The Engineering Society of Detroit hosted the Michigan Regional Future City Competition January 23, 2017. The Future City Competition is an educational program where students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades imagine, design, and build cities of the future. Over four months, students work as a team with an educator and volunteer mentor to design a virtual city using SimCity software; research and write an essay addressing this year’s theme; build a model of their city using recycled materials; complete a project plan, and present their city before a panel of judges at a Regional Competition in January. Regional winners go on to represent their region at the national competition in Washington DC in February. 

Applied Process took part in the Future City competition by joining a team of specialty judges put together by the American Society of Materials (ASM) to award one team the Best Use of Materials award. The cities were judged for this award based on the thought put into the materials used to build the model and how materials would affect the future city.

It was an uplifting experience to talk to the students and to get a glimpse into their versions of a utopia. The future cities focused on the environment, embracing all ways and views of life, and endless scientific possibilities. 

The team that won the Best Use of Materials award was Grand Blanc West Middle School from Grand Blanc, Michigan. They also took third place overall and will be moving on to the national competition! Their city cleverly used recycled materials such as aluminum foil, burlap, plastic, and cardboard to construct their city. Their future city theoretically included recycled aluminum car bodies and carbon nano-tube structures that focused on vertical growth of the city rather than spreading across the land. Their streets incorporated solar panels to help power their city of the future. 

For more information on the Future City Competition visit: http://ww2.esd.org/EVENTS/futurecity.htm

On Monday, November 14^th, Wanda Bryant, a middle school teacher at the Henderson Academy in the Detroit Public School system was awarded the Kathy Hayrynen Scholar Award at the ASM International Detroit Chapter meeting in Warren, MI.  In 2014, the ASM Detroit Chapter established 5 teacher scholar awards to provide grants to teachers who need financial assistance for materials (and metallurgy) related activities in their classrooms.  One of these teacher awards was named “the Kathy Hayrynen Scholar Award” to honor Dr. Kathy for 15 years of volunteer service to organize and operate the ASM Teachers’ Materials Camp held annually in Ann Arbor.

The Teachers’ Materials Camp is a week-long workshop conducted within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Michigan.  Its purpose is to introduce basic concepts of materials science to both middle school and high school teachers.  The emphasis is on low cost, hands on activities for math, science and technology students.

ASM International is the professional society for Materials Engineers.  It has 90 Chapters worldwide with a membership of 29,000.

Congrats to all award recipients! 

Here is a guest post from our VP of Sales; Steve Metz.  He recently vacationed in Washington D.C; while there he discovered historical landmarks which also happen to be castings! 

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My wife and I recently had the opportunity to be ‘tourists in our own country’ and spent a long weekend in Washington D.C.  Some of you may know that my wife is an interior designer, but I am a Materials Engineer who has spent my entire career in the foundry and heat treatment worlds so we use different halves of our minds.  I noticed that after 10 years of marriage, everything I look at is evaluated for the way it is manufactured and my wife is always looking at the way materials, colors and design come together.

Day one of our trip found us at Arlington National Cemetery where we were humbled and appreciative of the sacrifice so many have made in defense of our freedom and beliefs.  The signs reminding attendees of the decorum required were made of die cast aluminum.  The signs showing the way to different areas of the cemetery are cast from brass.  As we solemnly stood at the tomb of the unknown soldier awaiting the changing of the guard I thought about the rifle he was carrying and the number of investment cast steel components it contains.

Day two of our journey took us to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum where I stumbled across a gem of a display that talked about the advent of gasoline powered tractors in the 1920’s.  The number of castings (steel or gray iron) on this 1920’s vintage Fordson tractor was staggering and I lost count when trying to capture the extent.

While we were at the Air and Space Museum there was an honor flight of WWII, Korean and Vietnam War veterans who arrived from their journey.  The museum has several exhibits including planes that were used by the military over the years and the eyes of these veterans, many in their 90’s, grew wide as they saw the planes that were so integral to our victory.

We closed out our trip with a visit to the WWII Memorial where we saw several other examples of castings on display.  From the copper/bronze wreath that adorns the pillar for each state, to the stars that each represents 100 of our soldiers lost or missing.

In the end I was humbled by the beauty that resides in these places of remembrance and history.  The fact that castings are foundational in so many of the things we see and use each and every day is inspirational.

