Year

Nanobainitic Steel

Nanostructured bainitic steels are a relatively new construction material with a strength value up to 2.5 GPa, at the same time characterized by acceptable ductility for many applications. One of the main applications of nanobainitic steel materials is ultra-strength plates utilized in armor systems.

LOOK Containers – Utilizing Nanostructured Ultra-Strength Steels

Heatmasters, along with other partners, took part in a project funded by the POIR 04.01.04 programme, which aimed to develop the design and to manufacture an observation and protective container with a specified resistance to penetration by armor-piercing projectiles and with a lower mass of steel armoring in relation to currently produced solutions.

Light Observation-Protective Container (LOOK) is a rapidly deployable solution designed to create defensive systems around military bases, airfields, checkpoints, or outposts. The shielded container is used to secure and protect personnel during observation and defensive tasks in warfare and peacekeeping operation conditions.

The aim of the project was achieved by using armor plates made of nanostructured bainitic steel (nanobainitic), which are characterized by high resistance to high-energy impacts concentrated in a small area. The technological tests carried out in the project mainly concerned the development of a new container and industrial technology of armour plate production and their application in the armor of this container. Based on the results of the investigation of the material, the optimum chemical composition for industrial-scale smelting and casting was determined. Industrial technology for the production of plates of nano-structured bainitic steel was developed, which includes the following processes: smelting and casting, preliminary heat treatment and ingot hot processing, as well as hot rolling, final heat treatment, and surface treatment. A test batch of the material in the form of 1500×2470 mm armored plates were fabricated under industrial conditions. The result of the project is a container armored with bainitic nanostructured steel plates with implementation documentation and a technology for producing armored plates from this steel under the technical and technological conditions of domestic steel manufacturers.

Heat Treatment of Nanobainitic Steel Plates

Heat treatment of nanostructured bainitic steels is a key production stage. The process consists of several immediately consecutive stages: heating, austenitising, controlled cooling, and isothermal annealing, as well as cooling to ambient temperature. Thanks to our vast experience in the field of heat treatment, Heatmasters was responsible for the heat treatment process of the plates used for the container.

Make sure to check the video of the heating process below!

Use the link below to access the full article, published in the Journal of Metallic Materials. The article contains results of research and analyses concerning the application of nanostructured bainitic steel in the form of plates for the manufacturing of armour components. The presented results of the examination of microstructure and properties include a wide range of laboratory experiments and industrial tests, which resulted in the achievement of the assumed functional properties.
Read Full Article

Heatmasters looks forward to telling you more about current and future development projects utilizing our decades of experience and knowledge in the heat treatment industry.

Questions for our experts?

During the final week of September, our team in Poland received news of immediately required repair works at a paper mill located in the idyllic countryside of Germany. Thanks to our capability for fast mobilization, our heat treatment specialists and heat treatment equipment started their journey towards the paper mill from our Service Center in Poland within a few days.

Scope of Project and Heat Treatment

One of our international partners is responsible for the continuous maintenance of this paper mill, and we are proud to be their trusted heat treatment partner. Our team has a long history of working with them on projects across the globe such as this one.

At this paper mill, there were two cracks on a support ring. Repairs had to be completed quickly to avoid costly downtime.

The cracks had a length of approximately 600mm. The job consisted of grinding and welding preheated material. Our wizards were responsible for the entire preheating process, from installing equipment to supervision and disassembly. As always, all operations were completed according to the highest quality standards and on time.

Equipment for Preheating

Our operators were equipped with Heatmasters semi-automatic preheating units. These thyristor-controlled transformer-type units have been designed with usability in mind: their simple and lightweight structure allows effortless mobility and efficient pre-heating at any location.

Two HM406T heat treatment units and accessories such as thermocouple wire, insulation material, and Heatmasters’ durable ceramic heating elements were required to get this job done.

The HM406T has a power output of 40kW and 6 heating channels. These units are designed for preheating, and they feature our BTC Temperature Control System. It is a simple, bulletproof temperature control system that allows the user to set the holding temperatures and control heating and cooling ramps with just a few buttons.

For any heat treatment processes which require documentation, such as post-weld heat treatment, we suggest our fully automatic units that utilize a digital, computer-based temperature control system. This control system allows complete process control, digital documentation, and features such as on-site/remote monitoring and control.

Half a century of experience in on-site works has allowed us to design equipment and solutions that are innovative and designed with industry requirements such as ease-of-use and a long product lifetime in mind!

Heatmasters looks forward to future challenges utilizing our knowledge and long-term experience in high-quality heat treatment and industrial services.

