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Non-Tech : Delphi Automotive Systems (DPH) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JakeStraw who wrote (242)	4/30/2001 12:54:58 PM
From: JakeStraw	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 397

Delphi, D.O.E., and ORNL Successfully Implement New Energy Saving Heat-Treat Furnace Technology biz.yahoo.com, Mich., April 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Delphi Automotive Systems (NYSE: DPH - news) and the Department of Energy (D.O.E.) celebrate today the successful implementation of nickel aluminide heat-treat fixtures developed jointly under a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA). Use of nickel aluminide fixtures instead of traditional steel fixtures at Delphi has extended the fixture life by more than two times, dramatically enhancing manufacturing productivity. (Photo: newscom.com ) The development enables a more reliable, energy-efficient manufacturing process for Delphi and other U.S. manufacturers who have similar needs, thereby helping D.O.E. to meet its goals of improving energy efficiency, decreasing industrial process waste and improving worldwide competitiveness. The D.O.E.'s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) researchers invented the nickel aluminide alloy in an effort to develop heat resistant materials leading to more energy efficient processes. The alloy has a highly ordered structure, which contributes to an unusual property where the alloy gets stronger as it is heated to around 900 degrees centigrade. The next step was to develop a specific commercial application for this material. ``Delphi is one of the largest producers of heat-treated products in the world, so it was of great interest to us to develop the nickel alloy further in partnership with D.O.E. and ORNL,'' stated Paul J. Tosch, president of Delphi Saginaw Steering Systems and vice president of Delphi Automotive Systems. ``The benefits to be realized for Delphi and other industries are significant and worthy of the investment.'' Delphi engineers worked with ORNL to apply the material in Delphi's heat treat facilities, replacing steel rack assemblies that over time were less tolerant of high heat and resulted in production delays. The assemblies hold automotive parts to be heat-treated and consist of trays, support posts, and fixtures. Together, Delphi and ORNL developed a nickel aluminide fixture casting process, modified the alloy to optimize its manufacturability and performance under typical heat-treating furnace operating conditions, and tested and evaluated prototype parts. ``We are pleased to have worked with Delphi, leveraging the strengths of industry and government, to develop this technology for a win-win application,'' said Denise Swink, deputy assistant secretary for industrial technologies, D.O.E., Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT). ``The commercialization of nickel aluminide for heating trays and fixtures will clearly give the United States global leadership with now-proven, advanced materials for these types of applications.'' The typical life of a steel tray used today approaches 12-15 months. Using nickel aluminide trays and fixtures significantly lengthens the life of the product. Delphi tested six trays in batch furnaces and 65 trays in pusher furnaces in January 1998. The trays are still in use today, thirty-nine months later, with no failures. The component life has been extended by more than two times the life of the steel tray. ``The implementation of nickel aluminide into the heat-treating furnace has large potential for energy savings through enhanced component life, a major objective of D.O.E.-supported research,'' stated Swink. For more information about Delphi Automotive Systems, visit Delphi's Virtual Press Room at delphiauto.com .