~ Steve Metz 

This past week Applied Process was proud to be one of the sponsors for The Ductile Iron Society 2016 World Conference on Austempered Ductile Iron. The conference was held in Atlanta, Georgia at the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel on October 27^th and 28^th. The conference included technical presentations on topics from machinability advances in thin sections and lightweighting to applications of ADI in various industries. There was an international presence at the conference including speakers from Germany, Turkey, United Kingdom, Italy, and China. It was a great program and well-received.

Students made up 10% of the attendees. Five universities were represented at the conference: University of Michigan, Virginia Tech, University of Alabama – Birmingham, University of Northern Iowa, and Tennessee Tech. The students who attended are all graduating within the next two semesters and either attending graduate school or looking for employment in the materials industry. This was a great networking opportunity and we look forward to the next conference. 

Today is a special and meaningful one for me on several accounts.  The first day of fall signals the time when life starts to settle down as the trees in WI and MI start to turn colors and the days grow shorter.  Many will say that is only a sign of the winter to come, but this is truly the time of year I enjoy the most as the air turns crisp and the landscapes turn vibrant.  Today we also welcome the 10^th graduating class of AP University into the world, armed with new knowledge and passion about how to reduce weight, cut cost and improve component performance through the use of the ductile iron casting process and Austempered Ductile Iron (ADI).  Though the teaching days are long, there is nothing more fulfilling than educating future evangelists and answering the many great questions on how the processes work.  If you are interested in learning more about AP University and attending our classes, check out our class schedule and descriptions at our APU page. 

Next week Rusty Rainbolt and I are off to MINExpo in Las Vegas to prospect for new opportunities in the mining industry.  Stay tuned for further updates and pictures of some really big stuff!

Today is the day. The beginning of the NFL regular season football, a fresh start for our favorite teams and our fantasy teams. Sundays will be full of friends and family gathered around the big screen yelling for favorite teams.  In the coming weeks we will be sharing facts about one of America's favorite pastimes- Football!

Have you ever wondered how the football teams got their names? There are certainly reasons behind more ubiquitous names like Bears, Panthers, and Broncos but what about the more unique names like the Steelers? What exactly is a Steeler? Notice the spelling: it’s not ‘steal’ as in theft, but ‘steel’ as in the ferrous alloy. Interesting.

Pittsburgh is known as the Steel City because it was an industrial hub for coal mining and steel production in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Andrew Carnegie introduced the Bessemer steel making process in 1875 and helped shape Pittsburgh into the Steel City. United States Steep Corp. was formed in 1901 and up through the mid-1950’s Pittsburgh produced nearly half of the national steel output. The area around Pittsburgh became known as the Steel Valley and includes parts of eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and the northern panhandle of West Virginia.

The Steelers were originally founded as the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1933 and are the oldest franchise in the American Football Conference (AFC). Before the 1940 season the name changed to the Steelers. The current logo was first introduced in 1962. It incorporates the Steelmark, a symbol originally designed by U.S. Steel Corp. and now owned by the American Iron and Steel Institute. The original meanings behind the astroids  in the symbol were, “Steel lightens your work, brightens your leisure, and widens your world.” Later the colors came to represent the ingredients used in the steel-making process: yellow for coal, red for iron ore, and blue for scrap steel. In 1963 the team was given permission after a petition to AISI to add “ers” to “Steel” and the logo we know today was born. 

Let’s talk Summer. The end is soon approaching and typically this is one of the last big weekends where family and friends enjoy some of their favorite past times. The warm summer air will soon turn to a cool breeze and the leaves will be off the trees before you know it, which means one last big weekend soaking in the summer sun sounds pretty good to most! A couple of favorites that we enjoy around here are boating, kayaking, camping and exploring what nature has to offer.

Boating provides an array of activities for all. There are so many styles and sizes of boats available for all interests. Boats can be categorized into three main types: there are unpowered or human- powered boats such as rafts and floats like canoes, kayaks.  Sailboats are another kind which can be propelled by the wind and sail and lastly there are motorboats which are powered mechanically with an engine. These allow for more recreational use like skiing, tubing, fishing, etc.

Boats are commonly made of wood, aluminum, steel, fiberglass or any combination of these materials. Wood is the traditional material used for boat building and can be considered a classic style. In the mid-20th century aluminum gained popularity. Though much more expensive than steel, there are now aluminum alloys available that do not corrode in salt water, and an aluminum boat built to similar load carrying standards is lighter in weight than the steel equivalent. Steel is commonly used on larger vessels and aluminum is usually found on canoes, skiffs, pleasure craft and fishing boats. Around the mid-1960s boats made of fiberglass became popular, especially for recreational use. Fiberglass boats are strong, and do not rust, corrode, or rot. They are, however susceptible to structural degradation from sunlight and extremes in temperature over their lifespan. Depending on which activities you enjoy or what you are looking for in a boat there are so many different styles to choose from.

If you prefer a much simpler route on water, you may find that canoeing and kayaking is your style! Most of today's canoes and kayaks are made from three materials: thermoplastic, fiberglass, or aluminum. These, like boats can all vary in durability and price, and how much you are planning on the use of them. 

Everyone is familiar with camping in some way, shape, or form. But do you know the anatomy of camping? Your tent, for example? Tent poles are made from fiberglass or aluminum and held together by shock cord. This keeps the poles lightweight and portable for hiking and ease of packing. Tent fabric may be made from a number of materials including: canvas, nylon, and polyester.

Maybe you’re a glamper? Most RV’s have steel frames that are welded, bolted, or riveted together. Wood is generally used to frame up an RV’s walls and floors because it is inexpensive, lightweight, flexible and durable. RV skins are made from either aluminum or fiberglass. A classic example of aluminum skin is the Airstream trailers – but even the more modern looking RV’s with the white or taupe paint colors can be aluminum as well.  The hitches used to pull RV’s are ductile iron or austempered ductile iron.

This past week we have watched the Rio 2016 Olympics unfold.  They have been nothing short of excitement, determination and bravery among all athletes worldwide. At Applied Process we enjoy sharing those moments and reliving the highlights together as some of our favorite athletes compete to bring home the gold.  We decided to take a closer look at the role materials science plays in the Olympic sports that are currently happening in Rio and even around the world.

Fencing began as a form of military training and morphed into a sport somewhere between the 14^th and 15^th centuries. The sport of fencing is one of only four to have been featured at every modern Olympics. There are three different swords for fencing: the foil, the epee (pronounced ep-AY), and the saber. The foil got its name because it was originally made from rolled steel foil. Today’s blades are also steel. The cheapest blades are quench and tempered medium carbon steel. These have a tendency to break due to fatigue cracking. A more expensive blade is maraging steel which offers an increased lifetime but can still fail by brittle fracture.

Weightlifting is one of the original Olympic events. As a means to measure strength and power, weightlifting was practiced by ancient Egyptians and Greeks. Today weightlifters focus on two techniques: the ‘snatch’ and the ‘clean and jerk’, which determine their place according to their total combined results.  The weights used are rubber coated ASTM Grade 20 cast iron and the bars the lion weights rest on are steel.

Tennis has been a sport in the Olympics since 1988.  Originally early tennis rackets were made of wood but as technology progressed so did the materials of the racket.  Modern tennis rackets are made from a wide range of materials to help maximize performance. Some of these materials include a high modulus graphite and/or carbon fiber, which is used to keep the frame lightweight and stiff for increased racket head stability and performance.  The graphite and carbon fibers allow for more aerodynamic shapes to be made which increases the speed in which the racket can travel through the air. Other materials that might be used in tennis rackets are titanium and tungsten, which can add stiffness where necessary.  In addition, you might find Boron/Kevlar which is similar to graphite but both are lighter and stiffer. The rackets made from these are typically very durable however less forgiving than graphite or aluminum.

Shot put is another interesting sport to watch, you never know what might come out of it, and how far the shot will actually go. Typically, the men’s shot weighs 16.01 pounds and the women’s shot weighs 8.8 pounds.  The scoring is based on the competitor with the longest legal throw put.   The shot can be made of different kinds of materials depending on its intended use.  Some of the materials used include sand, iron, cast iron, solid steel, stainless steel, brass, and synthetic materials like polyvinyl.  Some of these metals are denser than others which can affect the range and speed of the shot.  The shot put has been a part of the world Olympics since 1896.

Golf has made its way back into the Olympics this year after being gone for more than a century. Golf was reintroduced due to its global expansion and popularity. It’s not back permanently, though, as the International Olympic Committee only voted to reinstate golf through the 2020 Games in Tokyo, at least for now.  It’s typical for golfers to have a favorite golf club they might use for a specific event.  Club heads were historically made of beech, dogwood, apple, pear and persimmon woods.  Today, the materials usually used for club heads are titanium, steel, graphite, boron or steel alloys.

These are just some of the ways that materials science has advanced over the years and in the Olympic games. We hope you enjoy watching the rest of the Rio 2016 Olympics!

The weekend is vastly approaching and if you haven't noticed already, firework shops are booming all over town. Plenty of parties, picnics and towns will be entertained by them on this holiday weekend.  Have you ever wondered what makes fireworks colorful? What makes them whistle, boom, and crackle? Chemistry.

The colors seen in most fireworks today are fairly recent phenomena. Before the 19^th century colors were limited to golds, silvers, and oranges. Advances in chemistry have led to the addition of various agents to the fuels and oxidizers to produce the vibrant colors we see in the sky at modern displays.

Black powder is the propellant favored for fireworks. It is simply a mixture of charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate, and is most frequently used to make fuses, lift charges, and break charges.

Many fireworks are named for the effect they create. There are salutes, which are shells that explode violently, producing a loud report with very little visual effect other than smoke and a bright flash. Titanium salutes are similar except the report is accompanied by a large cloud of white sparks. Screamers are the shells that whiz with a screeching sound as the gain altitude.

The colored effects are often named after flowers like chrysanthemum, dahlia, and peony. The chrysanthemum is a spherical hard-breaking shell in which the stars produce a tail. A dahlia shell produces brightly colored stars that fall from a soft break. A peony is a spherical hard breaking shell in which the stars do not leave tails. There is a willow shell that produces trailing stars that droop and form a pattern similar to a willow tree.

The colors can be created by metals, inorganic compounds, or organic compounds. Titanium and aluminum are two metals used in the fuel to create white sparks. Lampblack, a form of carbon, creates golden sparks. Iron is used to create the branching sparks that resemble palm trees in the sky. Barium compounds create green, calcium compounds produce reddish-orange, copper compounds burn blue, sodium compounds flare yellow, and strontium compounds are responsible for red.

Now you can impress your friends and family with your new-found knowledge.  We wish you all a Happy 4th of July, as you watch the fireworks fill the sky!! 

Happy Armed Forces Day!

Armed Forces Day originated in 1949 to honor Americans serving in the five military branches: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and the Coast Guard. This year Armed Forces Day falls on May 21 and will be celebrated by parades, open houses, receptions, and air shows. It is a day for the military to showcase state of the art equipment at fairs and parades around the country.

Applied Process is proud to be a part of the scientific community working to further develop materials for this state of the art equipment. Advances in metallurgical methods and lightweight alloys are leading to more effective and durable military vehicles and systems. These technologies and processes have applications in the aircraft, automotive, and electronics industries as well. 

Thank you to all of those who have served, and continue to serve our country!

We are pleased to have another successful session of APU in the books as we just wrapped up our 9th session this past week. Over the course of the two and a half day seminar we had guest presenters, AP professionals, and a panel of experts from all across the industry that were able to share their knowledge with the group. On the last day of APU, attendees got to experience firsthand ductile iron being poured at Joyworks, which is owned and operated by AP Director John Keough. During this time attendees were able to visualize and experience hands on concepts that were described in the class sessions. 

Here is a photo of ductile iron being inoculated as the iron enters the pouring ladle.

We would like to thank everyone who attended this session of APU and to those that traveled near and far to be a part of this event. Our next session will be underway in September 2016!

Tuesday, March 22 was the American Foundry Society Detroit-Windsor Chapter Meeting and Student Night. Seven students received scholarships at three different levels: gold ($2000), silver ($1500), and bronze ($1000). Five of the students could not make it to the meeting because classes are in session and they attend Michigan Technological University. The two who were able to accept their awards in person were Tedd Sheets and Jeremy Lipshaw who attend the University of Michigan.

Congratulations to the all of the scholarship recipients!

·         Jeremy M. Lipshaw (gold)

·         Anthony A. Orza (gold)

·         Tedd A. Sheets (silver)

·         Melissa R. Galant (silver)

·         Tyler J. Brose (bronze)

·         Natalie M. Pohlman (bronze)

·         Lauren A. Borowicz (bronze) 

Did you know that Saint Patrick is the patron saint of engineers (as well as of Ireland, St. Brigid, St. Columba, Nigeria, and outcasts)? Although everyone is familiar with the tale of Saint Patrick driving the snakes from Ireland, he is also credited with fostering the development of arts and crafts and introducing the knowledge of the use of lime as mortar in Ireland. He is responsible for the initial construction of clay churches in Ireland in the fifth century. Another of St. Patrick's achievements was teaching the Irish to build arches of lime mortar instead of dry masonry. These beginnings of ceramic work developed into organized crafts, and that is how St. Patrick became a patron saint of engineers. 

ASM International was founded in 1913 as the American Society for Metals. Today, ASM is the world's largest association of metals-centric materials scientists and engineers with over 30,000 members worldwide. ASM is dedicated to informing, educating and connecting the materials community to solve problems and stimulate innovation around the world. ASM International is known around the world for the depth and breadth of the materials knowledge it disseminates through books, databases, videos, and a myriad of online products.

Despite economic hard times faced by most member companies from 2005-2008, the Detroit Chapter remains one of ASM Internationals largest chapters, with over 1000 members.  The Executive Committee remains committed to bringing members value for their memberships.

Applied Process was recognized as a 20 year sustaining member of the ASM Detroit Chapter at the March 14, 2016 Chapter Meeting. Kathy Hayrynen, Director of Research & Development, accepted the award. 

The concept of “green” is one that has morphed into a catch-all category for anything that either reduces human consumption or effluent into the air or water.  In fact, the earth is a big “black box” with solar radiation coming in on the sunny side and black body radiation leaving on the dark side.  With the exception of the lingering “big bang” energy (molten core and element isotopes), all available energy we use is solar energy, and that includes all carbon-based fuels.

Our focus on the type of energy we use is generally centered on the energy used to operate a product or system.  Ignoring the energy required to make the product or system is a misguided approach, leading us to make decisions that actually increase our energy consumption while falsely feeling “green”.  The focus of our decision making should rather be on reducing overall energy consumption in everything we do.

Humankind can survive and thrive if we keep the energy consumed to less than the net solar energy coming into this “black box” we call earth.  The author uses real-world case studies from familiar fields of investigation to foster a “life cycle” energy perspective and, perhaps, positively affect the thinking of engineers and designers in their work. 

Today is Washington's Birthday, also known as Presidents' Day, a federal holiday held on the third Monday of February. This day honors presidents of the United States, including George Washington, the USA's first president.  

This day also celebrates the past presidents who have lead our country. We thought we would take a look back at a few presidents that continue to have a long lasting role in history and whose faces are seen every day in the mountains of Mount Rushmore.  This National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the mountain, a granite formation in the Black Hills in Keystone,South Dakota, United States. This National Memorial features 60-foot sculptures of the heads of four United States Presidents. Those familiar faces are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.  This national destination got its name in 1884, when New York attorney Charles Rushmore asked his guide about the name of a certain mountain. The guide jokingly replied, “It hasn’t gotten one, so we’ll call the thing Rushmore.”  

We decided to dig a little deeper and learn some more facts about Mount Rushmore:

-The men who carved Mount Rushmore were mostly miners who had come to Black Hills in search of gold- they knew little about carving a mountain.

-On average, Mount Rushmore hosts nearly three million visitors a year

-It took 14 years and 400 men to carve the mountain. 

-The faces of Mount Rushmore are 60 feet high.  That’s the same size as a six story building.

-Over 90% of Mount Rushmore was carved using dynamite.  The blasts removed approximately 450,000 tons of rock. 

While working on this masterpiece, Dynamite, jackhammers, and hand chisels were used to carve the faces and add details.  Did you know that Jackhammer housings have been made from ADI since the 1980’s?? 

For more information on Mount Rushmore and to learn more facts like the ones above check out: http://bit.ly/1U4AK8x

Applied Process is a proud corporate contributor to the Foundry Educational Foundation. Many of our engineering and technical employees were FEF students and we are proud to give back and continue to support FEF. This video represents the widespread and long-lasting effect FEF has on the metal casting industry. #WeareFEF!

This time of year is filled with lots of holiday cheer and many traditions that run throughout generations year after year. A common tradition for many is baking delicious treats to share with others during this season of giving. One common ingredient is chocolate, and who doesn’t love a good piece of chocolate? When thinking of chocolate, what comes to mind? The way it’s made, the way it tastes, the texture, or a favorite memory of a trip to the candy store?

