Paradigm shift in thermal technology awarded the Wilhelm Haglund Medal
The development of materials that can cope with extreme temperatures led to the award of the “Wilhelm Haglund Medal to the Product Developer of the Year” in 2017 to Roger Berglund, Bo Jönsson, Thomas Lewin and Krister Wickman from business area Sandvik Materials Technology. The medal was presented in conjunction with Sandvik’s 2017 Annual General Meeting.
“There are many people at Sandvik who invest much energy in developing new solutions to make our customers more successful based on their needs, and we are highly honored to receive the prestigious Wilhelm Haglund Medal for our efforts,” says Bo Jönsson.
The team developed two materials, Kanthal APM™ and Kanthal APMT™, which resulted in a paradigm shift in thermal technology and the development of a number of new products and applications.
Conventional materials can have excellent oxidization resistance, but a relatively low high-temperature strength, which limits applications in designs with low mechanical load. By using a powder-metallurgical process, the team discovered a method to add billions of small particles to the metal, which dramatically increases the strength at high temperatures. The combination of characteristics in the new material is therefore completely unique and revolutionary.
The material enables substantially increased productivity for customers, at the same time as helping to dramatically reduce energy consumption.
The material can be used in heating systems in industrial furnaces, and other demanding applications. There are many advantages for customers and for the environment.
“The material enables substantially increased productivity for customers, at the same time as helping to dramatically reduce energy consumption. It also reduces maintenance costs and contributes to enhanced safety and a better environment,” says Bo Jönsson.
“Products manufactured from Kanthal™ APM and Kanthal APMT™ have been highly successful and we can see fantastic future business opportunities in demanding applications. Constantly developing innovative products and solutions is a prerequisite for our success,” says Björn Rosengren, President and CEO for Sandvik.
The Wilhelm Haglund Medal
The Wilhelm Haglund Medal for the Product Developer of the Year has been awarded since 1986 and is named after the legendary Managing Director Wilhelm Haglund, who laid the foundations for the Group's successes in the cemented-carbide area. The award is presented to an employee or a group of employees who have made the most significant development of a product that has led to a commercial success. The award consists of an 18-carat gold medal, a diploma and an educational trip.
Read more about the Haglund Medal and see a list of previous winners