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Metlab - Potero

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NICE³ Innovative Technology - Production-Scale Commercial Demonstration of A Vanadium Carbide Coaitng Process for Enhancing Wear Resistance of Metals in Steel and Other Manufacturing Industries.

Metlab - Potero Company, located in Wyndmoor, vanadium-carbide coating technology that results in reduced energy costs, reduced emission of greenhouse gasses and/or other toxic gasses, and increases the life span of the end product. This technology demonstration project was partially funded by the U. S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Industrial Competitiveness through Energy, Environment, and Economics (NICE3) grant program. The grant was managed by DEP's Office of Energy and Technology Development. For a PDF of the complete Project Report click here.

V.C. Coating's advantages are:

Increase the tools life by 5 to 30 times
Offer flexibility in selection of the base metal
Enhance overall quality of the parts produced
Offer a greatly improved work environment at a reduced cost
Reduce the following
- Energy costs by 40-60 percent
- Discharge of greenhouse gases by 25-40 percent
- Emission of toxic gases by 50-80 percent

Currently, Metlab is providing customers in Pennsylvania with this new technology. Metlab has only begun to scratch the surface of the potential markets, and has launched a program to expand the market base for this super hard coating. Applications identified include forming tools used for the stamping of precision, high volume parts.

Metlab - Potero participated in a DOE-led Plantwide Energy Assessment in 2001. The company, since implementing changes, has reported a potential savings of nearly $500,000 annually in operation and energy costs, reduced natural gas usage by more than 50 million BTU's per year, reduced electrical use by 329,000 kWh per year, and they have also reduced their nitrogen consumption by one million cubic feet per month. You can view the fact sheet by clicking here.

For more information on technology and NICE3 grants visit the Technology Clearinghouse

View pictures taken of the V.C. Coating process taken 1/8/03

Metlab - Potero Company History

Metlab was founded in 1928 as a manufacturer of aircraft components (engine mounts, wing beams and struts, landing gear). As part of the manufacturing process, Metlab created an in-house heat treating capability to handle delicate, lightweight weldments. In the process, the company invented and patented the first "drop-bottom" furnace to allow long, slender tubes and weldments to be hung in the furnace to minimize distortion. After thermal processing, the furnace design allowed the parts to be lowered into a quench tank directly under the furnace in a matter of seconds, preventing the tubes and light sections from cooling off during the transfer from the furnace to the quench tank. This furnace design revolutionized the heat treating of aluminum as well as aircraft landing gear - providing minimum distortion and rapid cooling.

In September, 1998, Metlab's new owners began an aggressive expansion of the Company's capabilities. In January, 2001 Metlab purchased J.V. Potero, Inc. a 48 year old commercial heat treating company specializing in atmosphere heat treating of small to medium sized batches, induction hardening, as well as black oxide processing. The combination of Metlab-Potero offers a broad range of thermal processing equipment and significant heat treating experience which allows for efficient processing of small to extremely large components and batches in atmospheres and media ranging from nitrogen, hydrogen, nitriding, carburizing and salt.