Did you know that chocolate and metals are similar? At Applied Process one of the heat treatment cycles we do is a temper; a heating and cooling cycle to alter the properties of the iron or steel to the desired properties for our customer. Chocolate also gets tempered to achieve desired properties. Tempering is the process of melting and cooling chocolate so it will be smooth and glossy when it sets. A major difference between metallurgical tempering and chocolate tempering: metallurgically a temper is well below the melting point of the material – that’s the golden rule in the heat treatment business: Thou shalt not melt thy customer’s parts.

When you buy chocolate it means that it is already in temper – or that all of the fat crystals are aligned to give the chocolate perfect snap and shine. Untempered chocolate is often gray, streaky, and soft. Chocolate has different tempering temperatures based on fat content (dark, milk, or white) like metals have different tempering temperatures based on alloy content. Dark chocolate is the best for tempering because it’s more stable and easier to temper than milk or white chocolate. White chocolate has a lower melting temperature because it does not contain cocoa solids – it’s a mixture of cocoa butter, milk solids, and sugar and therefore can scorch easily. Milk chocolate melts at a lower temperature than dark chocolate, but higher than white. Milk chocolate will not achieve the snap that dark chocolate will.

Tempering metal isn’t the same as tempering chocolate – but there are some similarities. One is the quality of your material. Low quality chocolate will make low-quality candies just like you can’t fix a bad casting or forging with the best heat treatment. Heat treating affects the crystal structure of metals…and tempering chocolate realigns the fat crystals to give the desired snap and shine to the chocolate.

Whatever tradition it may be for you this holiday season, we hope you enjoy it! 

These hunters were recently spotted wearing our ADI Inside hats in Northern Michigan.  Austempered Ductile Iron (ADI) allows for lighter, stronger, more wear-resistant parts. When equipment has ADI Inside it means the parts work as hard as you do, with increased strength and wear resistance.  For sending us their pictures, they will receive lunch courtesy of Applied Process.  Have an ADI Inside hat? Send us your picture and you could get lunch too! #ADIinside

This photo shows Nate from Pennsylvania as he embarks on the first day of Pennsylvania rifle season for deer.  He looks very dashing in his "ADI Inside" camo hat.  Notice how the orange in his hat matches the orange in his jacket.  Also, the metallurgy reference in the hat is echoed by the metallurgy of the rifle (there is no ADI in these rifles ... for now).  Well done, sir!  Nate gets a free lunch on AP for sending us this photo.    

With thanksgiving two days away, turkey is on our mind. While the most common trend around Applied Process is oven roasted turkey, some prefer to deep fry or even cook theirs on the grill, which got us thinking.  What goes into the process of oven roasted or deep frying turkey? Is it the taste or convenience factor?   Naturally with AP being in the heat treat industry we decided to dig deeper into the details of cooking a turkey.

When oven roasting a turkey the bird must be completely thawed, this can take up to four days in the refrigerator, and the bird cooks for 20 minutes per pound at 350°F if it was frozen and 10-15 minutes per pound if the bird was fresh. The outside of an oven roasted turkey is usually coated in vegetable or olive oil or butter and herb mixtures to brown the skin.

Deep fried turkeys are quicker to cook at 3 minutes per pound in oil at 350°F. It is very important that a turkey to be deep fried is completely thawed and doesn’t contain excess water in any cavities of the bird. If you’ve ever seen how water reacts when in contact with hot oil you’ll understand why. If you haven’t seen this reaction you really don’t want to experience for the first time when making the main part of Thanksgiving dinner. Not to mention the burns a person might sustain from such an accident.

Both birds are cooked at the same temperature, so why does the deep fryer cook faster? Physics. Heat transfer to be exact. In both cases a convecting fluid transfers heat to the food (did you know that a gas is, by definition, a fluid?). In this case oil is more efficient at heat transfer because it is much denser than air.

Heat treating uses a similar rule of thumb as the formula for roasting or frying a turkey. For the turkeys you have to make sure the meat gets to the temperature of 165°F, which is when it is safe to eat. For heat treaters we have to make sure that the core of the part reaches the target temperature and has time to transform. A very general rule of thumb for steel, for example, is one hour per inch plus an hour.

So stay safe and enjoy your turkeys, no matter how they’re cooked.  Happy Thanksgiving from Applied Process, Inc.!

