The business unit Special Metals Technology produces precision parts from refractory metals predominantly by using processes involving forming technology, for example by extrusion moulding, stamping, compressing, deep and straight tube drawing.
In this context, technically complex applications place high demands on work materials and manufacturing processes alike. Due to their extremely good resistance properties to temperature and corrosion a multitude of precision parts are specifically used in lighting technology (e.g., in discharge lamps for general lighting or as CCFL lamps – cold cathode fluorescent lamps - for the background lighting of flat LCD panel displays ) as a locking element or even as electrode material.
The extremely narrow dimension tolerances and the highest surface quality reached during the manufacture of the precision parts are both important prerequisites for optimum locking elements.
Refractory metals present many challenges due to their inherent properties. In the case of niobium, for example, it has a tendency towards cold-welding with other metals. This also includes any tools used during processing and so calls for special technological solutions. Heraeus has succeeded in developing a procedure which takes the special qualities of refractory metals into account.
