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Presentations
Powder Metallurgy In Jewelry manufacturing: Status Report and Discussion
Dr. Joseph Tunick Strauss 
Powder metallurgy (P/M) has been used for manufacturing ferrous parts for over 80 years.
The increase in P/M’s usage has been positive for decades due to replacing parts previously
made by machining and investment casting. The use of P/M in the jewelry and precious metal
community has been limited and discontinuous. In the past several years, interest has increased and there are now several P/M precious metal applications in production. This paper will describe these applications, the critical decisions leading to the use of P/M, and the constraints that have limited its use up until now.
Dr. Strauss is president of HJE Company, Inc. and the author of more than 20 published works. This is his eighth year presenting at the Symposium.
Tarnish-Proof Sterling Silver: Understanding the Limitations
Dr. Joseph Tunick Strauss
There is a great deal of interest in tarnish resistant sterling silver alloys and numerous attempts have been made to develop “tarnish resistant” or “tarnish proof” alloys. There have been
improvements made in tarnish resistance, but usually at the expense of other necessary alloy
attributes such as the ability to recycle the material. This paper reviews the mechanisms of
tarnishing, discusses the metallurgical options available to increase tarnish resistance and
the resulting metallurgical limitations to developing a tarnish proof sterling silver alloy.
Dr. Strauss is president of HJE Company, Inc. and the author of more than 20 published works. This is his eighth year presenting at the Symposium.
Challenges for Palladium Casting Alloys
Dr. Jorg Fischer-Bühner
While the market is recognizing an increasing interest in palladium jewelry, the development
of Pd casting alloys for consistently high quality remains a real challenge for alloy suppliers.
Reasons include the unique material properties of palladium when compared to other jewelry materials, the relatively young history of investment casting Pd and the resulting large spectrum
of different casting process conditions which are favored by industrial casters. This paper reports
on some alloy design considerations, corresponding alloy properties and results from casting trials.
Dr. Fischer-Bühner holds a Ph.D. in physical metallurgy and materials technology. Since October 2007, he is active in Research and Development with Legor Group srl, Italy and Indutherm GmbH Germany. He was formerly head of the Physical Metallurgy and Precious Metals Research division of FEM, the German Research Institute for Precious Metals and Metals Chemistry. He is the recipient of the Santa Fe Symposium® Research, Ambassador, Outstanding Technical Presentation, Applied Engineering and Collaborative Research Awards. This is his seventh year presenting at the Symposium.
Flux—Its Technological Significance and How It Will Force Change In The Future
Oliver Passe
Throughout the jewelry industry, the use of flux technology plays an often misunderstood role in jewelry manufacturing. Traditional chemical fluxes rely on chlorinated or fluorinated compounds to facilitate metal amalgamation, reduce surface oxidation and promote solder flow by chemically cleaning the metals to be joined. This use of active halide flux chemistry in jewelry manufacturing has led to increasing jeweler health and environmental concerns. Both in the United States and the European Union, current and
proposed legislation seeks to severely restrict the use of chlorinated and fluorinated compounds, including traditional fluxes
in the workplace. As an alternative to active fluxes, an innovative class of ceramic passive fluxes offers the opportunity to
mitigate health and environmental risks while improving process performance. Notable properties include the capability
to exploit key physical metallurgical properties at each stage of the solder weld temperature cycle, arrest surface oxidation
and reduce finishing times.
Mr. Passe is the president and CEO of Nventa, Inc. He has developed 34 technological innovations and advances in intellectual property. Mr. Passe’s business background includes more than four years in the jewelry industry. He holds degrees in chemical engineering and global business. This is his first year presenting at the Symposium.
Investment Casting Behaviour of Pd-Based Alloy
Paolo Battaini
The casting temperatures of 950 palladium-based alloys are normally above 1550ºC. For this reason, those who cast platinum alloys may apparently have the advantage. However, the physical characteristics
of Pd alloys are significantly different from those of Pt alloys. Experience with Pd dental alloys, which have been successfully used for more than 25 years, has been helpful. Even though the maximum Pd content
of Pd dental alloys is generally 750 ‰, the difficulties are broadly similar to those of jewelry alloys. Taking this experience into account, this work aims to summarize the main problems arising from Pd alloys in investment casting. In
particular, the possible interactions between Pd, oxygen, carbon and hydrogen are investigated. Hot tearing and ductility loss,
typical of these alloys, are discussed as well as the role of the main secondary elements present in commercial alloys. The
technical knowledge acquired with dental alloys suggests procedures to help the goldsmith manufacture Pd 950 alloys.
Mr. Battaini holds a degree in nuclear engineering, is a consulting engineer with 8853 S.p.A. and a professor of precious metal working technologies at Milano Bicocca University. This is his third year presenting at the Symposium.
Basic Metallurgy of the Precious Metals—Part II. