The technology of flight research and development has caught up with developed countries, but there has been big problem for the short of raw materials, which are mainly in rare earth metals with high performances, such as rhenium.

Rhenium is a metal with melting point of 3,180℃, similar to tungsten, which is 3,308℃.

Rhenium owns good physical and chemical performances, which results to a wide application in heat resistance parts in aerospace. One of the main use is as additive of 3% ~ 7% in flight engine Ni-based single crystal blade for its deformation and cracking resistance.

Engine Blade

Engine schematic

Engine 3D view

The reserve of rhenium all over the world is really rare with a whole quantity of proven quantity of 2,500tons and whole resource of 7,300~10,300 tons. But it is reported as only 237tons in China by Kunming Institute of Precious Metals.

Rhenium is significant and necessary metal in the development of flight engine, but its shortage has been some restriction for the research. Importing Re or finding alternative metals have been a new research for Chinese aerospace development.

In the 11^th Aerospace Expo held in Zhuhai on Nov. 1^st, AH4 155 mm ultra-light howitzer was displayed in the indoor Weapons Museum.

Even in today’s digital age, the world still relies on paper and ink, most of which ends up in landfills or recycling centers. To reduce this waste, scientists have now developed a low-cost, environmentally friendly way to create printed materials with rewritable paper, which is made out of tungsten oxide and a common polymer used in medicines and food.

The U.S. has been working to reduce paper waste by increasing recycling efforts for years. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more paper is now recovered for recycling than almost all other materials combined. This saves energy, water, landfill space and greenhouse gas emissions. But even more waste could be avoided if consumers could reuse paper many times before recycling or trashing it. So far, however, such products under development often are made with toxic, expensive organic dyes.

The researchers created a film by mixing low-toxicity tungsten oxide with polyvinyl pyrrolidone. To "print" on it, they exposed the material to ultraviolet light for 30 seconds or more, and it changed from white to a deep blue. To make pictures or words, a stencil can be used so that only the exposed parts turn blue. To erase them, the material can simply sit in ambient conditions for a day or two. To speed up the erasing, the researchers added heat to make the color disappear in 30 minutes. Alternatively, adding a small amount of polyacrylonitrile to the material can make designs last for up to 10 days. Testing showed the material could be printed on and erased 40 times before the quality started to decline.

Tungsten carbide dental drill is available in various designs. Tungsten carbide dental drill is basically composed of an air turbine, a hand-piece and tungsten carbide drill bit. Hand piece is a tube shaped slender connecting drill bit with the driving motor. Drill bit is the essential part of tungsten carbide dental drill. Tungsten carbide dental drills are constructed from a variety of raw materials such as metals and polymers. The most advance hand piece is made with titanium. Electric operated tungsten carbide dental drill generate large amount of heat. It performs cutting action smoothly. Tungsten carbide dental drill is frequently used by dentists and dental practitioners for treating cavities in diseases such as dental caries and abscesses, as to restore teeth. It bores through tooth enamel and removes or clean plaque from the surface of the tooth. After drilling the tooth completely, accurately and properly, it is prepared for filling with suitable material and crown to strengthen teeth. It also helps in reducing further damage. New innovations and technological advancement are replacing tungsten carbide dental drill with lasers. Nowadays, a new method known as air-abrasive technology is used by dentists of treating cavities. In this new method dentist blasts away parts of the tooth surface without using a drill.

Dentistry is defined as the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of diseases, disorders, and/or conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area, and/or the adjacent and associated structures using surgical, nonsurgical, or related procedures. Concern for oral care is increasing due to rising prevalence of tooth decay, periodontal diseases, tooth erosion, and tooth sensitivity Dentists use various tools for different procedures such as removing cavity and cleaning teeth. These tools are made of metals such as stainless steel and tungsten carbide.


 

North America dominates the global market for electric operated tungsten carbide dental drill due to large number of aging population and increasing concern of oral hygiene. Asia is expected to show high growth rates in the next five years in the global electric operated tungsten carbide dental drill market. China and India are expected to be the fastest growing electric operated tungsten carbide dental drill markets in Asia-Pacific region. Some of the key driving forces for electric operated tungsten carbide dental drill market in emerging countries are large pool of patients, increasing healthcare expenditure and rising government funding.

