EuroWire May 2019

Italian technology at its best and ready for Russia

Two European countries steal the limelight in this issue of EuroWire – Italy and Russia. Italy is the latest country to feature in our popular ‘Focus On’ feature, with Italian companies highlighting their technological advances in recent years. The wire and cable industry seems alive and well in the country, with many of the companies having long histories in their own individual area of the business. Our feature starts on page 54. Attention then turns to page 62 and the start of our coverage of wire Russia. Being staged in Moscow from 18 th to 20 th June, this is the foremost exhibition in the region, and provides an ideal opportunity for networking with customers, old and new. Additionally, Moscow provides an ideal backdrop with some spectacular monuments and features in a city of some 13.2 million people.

Kremlin, Saint Basil’s Cathedral is a masterpiece of Russian architecture, and the gold-domed roof of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, demolished during the Soviet period, now sits proudly over the city after its reconstruction between 1990 and 2000. Two other stories also grab the attention in this issue. Firstly, the sad news that Henry Clinton, founder of Clinton Instrument Company, has passed away at the age of 92. A brief obituary charting his life and the growth of the company can be found on page 10.

And USA-based Pelican Wire is to be applauded for encouraging the next generation of engineers, after hosting the Naples High School Engineering Academy in March. Turn to page 28 for the full details.

David Bell Editor

Apart from the obvious landmarks of Red Square and the

Publishing Team

Editor:

................................................................................................................................David Bell

Features Editor (USA):

............................................................................................................................. Gill Watson

Editorial assistant:

..................................................................................................................Christian Bradley

Design/Production:

............................................................................................................................Julie Tomlin

Production:

..............................................................................................................................Lisa Wright

Sales & Marketing: UK & ROW sales.............................................................................................Jason Smith (International) Italian speaking sales...................................................................Giuliana Benedetto Chinese speaking sales ............................................................................................Linda Li Advertisement Coordinator: ..............................................................................................................................Liz Hughes Accounts Manager: ................................................................................................................................ Julie Case Subscriptions: ................................................................................................................................ Julie Case Publisher: ....................................................................................................................Caroline Sullens Founder: ..........................................................................................................................John C Hogg

* US$33 purchase only Front cover: Beneke See page 104 for further details US copies only : EuroWire (ISSN 1463-2483, USPS No: 022-738) is published six times a year, January, March, May, July, September and November by Intras Ltd and distributed in the USA by Asendia USA, 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft PA. Periodicals postage paid at Philadelphia, PA and additional mailing o ces. POSTMASTER : Send address changes to EuroWire, Intras Ltd, C/O 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft PA 19032. www.read-eurowire.com © 2019 Intras Ltd, UK ISSN 1463-2438

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May 2019

Regulars Market News Contents

“Moscow,Russia”–bigstockphoto.com/Photographer:Nuclear_lily

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Sommaire Français 88 Nouvelles du Marché 104 Index des Annonceurs Indice Italiano 93 Notizie del Mercato 104 Indice degli Inserzionisti Deutsch Inhalt 78 Neuigkeiten 104 Inserentenverzeichnis Содержание на русском языке 83 Ηοвости рьінка 104 Перечень рекламодателей Indice Español 98 Noticias de Mercado 104 Indice de Anunciadores

Diary of Events

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Corporate News

34

Transatlantic Cable

40

Technology News

54 Focus on Italy

62 wire Russia 2019

104 Editorial Index

104 Advertisers Index

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May 2019

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GettingTechnical Long-term cable reliability design criteria

Features Focus on China Testing & Measuring Rebuilt and reconditioned machinery

Visit us online at: www.read-eurowire.com

Technical Articles

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90

Measurement Results of Submarine Cable After Actual Installation By Mizuki Ohara, Daishi Masuda, Masumi Kobiki, Submarine System Plant, OCC Corporation, Kitakyushu, Japan Messergebnisse eines Unterseekabels nach der Installation von Mizuki Ohara, Daishi Masuda, Masumi Kobiki, Submarine System Plant, OCC Corporation, Kitakyushu, Japan Измерение результатов подводного кабеля после фактической установки Мизуки Охара, Даиши Масуда, Масуми Кобики, система подводной установки, OCC Corporation, Китакюшу, Япония

Résultats des mesures e ectuées sur un câble sous-marin après l’installation Par Mizuki Ohara, Daishi Masuda, Masumi Kobiki, Submarine System Plant, OCC Corporation, Kitakyushu, Japon Valori di misurazione ottenuti in un cavo sottomarino dopo l’installazione A cura di Mizuki Ohara, Daishi Masuda, Masumi Kobiki, Submarine System Plant, OCC Corporation, Kitakyushu, Giappone Valores de un cable submarino medidos después de su instalación Por Mizuki Ohara, Daishi Masuda, Masumi Kobiki, Submarine System Plant, OCC Corporation, Kitakyushu, Japón

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Dates for your diary. . .