In addition to on-site pre-heating and post-weld heat treatment (PWHT), Heatmasters provides custom-tailored solutions including:

• Heat treatment of workpieces in fixed furnaces
• Heat treatment of large workpieces in portable temporary furnaces
• Refractory dry-outs
• Wide range of industrial services (NDT, surface treatment, welding, etc.)
• High-tech heat treatment equipment (furnaces, transformers, temperature control systems, etc.)
• Modernizations for all manufacturer’s heat treatment equipment

Our team of heat treatment specialists at the Turku Service Center has expanded! We had some time to bombard the newest wizard – Mikko Kekkonen with a few questions. Mikko is well prepared for any challenges ahead and has already had some time to settle in among the wizards of metal. Who is Mikko, what does he do at Heatmasters or during his free time? Let’s ask him!

Who are you and what are your responsibilities at Heatmasters?

My name is Mikko Kekkonen. I am originally from Porvoo but have now lived in Turku for over 14 years. In addition to working as a heat treatment operator at Heatmasters, I also handle many administrative tasks.

When did you start working at Heatmasters?

I joined the team in the middle of August 2021.

Can you tell us about your educational background and prior experience?

I graduated from Porvoo Business School in 2003 and didn’t have much experience in heat treatment before joining Heatmasters. In 2006, I worked at the Neste oil refinery in Porvoo. After that, I started work at the Naantali refinery. At the refinery, I was working in a variety of maintenance-related roles for the past 14 years.

How would you describe your work at Heatmasters? What are the best and most challenging parts?

I have really enjoyed the work so far. It is not as physically demanding compared to working at the refinery, and the working environment is much safer. Learning all of the new things related to my administrative tasks will be the biggest challenge.

What do you think of Heatmasters as a company and employer?

The company seems well run and a good and fair employer.

What are you looking forward to in 2021?

Everything has started well and I hope that the work will continue with a similarly good vibe next year as well.

What do you do during your free time?

I of course spend a lot of time with my family and often play badminton or squash. Music and reading are also interests of mine.

Heatmasters has acquired the furnace services and maintenance business of Sarlin Oy Ab

Sarlin has provided heat treatment furnaces to various industries since 1935.

The Heatmasters team will continue to provide flexible and cost-effective furnace maintenance and modernization services to all users of Sarlin heat treatment furnaces.

I am excited about this expansion to our furnace services division, and look forward to meeting new faces and ensuring all furnace users are able to continue smooth operations.
-Markku Pyykkö, Business Manager at Heatmasters

If you have any questions, or would like to contact our team, you can send us a message via our Contact Us page!

Furnace Maintenance and Modernization to Ensure Safe and Efficient Processes

Heat treatment and industrial furnaces are under constant and heavy use, operating at high temperatures which can often change rapidly. This means regular maintenance along with modernization upgrades are required to meet evolving production requirements and to ensure safe and energy-efficient heat treatment processes.

In addition to delivering custom-tailored furnaces across the world, Heatmasters provides maintenance and modernization services for all brands of heat treatment furnaces and equipment.

Our comprehensive maintenance services include:

• Calibration of temperature control systems and temperature uniformity measurements
• Furnace inspections and safety checks
• Thermal imaging to check for leaks and disturbances in electrical cabinets
• Ensuring critical spare parts are available on-site
• And more!

Heatmasters Heat Treatment Wizards Provided Heat Treatment Services (Preheating and PWHT), Along With Hardness Testing of Welds at an Oil Refinery in Germany

The refinery is known as one of the most modern refineries in Europe, with a maximum processing capacity of 12 million tonnes of crude oil per year. The refinery has a comprehensive product range including gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, LPG, naphtha, aviation fuel, bitumen, and methanol.

Our operators were on-site for 8 weeks and successfully completed all works without any issues. Our team was equipped with several of our mobile heat treatment units, which were perfect for heat treatment operations inside a facility such as this oil refinery, where mobile, lightweight units with minimized maintenance requirements are needed. Heatmasters heat treatment units also feature our integrated digital temperature control system, which enables complete control of heat treatment parameters, digital documentation and certificates along with many other benefits.

Heatmasters promises rapid responses and high-quality, flexible services. Our experts have a strong track record of successful heat treatment and industrial services projects in various process facilities across the globe.

