SSI Sintered Specialties adds Elnik vacuum furnace to expand services
May 18, 2021
SSI Sintered Specialties, headquartered in Janesville, Wisconsin, USA, reports that, with the recent investment in an Elnik high-temperature vacuum furnace, the company has committed to expanding into new Powder Metallurgy processes. The refractory metal-lined vacuum furnace, scheduled to be installed in September 2021, will join a growing fleet of new equipment in SSI’s technology centre located in Janesville.
In addition to providing advanced PM processing to customers, the furnace investment is expected to enable SSI to add metal Additive Manufacturing to its portfolio and expand its current metal injection moulding (MIM) operations. The company adds that the furnace will also allow SSI to develop sintering profiles for both technologies, as well as its press and sinter processes.
“Adding this sophisticated vacuum furnace to our technology centre showcases our commitment to being a customer-centric organisation,” stated Paul Hauck, Chief Operating Officer at SSI Sintered Specialties. “Investments like this allow us to better serve our customers by helping them solve complex application challenges with the development of new materials and processes.”
Through advanced processes and alloy development, SSI targets the diversification of both its technology portfolio and the markets it serves. SSI will focus on providing high volume Powder Metallurgy, MIM and metal AM production to the aerospace, automotive, defence, electronics, industrial, medical, and sports equipment markets.
Along with processing large powder metal parts, prototypes and pre-production runs, SSI explains that it will implement an advanced feedstock material that enables the production of large-sized MIM parts that are greater than 200 g. The addition of the vacuum furnace also allows SSI to expand its alloy and material development interests beyond unique variations of stainless-steel alloys, including processing metal-matrix composites and reactive materials such as titanium alloys.