FEF is the Foundry Educational Foundation. Their mission statement is as follows: The Foundry Educational Foundation strengthens the metal casting industry by supporting unique partnerships among students, educators and industry, helping today’s students become tomorrow’s leaders.

One of the ways that FEF accomplishes its mission is to annually hold the College Industry Conference in Chicago, IL. The CIC is an opportunity for student delegates, key professors, industry executives, and university administrators to interact and facilitate the sharing of job opportunities and to connect students to potential employers in the industry. Speakers share their experiences in the metal casting industry and student delegates get a chance to interact and ask questions. Scholarships are also presented during Friday’s luncheon. FEF scholarships are offered currently at 19 colleges and universities in North America.

Many leading foundry people and university professors are former FEF scholarship recipients. For this reason Applied Process is a proud corporate contributor to FEF. Several of our employees were FEF students and we are proud to give back and continue to recruit from this event. It is also an opportunity for AP to stay in contact with the Key Professors for future senior design projects and research opportunities.

Yesterday was the last day of the 2015 CIC. Congratulations to the scholarship recipients! And to all the student delegates: we can’t wait to see you in the industry soon!

I love the TV show "How it's Made".  The 4th episode of Season 18 featured horseshoes (for horses, not for tossing).  This is,  of course, a forging process, but that's OK. 

The horseshoes are quench and tempered... which is also OK.  I mean, my grandfather did this sort of thing every day. I have nothing against a water quench and temper when it's appropriate. 

But the best part was when they used an austempered tool, as shown in the photo. Even forgers who practice quenching and tempering know to reach for an austempered tool.

Thanksgiving is nearly a week away and we are getting anxious at the thought of warm turkey cooking in the oven, family gathering from near and far and football on the television in the background.  For many, you probably have your own traditions with family and friends that you have established over the years.  We thought we would take a look back into history and see where some of these Thanksgiving traditions came from. Here are the Top 10 facts we thought you would enjoy for this Thanksgiving Season!

1.  Congress designated Thanksgiving as an official holiday in 1941

2.  Nearly 90 percent of Americans eat turkey every Thanksgiving

3.  America’s favorite Thanksgiving pie is pumpkin

4.  79% of Americans use canned pumpkin in their pumpkin pie

5.  Pumpkins, and other squash variants, are considered fruits because they develop from flowers and contain seeds

6.  The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade used live animals from the Central Park Zoo.

7.  Jingle Bells was originally a Thanksgiving song.

8.  The Detroit lions and the Dallas Cowboys always play on Thanksgiving

9.  Thanksgiving leftovers inspired the first-ever TV dinner.

10. Minnesota produces the most turkeys in the US

It’s that time of year again! The weather is chilly, most of the leaves are off the trees, Halloween décor has been taken down, and the Blaze Orange and camouflage is out. Various beer companies have already put out the camo and orange cans to tease us with what we know is right around the corner…Opening Day!

Deer seasons do stretch through the majority of fall. Bow season, muzzle loader season, and youth season are several examples – but the Christmas of all hunting is opening day of gun season. Cousins from the city come out to farms to set up camp with their rural brethren and wild stories are told around camp fires or propane heaters of escapades from years past. Hunting gear ranges from the high-end merchandise from Cabela’s or Bass Pros to multiple layers of long underwear under coveralls borrowed from your dad. It’s not the gear that makes the experience fun, it’s the camaraderie shared by the general interest in guns and the outdoors. Whether you’re there for the sport of getting the record breaking buck, or to stock meat for the winter, it is an experience like no other. A cult following. A rural religion.

What does deer season have to do with Applied Process? Well, AP austempers steel. Austempered steel offers superior toughness at high hardnesses over conventionally quenched and tempered steel. There is minimal distortion, no cracking during quenching, and resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. Guns are precision instruments and many components are dimension critical. During WWII weapons manufacturers noticed that austempered parts grew less than their quenched and tempered counterparts, had less dimensional variability, and were tougher. Since then almost all gun manufacturers routinely austemper parts such as receivers, chambers, and barrels.

Are there any Ted Nugent fans out there? His Whackmaster arrow heads are austempered steel, too.

Enjoy a safe and successful Deer Season! Good Luck!

Let's say a consumer buys something like a cup of coffee or a pickup truck. Now let's say that it was a lousy cup of coffee or maybe the truck was a lemon.

