ATI 425® Titanium Alloy Key Material for Mars Lander Analytical Componentry
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania - November 28, 2007 - Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:ATI) (ATI) announced today that one of its proprietary alloys is being used on the Phoenix Mars Lander. Launched on August 4, 2007, headed for Mars and scheduled to land on May 25, 2008, the Phoenix will study the planet's arctic soil to characterize the climate and geology of Mars. One of the key tasks assigned the Lander is to help determine whether microbial life ever existed on Mars.
ATI Wah Chang, an ATI company, supplied ATI 425® titanium sheet to the University of Arizona for use in the Lander's Thermal Evolved Gas Analyzer (TEGA), one of the many instruments designed to support the Phoenix Mars Mission goals.
"ATI 425 titanium sheet was selected for major structural elements in the Phoenix Project Thermal Analyzer primarily due to its good cold formability," says Mike Williams, Lead Mechanical Engineer for the TEGA team.
NASA's Phoenix Mars Mission is a joint project managed by the University of Arizona, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, and the California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Resources from these organizations joined forces to build the hardware and components necessary for the Lander to achieve the mission objectives. The hardware on the craft, including TEGA, will provide scientific measurements that will characterize the current and past climate, geology, and presence of organics on the planet. The information gathered will also provide insight into how to make human exploration of Mars possible.
ATI 425 titanium is an innovative alloy that has strength comparable to the most common titanium alloy, grade 6-4. ATI 425 titanium is cold rollable, whereas titanium 6-4 is extremely difficult to cold roll. Thus, ATI 425 titanium provides exceptional value for fabricators because it can be formed with traditional cold metal working technology. The ability to cold work this specialty metal eliminates the costly hot forming process.
In 2006, ATI 425 titanium was designated by the ASTM as Grade 38 titanium. Since that time the alloy has gained Aerospace Material Specification (AMS) approval for use in aerospace applications. AMS 6946 provides that ATI 425 titanium sheet, strip, and plate can be used for aerospace components. Additionally, ASME Boiler Code Case 2532-2 states that ATI 425 titanium can be used for parts requiring strength up to 700 degree F (371 degree C).
ATI Wah Chang is a world leader in the manufacture of specialty metals including titanium, zirconium, niobium, and hafnium alloys in a variety of flat and round product forms. The company also produces cast and engineered parts as well as specialty chemicals. ATI Wah Chang provides customers in the chemical processing, nuclear electrical energy, aerospace, and medical markets with the alloys, technical assistance, and laboratory services necessary to support current and future industry needs. For further information, go to www.WahChang.com.
Building the World's Best Specialty Metals Company(TM)
Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI) is one of the largest and most diversified specialty metals producers in the world with revenues of $5.6 billion during the most recent four quarters ending September 30, 2007. ATI has approximately 9,500 full-time employees world-wide who develop and apply innovative technologies to provide global markets a wide range of specialty metals solutions. Our major markets are aerospace and defense, chemical process industry/oil and gas, electrical energy, medical, automotive, food equipment and appliance, machine and cutting tools, and construction and mining. Our products include titanium and titanium alloys, nickel-based alloys and superalloys, stainless and specialty alloys, zirconium, hafnium, and niobium, tungsten materials, grain-oriented silicon electrical products, and forgings and castings. The ATI website is www.AlleghenyTechnologies.com.
Contact:
Dan L. Greenfield
(412) 394-3004
