alongside Ted Welch with theresponsibility to set up and run a totally
My life in heat treatment – in the blink of an eye!As he
approachesretirement,Bodycote’s
John Jervis,a much-valued
long-timemember of
CHTA’s PublicitySubcommittee,reflects on over40 years in heat
treatment.
new in-house heat treatment departmentfor the turbines and turbochargerbusinesses on site. Ironic really, as I havespent most of my time at Bodycotepersuading businesses to outsource ratherthan invest!The building and equipment investmentwas justified and, by the end of 1980, wasin place and operational. After a few goodyears, the business struggled, following the1983 downturn in the energy market, andso began my career selling heat treatmentprocessing! In the following years, I ranthe department and sold surplus capacityto the local forge, foundry and generalengineering businesses in the area,successfully meeting all direct and over-head costs from this source of income andeffectively providing the turbine business’sheat treatment requirements at no cost.
Other highlights during this period weresecuring the 1985 Electricity Council PEPaward for the department and, personally,successfully completing a post-graduatediploma in management studies.I decided the time was right to leaveRuston (now Siemens) in 1988 and joinedBodycote’s (Blandburgh Nemo at the time)southern sales team, vowing that I woulddefinitely not stay in a business again foras long as 10 years…..and here I am, nowretiring in 2016 after 28 enjoyable andhectic years with this dynamic and agilecompany!
During that time I have had held technical,quality, and sales/business developmentmanagement roles. I have witnessed thegreat success and growth within ourbusiness, at home and abroad, but alsothe massive changes during those years inthe continued reducing UK manufacturingbase. We have seen significant UK marketsector changes, and customers’ increasingrequirements and expectations of us all. Ihave experienced the move to low-costeconomies and, in some cases, businessreturning with the realisation that noteverything successful has to be based onlow labour costs alone.I have seen the positive impact of thechanges in quality standards as theymoved from BS 5750 and DEF STAN 05-21 to ISO 9001:2000; the moves toQS 9000, TS 16949 and CQI-9. Thoseamongst us who are involved in aerospaceprocessing have been impacted by thespecial process requirements now entailedto achieve and keep Nadcap, and yet stillreceive the continuing and supposedlyobsolete prime and aerospace supplychain audits!Our businesses, customer bases andprocesses have changed; lots of ourcompetitors have gone, with a few newones formed. In addition, many of thememorable characters in the businesshave retired; I list but a few: David Wilkins,Terry Atterbury, Ian Brown, JohnChesworth, Alan Whitehouse, Roger Bird,Bill Hewitt and Mike Hallas.Having said that, CHTA members arestrong, with many of us reporting growthinto 2016 and onwards. There are greatopportunities for achieving this so long aswe focus on the right markets, be flexibleand continue to meet and beat ourcustomers’ requirements, invest in ourbusinesses and develop our people.Times ahead will not be dull, so enjoythem!
Hotline wishes John a long and happyretirement and thanks him sincerely for hissignificant contributions to CHTA activities.
At the February 9th CHTA Management Committee meeting, Simon Day, CEO of ADI Treatments, succeeded Andy Borg of Hauck Heat Treat-
ment who had completed his excel-lent two-year tenure as CHTA Chairman. Here Simon summarises his career, so far encompassing over 29 years in heat treatment.
Hotline 1474
New Chairman Simon Day (right) and former Chairman Richard Burslem flank Linda
Evans MBE who retired at the end of 2016 after serving as SEA Chairman and BATF
President. (To paraphrase SEA’s Dave Elliott, you don’t necessarily have to be tall
to be CHTA’s leader).
On behalf of ADI Treatments Ltd, Simon receives a 2010 SEA Quality Award from Lord
Hoyle at the House of Lords. He has been a member of CHTA’s Management
Committee since 2013.
