http://www.thefabricator.com/Metallurgy/Metallurgy_TechCell.cfm The Metallurgy tech cell is packed with specific links to help you find product information, suppliers, technical articles, case studies, seminars and conferences, as well as books, software, and videos on metal fabricating-related topics. en-us http://www.thefabricator.com/RSS/images/thefabricator_rss.gif http://www.thefabricator.com Copyright 2007 FMA Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. official publication date Tue, 21 Aug 2007 11:18:29 AM CDT Vicki Bell Laurie Harshbarger http://www.thefabricator.com/Metallurgy/Metallurgy_Article.cfm?ID=1365 Drawing metal successfully relies, in part, on understanding precisely how the metal reacts to tensile forces. When subjected to tensile forces, a flat section of sheet material becomes thinner because of dimensional changes in its width and thickness. The ratio of the changes in width and thickness make up the plastic strain ratio. (Photo courtesy of ITW Drawform). Sheet metal forming operations vary from simple to difficult; at one end of the spectrum is bending; in the middle is s... Richard Gedney Tue, 13 Jun 2006 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Metallurgy/Metallurgy_Article.cfm?ID=1364 Although an auxiliary power unit cradle looks simple to manufacture, it is a complex component. The base is made of titanium parts heated to more than 800 degrees F before they are formed, and assembly requires 284 holes for the rivets. There is no question that steel is king in the metal fabrication industry. Fabricators know its characteristics and how to work with it—how to cut it, bend it, punch it, weld it, and coat it. Strong and durable, steel is the benchmark against wh... Eric Lundin, Senior Editor, The FABRICATOR® Tue, 13 Jun 2006 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Metallurgy/Metallurgy_Article.cfm?ID=995 The company fusion- and resistance-welds 300 and 400 Series stainless steel, CRES A286, nickel alloys 625 and 718, titanium, and aluminum to produce sheet metal and machined V-retainer couplings, mated flanges, band clamps, and strap assemblies. With expertise in seven metal groups in fusion welding—including gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW)—and three metal groups in resistance welding exotic materials, the company fabricates products used in... Voss Aerospace Tue, 09 Nov 2004 12:00:00 AM CST http://www.thefabricator.com/Metallurgy/Metallurgy_Article.cfm?ID=889 The metallurgical aspects of small-diameter tubing (5/8 inch and smaller) can be divided into three categories: Raw material characteristics Process design and control Finished tube inspection and testing These aspects are linked to and dependent on each other, so looking at them as a group can help produce a favorable result: a product that meets or exceeds customers’ demands. Raw Material Procurement of raw material is more than merely issuing a purchase order. A... Chiranjib Mukherjee, Contributing Writer Tue, 04 May 2004 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Metallurgy/Metallurgy_Article.cfm?ID=796 As I mentioned in the September/ October issue, welding can severely influence strengthened or hardened metals, depending on the hardening technique used. Hardening Techniques and Welding Effects Work- or strain-hardened metals exposed to the intense localized heat of welding tend to recrystallize and soften in the heat-affected zone (HAZ). Assuming the correct filler metal is used, the only area affected is the HAZ. The admixture and filler metal don’t suffer recrystallization a... Bob Capudean, Contributing Writer Thu, 11 Dec 2003 12:00:00 AM CST http://www.thefabricator.com/Metallurgy/Metallurgy_Article.cfm?ID=740 As we get into modifying a steel’s strength and hardness, keep a couple things in mind. First, don’t confuse hardness with hardenability. A steel’s maximum hardness is a function of its carbon content: more carbon, more hardness. Hardenability, on the other hand, refers to the amount of martensite that forms in the microstructure during cooling. Second, low-hardenability steels require rapid cooling to transform martensite, while high-hardenability steels form m... Bob Capudean, Contributing Writer Thu, 09 Oct 2003 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Metallurgy/Metallurgy_Article.cfm?ID=685 Generally, carbon is the most important commercial steel alloy. Increasing carbon content increases hardness and strength and improves hardenability. But carbon also increases brittleness and reduces weldability because of its tendency to form martensite. This means carbon content can be both a blessing and a curse when it comes to commercial steel. And while there are steels that have up to 2 percent carbon content, they are the exception. Most steel contains less than 0.35 percent carbon. T... Bob Capudean, Contributing Writer Thu, 28 Aug 2003 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Metallurgy/Metallurgy_Article.cfm?ID=676 This joint has dual characteristics—a brazed joint on the steel side and a welded joint on the aluminum side. A reliable method of joining the two most commonly used metals, steel and aluminum, would make it possible to make these joints in several applications. On one hand, aluminum is becoming increasingly more important in the automotive industry because of its good processing and performance characteristics and because it’s lightweight, which results in lower fuel co... Jürgen Bruckner, Contributing Writer Thu, 28 Aug 2003 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Metallurgy/Metallurgy_Article.cfm?ID=631 But phase changes can take place in many metals while still in the solid state. These phase changes are directly related to temperature and take place in the metal’s crystalline structure. And while temperature is what controls these transformations, stress, cooling rate, and alloy or chemical composition can all influence the temperature at which the changes take place. A Closer Look Remember there are three basic crystalline structures favored by metals: body-centered cubic (BCC), ... Bob Capudean, Contributing Writer Thu, 26 Jun 2003 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Metallurgy/Metallurgy_Article.cfm?ID=570 Dear Elmer: Is there a way to weld 1018 cold-rolled steel to cast iron? If so, how? JamesOwings Mills, Md. Dear James: You can weld 1018 low-carbon steel to cast iron using shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) and a nickel-based ENiFe electrode. Clean the surfaces before you start. If the joint is highly restrained or if the casting is thick, you might need to preheat the casting. Preheating reduces the cooling rate, residual stress, distortion, and the tendency for cracking. Use ... Elmer Swank Jr., Contributing Writer Thu, 24 Apr 2003 12:00:00 AM CDT