The 20 th Guangzhou International Plate Metal, Bar, Wire, Metal Processing & Setting Equipment Exhibition 2019

2019

June

18-20 June: wire Russia – trade exhibition – Moscow, Russia Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf Fax : +7 499 246 9277 Email : info@wire-russia.com Website : www.wire-russia.com

September

18-20 September: wire Southeast Asia – trade exhibition – Bangkok, Thailand Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf Asia Pte Ltd Fax : +65 6337 4633 Email : wire@mda.com.sg Website : www.wire-southeastasia.com 29 September-2 October: IWCS – technical symposium – Charlotte, North Carolina, USA Organisers : IWCS Tel : +1 717 993 9500 Website : www.iwcs.org

October

1-3 October: wire South America – trade exhibition – São Paulo, Brazil Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf GmbH Fax : +49 211 4560 668 Email : info@wire-south-america.com Website : www.wire-south-america.com

2020

March

30 March-3 April: wire 2020 – trade exhibition – Düsseldorf, Germany Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf GmbH Fax : +49 211 4560 668 Email : wire@messe-duesseldorf.de Website : www.wire.de

13–15 June: International Metal and Metallurgy Exhibition – trade exhibition – Guangzhou, China Organisers :

Julang Exhibition Co Ltd Fax : +86 203 862 0781

Email : julang@julang.com.cn Website : www.julang.com.cn

Photo credit: bigstockphoto.com “Panoramic view of Guangzhou, China” Photographer: bspguy

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Corporate News

▲ ▲ Furnaces are crucial equipment in Upcast continuous casting lines

Furnaces play a key role in energy consumption

The capacity requirements vary a lot, and as a result of this, Upcast has designed new sizes of furnaces to meet the various requirements of its customers. Upcast has long experience with the technology of casting lines. Additionally, continuous development work has been accomplished, based on the actual values of existing lines. As a result, it has been possible for the company to develop a more efficient and wider product range for Upcast customers. Upcast Oy – Finland Website : www.upcast.com

materials. With the right combination of furnace type, inductor and furnace lining, energy consumption can be minimised. “It is essential to choose the right combination of these factors suitable for each product and capacity,” said Janne Hosio, Upcast Oy’s sales manager. “There is always a certain amount of energy loss in the furnace, and if the line is not run with full capacity, the losses increase in relation per produced ton. Energy usage is always at its most efficient when run with the production rate specifically designed and calculated for the line.”

FURNACES are crucial equipment in Upcast® continuous casting lines in order to ensure high-quality process and end product. They also play a key role in energy consumption. The optimised use of energy decreases heat losses and production costs. Energy consumption is the biggest individual cost factor in the production process. Typically, energy consumption is approximately 58 to 67 per cent of the overall production costs. What impacts consumption are the type of furnace and the inductor attached to the furnace, as well as the furnace lining

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Corporate News

Death of Henry Hobart Clinton, aged 92

tester prompted Mr Clinton to focus almost entirely on high voltage test equipment for the wire and cable industry. Over the years he grew the business nationally and internationally and in 1991 his efforts, throughout the years of working in the wire and cable industry, earned him Wire Association International’s Mordica Award. A family business, Clinton Instrument Company has employed several of his children and grandchildren, as well as cousins and friends. Many current employees have worked at CIC for decades, in which time the company has

nine full cycles of the AC test voltage. This would mean that in order to spark test a wire, moving 4,000 feet per minute to UL requirements, the electrode would have to be ten feet long. During its development, Mr Clinton realised that the impulse tester was problematic in several ways that would limit its commercial use. He believed that a better solution for high-speed testing of wire insulation would be to increase the frequency of AC sine wave testers, which at that time operated at power mains frequencies of 50 or 60 Hz. He reasoned that if he could

HENRY Hobart Clinton, the founder and first president of Clinton Instrument Company, passed away peacefully at home in March, aged 92. A prolific inventor, Mr Clinton received his degree in electrical engineering from Yale University, after returning from service in the Navy in the Second World War. He began working as a consulting engineer and in 1952 the Clinton Instrument Company (CIC) was born. He found work within the growing wire and cable industry, working on many different projects in the early years and becoming increasingly focused on the design and production of specialised electronic test and control equipment. Working with the US Department of Defense, he designed and produced the first domestically made impulse dielectric tester for wire and cable insulation. During this time, production line speeds in the industry had steadily climbed to 4,000 feet per minute and above. Underwriters Laboratories (UL), which wrote specifications for commercial wire and cable manufacturing, required a dwell time in the spark test electrode equal to

grown and prospered by following Henry’s founding principles. Mr Clinton retired from the company in 2001, leaving the business in the hands of his children. He spent his later years writing several books on family history as well as his ownmemoirs. Clinton Instrument Company – USA Website : www.cicsparkers.com

increase the test frequency of the AC spark tester, then the electrode could become shorter and would still be compliant to UL. After a period of development he invented and patented the 3 kHz sine wave spark tester. Operating at 3,000 Hz, this unit could test wire at 3,333 feet per minute with an electrode only 2 inches (50mm) in length, a revolutionary idea. The success of the high frequency sine wave spark