📷 Photo courtesy of Alexander Stöhr
➡️ from stöhrfaktor – die wunderbare Welt des ho4587

Modern Electrical Heat Treatment Furnace Enables Expansion of Foundry’s Production Capabilities

Heatmasters has finished commissioning an electrical heat treatment furnace for a foundry in Europe.
With a loading capacity of 9000 kg and an operating temperature of 1000 °C, the furnace was designed according to the customers’ needs to further expand their production capabilities.

The furnace includes our famous digital temperature control system and full automation of two wagons and pneumatic doors. It also implements advanced safety logic developed by Siemens, which allows us to ensure the safe operation of the furnace in all conditions.

This furnace has been designed to meet the current and future heating requirements of the customer. Thanks to tight cooperation and communication between the customer and our experts, we were able to provide a cost-efficient, high-quality solution. Our wizards of metal will be able to provide support in the form of maintenance and modernization services to ensure the smooth operation of the furnace for years to come.

If you would like more information regarding this furnace, please don’t hesitate to contact our team.

Click the buttons below to read more about our high-quality heat treatment furnaces or digital temperature control systems!

Heatmasters Has Finished Commissioning of a Gas-Fired Furnace in Saudi Arabia

Featuring 2100 kW of heating power, and a movable wagon, this furnace was designed according to the customers’ needs to expand their production facilities’ in-house heat treatment capabilities.

The customer is an experienced pressure vessel, tank, and steel structure manufacturer for the oil and energy industry.

In addition to our famous digital temperature control system, we have also installed a new complete automation system that controls and monitors the burners, combustion fans, doors, cooling hatches, and wagon. This system ensures accurate, efficient, and repeatable heat treatment processes at the customers’ production facility.

This system allows the operator complete control of the furnace via the HM25 software.

It also implements advanced safety logic developed by Siemens, which allows us to ensure the safe operation of the gas-fired furnace in all conditions.

Click the button below to read more about our furnaces.

Receive an interesting ~5 minute read each month! Our heat treatment newsletter includes:

🔥 News from recent heat treatment and industrial projects

👨‍🏫 Heat treatment tips & tricks from our specialists with decades of experience

🔩 Regular information regarding modern heat treatment equipment & furnaces

🚨 Important announcements from Heatmasters

Przeprowadziliśmy wywiad z Pekką Arola, którzy niedawno rozpoczęli pracę w Heatmasters w Turku. Ogólnie zakres pracy Aroli obejmuje pracę biurową i także pracę fizyczną, ponieważ będzie pracował przy obróbce cieplnej, a także jako asystent biurowy. Arola pracowała wcześniej w sprzedaży i IT. Arola jest gotowy na kolejne wyzwanie w Heatmasters, i zapoznaje się z nową pracą.

– Po długiej pracy w sektorze drzewnym, największym wyzwaniem w nowej pracy było poznanie właściwości i metod pracy z zupełnie innym materiałem. Ale jestem z natury dociekliwy i lubię uczyć się nowych rzeczy, więc nauka była przyjemnością.

Arola był pod wrażeniem Heatmasters jako firmy.

– Heatmasters wydaje się pasować do mnie, myślę, że będę się dobrze bawić i mieć wpływ na rozwój. Ponadto 45-letnia historia udowadnia, że Heatmasters jest tutaj na stałe.

Przez resztę roku kalendarzowego Arola będzie nadal uczyć się od podstaw. Są jednak nowe cele na 2020 rok.

– W przyszłości byłoby wspaniale, gdybym mógł skorzystać z mojego wykształcenia i wcześniejszego doświadczenia w sprzedaży. Ponadto interesują mnie różne projekty informatyczne.

W wolnym czasie Pekka Arolę można zobaczyć na przejażdżce rowerowej lub treningu golfa.

– A kiedy tylko mam na to czas, uwielbiam zabierać swoje Ducati na przejażdżkę. Zimą staram się utrzymać kondycję chodząc na siłownię, a gdy pozwala na to rozkład zajęć i pogoda, jazda na nartach jest również integralną częścią moich zimowych zajęć.