Hotline 147 5
offices. He wouldn’t disclose the name of the company until after the selection process - very mysterious. Then followed an unexpected four hours of testing and a pretty aggressive interview; at the end, I was exhausted.A few days later, I received an employment offer from Express Treatments, a division of Benjamin Priest Ltd; I must confess I’d never heard of them! I never did get to the bottom of the cloak-and-dagger approach or the necessity for extensive testing. I can only put it down to either a sadistic HR professional or the idiosyncratic sense of humour of Peter Dale (Express Treatments MD). Either way, I’m grateful I came through, because I was now in my element! First-time entrants to the field are usually struck by the environment - the flames, the fumes, the urgency - replaced later with a vague anxiety that the place might just burn down. The 24/7 operation means you’re always on call. But for me, heat treatment was a metallurgical practitioner’s paradise. Had I not been taken under the wing of Peter Dale, my personal development as a heat treatment professional would probably look somewhat different. I was given a lot of freedom to manoeuvre (and make mistakes).Following the recession of the early 90s and Britain’s unceremonious ejection from the ERM, business confidence improved. In our small corner of the world, this confidence resulted in the 1993 management buy-out of Benjamin Priest Group, in which I was lucky enough to be included.With an eye on a successful exit, we were determined to do our bit. We drew up and implemented plans to reorganise and reinvigorate Express Treatments. This involved splitting it into bite-sized chunks, then devolving P&L responsibility to strategic business units. As a result, efficiency and profits improved dramatically and, following a stint as Operations Manager, I gravitated towards the sales and marketing side, took a marketing diploma and eventually became Sales and then Business Development Director.Galvanised by the freedoms afforded by good profits and a permissive environment, we developed capital investment plans for
a novel batch austempering facility, which would eventually become ADI Treatments.In 1995, the MBO successfully exited through a sale to a UK Plc. We must have done a good job with our austempering business pitch because they quickly bought into the plan.
The ADI eraFollowing a £2million investment, ADI Treatments (ADIT) became operational in 1997. However, it became apparent that we had underestimated the sales gestation period, resulting in an initial slow take-up of the technology. Our cause was not helped by the back-drop of a deteriorating economy and another round of de-industrialisation. (The banks and dotcoms did rather well though). Under pressure, the group main board decided to concentrate on core activities and divest or close businesses falling outside the criteria, including almost all of the former Benjamin Priest companies, as well as ADIT.Here was another fork in the road: stay put and wave goodbye to a project I’d invested five years in, or take a risk and lead a buy-out of ADIT… no brainer!On the eve of the new millennium, quite literally the eleventh hour, we took control of the business. We weren’t out of the woods but, after a shaky start, the new business pipeline finally began flowing, we gained traction and entered a period of rapid growth. More investment followed in bespoke high-capacity plant. As ever, events conspired. The financial crash of 2008 did its best to crash the world economy a year later. I won’t say too much about this time, other than it was horrible and its ramifications are still being felt, but, up to that point, I thought we had a good business; post crash I knew we had a great one!Following this almighty hole in the road, we’re once again eyeing expansion via our newly-incorporated business ADI Technik GmbH.
The futureUnlike my teenage self and after 40 years in industry, 29 of them in heat treatment, I
realise I don’t actually know everything. I’ve tried to distil and apply any lessons learnt, which is all you can do in the end. Work/life balance is hugely important, my wife Sarah is my rock and my four kids keep me sane (mostly).I’m conscious that my tenure as CHTA Chairman coincides with the two-year Brexit process. I shall take every opportunity to use the office and its platform within the SEA to lobby on behalf of members’ interests. Change often results in a new paradigm, but along with that also comes new opportunities. I remain optimistic about our future; at least we have an industrial strategy for the first time in a generation and no one has mentioned Phoenix yet!
CHTA CHAIRMAN
Simon famously demonstrating the size of ADIT’s new controlled-atmosphere furnace with salt quench, “the world’s largest sealed-quench austempering furnace” (2005).
CHTA AGM
Our 11 May AGM guest speaker, on “JLR and Supply-chain Issues”, is Michael Mychajluk BA ACA, the Jaguar Land Rover Supply Chain and External E n g a g e m e n t Manager. He is also a member of the Automotive Council UK Supply Chain Group*. Mike has worked in the automotive industry since the 1980s and has been with JLR for 19 years. He currently provides business support to the UK automotive supply chain as the industry takes advantage of a period of strong growth. Mike has a keen focus on removing the obstacles to achieve this opportunity for growth. There are many supply-chain challenges that need to be addressed such as: access to finance; capacity constraints; corporate social responsibility; international competition; risk management; skills shortages; and supply chain standards and visibility. As part of this work, Mike has taken leadership of the Automotive Council Supply Chain ‘Access to Finance’ workstream. He has a special interest in re-shoring suppliers and manufacturing processes into the UK, thereby encouraging regional supply which, in turn, will ensure a sustainable future for UK automotive industry.
