We’ve been able to support University of Michigan’s Baja SAE Racing Team for a second year with a donation of titanium. This year they will be competing in Gorman, CA; Pittsburg, KS; and Peoria, IL.
PTG: Your team did really well in the 2016 competitions – you placed 1st in two of the competitions and 4th in the other. Congratulations! What do you think contributed most to your success? And how will you use that success to help you in this year’s competitions? [Read more…]
This spring, we had the opportunity to support PCT’s Baja SAE racing team with a donation of titanium for their vehicle. We interviewed Clinton Bettner, Team Captain, to see how their vehicle fared in this year’s competitions. [Read more…]
On October 15, 2015, a new specification called AS6279, “Standard Practice for Production, Distribution, and Procurement of Metal Stock” went into effect. AS6279 adds several new responsibilities related to chain of custody, traceability, certifications, record retention, product substitutions, and dimensional limits.
If you supply or purchase materials to specifications such as AMS 4900, AMS 4901, AMS 4911, AMS 4919, AMS 4928, AMS 4930, AMS 4965, AMS 4967, AMS 4971, AMS 4978, AMS 6930, AMS 6931, AMS 6932, AMS 6936, you are affected. Additional specifications will begin to incorporate AS6279 as they are revised.
AS9100/AS9120 Certification: Perhaps the most significant requirement is that producers and distributors of titanium being sold to the above specifications, must be accredited to AS9100 or AS9120, unless otherwise approved by the cognizant engineering organization.
Definition of “Producer”: AS6279 establishes that any organization can become a “Producer” by coordinating manufacturing operations, even if that organization does not perform any processes in-house. An organization authorizing processes that change material gauge, condition, or specification, is a Producer. Producers are responsible for ensuring that material meets all specification requirements for the new dimension, condition, or specification. Producers are required to identify themselves and provide information about manufactured products to MMPDS (Metallic Materials Properties Development and Standardization), which is used to analyze design allowables for aerospace structural designs.
Product Substitutions: It is not appropriate to substitute product forms without authorization from the cognizant engineering organization. Plate and flat bar may look similar, but the inherent product characteristics are different. Organizations must also ensure the thickness or Short Transverse dimension is not cut to achieve desired thickness, without authorization from the cognizant engineering organization.
Chemical Milling: Chemical milling or pickling shall only be used for alpha case removal or pre-penetrant etch, unless approved by cognizant engineering organization.
Ordering Information: Aside from standard ordering information, purchasers must ensure that any relevant requirements are flowed down from the cognizant engineering organization. Include requirements for grain direction, as well as maximum allowable gauge. When the size being ordered exceeds the range covered by the AMS specification, purchasers must flow down any mechanical property requirements or supplemental tests that must be satisfied.
Free introductory training presentations are available at: http://www.sae.org/servlets/works/committeeHome.do?comtID=TEAAMSMGC
AS6279 is available for purchase through SAE International: http://standards.sae.org/as6279/
Titanium surcharges remain flat from ATI Specialty Materials. 6AL-4V Bar/Plate surcharge remains at $5.10/lb, unchanged from Q3 2015. Surcharges are currently released on a quarterly basis.
Source: http://partnerlink.allvac.com/rmi/faces/rmiIndex?_adf.ctrl-state=jeocn6m62_11
