Great developments at Wah Chang

Name, logo, more change

Teledyne Wah Chang has returned to its roots. Ralph Nauman, company President, recently announced that the Albany, Oregon-based chemicals and metals manufacturer would be renamed Wah Chang, an Allegheny-Teledyne Company.

Shareholders approved a merger between Allegheny Ludlum, Inc. and Teledyne, Inc. August 15. Wah Chang is now part of the Specialty Metals Segment of Allegheny-Tele-dyne, reporting to Arthur H. Aronson, Executive Vice President. Allegheny is a giant in the specialty metals business, particularly in stainless steels.

Wah Chang's new logo is not so new --the classic Chinese characters, which mean great development, were actually used as the company's original logo until it was bought by Teledyne in 1967.

The Chinese Characters shown here translate to "Wah Chang" or Great Development. The top character represents a tree bountifully laden with blooming flowers. The bottom, two suns, symbolizing brilliance greater than has ever been known by man.

Company upgrading facilities to improve extruded products

As part of Wah Chang's ongoing efforts to better serve its customers, the company is automating its manufacturing system for nuclear-grade zirconium billets. The reactive and refractory metals manufacturer will pump several million dollars into its Albany, Oregon plant, adding a system that will reduce material cycle times, improve quality, and help ensure operator safety.

Wah Chang plans to complete the project by December 1997.

The Extrusion Billet Manufacturing System (EBMS) will process all nuclear-grade zirconium billets following the rotary forge operation until they reach the extrusion lubing operation. The EBMS consolidates manufacturing processes into one facility. Equipment includes a heat treatment furnace; automated billet sand blasters; an automated storage and retrieval system; a cleaning, assembly, and welding cell; a lube area in conjunction with a pierce press; and a billet machining center.

One key feature of the EBMS is that it increases the level of automation. The automation in the system significantly reduces variability in the manufacturing process, which helps ensure quality. In addition, automation frees up operators, allowing them to implement Statistical Process Control (SPC) techniques to better control the process.

The EBMS will also create a safer working environment for Wah Chang's manufacturing personnel by eliminating manual billet handling.

An automated billet storage and retrieval system similar to the one shown above will improve inventory control and reduce cycle times (photo by Eskay)

As customers' size requirements for extruded products continue to increase, the automated handling equipment will protect operators.

"EBMS represents a new paradigm for Wah Chang," according to Ron Graham, Director of Metallurgical Operations. "The facility is designed around the concept of 'dense manufacturing' whereby multiple, consecutive, and logically grouped operations are combined under a single roof."

"The automated storage and retrieval system functions as an on-demand use point management system," Graham said. "It will provide real-time inventory control, decrease cycle times, and reduce material handling. The system is configured to allow total flexibility in the flow of billets between the various unit operations. When coupled with a manufacturing execution system, it will provide billets on-demand to each manufacturing operation."

According to Graham, Wah Chang may eventually expand its facilities to manufacture billets made of other alloys, such as CPI-grade zirconium and titanium alloys.

For now, Wah Chang's top priority is safely manufacturing better nuclear-grade zirconium billets and doing it faster. Brian Edwards, Project Manufacturing Engineer, is determined to reach these goals. He believes that the combination of in-house know-how and the expertise of contractors Eskay and MOTOMAN will achieve the desired results. "We designed the EBMS facility with the help of leaders in the automated material handling industry, which gave us a fresh look-from the outside in-at what our approach should be," he said. "This team effort makes us confident the project will be a success."

The EBMS will create a safer working environment for operators, replacing manual billet handling with a MOTOMAN robot like the one shown here.

Q&A: Zirconium chemicals

Wah Chang's chemical products are used in a variety of applications, including adhesives (water-based cross-linking agent for polymers), antiperspirants, catalysts, ceramic colors, engineering and electro-ceramics, glass, ion exchange compounds, leather tanning, paint driers, paper refractories, soaps, synthetic gemstones, textiles (dyes, fireproofing, and water repelling), and as a protective titania coating. The list of applications is growing as zirconium, hafnium, and other chemicals are used to replace other hazardous or more expensive materials.

In the first of this issue's two Q&A articles, Jim Cloonan, Wah Chang's new Chemicals Salesman (see biography at right), focuses on questions that he has been asked about the company's zirconium basic sulfate and carbonate products.

Question:

What is zirconium basic sulfate, and what is it used for?

Answer:

Zirconium basic sulfate (ZBS) is a white, water insoluble material produced when sulfuric acid and zirconium oxychloride solutions are mixed in a 5 to 3 molar ratio and heated. The suspension of ZBS is then de-watered and packaged in supersacks. The resulting material is moist and soft somewhat like snow. Zirconium basic sulfate is commonly used to make other zirconium chemicals and calcined into oxides. The intermediate zirconium chemicals produced from ZBS are: zirconium carbonate, zirconium hydroxide, and zirconium ortho sulfate solution.

Question:

What are zirconium carbonate, hydroxide, and ortho sulfate solution, and what are they used for?

