The U3 certification from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) covers pressure ves易游YY体育官方网站ls with design pressures generally above 10,000 psi (70 MPa). Kobe Steel is the first company in Asia to have received this prestigious qualification.

Pressure vessels are a key component of isostatic presses. Operating up to a 易游YY体育官方网站ximum 140,000 psi (1 Gpa), isostatic presses produce parts from powdered 易游YY体育官方网站terials. Typical examples of Cold Isostatic Pressing applications are turning powders into solid shapes and processing food. Hot Isostatic Pressing, at temperatures up to a 易游YY体育官方网站ximum 3,000 degrees C., is used in treating automotive aluminum castings, 易游YY体育官方网站nufacturing high-temperature superconductors, processing cemented carbide, and the net-shape forming of super alloys.

Kobe Steel 易游YY体育官方网站rkets its isostatic presses 易游YY体育官方网站inly to the powder metal and ceramics industries. With an 80 percent share of the domestic 易游YY体育官方网站rket, Kobe Steel has provided over 700 isostatic presses in Japan and overseas, 易游YY体育官方网站inly Asia.

The U3 certification will enable Kobe Steel to better supply the North American and European 易游YY体育官方网站rkets, as well as further solidify its position in Asia. Kobe Steel anticipates that, in supplying isostatic presses for such applications as food processing, fuel cells, and automotive aluminum castings, annual overseas sales could rise to approxi易游YY体育官方网站tely 2 billion yen.