Your global partner for materials
IN THIS ISSUE:
FASTENERS / CRUCIBLES
MATERIAL SELECTION / MATERIALS IN USE
MEET THE PEOPLE / EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS
Welcome
Back!
The past 12 months have
seen a period of consolidation
and preparation for the next
stages in the development of
Goodfellow.
The move of Goodfellow
Corporation last year to our
new facility in the Pittsburgh
area went very well. Good
progress is being made in
establishing an additional
stock location to serve not
only our US customers but our
customers, worldwide.
As many of you will know,
Goodfellow has had a
representative office in China
since 2006. In late 2012 we
opened Goodfellow (Shanghai)
Trading Co. Ltd under our
General Manager, John Jiang,
to ensure that we are well
placed to benefit further from
growth in this country.
Our product range continues
to expand with the addition of
crucibles and metal fasteners.
As always, we listen to our
customers, and more new
products will follow.
I welcome your comments
on any aspect of Goodfellow.
My e-mail address is stephen.
aldersley@goodfellow.com,
and you may be assured that I
answer all of my e-mails!
Technical Article
High-tech metal fasteners now
available for specialised applications
In response to customer
requests, we are pleased to
announce the recent addition
of specialised metal fasteners
(nuts, bolts and washers) to
our catalogue of products
available from stock for quick
delivery. Molybdenum,
tantalum, niobium and
tungsten nuts, bolts and
washers in sizes ranging
from M3 to M6 provide an
impressive array of properties
that address the needs
of a variety of high-tech
applications.
These metal fasteners
complement the ceramic
fasteners launched last year,
and offer a solution where
more standard metal or
plastic fasteners would not be
suitable, such as applications
involving high temperature,
high voltage, magnetism, or
harsh conditions that would
quickly corrode or wear away
other materials.
Material characteristics and applications
Tungsten has the highest melting point
of all metals (3410˚C) and is the base
of a range of tungsten-copper-nickel
alloys used for radiation shielding; these
alloys provide a 50% increase in density
compared to lead. Fasteners made from
tungsten and its alloys can, therefore, be
used in radiation shielding applications
and are also used in military applications
(e.g. armour).
Tantalum has a corrosion resistance
similar to glass but the mechanical
properties of a metal, making it an
excellent choice for extremely corrosive
environments. Fasteners made
from tantalum can be found in the
chemical processing, mining, energy,
pharmaceutical and metal processing
industries. Tantalum is also radio-opaque,
making tantalum fasteners useful in x-ray
applications.
Niobium finds application in atomic
reactors because of its corrosion
resistance. Fasteners made from niobium
or from nickel-, cobalt-, and iron-based
superalloys containing niobium are
found in jet engine parts, gas turbines,
rocket subassemblies, advanced
airframe systems, and heat-resisting and
combustion equipment.
Molybdenum maintains its strength at
high temperatures, making molybdenum
fasteners ideal for applications where
both high temperature and strength are
needed. These fasteners are used in the
semiconductor industry, the manufacture
of armour and aircraft parts and in
industrial motors.
The technical staff at Goodfellow is at your
disposal to discuss the use of fasteners in
your application, and can be contacted on
0800 731 4653 (UK) or +44 1480 424800 or
via e-mail at info@goodfellow.com.
As refractory metals, all four
have a melting point above
2400˚C, high hardness
at room temperature, are
chemically inert, have
relatively high density and
are stable against creep
deformation at very high
temperatures.
Stephen Aldersley
Managing Director
For more information on our fastener range, click here
Martyn Lewis, Business Development Manager martyn.lewis@goodfellow.com
Technical
Article
Crucibles
Using the right crucible is the
first step in any successful
melting operation. However,
selecting that crucible can
be a complex process, given
the wide range of materials,
shapes and capacities
available.
Because of these many
variables, we have traditionally
not included crucibles in our
standard catalogue – even
though we do supply them!
In fact, customers are already
using our crucibles across the
world, either as labware, or
for more industrial purposes
such as powder refining,
semiconductor processing
or solar applications. These
crucibles range from as
small as 5ml up to multi-litre
capacity.
Cylindrical
Crucibles from stock
Following customer requests,
earlier this year we decided
to introduce a range of
standard alumina crucibles
to our catalogue. Further
crucibles will be added to the
catalogue in the future, but
we have listed in the adjacent
box a selection of some of
the materials and shapes we
currently supply.