Answer:

Wah Chang produces zirconium carbonate by adding basic zirconium sulfate to a solution of soda ash. The company dewaters the resulting slurry on a filter and packages it into supersacks. Our customers convert zirconium carbonate into a number of other compounds that are used in the Paper, Paint and Coating, and in Cosmetics Industries. Zirconium carbonate is also calcined into oxides for electronic applications. Wah Chang produces zirconium hydroxide by repulping basic zirconium sulfate. We dewater the resulting slurry, package it in supersacks, and use it as a source of acid soluble zirconium compounds or calcine it into oxides for specialty applications. The company produces zirconium ortho sulfate solution by adding basic zirconium sulfate to sulfuric acid to provide a molar ratio of two sulfates to one zirconium. Uses for this solution include manufacturing paint pigment and tanning of leathers.

Question:

What are the requirements for storage and handling of zirconium carbonate and basic sulfate?

Answer:

When storing these materials, remember to (1) keep containers closed and (2) keep containers in the shade or inside if possible. Zirconium carbonate can be irreversibly damaged by drying out caused by leaving the container open. ZBS is not as susceptible to drying or high temperatures as zirconium carbonate but should be kept in a closed container until used. Both materials have been frozen, then re-thawed without adverse effects other than the difficulty in handling a solid material.

For more information on our zirconium, hafnium, and other chemical products, call 541-967-6977.

Wah Chang has made ZBS since 1988

New to chemical sales

Jim Cloonan, recently a supervisor of day-to-day operations for the production of zirconium chemicals and zirconium oxides, has been promoted to Chemicals Sales Manager. Cloonan has held a variety of positions with Wah Chang, including work in Research & Development and Production. His background also includes stints with Air Products, Westinghouse, and Getty Oil.

Cloonan interfaces with customers using Wah Chang's zirconium basic sulfate and zirconium carbonate (see Q&A article at left) as well as silicon tetrachloride products -everything from fume-grade to fiber-optic-grade. For more information on chemical products, call 541-967-6977.

Jim Cloonan manages chemical sales

Q&A

Spring-back

In the second of this issue's two Q&As, metals expert Te-Lin Yau writes about the springback effect of reactive metals.

Question:

How can I control the springback of reactive metals?

Answer:

Bending metal looks simple; however, accurate bending requires an understanding of mechanical properties, effects of tooling design on the force needed to form a bend, and the type of equipment used. A common phenomena in bending is springback.

The elastic action of the metal causes springback. Elastic limit is in proportion to yield strength. Although annealed type 304L stainless steel, Zr 702, and Grade 2 Ti are comparable in their tensile strengths, their ASTM minimal yield requirements are 25, 30, and 40 ksi, respectively. Consequently, springback is quite noticeable in the bending of reactive metals. The stronger the alloy, the greater springback to be expected. A loss of more than 10 degrees in bend angle must be expected after the forming of reactive metals.

Springback is often compensated by over-bending with the use of cams, decreasing the die clearance, setting the punch and die steels at a smaller angle, or using a thicker material. Overcompensation may cause fracture. Moreover, reactive metals can be stress relieved at relatively low temperatures. Hot sizing of cold-worked components has been successfully employed. It effectively eliminates springback when the hot sizing temperature is high enough to induce stress relief.

Developments in the CPI

Nooter celebrating 100th anniversary

Nooter Corporation, one of the world's largest metal fabricators, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The St. Louis-based company custom designs, manufactures, and field erects processing equipment for a variety of industries, including chemical, petroleum, and food processing; biotechnology; brewing; power; pulp and paper; and space.

Nooter was a pioneer in fabricating zirconium equipment for the chemical processing industry, having worked with the corrosion resistant metal since the early 1950s. Unafraid of trying a relatively new material, the company began fabricating zirconium heat exchangers and reactor vessels. Some of these pieces of equipment are still in service today - a testimony to the durability of zirconium and the skilled craftsmanship of Nooter in building equipment.

The company continues to work with Wah Chang's corrosion resistant titanium and zirconium alloys. In the last 10 years, Nooter has built more than 50 zirconium vessels and/or heat exchangers for chemical processing applications, with sizes up to 10 ft in diameter and lengths up to 125 ft. For more information, call Nooter at (314) 621-6000.

Wah Chang to host ANP meeting event

Wah Chang and associated friends of the Ammonium Nitrate Producers will assemble in New Orleans, La. December 2nd and 3rd for the annual hospitality get-together. The events will take place from 5-11 PM in the Pontchartrain Ballroom, Section B. Drop by and partake in the conviviality. We look forward to seeing you.

Nooter has fabricated a variety of Zr equipment for the CPI since the '50s.

Nooter's state-of-the-art Clean Room

Outlook/other CPI information online

Just a reminder: Outlook and other information covering Wah Chang's products are available on the Internet at http://www.twca.com. Content on the company's web site is always changing. In addition to a new issue of Outlook quarterly, Wah Chang frequently adds everything from new photomicrographs to new data sheets and other technical information about its products. Visitors also benefit from our new frequently asked questions (FAQ) section, where Wah Chang's materials experts answer questions that are often asked about metals, chemicals, corrosion, and other topics. We have even built a search engine into our site to make looking for information easier. For answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, check us out online.