Tilaa sähköinen uutiskirjeemme, jonka lukemiseen menee vain viisi minuuttia, kerran kuussa! Lämpökäsittelyuutiskirjeemme sisältää:

🔥 uutisia viimeaikaisista lämpökäsittely- ja teollisuusprojekteista

👨‍🏫 vuosikymmenien kokemuksella varustettujen asiantuntijoidemme lämpökäsittelyvinkkejä ja vihjeitä

🔩 tietoa nykyaikaisista lämpökäsittelylaitteista ja uuneista

🚨 muita tärkeitä ilmoituksia Heatmastersilta

Tilaa sähköinen uutiskirjeemme, jonka lukemiseen menee vain viisi minuuttia, kerran kuussa! Lämpökäsittelyuutiskirjeemme sisältää:

🔥 uutisia viimeaikaisista lämpökäsittely- ja teollisuusprojekteista

👨‍🏫 vuosikymmenien kokemuksella varustettujen asiantuntijoidemme lämpökäsittelyvinkkejä ja vihjeitä

🔩 tietoa nykyaikaisista lämpökäsittelylaitteista ja uuneista

🚨 muita tärkeitä ilmoituksia Heatmastersilta

Tilaa sähköinen uutiskirjeemme, jonka lukemiseen menee vain viisi minuuttia, kerran kuussa! Lämpökäsittelyuutiskirjeemme sisältää:

🔥 uutisia viimeaikaisista lämpökäsittely- ja teollisuusprojekteista

👨‍🏫 vuosikymmenien kokemuksella varustettujen asiantuntijoidemme lämpökäsittelyvinkkejä ja vihjeitä

🔩 tietoa nykyaikaisista lämpökäsittelylaitteista ja uuneista

🚨 muita tärkeitä ilmoituksia Heatmastersilta

Heatmasters heat treatment furnaces are designed together with the customer to ensure that we provide a heat treatment furnace that is a perfect fit for your operations and heating processes.

Recently, Heatmasters delivered another preheating furnace that was tailor-made and delivered to a large multinational corporation providing integrated solutions for the marine industry. The customer will be utilizing this furnace for pre-heating works in a variety of locations worldwide.

After initial discussions with the customer and in-depth heat treatment needs analysis performed by our heat treatment specialists, the furnace features required by the customer were clear. During the design phase, Heatmasters is able to provide insight and consultation regarding the optimal design of the furnace, thanks to our experts having over half a century of experience designing, manufacturing, running, and maintaining heat treatment furnaces across the globe.

Some of the most important requirements set by the customer were that the furnace should be easy to use and transport. Once all parties were happy with the design, manufacturing began at the Heatmasters’ Service Center in Hollola, Finland.

Some information and features of this pre-heating furnace:

• Mobile design allowing the furnace to be transported as necessary
• One furnace control zone with magnetic thermocouple
• Operating temperature 0-150 °C
• Overheat protection
• Sealed door with gas-springs

Below, you will find a gallery of pictures from the different stages of the manufacturing process of this furnace, from design all the way to delivery.

2HeatmastersSolidworks

3HeatmastersFurnaceManufacturer

4HeatmastersFurnaceInstallingCladding

5HeatmastersFurnaceInstallation

6HeatmastersFurnaTemperatureControlSystemInstalled

7HeatmastersPreHeatingFurnaceTransportation

 
Heatmasters designs and manufactures high-quality custom-tailored heat treatment furnaces, from small pre-heating furnaces such as this one to larger gas and electric heat treatment furnaces and even temporary modular furnaces when required for large workpieces.

If you have a question about the furnace design or manufacturing process or require more information about our furnaces, our experts would be glad to help!

Scope: On-Site Heat Treatment (PWHT)
Client: ANDRITZ OY
Industry: Pulp & Paper / Energy
Location: Uruguay

”We are extremely satisfied with the work completed by Heatmasters despite the challenges caused by the pandemic. A great effort was required to get the job done on schedule and Heatmasters heat treatment specialists were flexible and their commitment to work was exemplary. It was easy to work with the “wizards of metal” because they are professionals and know what they are doing. The equipment and tools were also suitable for the works at the Montes del Plata Mill.”
-Jukka Repo, Service Engineer, Recovery Boilers at ANDRITZ OY

During the final months of 2020, the Wizards of Metal left Finland and headed towards Uruguay during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Equipped with Heatmasters heat treatment units, our specialists would be working with Andritz personnel to replace bends and ties on several superheaters, during which on-site heat treatment work was required. These works happened during the plants’ annual outage maintenance project, officially called “PGP 2020 (Parada General de Planta)”.
 

Montes del Plata Mill

The Montes del Plata Mill is a eucalyptus wood pulp mill located in Southern Uruguay. It is run as a joint venture between Stora Enso and Arauco. The Montes del Plata Industrial Complex is environmentally friendly, incorporating the latest technological advancements which guarantee minimal environmental impact, meeting all environmental regulations established by the European Union (IPCC), and operating according to the industry’s best available techniques (IPPC-BAT).