Resolving our customers’
problems
One area where our business
has grown significantly in
recent years is in calcining,
where high-purity fused
silica vessels are needed to
withstand rapid temperature
variations and avoid
contaminating the high-purity
powders being processed.
Recently, we were able to
successfully resolve a longstanding issue for one of
Rectangular
our customers where lower
quality fused silica was being
used, and premature crucible
failures were occurring.
Our high-quality crucibles
resolved the problems and
we received a commendation
from the customer’s
production manager, who
was finally able to concentrate
on production, rather
than worry about crucible
performance.
Selecting a crucible
When selecting a crucible, it
is important to consider how,
and for how long, the crucible
will be used. For example:
• What temperature will the
crucible need to withstand?
• What thermal gradients will
the crucible be subjected to?
• What material will be melted
within the crucible?
Rounded
Shallow
Custom shapes can also be produced in some materials
For more information and to visit our website dedicated to ceramic and glass products, click here
Ian Doggett, Manager, Ceramic and Glass Division ian.doggett@goodfellow.com
• Is a ceramic, glass or metal
crucible required?
• Is the shape of the crucible
important for the application?
• Are the dimensions of the
crucible critical, or is capacity
the most important feature?
• Is the crucible intended to be
single or multi-use?
For further information contact
ceramic@goodfellow.com
Crucibles available
from Goodfellow
Goodfellow offers an extensive
selection of crucible materials
and shapes to help our customers
achieve optimal results.
Alumina
Pyrolytic boron
nitride
Fused silica
Quartz
Graphite
Titanium
Inconel
Tungsten
Magnesia
Vitreous carbon
Nickel
Zirconia
Platinum
Zirconium
Porcelain
Tapered
Technical
Article
Material selection:
Evaluating specifications
Whether selecting a
metal, polymer, ceramic or
composite, one approach
used by many design
engineers is to draw up an
engineering specification
which details the physical
properties, appearance,
processing technique, costs
Polymethylpentene (TPX®)
and any other important
criteria. However, if you
lack precise engineering
requirements and would like
to quickly identify a short
list of candidates, simply
list the characteristics you
require, starting with the most
important, and gradually
eliminate materials that don’t
fit your requirements.
can be injection moulded.
Although cost can be an
important part of your
evaluation process, if the
component can be reused
after a suitable cleaning
process, this potential cost
saving needs to be included
in the calculation.
For example, let us assume
you need to produce a
plastic component that has
a low density, can be steam
sterilised, is transparent,
resistant to solvents, and
Density
Steam Sterilisable
Transparency
Solvent Resistance
Injection Mouldable
Cost
0.833 g/cc
Yes
Clear
Excellent
Yes
Medium-High
Polysulphone (PSu)
1.24 g/cc
Yes
Amber Tint
Fair/Good
Yes
High
Polycarbonate (PC)
1.2 g/cc
Limited
Clear
Poor
Yes
Medium
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
0.95 g/cc
Limited
Clear/Hazy
Excellent
Yes
Low
Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)
1.19 g/cc
No
Clear
Poor
Yes
Low-medium
From this exercise, TPX® would appear to be the most suitable material for this particular application. However, if we stay with the same
short list, but change some of the desired properties to place greater importance on operating temperature, and eliminate the need for
solvent resistance and sterilisation, the order changes:
Heat Distortion
Temperature (HDT)
0.45 MPa
Solvent Resistance
Transparency
Injection Mouldable
Density
Cost
Polysulphone (PSu)
182°C
Fair/Good
Amber Tint
Yes
1.24 g/cc
High
Polycarbonate (PC)
140°C
Poor
Clear
Yes
1.2 g/cc
Medium
Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)
105°C
Poor
Clear
Yes
1.19 g/cc
Low-Medium
Polymethylpentene (TPX®)
100°C
Excellent
Clear
Yes
0.833 g/cc
Medium-High
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
75°C
Excellent
Clear/Hazy
Yes
095 g/cc
Low
From these results it now appears that polysulphone is the most suitable material and TPX has dropped much lower down the list.
This second example highlights the need to consider the desired properties in order of their importance.
