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Allegheny Technologies Unveils New Specialty Armor Steel

06/17/2008 - Allegheny Technologies is introducing a new, high-hard steel armor to the defense market, the first such steel to be developed in America since the Vietnam conflict, according to the company.

Allegheny Technologies is introducing a new, high-hard steel armor to the defense market—the first such steel to be developed in America since the Vietnam conflict, according to the company.
 
The new armor steel, designated ATI 500-MIL™, is designed to meet the new U.S. MIL-DTL-46100E high-hard specifications for ballistic performance and is being qualified for NATO and other international standards. It protects against such threats as armor-piercing rounds while also offering good blast-resistance properties. Applications range from medium- and heavy-weight tactical vehicles to armored patrol cars, above-deck structures on ships, and aboard aircraft in perforated versions.
 
ATI is introducing the next-generation ATI 500-MIL at this week’s Eurosatory show in Paris, France, where it will highlight the new steel’s advantages, which include markedly improved flatness (vs. other high-hard steel products), better hardness consistency, minimal distortion when cut, the ability to use hot or cold forming processes, and the capability to introduce bends in the material without weldments. The new specialty steel is auto-tempered, which does not require the normal quench and temper treatment.
 
“ATI’s new monolithic armor alloy is backed by the full development, melting, machining, milling and production resources of ATI—one of the world’s largest and most diversified specialty metals companies,” said Pat Hassey, ATI’s Chairman, President and CEO. “In addition, as ATI 500-MIL armor steel is melted and rolled in the U.S., the product is fully compliant with U.S. government acquisition requirements, and meets the highest standards for use in America and by allied countries.”
 
ATI 500-MIL steel is available in plate form, and the company is currently developing sheet product. It can be installed on new vehicles and systems as well as retrofitted on legacy systems. The specialty armor plate is offered in thickness gauges from 3/16 to 1 inch (0.5 to 2.5 cm), and in sizes as large as 96 X 300 inches (243-763 cm), with customized manufacturing solutions available to meet specific needs.
 
To reinforce its focus on the defense industry, ATI has created a market-sector team, ATI Defense, which integrates the combined resources of ATI Allegheny Ludlum, ATI Allvac, ATI Wah Chang and ATI Engineered Products, and offers an increasingly broad array of military sector products, as well as engineering and fabrication services.
 
ATI supplies military grades of titanium, nickel-based alloys, specialty alloys, zirconium, tungsten, and other specialty metals suitable for structural, ballistic armoring and corrosive-environment applications. With capabilities extending to machining and milling tools for armoring alloys and ordnance, the company’s services also include metallurgical-application assessment, engineering, testing, melting, and mill products and near-net parts fabrication.
 
ATI, a strategic supplier to a growing number of manufacturers and operators of land, naval and air defense systems, is bolstering its overall manufacturing capacity and capabilities in a $900+ million company-wide investment program, which offers reliability and stability of supply, along with a commitment to develop new technologies in aerospace, defense, chemical process industry, oil and gas, electrical energy, and medical markets.
 
Allegheny Technologies Inc. is one of the largest and most diversified specialty metals producers in the world with revenues of $5.5 billion during 2007. Products include titanium and titanium alloys, nickel-based alloys and superalloys, stainless and specialty alloys, grain-oriented electrical steel, zirconium, hafnium, and niobium, tungsten materials, and forgings and castings.