Under these conditions, the vendor might lose the customer.  That customer will buy someone else's coffee or truck.  That's the price of bad quality in a consumer economy. 

That said, chances are the customer will not quit coffee for tea altogether. They will recognize that the vendor made something substandard, but the idea of coffee as a morning beverage is not destroyed. Likewise they will not start hauling lumber on a bicycle. 

This is because the consumer knows what coffee is.  They know what a pickup truck is supposed to be. Their faith in the general concept is not shaken, just their faith in that particular vendor. 

Which brings us to the world of metal castings. I was at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh this past Saturday to watch the Pitt -  Notre Dame game.  There exists a pavilion outside the stadium where the marching bands perform prior to kick off (and both bands were just super).  It is a set of large steps or stairs that act as seating for the gathered fans. The architect built in some cast aluminum blocks to prevent skateboarders from using the stairs (there is a Rancid song in here somewhere... poor misunderstood skateboarders).  The original parts were aluminum castings.  They were really over ground. Why even have a pattern or a drawing when you are going to grind the heck out of it anyway?  What a waste. These parts make castings in general look bad (photo). 

Evidently as they wore out they got replaced with extrusions (photo). Ouch.  Now I have no way of knowing whether the poor appearance of the original parts played a role.  But I do know that the pie for castings has been shrunk. And the mish-mash of overground castings and extrusions looks awful. 

So please... Foundries and buyers should discuss grinding in advance of issuing a PO. And they should discuss handling of replacement parts in advance as well. That way everyone wins and the structure looks beautiful for years to come. 

I don't know what to say to the skateboarders. 

As the end of fall draws near we must not forget about our favorite fall memories.  For some of us here at Applied Process, fall is our favorite time of year.  This includes picking out the perfect pumpkin, visiting cider mills, getting lost in corn mazes, running through haunted houses, cheering at football games, and enjoying a pumpkin spice latte from one of our favorite coffee shops. 

The air is cool and the leaves are turning colors.  It is the perfect time to enjoy every minute outside before the cold weather strikes Michigan, yet again.  One of the traditions near and dear to our heart is hayrides with family and friends through the many cornfields and cider mills that cover some of Michigan’s scenic landscape.  One thing you probably haven’t stopped to think about is the tow hitch that is used to pull that tractor full of playful children and eager bodies.

Applied Process is a leader in austempering technology and a typical application of austempered ductile iron (ADI) is receiver hitches.  ADI provides a high strength-to-weight material that makes it a successful material across many industries, including agriculture.  In this case it makes a seasonal tradition safe and possible. 

Remember Remember the Fifth of November…

Does that phrase mean anything to you? It may bring up a line from the movie V for Vendetta. You may actually know that it’s related to Guy Fawkes – but do you know who Guy Fawkes was and why Great Britain celebrates Bonfire Night?

Bonfire Night is a celebration to mark the failed Gunpowder Plot in London. The Gunpowder Plot was a plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I on November 5, 1605. Catholics had been persecuted under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I and when her successor, King James I, turned out to be no more tolerant of Catholics thirteen conspirators began planning violent action, including explosives expert Guy Fawkes.

During the night of November 4 and the early morning of November 5 Guy Fawkes was caught under the House of Lords with 36 barrels of gunpowder. That night bonfires were lit in celebration that the monarch was safe and a tradition began. Later fireworks were added to the celebration and burning effigies became popular. Usually the effigies are ‘Guys’ for Guy Fawkes, but today the quirky tradition continues and modern effigies include politicians.

Here at Applied Process bonfires and fireworks are a favorite way to celebrate. So remember remember the fifth of November! And light a bonfire and some fireworks if your city ordinance allows it. Or watch V for Vendetta from the comforts of your couch where it’s warm and dry.

Applied Process has had a hand in many events and fundraisers through the years.  One thing that has remained the same is our love and involvement in giving back to others in the community.  AP has done just that in their most recent opportunity to participate in the Wounded Warrior Project- Bocce Ball Tournament in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit organization that collects donations and provides relief and support to wounded soldiers and veterans.  By doing so, they have continued to raise funds, awareness and support to so many that have risked their lives and for those who are fighting for our freedom every day.  Some of our Applied Process family participated alongside others to raise awareness for this wonderful organization at this tournament as shown in the video.  AP also gave a donation that will help contribute to the important work that the Wounded Warrior Project provides for men and women.  

I will discuss something more meaningful tomorrow.