In recent times there is increased use of electric operated tungsten carbide dental drill due to increasing incidence of dental disorders. Rise in aging population, increasing number of dental clinics and technological advancement are some of the key factors driving the growth for global electric operated tungsten carbide dental drill market. In addition, increasing healthcare awareness is also fuelling the growth of global electric operated tungsten carbide dental drill market. However, high cost of dental instruments, alternative technologies such as laser and brand loyalty are some of the major factors restraining the growth for the global electric operated tungsten carbide dental drill market.

Cosmetic dentistry would develop opportunity for global electric operated tungsten carbide dental drill market. However, lack of reimbursement for dental procedures could lead a challenge for the global electric operated tungsten carbide dental drill market.

NMDC, one of India's biggest mineral producers, and Mishra Dhatu Nigam (MIDHANI) have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop tungsten minning and processing technology for the metal, a key ingredient in making heavy-alloy ammunition systems for the armed forces. 

The two state-owned companies are slated to tap their complementary strengths to pursue a venture in developing tungsten mineral assets in India and abroad. MIDHANI, a defence sector PSU, has expertise in special metals and alloys. Availability of tungsten in India is limited and the metal is not mined because the ores are of low grade, NMDC said in a statement. The country's requirement of tungsten is met mainly through imports. 

Extracting tungsten from low-grade deposits depends largely on developing suitable beneficiation technology. It is mainly Rajasthan that has tungsten reserves. 

There is a growing requirement in India for tungsten products in industrial and defence applications, where it has been identified as a strategic material. The market for tungsten metal powder in the country is estimated at 150 tonnes per month. 

China, world's largest producer of tungsten, accounts for over 80% of global output. Vietnam with 5,000 tonnes, Russia (2,500 tonnes), Canada (1,700 tonnes), Bolivia (1,200 tonnes) and Rwanda (1,000 tonnes) are the other major producers. Tungsten production globally rose to 87,000 tonnes in 2015 from 86,800 tonnes in 2014, according to the US Geological Survey.

With a strong mining background, NMDC has been working on to acquire mineral assets abroad. And Midhani, with its expertise in metals and alloys, is expected to provide technical support and coordination for Ammonium Paratungstate (APT). Their complementary strengths can facilitate in developing a venture for tungsten mineral assets in India and abroad. This alliance would strengthen both NMDC’s and Midhani’s resolve to explore jointly the available tungsten assets in India and consider investment and development abroad. The technology could also be used converting tungsten ore to APT and tungsten powder.

As the exchange rate quotation showed on November 17, the central parity rate of the yuan against the U.S. dollar stood at 6.8700, a six-year low, and implied a depreciation of 10 percent over the past one year or so, considering the parity rate of 6.1162 on August 10, 2015.

Tungsten carbide drill is based on tungsten carbide powder, cobalt powder as binder by pressure, sintering. Usually containing tungsten carbide 94%, 6% cobalt. Because of its high hardness, very wear-resistant, have a certain strength, suitable for high-speed cutting. But poor toughness, very brittle, in order to improve the performance of cemented carbide, and some on the use of carbonized substrate in the chemical vapor deposition of a layer of 5 to 7 microns of special hard titanium carbide (TIC) or titanium nitride (TIN) Has a higher hardness. Some use ion implantation technology, the titanium, nitrogen, and carbon into the substrate a certain depth, not only improve the hardness and strength, but also in the drill regrind when the injection of these ingredients can move inward. There are physical methods used in the top of the drill bit to generate a layer of diamond film, greatly improving the hardness and wear resistance of the drill.

Selection of Tungsten Carbide Drill Material
According to the processing characteristics of the material, the requirements of the tungsten carbide drill  has the following characteristics: the hardness of the drill must be greater than the hardness of the workpiece to be processed as the workpiece in the workpiece to withstand a great torsion and axial force, it must have sufficient strength and toughness; Due to the toughness of the material to be processed, the cutting edge is required to be sharp enough for cutting, so the tool material must have sufficient anti-wear ability, so as to reduce the work hardening; due to the chemical properties of the workpiece to be high, so the tool material and titanium alloy affinity difference , In order to avoid the travel caused by the proliferation of sticky knife, broken drilling phenomenon.