▲ ▲ Henry Hobart Clinton

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May 2019

Corporate News

THE latest technology in cars is almost impossible to imagine. Autonomous driving, cameras and various entertainment applications are becoming common features of a new car. But what is the impact of these on a cable producer in the near future? Development opportunities for autonomous driving seem infinite. Reversing cameras that help with parking, cruise control that warns of driving too fast and entertainment applications that occupy children on long drives are almost standard in new cars. New sensors that should make driving even safer are being developed constantly. The challenge is: • The more technology there is in a car, the higher the number of different cables needed • More cables and sensors, but consistent or even reduced space consumption • High temperature resistance • 100 per cent accuracy • Optimal transmissibility Polypropylene is a resistant, low-loss and comparatively light plastic. These attributes make it attractive for cable production in the automotive field, as it allows the production of small, light and economical products. In combination with the new gas control systems RGIV (Rosendahl gas injector valve) and RMFC (Rosendahl mass flow control), lines for the production of data cables in the automotive sector are suitably equipped to ensure the reproducibility of the product and to reduce scrap during the entire production process. Rosendahl Nextrom – Austria This will be the tenth time that Rosendahl has exhibited at wire Russia. Over recent months the company has paid attention to the further development of its silicone lines. The use of silicone is enjoying increasing popularity due to the many positive material properties, such as its extreme heat resistance, regardless of whether for automotive or safety cables. Rosendahl’s new crosshead RX 40 MB 1.2 is suitable for the co-extrusion of filling and jacketing systems with diameters up to 40mm. On the road with Rosendahl Ten times in Moscow for Rosendahl Nextrom Website : www.rosendahlnextrom.com The material flows are thermally separated from each other and applied using an intermediate nozzle – thus different mass temperatures can be driven – for example, EPDM and PVC in co-extrusion • Filler can be dropped to zero wall thickness – only gusset filling with a coat layer • Skin/strip can be moved over the jacket layer Nextrom is further expanding its R&D laboratories, which now include facilities to make preforms by VAD and OVD, draw and quality optical fibre, but also a new loose tube and premise cable line. This equipment is available in Finland for demonstrations and joint trials with customers. Also working on the stand will be colleagues from the Russian office. Rosendahl Nextrom – Austria Website : rosendahlnextrom.com ▲ ▲ Production technology for optical preform, fibre and cable manufacturers Benefits of this include: •

▲ ▲ Safer on the road with Rosendahl Nextrom

Decalub green cleaning TecHnOlOgieS FOcuS On: Wire Cleaning ( for plating and high glossy finish )

Wire Rod Lubrication ( for frictionless drawing )

Rod Dry Preparation ( with no speed limit )

DECALUB 31, avenue de Condé 77500 CHELLES, FRANCE E-mail: info@decalub.com Website: www.decalub.com

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Corporate News

‘Best ever’month for AlloyWire

A UK manufacturing specialist has recorded its best ever month in its 73-year history. Alloy Wire International (AWI), which supplies more than 60 different high-performance nickel alloys, secured over £1.2m of sales in January, shipping 339 individual orders to customers in 27 different countries. Boosted by a new quoting system, the company – which exports heavily to Asia – has seen demand for its wire emanate from clients in the automotive, aerospace, oil and gas and nuclear sectors, with many citing AWI’s three-week lead time commitment as being crucial to their manufacturing operations. Mark Venables, managing director, said: “2018 was our best ever year, with about £11m of orders secured and delivered. We thought this was good, but 2019 has got off to a flying start, culminating in our first ever month where we have enjoyed sales of over £1m. “This is our business philosophy – a strategy focused on the combination of a significant stockholding, a multi-skilled team and major investment in supporting our sales teams that are located in more

▲ ▲ ‘Best ever’ month in its 73-year history for Alloy Wire International

than 50 countries. Our suppliers and customers have talked to us about Brexit. We’ve been very open and proactive in these discussions and this seems to be working.” Alloy Wire International makes round, flat and profile wire in a range of material that is growing by the month, with more than 60 currently available to choose from, each offering corrosion

resistance and/or performance at high temperatures. In order to build on the year-on-year growth, the company has also signed off a £250,000 investment that will see the arrival of three new machines to boost speed, repeatable quality and capacity.

AlloyWire International – UK Website : www.alloywire.com

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Corporate News

Change of management at SMS

SMS group companies are internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering for the steel and non-ferrous metals industry, with 14,000 employees who generate worldwide sales of more than €3 billion. SMS group – Germany Website : www.sms-group.com New role at Davis-Standard Davis-Standard has appointed Rick Roth as regional sales manager for sheet and foam systems in the Midwest, USA, region. He will be responsible for managing Davis-Standard’s sheet and foam sales in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska andWisconsin. With more than 30 years of industry experience selling industrial sensors, controls and turnkey systems, he is a member of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) and a graduate of Devry Institute in Dallas, Texas. “Rick is customer-focused with a drive for excellence and 100 per cent customer satisfaction,” said Steve DeAngelis, Davis-Standard vice president of sheet and foam. “His background as an electronics technician combined with his knowledge of sheet and foam processing will be beneficial to our team.”

SMS group has expanded its management team with the appointment of Prof Dr Hans Ferkel as chief technology officer, Michael Rzepczyk becoming chief operating officer and Dr Guido Kleinschmidt leaving the management board. This expansion implements a clear functional organisation of the management board with focus on innovative products, efficient order execution and digital processes. Prof Dr Ferkel currently serves as head of technology and innovation at thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG. Previously, he held senior management R&D positions at Volkswagen. Prof Dr Ferkel will take up his new role at the earliest possible date. Mr Rzepczyk has been in his role since 1 st March. He was previously executive vice president of the metallurgy business unit and was mainly responsible for the execution of major projects. “I am delighted to welcome Prof Dr Ferkel and Mr Rzepczyk to our management team. They are experienced industry experts and will support SMS in further expanding its market leadership in metallurgical plant construction,” said CEO Burkhard Dahmen. “The management board is now perfectly positioned to implement our growth strategy and to remain a key partner for our most sophisticated customers.” Dr Guido Kleinschmidt left the management board at his own request on 28 th February, and has taken up a new role outside the SMS group.