JJ CASTINGS INVESTMENTS(HEAT TREATMENT) LTDCaerphilly Business Park, Van Road,Caerphilly, South Wales CF83 3ELTel: 02920 887837 Fax: 02920 861900E-mail: [email protected]: www.jjcastings.com
For a full listing of member quality accreditations, go towww.chta.co.uk/approvals/34/.
THERMAL HIRE LTDTees Bay Business Park, Brenda Road,Hartlepool, Cleveland TS25 2BUTel: 01429 868202 Fax: 01429 861063E-mail: [email protected]: www.thermalhire.com
JJ CASTINGS INVESTMENTS (HEAT TREATMENT) LTDCaerphilly Business Park, Van Road, Caerphilly, South Wales CF83 3ELTel: 02920 887837 Fax: 02920 861900E-mail: [email protected]: www.jjcastings.com
THERMAL HIRE LTDTees Bay Business Park, Brenda Road,Hartlepool, Cleveland TS25 2BUTel: 01429 868202 Fax: 01429 861063E-mail: [email protected]: www.thermalhire.com
The foregoing pages update the listingof CHTA members previously found inthe CHTA Member Directory 2015published in Hotline 138, December2014. It also supplements the moredetailed information that can be foundat www.chta.co.uk, the website thatfacilitates easy identification of thoseable to meet specific heat treatmentrequirements.
Find a Heat TreaterClicking on “Find a Heat Treater” atwww.chta.co.uk takes the visitor to aconstantly-updated searchable databasethat enables easy identification of CHTAmembers providing various subcontractheat treatment services in the North,Midlands and South geographical areas ofthe UK. Selection, based on processes offered,materials treated and location, results in alist of names of appropriate companies;clicking on a name yields full details of thecompany, with direct access to its ownwebsite. Enquiries can be submitted to oneor more of the chosen companies with asingle click.
ProcessesThe “Find a Heat Treater” database coversover forty heat treatment and ancillaryprocesses from which the visitor canselect.Where appropriate, the search can berefined in order to specify the preferredmedium in which a heat treatment is
conducted, the choice being: air or pro-ducts of combustion; controlled/ protectivegas atmosphere; fluidised bed; pack;plasma; salt; or vacuum/low-pressureprocessing.
ApprovalsAll companies featured in the database aremembers of the CHTA and, as such, arepledged to maintain the highest standardsof quality and service. ISO 9001 iscurrently the universally-accepted qualityaccreditation, but many members holdadditional quality approvals from majororganisations, which are especiallyrelevant in particular market sectors.National and international accreditations/certifications held by CHTA members (suchas ISO 9001, ISO 14001, AS 9100, CQI-9,ISO/TS 16949 and Nadcap) are listed onthe “Approvals” page of the website.
Using a Contract Heat TreaterIn order to benefit fully from the services ofa company featured here and in “Find aHeat Treater”, the website recommendsthat buyers of contract heat treatmentshould involve the intended supplier at theearliest moment. CHTA member companies have a wealth ofexperience in heat treatment which can:
• make a positive contribution in the selec-tion of the most appropriate treatment;
• warn of possible pitfalls;
• help avoid costly mistakes.But, as the website observes, all of this canonly happen if the visitor chooses to drawupon this expertise and specialistknowledge.
Specifying Heat TreatmentClicking on “Specifying Heat Treatment” or“Datasheets” at www.chta.co.uk accessesCHTA’s series of Datasheets for Non-heat-treaters, guides aimed at aiding sensiblespecification of subcontract heat treatmentprocessing and avoidance of commonproblems. Couched in layman's terms, theyanswer the questions: What are thetreatments? What are the benefits? Whatmaterials can be treated? What are thelimitations? What problems could arise?How do I specify? Where do I go?In response to the last question, thedatasheets recommend contact withappropriate CHTA member companiesfrom those listed in this directory and atwww.chta.co.uk.
Selecting a heat treater at www.chta.co.uk
Ask the Members
Looking for specific heat treatment
capacity? Send your enquiry direct
to all CHTA members instantly
�Ask Members
a Question...
Looking for specific subcontractheat treatment capacity? ...
