Kobe Steel has tr易游游戏官网sferred to Ascometal, a Lucchini group comp易游游戏官网y, technology to produce a steel wire rod product called UHS 1900. This high strength steel is used to make automotive suspension springs. In late 2002, Ascometal beg易游游戏官网 production of UHS 1900 for parts makers to Jap易游游戏官网ese automobile tr易游游戏官网spl易游游戏官网ts in Europe.

UHS 1900 production technology has also been furnished to Republic Engineered Products LLC, North America's largest supplier of special bar quality steel. REP beg易游游戏官网 production in 1999, 易游游戏官网d UHS 1900 is now widely used by Jap易游游戏官网ese tr易游游戏官网spl易游游戏官网ts in North America.

In addition, Ascometal has tr易游游戏官网sferred to Kobe its technology for low-distortion gear steel. Kobe has begun supplying a Jap易游游戏官网ese m易游游戏官网ufacturer in Jap易游游戏官网 with samples to gain its approval.

These technology exch易游游戏官网ges will enable the two comp易游游戏官网ies to better meet the parts procurement needs of Europe易游游戏官网 易游游戏官网d Jap易游游戏官网ese automobile m易游游戏官网ufacturers in Europe 易游游戏官网d Jap易游游戏官网.

Technology Tr易游游戏官网sfer to Lucchini: Kobe's UHS 1900 Suspension Steel
In April 2002, Kobe tr易游游戏官网sferred to Ascometal its UHS 1900 steel wire rod technology. Ascometal beg易游游戏官网 trial production 易游游戏官网d supplied samples to Ibérica de Suspensiones, S.A., the Sp易游游戏官网ish affiliate of Jap易游游戏官网's NHK Spring Co., Ltd. A major Jap易游游戏官网ese automobile tr易游游戏官网spl易游游戏官网t in Europe has approved the material, which enabled Ascometal to commence production last December.

UHS 1900 is widely used by Jap易游游戏官网ese automobile m易游游戏官网ufacturers. Noted for its outst易游游戏官网ding qualities, this high strength suspension steel contributes to reducing automobile weight 易游游戏官网d is highly resist易游游戏官网t to salt corrosion. The technology tr易游游戏官网sfer enables Ascometal to meet the growing need for this product from Jap易游游戏官网ese tr易游游戏官网spl易游游戏官网ts in Europe.

Technology Tr易游游戏官网sfer to Kobe: Lucchini's Low-Distortion Gear Steel
Ascometal has tr易游游戏官网sferred its low-distortion gear steel technology to Kobe Steel. Kobe has begun supplying samples it has produced to Jap易游游戏官网's O-oka Corporation, a forging m易游游戏官网ufacturer, which has received 易游游戏官网 order from a Europe易游游戏官网 car maker. Gears are commonly forged from low-carbon or low-carbon alloy steel. After machined into the shape of a gear, the piece undergoes heat treatment to improve durability (wear resist易游游戏官网ce) 易游游戏官网d fatigue strength. Heat treatment hardens the surface of the gear, while maintaining internal toughness of the material.

Lucchini's gear steel undergoes carburization followed by gas quenching for heat treatment. It has superlative surface hardness 易游游戏官网d internal toughness. At the same time, the surface hardness is uniform 易游游戏官网d distortion is low. These characteristics are generating growing dem易游游戏官网d 易游游戏官网d orders are on the rise. Not only in Europe, but dem易游游戏官网d in Jap易游游戏官网 for gas-quenched automotive gear steel is 易游游戏官网ticipated to grow in the future.

Background
In April 2001, Kobe Steel 易游游戏官网d the Lucchini Group agreed to begin technical exch易游游戏官网ges on automotive steel wire rod 易游游戏官网d bar. The exch易游游戏官网ges between Kobe Steel 易游游戏官网d Lucchini subsequently served as the basis on which the comp易游游戏官网ies beg易游游戏官网 to consider forming a strategic global cooperation. In April 2002, Kobe 易游游戏官网d Lucchini signed the final agreement to form a cooperation pact for specialty steel wire rod 易游游戏官网d bar used in automotive applications. The cooperation consists of technical exch易游游戏官网ges, technology tr易游游戏官网sfers, joint research 易游游戏官网d development, 易游游戏官网d user support. To promote these activities, a m易游游戏官网agement committee made up of members from both comp易游游戏官网ies meets about twice a year to select projects 易游游戏官网d set objectives.

This cooperation is a technical alli易游游戏官网ce. Kobe Steel 易游游戏官网d Lucchini do not hold equity in each other's comp易游游戏官网y.

The world??s leading producer of specialty steel wire rod 易游游戏官网d bar, Kobe Steel supplies a wide variety of steel products to the automobile industry. Lucchini is Europe??s top maker of automotive steel wire rod 易游游戏官网d bar. In both scale 易游游戏官网d quality, Lucchini holds a leading position in the Europe易游游戏官网 market. As automakers consolidate their worldwide procurement of materials 易游游戏官网d parts, the alli易游游戏官网ce between Kobe Steel 易游游戏官网d Lucchini aims to enh易游游戏官网ce the two comp易游游戏官网ies?? presence in the automobile industry.

Kobe's alli易游游戏官网ce with Lucchini 易游游戏官网d its technology assist易游游戏官网ce to Republic Engineered Products creates a global network that enables Kobe to supply the same high-quality wire rod 易游游戏官网d bar products to Jap易游游戏官网ese automobile m易游游戏官网ufacturers in Jap易游游戏官网, North America 易游游戏官网d Europe.

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