Page 20 - MetalForming March 2013

Materials & Coatings
Tata Focuses R & D on Ultra-High-Strength Steels
Tata Steel has started up an advanced facility to develop crash-resistant automotive steels. The €2.3 million research-and-development investment at the company’s facil- ity in the Netherlands follows close col- laboration between it and three major European car manufacturers to under- stand their requirements for future
car models.
The facility includes a Schuler hot
press-forming line to press heated steel sheets into vehicle parts. Says Henrik Adam, chief commercial officer
of Tata Steel in Europe: “This investment comes out of discussions we have been having with our automotive customers about their visions for the vehicles of the future. The upgraded facility will enable us to work more closely with them, not only to devel- op the new, advanced steels they increasingly require, but also to help them improve their performance when they process these steels using their own equipment.”
The use of steels whose strength has been enhanced through the inclusion of boron is growing particularly rapidly, say Tata officials. The company is developing zinc-coat- ed boron steels, which reportedly offer superior corrosion resistance compared to other boron-steel grades. In June 2012, the company launched its first zinc-coated steel product under the trade name HQ1500 ZnX.
Tata Steel: www.tatasteel.com
United Performance Metals Goes Green
Energy savings has been a focus of metal-service center United Perform- ance Metals, Hamilton, OH, and the firm reports that the several “green” moves it has made also have improved its work environment and reduced maintenance costs. Among recent moves made by the supplier of specialty stainless-steel and high-temperature alloys: installation of high-intensity lighting with high-bay occu- pancy sensor lenses in its warehouse sheet bays. The lights remain off until a plant employee drives a forklift truck through the aisles, which triggers the lights to switch on.
Also new are Big Ass Fans 16-ft.- dia. commercial ceiling fans installed throughout the plant; and sensor-switched lighting in restrooms.
United Performance Metals: 888/282-3292; www.upmet.com
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18 MetalForming/March 2013
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