... post your enquiry on“Ask the Members” at
www.chta.co.uk
Ask all the members instantlyWhere a job is proving difficult to source (say, because of size or other special requirements), the “Ask the Members” page on
CHTA’s website allows the visitor to ask all CHTA members if they can offer appropriate specific capacity. Once submitted, such an enquiry is e-forwarded to members instantly;
The foregoing pages update the listing of CHTA members previously found in the CHTA Member Directory 2016 published in Hotline 143, March 2016. It also supplements the more detailed information that can be found at www.chta.co.uk, the website that facilitates easy identification of those able to meet specific heat treatment requirements.
Find a Heat TreaterClicking on “Find a Heat Treater” at www.chta.co.uk takes the visitor to a constantly-updated searchable database that enables easy identification of CHTA members providing various subcontract heat treatment services in the North, Midlands and South geographical areas of the UK. Selection, based on processes offered, materials treated and location, results in a list of names of appropriate companies; clicking on a name yields full details of the company, with direct access to its own website. Enquiries can be submitted to one or more of the chosen companies with a single click.
ProcessesThe “Find a Heat Treater” database covers over forty heat treatment and ancillary processes from which the visitor can select.Where appropriate, the search can be refined in order to specify the preferred medium in which a heat treatment is
conducted, the choice being: air or productsof combustion; controlled/ protective gas atmosphere; fluidised bed; pack; plasma; salt; or vacuum/low-pressure processing.
ApprovalsAll companies featured in the database are members of the CHTA and, as such, are pledged to maintain the highest standards of quality and service. ISO 9001 is currently the universally-accepted quality accreditation, but many members hold additional quality approvals from major organisations, which are especially relevant in particular market sectors. National and international accreditations/ certifications held by CHTA members (such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, AS 9100, CQI-9, ISO/TS 16949 and Nadcap) are listed on the “Approvals” page of the website.
Using a Contract Heat TreaterIn order to benefit fully from the services of a company featured here and in “Find a Heat Treater”, the website recommends that buyers of contract heat treatment should involve the intended supplier at the earliest moment.CHTA member companies have a wealth ofexperience in heat treatment which can:• make a positive contribution in the selection of the most appropriate treatment;• warn of possible pitfalls;• help avoid costly mistakes.But, as the website observes, all of this can only happen if the visitor chooses to draw upon this expertise and specialist knowledge.
Specifying Heat TreatmentClicking on “Specifying Heat Treatment” or “Datasheets” at www.chta.co.uk accesses CHTA’s series of Datasheets for Non-heat-treaters, guides aimed at aiding sensible specification of subcontract heat treatment processing and avoidance of common problems. Couched in layman’s terms, they answer the questions: What are the treatments? What are the benefits? What materials can be treated? What are the limitations? What problems could arise? How do I specify? Where do I go? In response to the last question, the datasheets recommend contact with appropriate CHTA member companies from those listed in this directory and at www.chta.co.uk.
Selecting a heat treater at www.chta.co.uk
12 Hotline 143
The foregoing pages update the listingof CHTA members previously found inthe CHTA Member Directory 2015published in Hotline 138, December2014. It also supplements the moredetailed information that can be foundat www.chta.co.uk, the website thatfacilitates easy identification of thoseable to meet specific heat treatmentrequirements.
Find a Heat TreaterClicking on “Find a Heat Treater” atwww.chta.co.uk takes the visitor to aconstantly-updated searchable databasethat enables easy identification of CHTAmembers providing various subcontractheat treatment services in the North,Midlands and South geographical areas ofthe UK. Selection, based on processes offered,materials treated and location, results in alist of names of appropriate companies;clicking on a name yields full details of thecompany, with direct access to its ownwebsite. Enquiries can be submitted to oneor more of the chosen companies with asingle click.
ProcessesThe “Find a Heat Treater” database coversover forty heat treatment and ancillaryprocesses from which the visitor canselect.Where appropriate, the search can berefined in order to specify the preferredmedium in which a heat treatment is
conducted, the choice being: air or pro-ducts of combustion; controlled/ protectivegas atmosphere; fluidised bed; pack;plasma; salt; or vacuum/low-pressureprocessing.
ApprovalsAll companies featured in the database aremembers of the CHTA and, as such, arepledged to maintain the highest standardsof quality and service. ISO 9001 iscurrently the universally-accepted qualityaccreditation, but many members holdadditional quality approvals from majororganisations, which are especiallyrelevant in particular market sectors.National and international accreditations/certifications held by CHTA members (suchas ISO 9001, ISO 14001, AS 9100, CQI-9,ISO/TS 16949 and Nadcap) are listed onthe “Approvals” page of the website.