®
Polymer Terminology
The material selection process can be a little daunting if you are not familiar with all of the terms used in connection with the type of
material you require. Here are a few of the more commonly used terms related to polymers:
Thermoplastic
A plastic material that will soften and/or melt when heated
Thermoset
A polymer which does not soften or melt when heated
Amorphous
A plastic material where the polymer chains are randomly arranged (no order)
Semi-crystalline
A plastic material where the polymer chains have regions of order
Heat distortion temperature (HDT)
The temperature at which a polymer will start to distort, usually determined by applying a load of 0.45 MPa or 1.8 MPa
Uniaxially oriented
The condition in which a polymer has been stretched in one direction (usually longitudinally), leading to an increase in strength
Biaxially oriented
The condition in which a polymer has been stretched both longitudinally and laterally, once again leading to an increase in strength
The Goodfellow technical sales team is always available to discuss your application
and help you select the most suitable material. Just e-mail us at info@goodfellow.com
or call 0800 731 4653 (UK) or +44 1480 424800.
Click here to download a data table for all polymers.
Paul Everitt, Business Development Manager, Polymer Division paul.everitt@goodfellow.com
Application
Article
It’s (not) all about speed
One of the principle uses of
honeycomb materials is to
absorb energy in impacts.
Aluminium honeycomb is
used, for example, as an
integral part of the crash
testing carried out on all
new cars in the Euro NCAP
and Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety (IIHS)
programmes.
Honeycomb’s low mass to
volume ratio and high energyabsorption to mass ratio also
mean it can be used as part
of the vehicle itself, and this
year Goodfellow was pleased
to supply the aluminium
honeycomb used in the nose
structure of the University
of Birmingham’s Formula
Student race car, which
successfully competed at the
Silverstone Circuit between
the 3rd and the
7th July 2013.
Formula Student is an
international student
engineering competition
held annually in the UK, with
Class 1 cars competing to
similar rules as those used
in Formula SAE (Society of
Automotive Engineers) in the
USA. Student teams from
around the world design,
build, test, and race a small-
scale formula style racing
car. The cars are judged on
a number of criteria including
70% weight reduction over
the crash structure used in
their 2012 car. For a video
well as alumina, aluminium,
carbon, copper, nickel,
silicon carbide, stainless steel
speed, endurance and
crashworthiness.
of Goodfellow’s aluminium
honeycomb being tested on
a crash rig at the Transport
Research Laboratory, please
click here.
and zinc foams. Our range
of composite materials
includes carbon, glass,
polyaramid, polyethylene
and polypropylene fibres in a
variety of matrices.
Since 2009, fuel economy
has also been used as part of
the calculation of the overall
score. This has led to the
adoption of smaller engines
combined with innovative
techniques to reduce weight,
such as the use of aluminium
honeycomb and other
lightweight or composite
materials. The weight of the
average Class 1 car is now
usually less than 230kg in
race trim.
The honeycomb supplied
by Goodfellow allowed the
team to achieve more than a
Despite at one point setting
the fastest lap time, a steering
rack malfunction meant that
the team did not finish as
highly as had been hoped in
the endurance race, and were
therefore not placed in the
fuel efficiency scoring.
For more information
about Goodfellow’s range
of lightweight materials,
please contact us on 0800
731 4653 (UK) or +44
1480 424800 or via e-mail
at info@goodfellow.com.
Aluminium is only one of
the low-density materials
available as honeycomb from
the Goodfellow catalogue.
We also stock polyaramid and
polypropylene honeycomb, as
Formula Student 2013 Class 1 results
Position (out of 98 competitors)
Winner
Overall
33rd
ETH Zurich
Business Presentation
49th
University of the Basque Country
Cost and Sustainability
9
University of Strathclyde
Design
24th
ETH Zurich
Acceleration
33
rd
University of Stuttgart (Team E)
Skidpan
39th
University of Stuttgart (Team C)
Sprint
38
Fuel Efficiency
Not Placed
UAS Zwickau
Endurance
21st
ETH Zurich
th
th
For more information on our honeycomb range, click here.
Martyn Lewis, Business Development Manager martyn.lewis@goodfellow.com
Delft University of Technology
Meet the people who make Goodfellow’s
reputation for excellent service a reality...
