CASE, PARTNERS TO DEVELOP PATENTED STAINLESS STEEL HARDENING PROCESS

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CASE, PARTNERS TO DEVELOP PATENTED STAINLESS STEEL HARDENING PROCESS
29 January 2007 - Case Western Reserve University

Five research partners, including Case Western Reserve University, Swagelok Company and the Oakridge National Laboratory, aim to expand the applicability of the patented surface hardening process to a broader range of corrosion-resistant steels to reduce energy consumption in a host of manufacturing industries.

This important research has prompted the U.S. Department of Energy to partially fund the research project with a $1.5 million grant.

The project goal is to greatly reduce wear, fatigue and corrosion of stainless steels to increase efficiencies in a wide range of commercial components, such as bearings and pumps used in chemical and petroleum industries.

"Industrial use of more corrosion-resistant pumps in the future could save nearly 100 billion kilowatts per year of electric energy," said Arthur Heuer, University Professor in the department of materials science and engineering at Case and one of the principal investigators of the research project. "If we consider that the average annual residential energy use in the U.S. is about 3,000 kilowatt hours for each person, it becomes apparent how much energy could be saved when this new material reaches the commercial market."

Swagelok will apply its patented surface hardening process to components made from a variety of commonly used industrial austenitic stainless steel alloys. The ORNL will test the wear and corrosion resistance of the treated steels and specialty alloys, and Case will perform themodynamic analysis of the process and characterize the properties of the steel.

"This process opens up a whole new branch of metallurgical investigation," Heuer said. Early results show that treated components are two to three times as hard as the untreated material. Another advantage that the hardening process is performed at relatively low temperatures, so it can be applied to finished products without causing distortion and can help improve wear and corrosion resistance.

"The research team believes the prospects are extraordinarily favorable that this process can be used for other components and other stainless steel compositions," said Sunniva Collins, manager, metallurgy and surface science for Swagelok.

"Research teams from Swagelok Company and Case Western Reserve University have been working together with great success for several years, and we are proud to be a part of this collaborative effort that is bringing important research and funidng the the Greater Cleveland area," said Art Anton, president and CEO of Swagelok.

Other research partners in the project include Spirax Sarco Inc. of Blythewood, S.C. and Energy Industries of Ohio.

http://www.case.edu

About: Case Western Reserve University
The Case School of Engineering, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2005, has distinctive and acclaimed research programs, including biomedical engineering, functional polymers, fuel cells, advanced materials, microgravity fluid flow and combustion, biologically inspired robots, sensors and microfabrication. Research awards at the school have more than doubled since 2001 to nearly $60 million.

Case is among the nation's leading research institutions. Founded in 1826 and shaped by the unique merger of the Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University, Case is distinguished by its strengths in education, research, service, and experiential learning. Located in Cleveland, Case offers nationally recognized programs in the Arts and Sciences, Dental Medicine, Engineering, Law, Management, Medicine, Nursing, and Social Sciences.

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