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2005 News Release

August 29  Product

August 29, 2005
Hitachi Metals, Ltd.

 

Construction of Surface Modification Center Completed

—From Mold Materials Through Surface Modification, Integrated Services Begin—

Tokyo, Japan, June 29, 2005—Hitachi Metals, Ltd. has announced today that the construction of its Surface Modification Center has been completed. It is now offering full-scale product development and surface modification services, based primarily on technology developed in connection with the Shimane Prefecture Plasma Technology Development Project, a joint effort of industry, government, and academia. Surface modification services will focus on molds and automotive components.

1. Background

To increase the strength and durability of punch, die, molds and automotive components, the specialty steels of which they are made are often subjected to surface reformulation1, making surface modification an important technology. Hitachi Metals is a participant in the Shimane Prefecture Plasma Technology Development Project2, which involves mainly Shimane Prefecture’s industry, government, and academia. Hitachi Metals conducted research directed at heightening the effectiveness of surface modification.
Hitachi Metals will offer full-scale product development and surface modification services based on hybrid coating technology, a success of this research effort. A ceremony to mark the completion of construction was held at the Surface Modification Center on August 27.
The new Center will not be merely a provider of materials. Its integrated services will include processing, heat treatment, and surface modification, upon which Hitachi Metals will develop a high-value-added business.
The center is located in the Soft Business Park Shimane, which is also home to Shimane Prefecture’s Plasma Technology Research and Development Center, which played a central role in the Plasma Technology Development Project, and Collaboration Center，Shimane University. This will facilitate future research ties with industry, government, and academia, as innovative R&D advances. Hitachi Metals is demonstrating Japan’s monozukuri capabilities to the world from Shimane Prefecture.

2. Outline of the Surface Modification Center

Business activities: R&D and product development related to surface modification technology for punch, die, molds and automotive components; surface reformulation on consignment
Location: Soft Business Park Shimane, Hokuryou, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture
Total floor space: Approximately 1,000 m2
Staff: Approximately 15
Total investment: Approximately ¥500 million
Commencement of operations: September 2005
Sales target: ¥500 million (within three years)

3. Hybrid Coating Technology

  • Hybrid coating technology allows the production of punch, die, molds with reduced use of environmentally harmful materials and metal tempering that emits only a small volume of gaseous emissions. It is based on physical vapor deposition3 (PVD) technology, which permits vaporization and deposition of coating at temperatures from 200°C to a maximum of 550°C.
  • Generally, the ion plating PVD method is used where a wear protection coating is needed, and the sputtering PVD method is employed where a solid lubricating film is needed. Hybrid coating technology performs both of these processes in the same chamber, either sequentially or simultaneously. Because the ion plating method and the sputtering method employ different operating pressures and deposition temperatures, it was difficult to combine them. However, Hitachi Metals succeeded through the development of equipment and deposition parameters.
  • Composite coating technology will allow heretofore unknown functionality. For instance, it will be possible to develop a material that combines the properties of a solid lubricating film with abrasion resistance.
  • Hitachi Metals has developed Hybrid coating technologies specialized for hot forging punch and die, pin and insert for die casting, and cold working punch and die, which users say give them two to six times the useful life, compared with conventional coating technologies.
  • We are studying the application of this technology to automotive components, and plan to develop coating technology specialized for that purpose.

Customer inquiries:
    Kenichi Inoue
Specialty Steel Company, Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
Telephone: +81-852-60-5050 Facsimile: +81-852-60-5055
Press inquiries:
    Akio Minami
Corporate Communications Office, Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
Telephone: +81-3-5765-4079 Facsimile: +81-3-5765-8312

Notes:

*1 Surface modification

  • Purposes
    To harden only the surface of punch, die, molds and automotive components; to coat with lubricating substances; to improve the frictional wear properties of materials and parts.
  • Common surface modification methods
    Carburizing treatment, which adds carbon to the material’s surface; nitriding treatment,which adds nitrogen to the material’s surface; and coatings for ceramics and other materials.
*2 The Plasma Technology Development Project

This project is intended to lead to the creation of new industries through the development of plasma technologies. Primary participants are the Shimane Prefecture Industrial Technology Center, Shimane University, and private industry.

*3 Physical vapor deposition (PVD)

Two PVD mechanism are the ion plating method, in which the metal plating material is converted to the vapor phase and allowed to coat the substrate material; and the sputtering method, which uses gas ion as plating material and deposits a film on the substrate material atom by atom.


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