Rick LaMar
Technical Product Specialist,
Goodfellow Corporation
rick.lamar@goodfellowusa.com
Rick has been with
polymers for which he was
manufactured components or
ship to customers wherever
Goodfellow for over 6 years
granted patents.
who have application-related
they may be in the world.
and has more than 25 years
As a Technical Product
specifications and tolerances.
of industry experience in
Specialist with Goodfellow,
Goodfellow Corporation in
technical support and sales
Rick is the primary point of
Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, is
of metals and materials.
contact for customers in the
in the process of expanding
Rick received his Bachelor
USA who have questions
its stock management
of Science degree in
about specific materials and
facilities. Rick is spearheading
chemistry from the University
their properties or who have
this effort which will not
of Pittsburgh and, during
special requests regarding
only benefit North American
his subsequent career as a
composition, size, finish
customers, giving us faster,
chemist, he invented and
or quantity. Rick assists
more flexible deliveries, but
helped develop several novel
customers needing custom-
will also allow Goodfellow to
Rick and his colleagues at
Goodfellow Corporation
can be contacted from
8.30am to 5.00pm ET at
1 800 821 2870 to answer
your questions.
John Jiang
General Manager,
Goodfellow Shanghai Office
john@goodfellow.com
John Jiang joined
experience helping Western
to Goodfellow becoming
not only the right material
Goodfellow in 2006 as
companies start businesses
one of the most recognised
but also technical support to
Chief Representative in our
in China, with his MBA
brands for the supply of
our customers has helped
Shanghai Office, and in the
education in Hong Kong
specialist materials in China
Goodfellow Shanghai to grow
past 7 years he has helped
and former operations and
in only 7 years.
rapidly since 2006, so that it
to grow our business in
marketing management
Throughout all of its global
now has tens of thousands
China from almost zero to
positions in international
millions of dollars in sales.
operations, Goodfellow
companies. John deployed
Because of the rapid increase
employs people with a strong
an innovative and flexible
in sales, in November 2012
technical background, so
sales strategy in China for
Goodfellow transformed its
that we can offer support to
Goodfellow: at the same
operation in Shanghai from a
researchers and engineers
time as building up a
representative office to a full
and provide a one-stop-
distribution network with local
trading company, with John
shop for customers to get
partners, John recognised
taking the position of General
the right materials for their
the importance of direct
Manager.
projects. John and his team
marketing and sales.
in China are no different.
John has wide-ranging
This strategy has contributed
This approach of supplying
of customers in education,
research and hi-tech
production. These customers
include both Chinese
companies and foreign
companies based in China,
who call on our services for
the highest material quality
and rapid delivery.
Where in the world...
Exhibitions
& Events
2013
With offices around the world, Goodfellow offers a truly
global materials supply solution.
HEAD OFFICE
Goodfellow Cambridge Limited
Ermine Business Park
Huntingdon, PE29 6WR, England
Tel:
or
Fax:
or
0800 731 4653 (UK)
+44 1480 424 800
0800 328 7689 (UK)
+44 1480 424 900
info@goodfellow.com
THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC
OF CHINA
Shanghai Office
(9-10 Oct 2013)
Lyon, France
china@goodfellow.com
www.goodfellow.cn
Materialica
FRANCE
Goodfellow SARL
Tel: 1 800 821 2870 (USA)
Fax: 1 800 283 2020 (USA)
Tél:
ou
Fax:
ou
info@goodfellowusa.com
www.goodfellowusa.com
GERMANY
Goodfellow GmbH
Tel:
oder
Fax:
oder
0800 1000 579 (freecall)
+44 1480 424 810
0800 1000 580 (freecall)
+44 1480 424 900
info@goodfellow.com
www.goodfellow.com
(2-3 Oct 2013)
Coventry, UK
Tel: +86 21 6112 1560
Fax: +86 21 6130 4901
USA
Goodfellow Corporation
france@goodfellow.com
www.goodfellow.fr
Engineering Materials
Les Rendez-Vous Carnot
www.goodfellow.com
0800 917 241 (numéro vert)
+44 1480 424 813
0800 917 313 (numéro vert)
+44 1480 424 900
October to
December
JAPAN
Goodfellow Cambridge Limited
c/o Intralink Japan
Tel: +81 3 5579 9285
Fax: +81 3 5579 9291
info-jp@goodfellow.com
www.goodfellow-japan.jp
For a list of our distributors
in other countries, please
click here
(15-17 Oct 2013)
Munich, Germany
Materials Science and
Technology (MS&T) 2013
(27-31 Oct 2013)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Chemistry and Materials
Meeting
(27-28 Nov 2013)
Bordeaux, France
Materials Research
Society (MRS) Fall 2013
(3-5 Dec 2013)
Boston, MA, USA
Fifth Joint BER II and
BESSY II (Berlin Electron
Storage Ring Society for
Synchrotron Radiation)
User Meeting
(4-6 Dec 2013)
Berlin, Germany