To assist you in accurately forecasting and planning, Air Products' economists have compiled the following graphs on indices important to your industry. We'll update these three-year trends for utility and metals pricing and industrial production in the next quarterly issue of this newsletter.
Industrial Production Indexes
Source: US Federal Reserve Bank Board of Governors
Click here to view the graph.
Utility Pricing Metrics
Source: Inside F.E.R.C., Bureau of Labor Statistics
Click here to view the graph.
Steel Prices
Source: Market Pricing
Click here to view the graph.
Key Metals Prices
Source: London Metals Exchange
Click here to view the graph.
Heat Treaters are utilizing Air Products' knowledge in the use and recycling of helium as a gas quenchant to realize significant economical and environmental benefits.
The use of helium as an environmentally friendly gas quenching medium produces cleaner parts
while eliminating the need for part washing and quenching liquid disposal. Further, it
provides more uniform cooling and less part distortion, thereby reducing the need for
post quenching machining. However, as a nonrenewable natural resource, the economics of
installing a helium recycle system become increasingly attractive.
Helium recovery and recycling provides numerous benefits for heat treaters. While many
factors must be taken into account in deciding the most effective helium recycle solution
for a given situation, the economics of recycling improve with increased usage volume.
Heat treaters utilizing a helium recycle unit can lower their costs, protect an important
resource, and also open the door to other applications and opportunities. To learn more
about recycling helium, check out the full article or contact us to speak to a specialist.
> Read the article (PDF, 556 K)
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Increasing demand and only a finite supply.
This feature story looks at the global outlook for helium from the sources of supply and primary
uses to the anticipated demand. It details how Air Products is capitalizing on its
position as the global leader in helium production to develop not only new supply sources, but
also technologies for the capture and recycling of this valuable resource.
> Read the full article to learn more (PDF, 56 K)
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Thermal Spray Cooling Demonstrations and
Testing
Would you like to see firsthand how the new Air Products thermal spray cooling
technology can maintain desired part temperature, within a +/–20°F range,
using cryogenic nitrogen vapor (–320°F) during your thermal spray coating application
process? Now you can! If you're interested, you can see demonstrations of the Air Products
cooling system at Progressive Technology Inc.'s (PTI) facility, as well as test the effectiveness of
the system on your own specific parts at a low cost and without interruption to your business.
"Customers come to us for their challenging thermal spray projects," said
Jim Whalen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at PTI. "Because so much heat energy
is generated in the thermal spray process, overheated parts are a real issue to many of our
customers. Unfortunately, current cooling methods—like high-pressure air—cannot keep
up, especially in some of the newer gun designs where more powder can be applied in a shorter
amount of time. With Air Products' new cooling system, we see the potential to solve our
customers' cooling problems and look forward to doing more of this type of collaboration
with Air Products."
> If you'd like to see the technology in action, watch our brief video
at www.airproducts.com/spraying.
> For more information visit www.airproducts.com/spray7.
> To schedule a demonstration, call 800-654-4567, code 607,
or contact us online.
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Chris Ward
Engineering Associate
Q:
Can I remotely monitor what's happening in my furnaces and other process equipment while
I'm away from my plant?
A:
Of course . . . a variety of communication methods are available for you to easily interact
with your process and proactively address emerging issues. Air Products' team
of remote process monitoring and control specialists is here to help you get started.
> For more details, read Chris' full answer.
> View past "Ask the Expert" questions, answers and videos.
> Have a question for us? Contact us online.
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Our representatives hope to see you at these events to discuss your metals processing needs.
- Trends in Welding Research Conference
June 2–6, 2008
Pine Mountain, GA
- PM2008 World Congress
(Booth 113)
June 8–12, 2008
Washington, DC
- International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS)
June 8–12, 2008
Chicago, IL
- Aeromat
(Booth 315)
June 22–26, 2008
Austin, TX
-
Control of Distortion and Residual Stress
of Heat Treated Gears
September 24–25, 2008
Milwaukee, WI
- Fabtech and AWS Welding Show
October 6–8, 2008
Las Vegas, NV
- TSS Aerospace Coatings Symposium
October 15–16, 2008
Hartford, Connecticut
- Furnaces North America
October 21–22, 2008
Nashville, TN
- Cleaning Requirements for Heat Treatment—
Developments and Applications
October 27–28, 2008
Worcester, MA
- Symposium on Improving Reliability and
Consistency in Thermal Spray
December 2–3, 2008
Montreal, Quebec
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There is an old saying about "a farmer being out standing in his field." And this play
on words holds true for both meanings for Don Bowe, a Senior Industry Engineer
at Air Products serving the metals processing industry. With nearly 25 years
of experience at Air Products, Don's extensive industry knowledge and
experience is truly outstanding, enabling him to bring the full breadth of Air Products'
capabilities to address customers' challenges. "I've always enjoyed working with a
customer, understanding their challenge and then finding a way to resolve it," states Don.
It was the practicality of metals and his interest in seeing how things fit together that encouraged
Don to get a degree in metallurgical engineering as well as a graduate degree in business. In
addition to his almost quarter-century with the company, Don spent the first three years of his
career in the steel industry.
When not at work, Don can be found out standing in another field—his garden. An avid
gardener, Don is looking forward to putting his efforts into getting his vegetable and flower
gardens ready for another bountiful summer. Don is based out of the company's headquarters
and lives with his family in the rolling countryside of the nearby village of Zionsville.
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You can request more information or any
of the documents referenced in this issue by calling us at 800-654-4567,
code 607, or by contacting us online.
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