Davis-Standard – USA Website : www.davis-standard.com

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Corporate News

Cold forming achieves record-breaking throughput

A NEW all-in-one machine from Amba produces full-thread screws of 300mm length and an outside diameter of 10mm directly from the coiled wire. In the screwmaking industry, typically 30 to 40 threads are rolled per minute – not including the forming of the screw head. The new machine achieves a rate of more 100 screws per minute including the screw head. The machine, designed for the production of full-thread screws used in structural timber design, is almost ready to be shipped to a customer in Germany, and is claimed to be the first machine to produce screws of this length and diameter from the coiled wire to the finished product in one continuous cycle. The machine works according to the Amba-developed all-in-one principle, ie all process steps from paying off, cutting to length and straightening the wire, forming the head to thread rolling are performed by one machine.

▲ ▲ The new all-in-one machine produces more than 100 screws per minute in one continuous cycle

individually turned in a time-consuming process. Now a new machine developed by Amba produces up to 100 joints per minute by cold forming. Amba is currently planning a project intended to replace a three-digit number of automatic turning machines and the associated bar loaders with three Amba machines. Amba Aachener Maschinenbau GmbH – Germany Website : www.amba.de

Currently, Amba achieves a production rate of more than 100 screws per minute, which it claims is three times more than common machines on the market, which only roll the plain threads. The new machine is characteristic of a current trend: in the manufacture of long metal components with varying cross-sections along their length, cold forming has been taking over from machining. The all-in-one principle is transferrable to other products, such as pinned joints for bicycle rims. These joints used to be

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Corporate News

50 per cent growth for WRD range of lubricants

LUBRICANT manufacturer Metalube has witnessed a significant 50 per cent growth for its Rope-Tek™ WRD range of wire rope lubricants in Southeast Asia. The picture highlights a recent application of the high-performance Rope-Tek WRD to the tethering and towing equipment on an oil rig support vessel. Metalube’s spike in demand and ongoing growth in the offshore industry is seen as a validation for the Rope-Tek WRD range. Formulated from high-performance base oils and thickeners, Rope-Tek WRD contains an advanced additive system that minimises friction and wear and delivers corrosion protection. Steel wire ropes are complex in construction and are subject to arduous operating conditions. Movement such as loading and unloading of the rope, and bending and flexing over sheaves and pulleys, creates high load points where wires and strands cross over each other. This can result in fretting wear and corrosion, reducing the life of the rope. Matthew Buffin, global product manager at Metalube, said: “We are delighted by how well received our wire rope lubricants have been in this region and a 50 per cent growth within the offshore industry is a significant achievement. “The Thai Shipyards is a very exciting project for Metalube, and Rope-Tek WRD is one of the best products of its type available in the market. The high-load-carrying solids contained in Rope-Tek WRD form a low-friction barrier between the metal surfaces, minimising frictional contact and wear.”

▲ ▲ Shortly after this photo was taken at the Thai Shipyards on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand, the vessel left Thailand to service offshore operations. It will not return to port for the next six months

Metalube Ltd – UK Website : www.metalube.co.uk

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Corporate News

European distributor for FRL

FLUOROPOLYMER LLC (FRL) has announced the assignment of Polymer-Service PSG GmbH as its authorised distributor in Europe. Located in Hamburg, Germany, Polymer Service is a division of Weber & Scher GmbH & Co KG and specialises in high-performance polymers, with sales representation throughout Europe. “We are delighted to have formed this partnership with Polymer Service,” said Ralph Marcario, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Fluoropolymer Resources. “Given their proven track record and expertise in servicing markets for high- performance polymers, we are confident that they are the right partner to bring the FRL value proposition and service mentality to the European customer base.” “We are extremely proud to distribute for Fluoropolymer Resources in Europe. Their products complement our portfolio wonderfully,” said Nils Hertling, product manager fluoropolymers for Polymer Service. Resources

▲ ▲ The Polymer-Service site in Hamburg, Germany

“FRL’s knowledge, professionalism and the excellent quality of their products provide us a magnificent growth opportunity in Europe.” Fluoropolymer Resources, a division of Prime Materials Recovery Inc, is a reprocessor of FEP, PFA and ETFE

fluoropolymer plastics in North America, with products sold across the globe. Fluoropolymer Resources LLC – USA Website : www.frlusa.com Polymer Service GmbH – Germany Website : www.polymer-service.de

