Kennametal Inc., a specialty metals manufacturing firm headquartered in Latrobe, Pa., has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Allegheny Technology Inc.’s (ATI) Tungsten Materials Business for $605 million. ATI’s Tungsten Materials Business is a producer of tungsten metallurgical powders, as well as tooling technologies and components. The business has approximately 1,175 employees across 14 operating facilities globally and consists of two divisions: ATI Firth Sterling and ATI Stellram. The transaction has been approved by both companies’ boards of directors and is expected to close before the end of the calendar year, subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. ATI is based in Pittsburgh.

“ATI’s Tungsten Materials Business brings vital strategic assets that are an excellent complement to Kennametal, especially given our common focus on operational excellence and industry-leading material science,” says Carolos Cardoso, Kennametal’s chairman, president and CEO. “The addition of the expanded material and tooling technologies of ATI’s Tungsten Materials Business will enable us to offer more to our customers around the world.  We look forward to building on our respective strengths to accelerate growth while generating even greater value for our business and ultimately our shareholders.”

This acquisition is aligned with Kennametal’s growth strategy and positions the company to further diversify its portfolio. The company expects to capitalize on the material technology capabilities, engineered components and world-class tooling products of ATI’s Tungsten Materials Business to expand its presence in the aerospace and energy markets. 

According to a Kennametal press release, the acquisition will advance the company’s core strategy of diversifying the company’s tungsten sourcing to balance supplies, costs and access to raw materials, including those produced from recycled products. The ability of ATI’s Tungsten Materials Business to produce critical materials from recovered tooling and scrap will enhance Kennametal's material sourcing and development capabilities to support its growth initiatives.

The company also notes that the acquisition will accelerate its previously announced plans to expand capacity and develop an advanced tungsten carbide recycling facility in the United States to serve global markets. The company also estimates that this will reduce planned capital expenditures by $30 million to 35 million and expects to achieve economy of scale six to eight years earlier than prior projections.

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The money – available in Europe, Canada, the US, and South Africa – is a gift through the Gene Haas Foundation.

Haas Automation Europe has announced the availability of a $1 million (€745,000) scholarship fund for machining and manufacturing education created by Gene Haas, the company’s founder and CEO.

The company noted that the money was provided to continue the machine tool magnate’s mission of ensuring a continuous supply of highly qualified students for manufacturing-based jobs, especially in industries where precision machining is crucial.

The founder explained his motivation. “By reducing the financial burden for students, we expect them to better focus on high academic achievement. Our goal is to help increase the quality and retention of students in manufacturing training programs across Europe. This is especially important at a time when young people appear to be losing interest in manufacturing-based careers.”

Applications for the scholarships are available online and managed by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation. It said it expects to award up to 1,000 scholarships this year. Scholarships of €500 to €2,000 are available, depending on the cost of the program of study, Hass Automation explained.

Foundation CEO Bart Aslin said, “Applications are made by the school, to which funds are sent directly.” A scholarship committee will review applications as they are submitted to ensure the minimum eligibility requirements are met. All applicants meeting the requirements will be awarded a scholarship, as long as funding is available.

“As we work to dispel the myth that people with a Bachelor’s degree automatically make more money than those without, we recognize the importance of creating educational pathways that allow all students the chance to earn a good living,” Aslin added.

Schools can download the application form at smeef.org and e-mail it to haas@sme.org. The last day for applications is 1 November 2013, the company said.

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Vortex has been developed by the company specifically to gain the maximum benefit from solid carbide tooling, in particular those designs that can give deeper cuts by using the full flute length as the cutting surface.

It can be used for two- and three-axis roughing, three-plus-two-axis area clearance and for rest machining based on stock models or reference toolpaths.

Unlike other high-speed roughing techniques that aim to maintain a constant theoretical metal-removal rate, the Vortex system produces toolpaths with a controlled engagement angle for the complete operation. According to the company, this maintains the optimum cutting conditions for the entire toolpath that would normally be possible only for the straight-line moves.

Vortex roughing gives a constant pitch, which shows that the tool is operating under consistent conditions. Furthermore, it is claimed that users will be able to see the difference in the regular size and thickness of the chips produced, providing further evidence of the consistency of the cut.

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According to Iscar, the invention of Helimill in the 1990’s – said to be the first indexable sintered carbide insert with a helical cutting edge – elevated the company’s reputation as a producer of milling tools. The helical cutting edge, produced by the intersection of a helical relief surface and a rake face with a complex shape, ensures positive and constant rake angles along the whole edge.

This provided practical benefits, the company noted: smooth cutting action, advantageous chip formation, lower cutting forces and power consumption, better tool life and more. As a result, the helical cutting edge significantly increased productivity and improved tool performance. Almost every indexable milling tool, especially cutters intended for machining 90° shoulders, relies on the helical cutting edge as a basic design principle, it noted.

Two edges good, three edges better

Today, Helimill milling cutters feature a broad spectrum of insert geometries and sizes. Such a variety is said to ensure success of the original cutters in practically all shoulder milling operations. They machine all types of engineering materials and the accuracy of machined surface and its roughness have been good enough. But the company said it has improved the technology with the Heliqmill 390 line – a further development of inserts with helical cutting edges.

The classical insert and its derivatives have two cutting edges. The new line offers a triangular insert with three cutting edges. Interestingly, the length of the cutting edge of an insert with three edges is the same as for an insert with two, the company explained, noting that the new inserts are available with 10 and 15 mm cutting edge lengths.

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