Using a Contract Heat TreaterIn order to benefit fully from the services ofa company featured here and in “Find aHeat Treater”, the website recommendsthat buyers of contract heat treatmentshould involve the intended supplier at theearliest moment. CHTA member companies have a wealth ofexperience in heat treatment which can:
• make a positive contribution in the selec-tion of the most appropriate treatment;
• warn of possible pitfalls;
• help avoid costly mistakes.But, as the website observes, all of this canonly happen if the visitor chooses to drawupon this expertise and specialistknowledge.
Specifying Heat TreatmentClicking on “Specifying Heat Treatment” or“Datasheets” at www.chta.co.uk accessesCHTA’s series of Datasheets for Non-heat-treaters, guides aimed at aiding sensiblespecification of subcontract heat treatmentprocessing and avoidance of commonproblems. Couched in layman's terms, theyanswer the questions: What are thetreatments? What are the benefits? Whatmaterials can be treated? What are thelimitations? What problems could arise?How do I specify? Where do I go?In response to the last question, thedatasheets recommend contact withappropriate CHTA member companiesfrom those listed in this directory and atwww.chta.co.uk.
Selecting a heat treater at www.chta.co.uk
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Ask all the members instantlyWhere a job is proving difficult to source (say, because of size or other special requirements), the “Ask the Members” page on
CHTA’s website allows the visitor to ask all CHTA members if they can offer appropriate specific capacity. Once submitted, such an enquiry is e-forwarded to members instantly;
NEW NAMEAfter more than 150 years of history and over 90 since incorporation as Holt Brothers (Halifax) Ltd, the company has changed its name to KTH Holts Ltd to reflect its ownership for the past six years by KTH Engineering Group. It will remain on the same Halifax site that the company has occupied since inception.Says MD Peter Fletcher: “Being owned by KTH Engineering Group has been excellent for Holts and its customers. The past six years have seen continuously high levels of investment and re-investment as the plant is renewed and new capacity installed. We have ambitious plans for further investment immediately and in the future to grow the business and the range of specialist services we can provide.” Based in Elland, West Yorkshire, the KTH Engineering Group also comprises KTHydraulics, KTHydraulics Middle East and KTH Fabrications.
NEW HEAT TREATMENT SERVICES Keighley Laboratories Ltd is a highly-rated supplier of metal heat treatment services with over 95 years’ experience covering a substantial range of processes, materials and products, whilst serving a vast array of industries.Recently, a number of gaseous surface heat treatment processes have been added to the portfolio to supplement the established surface treatments. These include standard and specialised gas nitriding, controlled by the latest electronics and software, and gaseous nitrocarburising.The family of gaseous nitrocarburising processes offered (ferritic, austenitic and special) follows on from the success of salt-bath treatments such as Tufftride®. Whilst still being used, these are now being added to by technically-similar processes carried out in controlled gas atmospheres, rather than salt, to meet specific requirements of many primes.These additional surface treatment processes complement the range of heat treatments that Keighley Laboratories offers: gas carburising; carbonitriding; austempering/martempering; induction hardening; traditional quench and temper; normalising and stress relieving.
NEW ROLLS-ROYCE APPROVALThe scope of Rolls-Royce approvals for the Bury (Manchester) site of metal thermal processing specialists Wallwork Group has been extended to include the company’s new vacuum brazing facility. Wallwork already undertake aerospace work for Rolls-Royce and it is hoped the new vacuum brazing unit will attract even more high-value contracts.
“Bury is the largest of our three UK sites and already has extensive approvals for metal heat treatment processes,” explained sales manager Howard Maher. “Vacuum brazing is a relatively new addition to the services at this location and is a natural addition to the other high-vacuum processes that we operate. Achieving Rolls-Royce approval, so soon after commissioning the new vacuum brazing development laboratory and assembly area, is another feather in our cap.” Bury is the lead aerospace processing site in the Wallwork group and already has extensive approvals for mainstream heat treatments such as case-hardening, carburising, hardening and tempering, nitriding and many other common processes. In addition to further Rolls-Royce approval, the company also carries approvals from other aerospace primes, such as BAe Systems, Airbus, Safran, Bombardier, Moog and many others, for specific heat treatment processes.Quality engineer Helen Ellis noted, “We are constantly working to extend the scope of our aerospace quality approvals to give clients confidence that our manufacturing processes conform to the highest standards.”