At present, the types of materials suitable for doing tool extremely wide, including tool steel, carbide, superhard materials.

At first, try to use ordinary high-speed steel drill bit for testing, ordinary high-speed steel drill bit low price, when using coating technology, can significantly reduce the friction coefficient of the tool and the workpiece to improve tool life. However, due to higher speed machine, the use of drill strength is not enough, resulting in the process of drilling bit broken, the effect is not satisfactory.

Tungsten carbide is the latest development of a tool material, suitable for most of the rough finishing of materials, including steel, cast iron, special materials and plastics. To this end, decided to use the tungsten carbide overall drill.

The main problems of Chinese tungsten carbide market: Firstly, small-scale enterprises, lower industrial concentration. According to incomplete statistics, 199 carbide enterprises with an average annual capacity of 176 tons, the average annual output is only 86 tons,  more than 1,000 tons is only four enterprises. Secondly, less investment in science and technology, the lack of high-end technical personnel, weakly technology research and development capacity. Chinese tungsten carbide market in science and technology investment in less than 3% sales, scientific and technological research and development level is not high, the original core technology results less. Thirdly, lower product quality level, the product structure to be adjusted. China's tungsten carbide production accounts for more than 40% of the world's total output, but the tungsten carbide sales revenue is less than 20% of the world, mainly due to high-performChinese Tungsten Carbide Market Become Foreign Multinational Strategic Picture's Protagonistance ultra-fine alloy, high-precision high-performance abrasive coating blade, superhard tool materials, Large different products, precision carbide cutting tools, high value-added products such as low yield, lack of deep-processing facilities and varieties due to incomplete.

With the rapid expansion of China's auto industry, auto parts machining demand for cutting tools, China's steel, transportation, construction and other areas of the demand for tungsten carbide is also increasingly strong. Tungsten carbide in the foreign multinational strategic picture, the Chinese market has quietly become a protagonist by the supporting role.

Since the development of China's mold industry, the average annual growth rate of more than 15%, higher than the average value-added domestic GDP more than doubled. In recent years, due to the rapid development of electromechanical, automobile and other fields, China's mold industry has been basically established the status of market economy, but also become the world's new areas of widespread concern.

Some experts believe that restricting the development of China's mold is another major reason for the domestic manufacturing high-precision molds lower capacity. With the continuous development of industry, precision, large-scale, complex, long-life carbide die development will be higher than the total rate of development. At the same time, as in recent years, imports of mold, precision, large-scale, complex, long-life mold majority, therefore, from the reduction of imports, improve the localization rate of view, this kind of domestic high-grade mold in the market share will gradually increase .

At the same time, tungsten carbide punching dies popular in the international market, domestic punching die in China's total import and export of mold occupy the second important position. Tungsten carbide punching dies accounted for 40.33% of the total import and export and 25.12%, has become the field of international stamping die one of the major exporters.

Chinese tungsten carbide punching dies industry is constantly catching up with the world advanced level, and constantly narrowing the technological gap with developed countries, many domestic precision stamping die in the main performance and imported products have been comparable to the overall level of the industry significantly improved, not only to achieve import substitution , And a considerable part of the output to the United States, Japan and other industrialized countries and regions. At present, China's precision punching dies is actively to the international arena, to participate in international competition.

Although there are still some gaps with developed countries, but in accordance with the current development of the domestic industry tips, the next few years, domestic tungsten carbide punching die industry is bound to achieve catch up, to promote the development of the domestic mold industry backbone, enhance the industry as a whole technology Level, to promote the domestic mold industry towards high-end, precision, large-scale, complex development. And requires mold manufacturing technology to better reflect the information technology, digital, fine, high-speed, automation. Industry key enterprises will continue to expand, and will play an increasing role in the industry, public information service platform will be faster development of its various service functions and enhance the productivity of the majority of SMEs will also be the role of More visible.

Tungsten market trend is steady since last week with small transaction volume of tungsten products. The devaluation of RMB which hits 6.7 also affect tungsten price. Tungsten market is expected to be stable in the rest two months.