| Metal Fabrication A
diverse range of custom products fabricated to meet your specific
designs are available in many materials. Many OEM equipment
manufacturers and end users are taking advantage of ceramics’ special
properties. Mill Components
Accuratus supplies critically toleranced new and remanufactured ceramic
rolls to a variety of mills. Tube
mills forming carbon and stainless tubing are using ceramics to
advantage in their weld boxes. Ceramic rolls are not wet by molten
metal splatter so build-up on the rolls is avoided or can be easily
removed. The rolls are electrically insulated protecting bearings from
stray weld currents. The rolls are easily cleaned and returned to
service using in-house techniques. When necessary the rolls can be
reground. The high hardness ensures long life of the rolls. Typical
materials of construction are aluminum oxide and silicon nitride. High
speed non-ferrous metal tube mills are also employing ceramic rolls in
the weld boxes for improved productivity and product quality. The rolls
are produced in silicon nitride. Their high hardness, refractoriness,
non-magnetic characteristics and non-wetting by the copper based alloys
permit their use in close proximity to the induction coils and the hot
zone within the weld box. Very high production rates with extended
preventative maintenance schedules result Ceramic
sheaths to protect induction welding impeders are also supplied. Highly
refractory, wear resistant, non-wetting and thermal shock resistant
ceramics are used in this application. Typical materials used include
silicon carbide, silicon nitride and sialon. Rod
mills forming ferrous and non-ferrous metal rod are using ceramic
sleeves in their on-line eddy current testers. The hardness,
refractoriness and toughness of the ceramics all contribute to extended
lifetimes for the testers. The non-magnetic characteristics of the
ceramics make direct replacement of the thermoset and high temperature
thermoplastic components possible. Materials used include silicon
nitride and sialon. Rod mills producing copper rod that is subsequently
drawn to extremely fine diameter are using zirconium oxide guide rolls
to improve end product quality. The non-contaminating hard ceramics do
not contaminate the formed rod. The result is substantially less
breakage during the wire draw process employed by the mill’s customers. Staking Dies
Zirconium oxide ceramic is being used to advantage for staking captive
fasteners and electronic fasteners. Lubricant usage is reduced or
eliminated. The hard, non-galling nature of the zirconia reduces the
need for lubricant while metal build-up on the staking surfaces is
minimized. Cosmetics of the finished product are important. The fine
grain structure of the ceramic makes it easy to polish to finishes
below 2 microinches-equivalent to those used on metal and carbide dies.
No reengineering is required. The toughness of the material matches
tungsten carbide allowing direct replacement with zirconia in many
applications. Finally, the corrosion resistance of the zirconia allows
easy and fast cleaning with caustics and acids, thus eliminating the
need for repolishing to remove contamination as is typically done with
metal and carbide staking dies. Welding and Brazing Positioners/Fixtures
Precise positioning of components in spot, percussion and projection
welding lines can be achieved with sialon and silicon nitride
positioning components. Strong, thermal shock resistant, wear resistant
and non-wetting, they are ideal for fixturing parts needing critical
alignment. Precision tolerances are easily maintained by Accuratus
assuring you of high quality components that work first time and every
time. Ceramics
also find use as fixturing components in precision brazed assemblies.
They are not wet by the molten filler metal, they are resistant to the
corrosive action of the fluxes and maintain their dimensions with
repeated heating and cooling. Ceramics are found in most types of
brazing operations including furnace, torch and induction. Materials
found in these applications include aluminum oxide, Macor, silicon
carbide and silicon nitride. See also: Materials > Sialon
See also: Materials > Silicon Carbide
See also: Materials > Silicon Nitride
See also: Materials > Zirconium Oxide | 