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Corporate News

Radyne wire line heads to India

INDUCTOTHERM Heating and Welding Limited has secured an order in India for its established Radyne spring wire line. Working with a global wire manufacturer and aiming for a production start date of late 2019, this specific IT (induction tempered) line will be designed to process 7mm to 14mm spring wire at a production rate of 2t/hr. The resulting hardened and tempered wire will be predominantly used for cold coiling of automotive suspension springs. The modern lines offer the efficient and clean technology of induction heating and safe and environmentally clean water quenching systems. The new temper lines produce material to a more consistent specification than the traditional oil tempered (OT) process. • Very little decarburisation due to the extremely short heating times • Minimal grain growth during heating • The ability to heat treat the more exotic alloy steels that require higher hardening temperatures • In some cases, producing material with higher tensile strength while maintaining ductility • High-efficiency environmentally frien- dly heat treatment process are manufactured to a high mechanical standard, using a precision-built modular design for ease of installation, maintenance and operation within the rigours of a wire production facility. Radyne spring wire lines Benefits include:

▲ ▲ Close up of Radyne spring wire line coils

At the heart of the wire line is a PLC/ PC control system that utilises modern communication techniques to ensure ease of installation and reliable operation by minimising the number of interconnections that have to be made for the running of the line. The control system allows multiple wire setups to be stored in the PC memory, which are then downloaded to the PLC when required. The PC also operates a monitoring system that continually takes running data from the line and stores it for both immediate viewing and long-term historical review. The modern lines are designed to produce up to three tonnes of wire per hour and up to 17mm diameter wire. Materials that are processed include

carbon steels, chrome silicon and chrome silicon vanadium, such as SAE9254, EN10270/2 (2001), 55CrSi and wire to A229 specification. More recently the lines have been developed to cater for alloys containing nickel additions. One of the most important aspects of the Radyne line is its ability to run continuously, without slowing or stopping to change feed coil at payoff or to remove a coil at take up. The operator welds the end of the first coil to the beginning of the second coil while the line is still running. Inductotherm Heating andWelding – UK Website : www.inductothermhw.co.uk

Tenova HYL, a Tenova company leader in direct reduction, has been chosen by China’s Sinosteel Equipment and Engineering as the technology provider for a direct reduction (DR) micro-module for Empresa Siderúrgica del Mutún (ESM) at Puerto Suárez, municipality of Santa Cruz in Bolivia, South America. Tenova HYL’s direct reduction technology will be used for the first stage of the project, which will include a 250,000 metric t/year DRI facility, a 650,000 metric t/year concentration plant, a 400,000 metric t/year pelletising facility for Mina El Mutún and a steel plant with a continuous caster and rolling mill with a total capacity of 190,000 metric t/year of long products. This micro-module will use the Energiron Zero-Reformer (ZR) process and will be capable of supplying the melt shop with high-quality direct reduced iron (DRI) with metallisation levels of 94 per cent and an adjustable high carbon content in the range of three to four per cent. Micro-module ‘cornerstone’ for Bolivia

“We are very proud to be part of this groundbreaking project that after years of effort and planning has finally become a reality. It is very significant for us that ESM and Sinosteel chose our technology for the construction of this cornerstone in what surely is the beginning of the steelmaking industry in Bolivia,” said Rubén Rodríguez, sales manager at Tenova HYL. “After the recent successful projects in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America, we are glad that the first DR plant built in South America in the last 20 years will use the state-of-the-art Energiron technology,” added Stefano Maggiolino, president and CEO at Tenova HYL. “We trust that the team effort among ESM, Sinosteel and Tenova will be the key for the success of this strategic project that will promote a sustainable industrial development of Bolivia. The plant is expected to be in operation in mid-2021.”

Tenova HYL – Mexico Website : www.tenova.com

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Corporate News

Tenova contracted for large aluminium recycling furnace

TENOVA LOI Thermprocess, a supplier of custom-made heat treatment lines and furnaces and a specialist for recycling plants for contaminated aluminium scrap, has received an order from Fonderie Pandolfo, Italy, for the delivery and installation of a TCF® twin-chamber melting furnace. Fonderie Pandolfo is the recycling and melting enterprise within the Panalco Holding, specialised in the processing of aluminium, mainly for extrusions. The cast billets are mainly extruded in the extrusion shops of the main European extruders. Currently, over 60,000 tons of refined and recycled aluminium are melted and cast into semi-products. Fonderie Pandolfo already operates a set of TCF and casting furnaces, supplied by Tenova LOI Thermprocess in 2008. The new installation will double the production rate, aiming to satisfy the continuous market demand. The TCF, with a capacity of 65,000 tons/ year, is designed for aluminium scrap recycling. In order to cover a broad range of scrap and contamination, the TCF combines pre-treatment and melting in one furnace. The TCF process relies on efficient melting by limiting dross formation due to pre-treatment, while the evolving volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are combusted completely in the furnace to decrease the overall energy consumption and fulfil restrictive environmental regulations. By combining regenerative air heating (CCR) and optimised thermal treatment of the organic scrap components, this proven technology reaches a high grade of energy

▲ ▲ A twin-chamber melting furnace from Tenova

and metal efficiency. A sophisticated automation technology, applied by Tenova LOI Thermprocess with the aim of streamlining a fully automatic charging machine, increases efficiency further.

The scope of supply includes the turnkey installation, and a flue gas treatment plant. Tenova LOI Thermprocess – Italy Website : www.tenova.com

New site in Argentina

With its portfolio, the group is appealing primarily to companies from the automotive, plastic, food and beverage, as well as the oil and gas industries. In line with the diverse demands of its target group, the company offers a wealth of very different special long steel products, such as high-alloyed or stainless-steel long products. An experienced team has already started working at the new sales and services centre in Buenos Aires. This includes cutting machines for processing of customer-specific orders and an initial inventory of tool steel products.

