Supply Chain H.C. Starck

CASE STUDY

TouGhmET® APPlICATIon:

EXTruSIon PrESS WAyS Profile: hC Starck

By replacing aluminum bronze, Materion Brush Performance Alloys’ ToughMet® is helping companies like H.C. Starck in Coldwater, Michigan reduce maintenance time and costs. H.C. Starck is a producer of a unique assortment of refractory metal powders, including tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, niobium, rhenium as well as their compounds (borides, carbides, nitrides, oxides, silicides, sulfides). Additional production focuses on thermal spray and advanced ceramic powders, nonferrous metals, such as nickel and nickel salts, as well as boron and boron compounds. H.C. Starck’s location in Coldwater, Michigan began manufacturing in 1958 and played an essential role in using the arc cast process. This process is still used to melt the highest quality molybdenum ingots. In the mid 70s, a 5,500-ton capacity horizontal extrusion press was installed for extruding arc cast molybdenum ingots. Through the years, the press has been expanded in scope to provide toll extrusion services for manufacturing a wide variety of shaped metal alloys. Today, H.C. Starck’s Coldwater facility provides molybdenum powders, extrusion services and molybdenum wrought bars for the glass melting, medical diagnostic, vacuum furnace, electronic and aerospace markets. The extrusion press offers toll conversion of refractory metals, superalloys, nickel base alloys, copper alloys, stainless steels, superconducting materials, and many other exotic and pure metals into rod, tubulars and near net shapes. All Worn ouT A few years ago H.C. Starck began exploring options to increase up time by extending the life of the ways that support the 30,000-pound hardened steel container on the extrusion press. The container holds the billet against the die during the extrusion process. Approximately 300 times per day, the container slides along the ways allowing operators to lubricate, clean and change the die between extrusions. As the ways...