NEW TRANSPORT FLEET Hauck Heat Treatment have a complete new fleet of vehicles on the road. A total of 15 vehicles have been requisitioned, ranging from sprinter vans to 18-tonners. Transport is a key part of the business, collecting and delivering customer product where possible. The Euro-6-compliant vehicles also swiftly ship work between the six Hauck Heat Treatment sites. Short lead times and the ability to provide transport services to customers are often very important in winning business.
The fleet is fitted with a 24-hour tracking system, meaning vehicles can be directed in a live situation to where they are required. The weight of each vehicle is monitored to prevent it being overloaded.This new range of vehicles, tailored to suit the business demands and complement other transport logistics, not only looks impressive but also satisfies customers’ needs.
Member news
NEW OFFICERS
Newly-elected CHTA officers at February 9th’s Management Committee meeting: Junior Vice-Chairman Mike Leach (Alpha-Rowen), on left, and Chairman Simon Day (ADI Treatments). Andy Borg (Hauck Heat Treatment) becomes
CHTA is delighted that Air Products plc are again kindly sponsoring
both the Association’s website and Hotline in 2017.
Their much-valued support now extends to an unbroken period of
eighteen years.
parts and checking serial numbers cantake some time, especially when there aredifferences to resolve before parts areprocessed.
Keith is quite right in his views regardingthe often poor grasp of the heat treater’scustomer about what is required to placean order. It’s sad to say that it’s a breath offresh air to receive parts packaged in abespoke container nicely machined withcorrect and well-presented paperwork. I always thought the root cause for thisproblem was the lack of understanding byour customers of their relationship with usin the supply chain: when they send intheir goods they are suppliers to us andwhen we return them, we are suppliers tothem. They seem to think that they arecustomers at all times and we aresuppliers at all times and the old adagethat “the customer is always right” letsthem off the hook.The problem has been compounded inrecent years with the advent of internetshopping where people order online today,receive delivery tomorrow and returngoods they don’t want free of charge. Theexpectation is that we can perform at asimilar level although what we are doing ishighly complex and often cannot be“returned”, by which I mean to the originalstate the parts came in .In my mind, the only solution to this age-oldproblem is a prolonged gentle programmeof education for the customer. Phrasessuch as “our supplier has let us down”,then pointing out that they were thesupplier, or being “unable to make a silkpurse out of a sow’s ear”, when partsarrive damaged or rusty, make the point.The problem was the same when I startedas a heat treater in 1978 and I guess it willstill be the same in another 38 years!
9Hotline 145
CONTRACT REVIEW
Iain Mackenzie,Bodycote HeatTreatments Ltd
Richard Burslem,Wallwork HeatTreatment Ltd
Incoming Quality ChecksPart of the nature of heat treatment is thatour processes are normally some of thelast operations on parts before delivery tocustomers. This means that any delays inthe manufacturing process will eat intoheat treatment lead times. Regularly, thishas the effect of customers wanting partsback before they are delivered to us!Unfortunately, since the big blue box in thecorner of the shop floor is in fact a furnace,not a Tardis, going back in time is not, asyet, an option, so we must look to do ourbest to meet the customer’s wishes. To meet our own high standards, incomingquality checks must be completed effic-iently and effectively. Herein lies thechallenge: these checks are becomingmore onerous with increasing customerand regulatory demands on upfrontchecks, while the customer wants partsprocessed as quickly as possible. Insaying that, I have yet to meet a customerwho would thank a supplier for processingwork quickly but incorrectly! The key to moving quickly is effectivecontract review. This involves ensuring thecommercial and technical aspects of thecustomer’s orders can be met. Thisincludes, according to ISO 9001 and AS9100, “Requirements not stated by thecustomer, but necessary for intended use,when known”. In the simplest of cases,this can be a very quick review frompreviously-processed orders, with nochanges in the commercial and technicalaspects. It can also mean a full com-mercial review of terms and conditions, aswell as a full technical review of drawingsand associated specifications, with ques-tions going between the heat treater,customer and design authority (if differ-ent). This can be slowed further by thelack of updated specifications anddrawings sent to the heat treatmentprovider. It is not uncommon for some jobsto be sat waiting for customer confirm-ation, on questions or updated paperwork,for several weeks or months. There is also an increase in incoming ins-pection demands, with customers havingto be informed of the slightest dent, ding ordint! The advent of part-specific reusablepackaging has helped here for some of thelarger or forward-thinking customers. Also,increasing awareness of our needs forsurface finish, condition and surfacecoating has helped. Counting numbers of
Spread the word by proclaimingyour CHTA membership
For use on company letterheads, literature, websites andadvertisements, members can download CHTA’s logofrom the Members Area of the Association’s website.