The Schmolz + Bickenbach International sales and services network is expanding its presence in the South American market by opening a new site in Argentina. Based in Buenos Aires, Schmolz + Bickenbach Argentina will drive forward the sales of special long steel products in the country. By taking this strategic step, the group is expanding its sales network to a fourth country in South America. Alongside Argentina, it already has offices, warehouses and services centres in Brazil, Chile and Colombia. The full range of tool steel, stainless steel and engineering steel long products from the the company mills Ascometal, Deutsche Edelstahlwerke, Finkl Steel, Swiss Steel, Steeltec and Ugitech is now available to the Argentinian market.

Schmolz + Bickenbach AG – Switzerland Website : www.schmolz-bickenbach.com

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Corporate News

Salt spray testing keeps a check on corrosion resistance

HOT on the heels of its fatigue testing facility, William Hughes has added salt spray testing to its quality control procedures. Salt spray or salt fog testing exposes springs and other components to a saline fog environment in order to ascertain the corrosion resistance of the material of which they are made or the surface coating. A controlled saline situation will show how long it takes for a component to accede to rust or other oxides, if at all. Equipment required for the salt spray chamber comprises the holding tank with its salt solution of between four and six per cent pH and the salt spray cabinet itself, where the salt-water solution is atomised using pressurised air. The samples to be tested are then exposed to this extremely corrosive saline fog for the requisite amount of time, which can be days or weeks depending on the standard to be achieved. that temperature and the specific gravity of the salt solution are maintained at a level consistent with ASTM B117, an internationally recognised salt spray standard. The salt spray test is generally applied to items coated in, for example, Delta-tone® Regular daily tests ensure

▲ ▲ Salt spray testing at William Hughes Ltd

William Hughes meets range from 48 hours to over 600 hours of salt spray testing. William Hughes Ltd – UK Website : www.wmhughes.co.uk IWMA heads to Moscow IWMA staff will be manning stand FOA30 at wire Russia this June. Andy Lewis, Martin Van Der Zwan and Steven Rika will be travelling to Russia to meet members and potential members at The Expo Centre in Moscow. The stand has rooms in which members can hold private meetings with contacts and potential customers, and because of that it will also have a translator on hand to make conversation easier. Other services on the stand will include free Wi-Fi, promotional activity for member companies, business services such as printing and copying, a cloakroom and even credit card facilities – so non-members can buy membership on the spot and get immediate access to IWMA benefits. IWMA – UK Website : www.iwma.org

or KTL-Black. These coatings, used in the aerospace and automotive industries, are typically required to meet specifications that include a number of hours of salt spray testing. The requirements that

Komax Group acquires Artos Engineering Artos Engineering Company has been acquired by the Komax Group, Switzerland, a global automation technology company. In acquiring Artos, Komax is expanding its customer base in North America and adding to its expertise in application development. John Olsen, CEO and majority shareholder of Artos, will continue to head the company after the sale, contributing his expertise to the strengthening of Komax’s position in North America. Artos will retain its brand and become one of the Komax Group of more than 30 companies. “We are excited to join the Komax Group and are looking forward to this opportunity to reach additional markets and to develop innovative solutions for our customers,” said Mr Olsen. For Matijas Meyer, CEO of the Komax Group, the acquisition will be positive for customers: “I am delighted that such a long-established company as Artos Engineering is now part of the Komax Group. Our customers will benefit from the strengths of both companies, plus the move will deliver other competitive advantages.”

Artos Engineering Company – USA Website : www.artosengineering.com Komax Group – Switzerland Website : www.komaxgroup.com

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Corporate News

Students get an insight at Pelican

With almost four decades of experience in the wire manufacturing space, Mr Valykeo is recognised as an industry expert within the thermocouple wire manufacturing world. During his career, he has been an active member of ASTM for over 25 years and spent almost two decades in various technical positions at Hoskins Manufacturing, an industry pioneer. PelicanWire – USA Website : www.pelicanwire.com New hire at Davis-Standard Jay Totten has joined Davis-Standard as regional account manager for converting systems, extrusion and liquid coating, serving the Midwest USA region. He will be responsible for capital equipment sales in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Mr Totten brings a wealth of knowledge, having previously worked at BOBST as a sales manager. He also has previous experience with ConQuip Inc, Faustel Inc and Bostik Findley Inc, giving him a well-rounded industry background. He is active in the Association of International Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (AIMCAL) as a member of a technical committee. Davis-Standard – USA Website : www.davisstandard.com

PELICAN Wire and its team of employee-owners hosted the Naples High School Engineering Academy in March, where students met various members of the Pelican Wire Engineering teams, heard about their education, backgrounds and day-to-day duties, and went on a comprehensive manufacturing plant tour. Additionally, they met with Pelican Wire president Ted Bill, who covered a range of relevant topics for young, up-and-coming engineers, including his thoughts on the future of manufacturing, engineering and education. “We were very excited to host the Naples HS Engineering Academy at Pelican Wire. Helping students understand the opportunities in manufacturing opens a new path in life they may not be considering. It’s just part of our commitment to STEM and the future of manufacturing, particularly here in Southwest Florida,”said Mr Bill. Teacher and coach Cliff Greer, who is also the NAF Engineering Academy director for Naples High School, said: “I was excited for the opportunity to bring these students to Pelican Wire and provide them additional exposure to the ‘real world’ application of their studies. “The future of manufacturing in Southwest Florida resides in these students and we’re glad to have corporate partners, such as PelicanWire, who are investing in these students, both now and in the future.”