Montes del Plata owns 190 000 hectares of land and leases 56 500 hectares of land and the company has incorporated standards of responsible forest management – FSC® and internationally recognized PEFC^TM-, which certify 100% of its plantations. Montes del Plata is also the largest private power generator in Uruguay, the third-largest producer after the hydroelectric stations of Salto Grande and Palmar. The mill delivers its surplus energy of around 500 GWh per year to Uruguay’s national grid, which equates to around 5% of the country’s total energy needs and is a contributor to the country’s conversion of its energy matrix to renewables, minimizing fossil fuel use.

The Mill’s Pulp Production Process

Wood Chipping

Wood is transported to the industrial complex on trucks and barges, after which it is converted into smaller pieces called chips to reduce and standardize their size whilst facilitating the digestion process.

Cooking

The chips enter the digester. A mixture of water and chemicals called white liquor is added to the chips, causing cellulose fibers to separate from lignin, a high-energy wood component, at high pressure and temperature.

Bleaching

The pulp from the cooking process is filtered, washed, and then bleached. This changes the color of the pulp from brown to white.

Drying

White sheets pass through dryers until the water content is less than 10%. After this, they are cut, grouped into bales, and packaged.

Chemicals and wood components from this process are concentrated and burned, generating steam and electricity. Noncombustible components are reintegrated into the pulp production process. The plant’s energy and chemical inputs are recovered and reused, making the Kraft process economically and environmentally viable. Atmospheric emissions are 99% water vapor and meet the most demanding national and international environmental standards, just as liquid effluents do.

Scope of Project and Heat Treatment

The scope of the works was to replace 6 bends and 48 pairs of ties in the superheaters II, III, and IV of the recovery boiler (RB). The works (including transport of equipment) were completed during a period of 6 days in November 2020.

During the replacement of the bends and ties, annealing was required. Annealing is a heat treatment process that changes the properties of a material to increase its ductility and reduce its hardness, making it more workable.

In addition to the superheater bends and ties, the drainage incisions from the pipes were also heat treated.

Heat treatment certificates of each heating process were required, and our innovative equipment ensured that fast and accurate digital documentation was available.

Heat Treatment Equipment

The wizards of metal were equipped with two HM406T_R26 heat treatment units which have a power output of 40kW and 6 heating channels. These fully automatic thyristor-controlled heat treatment units for the annealing of metal parts have been designed with usability in mind: their simple and lightweight structure allows effortless mobility and efficient heat treatment works at any location. Our wizards received positive feedback regarding the equipment’s compact design, which allowed the units to stay in place on the narrow hallways of the plant without causing any issues, and reducing time spent moving equipment during the works.

 
The units’ computerized state-of-the-art temperature control system provides digital, easy, and accurate setting, controlling, monitoring, and digital documentation of the heat treatment process, even remotely. This also means that an external temperature recorder is not required. These units are also almost maintenance-free, ensuring cost-efficient and trouble-free heating operations.

COVID-19 Precautions

Due to the ongoing pandemic, many restrictions and safety measures were in place during the project. Our heat treatment specialists were tested and entered quarantine prior to travel and arrival at the site. Protective equipment was always worn and contact between workers was limited using plastic screens, separated shifts, and restrictions to the amount of personnel within each area. Unfortunately, some of our wizards could not travel to Uruguay due to possible COVID-19 exposure. This caused some shifts in the scope of the works, but thanks to our personnel’s great work ethic and some help moving and packing equipment from our partners on-site, we were able to complete the works within the planned timeframe.

We are extremely satisfied with the work completed by Heatmasters despite the challenges caused by the pandemic. A great effort was required to get the job done on schedule and Heatmasters heat treatment specialists were flexible and their commitment to work was exemplary. It was easy to work with the “wizards of metal” because they are professionals and know what they are doing. The equipment and tools were also suitable for the works at the Montes del Plata Mill.
-Jukka Repo, Service Engineer, Recovery Boilers at ANDRITZ OY

Heatmasters looks forward to future challenges utilizing our knowledge and long-term experience in high-quality heat treatment and industrial services.

In addition to on-site pre-heating and post-weld heat treatment (PWHT), Heatmasters provides custom-tailored solutions including:

• Heat treatment of workpieces in fixed furnaces
• Heat treatment of large workpieces in portable temporary furnaces
• Refractory dry-outs
• Wide range of industrial services (NDT, surface treatment, welding, etc.)
• High-tech heat treatment equipment (furnaces, transformers, temperature control systems, etc.)
• Modernizations for all manufacturer’s heat treatment equipment

Click here to read more about Stora Enso or here to read more about Montes del Plata!