Readers are reminded that WolfsonHeat Treatment Centre's much-laudedUnderstanding Heat Treatmentcourse is being repeated again thisOctober at SEA’s Federation Househeadquarters in Birmingham.
The aim of the well-established annualUnderstanding Heat Treatment course isto convey a general appreciation of themetallurgical/technological background toindustrial heat treatment processing. Itexamines the various processes, how theyare carried out and controlled, what theyseek to achieve in structures and properties,and the problems that can be encountered. With the emphasis on steel heat treatment,the following topics are covered:• basic metallurgical theory of heat treatment; • quenching principles and practice; • surface hardening theory and practice; • furnace types, materials, heating methods; • temperature measurement and control; • salt-bath heat treatment; • controlled-atmosphere heat treatment; • vacuum heat treatment; • fluidised-bed heat treatment; • quality control/assurance in heat treatment; • computer software to assist the heat treater.The course features lecturers who areworking in or associated with the heattreatment industry. They all have many yearsof experience and are well-known expertswithin their own specific fields. Delegates areprovided with a comprehensive set of subjectnotes and a certificate of attendance.For full registration details, contact DerekClose, Wolfson Heat Treatment Centre,Federation House, 10 Vyse Street,Birmingham B18 6LT (tel: 0121 237 1122;fax: 0121 237 1124; www.sea.org.uk/whtc;e-mail: [email protected].
Hotline Editor Alan J Hick marks a milestone.A regular feature in Hotline for the last 25 years has been CHTA’s Market Movements report. The latest, appearing on the last page of this edition, is the 100th.
The firstA brainchild of CHTA’s Publicity Subcommittee, the concept was introduced in Hotline 50 (March 1992) which, under the heading “Details of a new CHTA scheme to gather and collate market statistics for the benefit of members”, observed:
“Accurate statistics are vital in running any business, for without them you can have only the vaguest ideas of your performance in relation to the market in general. For some time now, the CHTA has been formulating a scheme to gather and collate market statistics in a form in which members feel they can participate.Earlier attempts to launch similar schemes foundered through apathy or the fears of loss of confidentiality. Companies which belong to groups sometimes have an additional problem as it may be against group policy to release information.In an attempt to overcome these difficulties, but at the same time produce meaningful figures, Jon Race (then of Keighley Labs) has produced a formula, endorsed by the Management Committee, which seems to have all the requirements for success. Alan J Hick will be receiving the returns and producing a quarterly output in graph form which will be published in Hotline. Briefly, the information requested is an index of turnover in relation to previous quarters with an anticipated figure for the next quarter. When collated, these will give an accurate indication of market movements, together with an assessment of confidence in the future. As no one is being asked to disclose actual figures, it is difficult to see how any company can object to being involved. But, like all such schemes, it will only work well if everyone participates. You may even surprise yourselves when you learn how you compare with your industry sector as a whole.”Initially with a regional analysis (North, Midlands and South), the first Market Movements report (“giving a good picture of the overall market”) was published in Hotline 51 (June 1992) which was somewhat critical of rather good support:“The response of 40 companies means that only 50% of CHTA member sites completed the questionnaire. This is a little disappointing, for the results must be more meaningful if we get a response from all members. However, it is particularly disappointing to see that only five sites in the South bothered to respond!”
New styleThe introduction of the Turnover Trends graph that now accompanies Market Movements was reported in Hotline 65 (February 1996):“In response to members’ comments, we are presenting results in a different way this time. Regional results have previously been re-based to 100 each quarter. This shows members’ “feelings” about the market and the accuracy of
gratitude to Richard Burslem of Wallwork who undertook the task of collating all the reports from 1991 into a consolidated form, from which the first Turnover Trends graph was prepared.
