OUR CUSTOMERS' MOST COMPLEX PROBLEMS ARE BEING SOLVED WITH EXPERTISE, INNOVATION, DATA, & TECHNOLOGY
The Fisher Barton Technology Center is a distinct differentiator in today’s manufacturing technology. We can offer our customers process development and prototyping for new and existing parts. The Fisher Barton Technology Center also serves as Corporate Headquarters for all our divisions and is home to our Applied Research and Development Team, Laboratory Services, and Advanced Manufacturing and Automation Team.
- The Fisher Barton Technology Center has all the surface engineering capabilities used by our production facilities and a team of advanced degreed engineers and technicians with over 296 total years of service dedicated to collaborative development of new products and processes with our customers.
- In addition to our applied research and new product development capabilities, this facility is the home of Fisher Barton’s metallurgical lab.
- Our Advanced Manufacturing and Automation Team develops innovative automation solutions for all our Fisher Barton production facilities that produce products more consistently, at lower costs, and increase the speed of bringing products to market.
Materials & Surface Engineering Expertise
OUR PEOPLE ARE THE DIFFERENCE
Our Applied Research and Development Team consists of highly skilled individuals with diverse backgrounds and expertise. The team is comprised of metallurgical, materials, and mechanical engineers, several with advanced degrees in metallurgical and materials engineering. The team also includes highly skilled technicians with decades of experience in surface engineering and machining.
Furthermore, some of these team members have over 35+ years of experience individually, founded companies, and are internationally recognized as subject matter experts. Our team members also serve as leaders in professional organizations such as the ASM Thermal Spray Society, Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ASABE).
Our Laboratory Services team plays a crucial role in supporting the research and development efforts. Our lab technicians have 32+ years of experience and expertise in machining, as well as industrial and metallurgical experiences. These technicians bring their expertise to ensure accurate and efficient lab operations, contributing to the success of our production facilities, research initiatives, and ultimately customer solutions.
Our Advanced Manufacturing and Automation Team comprises experts specializing in advanced manufacturing technologies and industrial automation. Their combined expertise ensures the successful implementation of automation solutions and the continuous improvement of our processes.
Together, the Fisher Barton Technology Center team is well-equipped to tackle a wide range of challenges and drive innovation.
MATERIALS PROCESSING: SURFACE ENGINEERING
AT our Technology Center we develop innovative solutions that give our customers the cutting edge. Development of product solutions can be performed on our dedicated high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF), flame spray, atmospheric plasma spray (APS), wire arc, or plasma transferred arc (PTA) thermal spray equipment. In addition to our large suite of thermal spray equipment, we develop product solutions with our laser cladding and weld overlay cladding technologies. Our array of technologies includes:
- Thermal Spray Technologies
- High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF)
- Atmospheric Plasma Spray (APS)
- Flame Spray
- Wire Arc Spray
- Plasma Transferred Arc (PTA)
- Cladding Technologies
- Laser Cladding
- Weld Overlay
Material Analysis
In addition to our surface engineering capacity, our analytical equipment allows a deeper understanding of the microstructural, chemical, and physical properties of the materials produced by Fisher Barton. Our materials engineers’ and technicians’ ability to relate the process, structure, and properties of materials make Fisher Barton a leader in materials selection for enhancing product performance. The Laboratory Services team has state-of-the-art equipment for analyzing microstructure, chemistry, wear characteristics, and mechanical properties.
Microscopy Equipment
- Zeiss MA10 Scanning Electron Microscope w/ Thermo Scientific NORAN System 7 Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy – Used for high-magnification imaging and chemistry analysis
- Zeiss Stemi 2000C Stereo Microscope – Optical microscope used for low magnification three-dimensional observation
- Zeiss AxioVert 40 Metallurgical Microscope – Optical microscope for high magnification microstructure observation
- Keyence VK 9700 Laser Scanning Microscope – Produces 3D topographical images for analysis and measurements
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS EQUIPMENT
- X-ray Fluorescence and X-ray Diffraction – Contains X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometers integrated with X-ray Diffraction (XRD) for crystallographic phase identification and chemistry measurement
- Glow Discharge Spectrometer – Delivers precise bulk chemistry analysis and quantitative depth profiling for surface treatment and coating analysis
- Nitrogen Determinator – Preferred industry-standard method for analyzing nitrogen
- Carbon Determinator – Preferred industry-standard method for analyzing carbon
MECHANICAL & TRIBOLOGY TESTING
Failure analysis, testing for fatigue, abrasion, and erosion, are critical to the optimization of new materials and processes. We apply these technology tools:
- MTS 322 Universal Testing Machine – Delivers the time history of applied force and deformation, in addition to mechanical properties and customized fatigue testing
- Instron 9350 Drop-Weight Impact Tester – Produces the time history of applied force and deformation during drop-weight impact testing
- Falex ASTM G65 Dry Sand Rubber Wheel Abrasion Wear Tester – Produces data to rank materials by their abrasion resistance
- Falex ASTM G76 Airjet Erosion Wear Tester – Produces data to rank materials by their solid-particle erosion resistance
- Falex ASTM G77 Two-Body Wear Tester – Produces data to rank resistance of materials to sliding wear using block-on-ring wear test
- Struers DuraJet Hardness Tester – Capable of testing with all Rockwell and Superficial Rockwell methods
- Clemex CMT Automated Microhardness Tester – Knoop and Vickers hardness with walk-away capability that virtually eliminates operator errors for the most consistent, accurate results
WHAT IS METALLURGY?
Metallurgical testing is among our teams’ strengths. This category of engineering and material science encompasses the study of metallic elements and their production. Metallurgy evaluates such topics as material composition, physical properties, and chemical behaviors of metals and their alloys.
WHY IS TESTING IMPORTANT?
Putting a product through various types of testing can be a cost-effective way to verify quality, functionality, and regulatory compliance during the product development stage. Testing helps our customers identify design flaws or product defects before they expend the time and expense to move on to full-scale production. Testing can evaluate more than a product’s design or performance, however. It can also analyze how successfully a certain material allows a product to achieve requirements like durability, or which manufacturing technique is most effective or beneficial for the customer’s needs. Carrying out such inspections during a product’s lifecycle confirms its strengths and weaknesses earlier in the process and increases the likelihood of streamlined production and satisfied customers.
VALUE OF PROTOTYPING & FIELD TESTING
Discovering issues during the production stage can be an exceedingly expensive and time-consuming problem to fix. Should products already be on the market, a company could experience an additional financial hit by developing a poor reputation. Ultimately, the prototyping and testing services we offer are essential to developing quality products through research-backed data and insights, allowing our customers to make alterations that fit the needs of the end user.
WHY THIS LAB IS UNIQUE IN MANUFACTURING
Having an in-house laboratory of this caliber enables the Fisher Barton team to deliver innovative and optimized results tailored to your unique needs. We can offer more comprehensive engineering, testing, and analyses along with solutions ranging from wear resistance coatings to high-performance cutting technology to support diverse markets.
LEARN MORE ABOUT FISHER BARTON'S TECH CENTER
The Technology Center is a true differentiator in manufacturing technology that enables us to combine our metallurgy expertise with applied research and development to develop new and better products more efficiently and cost-effectively exclusively for our customers.
These are just some of the resources you’ll discover when you schedule your first visit to the Fisher Barton Technology Center. Taking that first step has never been easier. To schedule a visit to meet our team and tour the Technology Center, contact us or request a quote today.
