In the United States to carry out the recycling tungsten business ~ ~ global recycling system is established
Sumitomo electric independent with tungsten trioxide (settlement3) manufacturing strongholds
Sumitomo electric group was started in 2014 in the United States to promote tungsten ore refining and scrap recycling business.The cause for Sumitomo Electric is a wholly owned subsidiary Sumitomo Electric U.S.A. Holdings, Inc. (then called Sumitomo Electric Carbide, Inc., hereinafter referred to as the "SCI") with the Tungsten powder producers Buffalo Tungsten Inc., a subsidiary of the New York Tungsten, LLC is a joint venture set up by its Refining LLC (hereinafter referred to as the "NIRE company") is a stronghold of doing business, the production settlement3Main ingredient, used in the manufacture of superhard tools, etc.
Past is material from outside of Japan by a combination of group within countries (mainly Chinese) in the process of settlement3As raw materials for the superhard tools, remanufacturing of WC powder.But with the birth of NIRE company, in the preparation of the group of sumitomo electric materials also into reality.NIRE company will from tungsten mines mining ore and recycled scraps as raw materials from the market, the production settlement3And to joint materials, used in the manufacture of WC.Set up a settlement in the United States3Production base is the result of the many respects, including recycling enterprise's global, a large quantity, and the chip can be cut, gas and other operating costs.Now NIRE company analysis of the department manager of the west male insert has been allocated to joint materials, and is responsible for recycling.Then he around recycling tungsten has accumulated a variety of comprehensive knowledge and insight, and to NIRE company took office in 2019.NIRE company, after the west out of the office of the recycling business began to accelerate development.The west is a manufacturing process engineer, came into office is responsible for the recycling system.Although the NIRE company to promote the "dissolved in molten salt" technology established, but still left many topics.
Problems arising in the course of separation of impurities filtration process
"Recycling, superhard tool chip must be crushed, this step is difficult days.For dissolving, need to build up the harsh environment of high temperature.Japanese NaNO has a strong oxidation was used3To dissolve, but the company pay attention to the convenience and security of processing, so using sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), and using the same process with Japan to produce Na2send4Solution.Due to the Na2send4Residues of undissolved impurities, so must pass filtering process, the filtering process is too time-consuming became the first hurdle.Plan to take three hours, the actual take half a day to 1 day, production reached only a quarter of the plan.May be somewhere in the 'blocked'."(a)
West the factors listed, will think of and then use the PDCA cycle one by one analysis, but these factors are more than you think.Besides filtering device, a variety of equipment such as pumps, pipes and tanks machine also exist "blocked".So the west with engineers, equipment, analysis and manufacturing departments to solve the issue.Equipment division by redefines the pump pipe and pump up, analysis department found that block the filter impurities, the abolition of the produce process of impurity and develop its alternative process, process engineer to improve the process technology, the filtering process by changes the start time to implement the tanks without clogging.After months of long, improve, and finally realize the comply with the production plan.West of these measures to NIRE company has also had a huge impact.Almost all employees involved in the process of problem solving, this allows the company internal cohesion to ascend, also greatly enhance the employees' awareness of recycling business.
In 2022, set production equipment design and construction
Now run the recycling belongs to test equipment, complete sets of equipment are still in experimental stage.About the present situation and the outlook for the future, we spoke to NIRE home field direct mate's President of the company.
"In the United States to carry out the recycling business in many subjects.First is using molten salt dissolved in the process of furnace experience in degradation because of the drug.In addition, the tungsten outside of impurities in water can cause body corrosion.And a series of processes are carried out under the environment of ultra high temperature, once detected risk, safety device will start, leading to frequent shut down.Although everyone is committed to through a variety of solutions or strategies to solve the issue, but we hope to promote improved by higher level of technology integration.Now send3Production is about 3/4 of recycling target.And now is the experimental stage, the actual production is less than 3/4.We plan in 2021 to establish recycling technology, in 2022 to promote the design and construction of production equipment, began formal operation in 2023.In this way, can be based on the recycling, inside the sumitomo electric group construct coherent production from raw material to the finished product of superhard tools global recycling system.I hope that through group cooperation to achieve production optimization, and then produce synergies."(household field)
Both stable supply and sustainability
NIRE company for recycling tungsten target is not limited to.Superhard tools composition is about 90% tungsten, but the remaining 10% is cobalt.Cobalt is one of the rare metals, is Japan's domestic selected one of the five kinds of recycling key minerals.For a long time, from the impurities in the separate extract cobalt is not easy, NIRE firms are also promote the related measures.At the scene of the recycling operations struggle of west out looking to the future and said:
"Now NIRE company business is given priority to with ore refining business.Specifically, plan the future by two major initiatives to increase production.First, in order to implement the existing recycling system no error/trouble-free, simplifying process, build environment for easy operation, equipment maintenance activities.Second, the development of new chip processing technology, the introduction of the related equipment.Ore refining enterprise in the purification process will produce waste, so strong impact on the environment.In contrast, the recycling use of the advantage of environmental protection career.Help the steady supply of raw materials that, when people attaches great importance to the sustainability of the moment, must promote the recycling business.We want to recycle business into NIRE company's core business."(a)
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