In other news from Pelican, Ed Valykeo has returned as the company’s thermocouple specialist.

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Corporate News

Newmove, newmachines at Ridgway

RIDGWAY Machines is currently manufacturing a range of high-performance cable and conductor taping machines at its factory in Leicester, UK. The taping machines are for a wide variety of applications designed to meet customers’ specific requirements. They include a new multi-purpose taping machine that will apply a variety of materials such as Kapton®, glass and varnish, Daglas and mica to round or flat conductors. There is also a new high-speed PTFE taping machine that will accept a wide range of cable and conductor sizes. A number of modular high-speed taping machines designed for maximum productivity and increased throughput per hour are also being manufactured. Ridgway Machines sales director Andy Clarke said: “Ridgway has recently moved to a new factory, invested in workforce and launched a new website. After a couple of years developing our new range of cable and conductor taping machinery it is very pleasing to be able to showcase them to the world. “The advanced technology on these machines sets them apart from our competitors and we look forward to welcoming visitors to our factory to demonstrate all the hard work our team has put into these new machines.”

▲ ▲ High-performance cable and conductor taping machines

New COO at Web Industries Web Industries Inc, a provider of precision material converting and outsource manufacturing services for the aerospace, medical, personal and home care and industrial markets, has appointed Eric Whitman as chief operating officer. He will be responsible for the operational and profit-and-loss performance of all business units within Web. He reports directly to Mark Pihl, the company’s CEO.

Web Industries Inc – USA Website : www.webindustries.com

Ridgway Machines – UK Website : www.ridgwayeng.com

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Corporate News

Maintenance helps prevent damage

WOB-Wessling Oberflächenveredelung GmbH (WOB) operates the largest special plant for contract coating in Europe. In a workshop of around 22,000m 2 , hanging cranes provide fully automatic transport for the parts weighing up to 9.5 tons. The plant includes several cable carriers from Tsubaki Kabelschlepp, which are inspected and serviced by the manufacturer as part of its exclusive maintenance service. This allows WOB to reduce risks and prevent downtimes. WOB mainly takes on cathodic dip coating (CDC) for commercial vehicles and for large automotive and machine components. The coating process is lengthy and comprises several stations. A hanging crane system equipped with six large cable carriers from Tsubaki Kabelschlepp transports the large, heavy components from station to station. “The cable carriers from Tsubaki Kabelschlepp have a high quality. But even the best product is not immune to wear,” said Sebastian Hüer. “To be on the safe side, we have now been using the MRO service from Tsubaki Kabelschlepp for some time.” Currently, the WOB plant is inspected annually. During this process, the engineers put all cable carriers through their paces – they move the cable carriers along the entire length and examine the cables and wear parts. Any defects, risks or optimisation potentials are identified and recorded for the customer in detail. In addition to this, the technical condition of all cable carriers is evaluated. On request, the work carried out is documented in maintenance

reports, which the customer can then use for in-house quality management or for certification purposes. The inspection is flexibly adapted to the customer’s schedules and requests: the engineers work at any time of day or night, including weekends and public holidays: ideally whenever the customer’s systems would be at a standstill anyway. The downtimes can be easily planned in this case – a good compromise if this means that unplanned downtimes, including unforeseeable financial consequences, can be prevented. Tsubaki Kabelschlepp GmbH – Germany Website : www.kabelschlepp.de WOB-Wessling Oberflächenveredelung GmbH – Germany Website : www.ktl-wob.com ▲ ▲ The plant for contract coating fromWOB-Wessling Oberflächenveredlung includes several cable carriers from Tsubaki Kabelschlepp, which are inspected and serviced by the manufacturer as part of its exclusive maintenance service

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Corporate News

Cable assemblies power engines on life support vessels

CABLE assemblies supplied by Convert Ltd are being used to power engines on life support vessels serving the waters surrounding the UK and Ireland. Over the past 18 months, Convert has delivered a total of 15 port and starboard cable assemblies to Marine and Industrial Transmissions Ltd (MIT) – a UK supplier of marine transmissions and driveline systems, which includes engine manufacturers among its customers. With more orders received and more cable assemblies about to go into production, it looks like Convert’s relationship with MIT is on the crest of a wave. Dave Lord, managing director at Convert, said: “A number of us at Convert are keen dinghy sailors. Like every person using the water, you never know when you’ll be in a situation where you’ll need the help of a life support vessel, so to be able to work on this project was fantastic. “We worked closely with MIT to reverse engineer the assemblies from samples. It’s fair to say it wasn’t straightforward as each life support vessel consists of two engines – one port and one starboard – but the cable assembly for the port engine is slightly different to that of the starboard. “This meant each had to be treated as a separate part. But we enjoy challenges at Convert, so this project was right up our street.” Approximately 75m of cable was used for the port engine loom, making 32 connections in the main loom, which itself was over two metres long. The starboard engine used around 70m of cable with 30 connections. Both had further connections on the fuse board.