National, rather than regional, report institutedThe last format change was explained in Hotline 80 (June 2000):“This edition of Hotline sees a difference in the presentation of Market Movements data. CHTA’s Publicity Subcommittee has decided that, because members increasingly draw work from across the nation and are unable to supply precise regional information, the regional analyses are less meaningful. Hence the emphasis on an overall national analysis henceforth.”
Thank youSince 2000, the appearance of Market Movements has remained constant and support for the exercise excellent. CHTA takes this opportunity to express grateful thanks to those CHTA members who kindly participate.
Richard Burslem (Wallwork Heat Treatment) comments:CHTA’s Market Movements have always been a very good barometer of the state of the UK heat treatment market. Although they do not chart actual sales revenue, which in itself could lead to the domination of the results by the large multi-site companies, they give the opportunity for all members to register their relative outlook and past performance and so give a feel for how life is in general. Seasonality affects the graph, particularly in quarter 4 when most heat treaters are shut for a prolonged period over Christmas but, to the seasoned reader of Market Movements, this comes as no surprise.I think the constant re-basing of results so that the current quarter is the norm (100) is both a strength and a weakness of the survey. It makes actual turnover impossible to calculate but gives participants the security that they are not giving away commercial data. The fact that usually about 50% of members respond shows how popular this approach has been; it is not uncommon for similar attempts for participation at other organisations to result in very low return rates of less than 10%. It is a very quick survey to complete, certainly a matter of only a few minutes, and I would encourage all members to respond and so make it even more accurate than it already is.I always look forward to receiving Hotline and have to confess to jumping straight to the back page to have a look at Market Movements. Sometimes a member will predict a growth of 30% for the next quarter, or a shrinkage of 20%, and it is fascinating to imagine what might be leading to these forecasts! Most metal manufacturing companies use heat treatment to a greater or lesser extent and so the health of our industry closely mirrors the health of UK engineering as a whole. When the index is falling, my experience has been that our sales have taken a tumble along with those of our competitors. However the underlying cause is the poor health of manufacturing. Market Movements is a good bellwether for UK manufacturing as well as our own industry.
forecasts. But many felt they would prefer to see longer-term trends. With this in mind we present a new format. The graph below goes back to 1991 and shows actual results reported. As well as the individual North, Midlands and South figures, there is a weighted national average. Finally, along the bottom of the graph, we show the number of companies reporting each quarter.”This edition of Hotline also recorded CHTA’s
The 100th Market Movements
Both former Chairmen of CHTA’s Publicity Subcommittee, Richard Burslem (left) and Jon Race had important input in developing Market
Movements. Individual member returns and their analysis have always been for the CHTA
BATCH-TYPE FURNACE LINESUnder controlled atmosphere, in modular construction
No mechanical locking of the charge
Manual or fully-automated operation (automates + monitoring system)System 250 offers solutions from small to multi product series from 7kg up to 5 ton, changing of temperatures and atmosphere within minutesUnique patented quench transfer with no intermediate chamber increases security in modular construction (Add one furnace to double production)Respecting AMS 2750E, CQI-9 and CE norms for temperature and atmosphere precisionNew range of low-cost laboratory furnaces for stress relieving, hardening, preheating and tempering processes
BATCH-TYPE FURNACE LINESUnder controlled atmosphere, in modular construction
No mechanical locking of the charge
Manual or fully-automated operation (automates + monitoring system)System 250 offers solutions from small to multi product series from 7kg up to 5 ton, changing of temperatures and atmosphere within minutesUnique patented quench transfer with no intermediate chamber increases security in modular construction (Add one furnace to double production)Respecting AMS 2750E, CQI-9 and CE norms for temperature and atmosphere precisionNew range of low-cost laboratory furnaces for stress relieving, hardening, preheating and tempering processes
BATCH-TYPE FURNACE LINESUnder controlled atmosphere, in modular construction
No mechanical locking of the charge
Manual or fully-automated operation (automates + monitoring system)System 250 offers solutions from small to multi product series from 7kg up to 5 ton, changing of temperatures and atmosphere within minutesUnique patented quench transfer with no intermediate chamber increases security in modular construction (Add one furnace to double production)Respecting AMS 2750E, CQI-9 and CE norms for temperature and atmosphere precisionNew range of low-cost laboratory furnaces for stress relieving, hardening, preheating and tempering processes