▲ ▲ Convert’s Pandi Karuppiah Chinnadurai working on the cable assemblies for MIT

and harnesses manufactured explicitly to our customer’s application, all while exceeding agreed lead-times.” Convert Ltd – UK Website : www.convertltd.co.uk MIT Ltd – UK Website : www.mitgroup.co.uk

In total, the length of cabling amounted to 147m, which is almost equivalent to the length of three Olympic-sized swimming pools. Dave Little, sales and application manager, MIT Ltd, said: “With design and delivery key to this project, Convert was able to supply bespoke cable looms

LLFlex has hired Curtis Conley as director of global supply chain. In this role, Mr Conley will be responsible for all aspects of the company’s supply chain operations, including inventory control, supplier management, logistics and customer service. Prior to joining LLFlex, he served as a global commodity manager at Woodward Inc and for Amcor Flexible Packaging. Both positions provided tight oversight of supply chain operations and procedures – a must as he steps into his multi-industry role with LLFlex. New global supply chain director

Wrap yields a line of mono layer film formulations using uniform, high-quality resins throughout the structure for consistent, reliable long-term performance. “Mr Conley’s extensive experience in the intricacies of supply chain management position him for great success at LLFlex,” said Victor Dixon, CEO of LLFlex. “His demonstrated knowledge and leadership skills will ensure efficient supply chain management and add substantial value as we move to further streamline our warehousing and shipping capabilities.” LLFlex – USA Website : www.llflex.com

For the wire and cable industry, the company’s Reyshield™ Cable

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Transatlantic Cable

investment of about $9.5 trillion, spread over all the years of transition: this investment will be recovered by electricity sales over the life of the infrastructure. Under no circumstance will the government simply go into debt by $9.5 trillion. The government will set and enforce transition targets in each energy sector, the private sector will make investments, and the system would pay for itself through user charges. This is the plan in Hawaii, California and Washington DC, which all have laws requiring 100 per cent WWS in the electricity sector by 2045, 2045 and 2032, respectively. Federal government could help hasten the transition by moving subsidies away from fossil fuels and handing them to technologies such as renewable energy, storage, transmission, and electric high-temperature industrial heat technologies. The consumer cost per unit energy sold in a 100 per cent WWS system will be similar to that paid in a fossil fuel world. However, because WWS uses less energy, consumer energy bills in a WWS world will be much lower. And the authors are prepared to put a figure on that – a WWS system needs almost 58 per cent less energy than a fossil fuel system due to the efficiency of electric alternatives over fossil fuel in vehicles, electric heaters and heat pumps, for example, as well as savings in mining, transporting and processing of fossil fuels. The cost per unit energy may be similar, but WWS consumers will pay for at least 50 per cent less of it. Then to consider air pollution and climate benefits. “A WWS energy system eliminates up to $600 billion annually in health costs that occur today due to US air pollution mortality and illness, and $3.3 trillion annually in 2050 world climate damage from US emissions. These enormous benefits are added to the consumer energy cost savings to produce a total economic benefit of $4.9 trillion per year. In other words, whereas a fossil fuel system has a total economic (energy, health and climate) cost of $5.9 trillion per year, a 100 per cent WWS system costs only $1 trillion per year – an economic saving of 83 per cent.” Turning finally to employment, the estimate is that WWS would create two million more full-time long-term US jobs than would be lost, and 24 million more jobs worldwide, easily displacing coal, gas, oil, nuclear and bioenergy job losses. In review, transitioning to 100 per cent WWS in all energy sectors “dramatically benefits the economy

The energy debate

Why the Green New Deal cuts consumer energy costs and unemployment “The Green New Deal is a proposal to transition the US entirely to clean, renewable, zero-emission energy in all energy sectors, to promote removal of carbon from the air through natural reforestation and land preservation, and to create jobs. “By focusing on renewable energy that is both clean and zero-emission, the Green New Deal reduces, in one fell swoop, the energy insecurity of the fossil fuel and nuclear industries; the annual 62,000 deaths and millions more illnesses caused by energy-related air pollution; and the contribution of the US to global warming.” So writes Mark Z Jacobson, professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, in a 9 th March article published on cleantechnica.com . Jacobson and his co-researcher, Mark A Delucchi, a senior research scientist at the Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley, countered the New Deal’s critics who claim the proposal to be “unaffordable and uneconomical, and will sink the US into more debt”. They wrote: “Having led the research team that developed science-based plans to transition each of the 50 states to 100 per cent wind, water and solar (WWS) in all energy sectors (electricity, transportation, heating and cooling, and industry), we conclude the opposite is true: the benefits of clean energy systems greatly exceed the costs.” (Ten other independent research groups similarly find that 100 per cent renewable energy systems are low cost.) The researchers admit, however, that a 100 per cent transition of all energy sectors by 2030, while technically and economically possible and desirable, may not occur “for social and political reasons,” and instead propose a goal of 80 per cent by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2050. Converting the US energy infrastructure to 100 per cent WWS, they say, will reduce both consumer costs and full economic costs (consumer costs plus air pollution and global warming costs) and create many more jobs than are lost. Jacobson and Delucchi consider consumer costs first. A rapid transition of all energy requires an up-front capital

Image: www.bigstockphoto.com Photographer Adrian Grosu

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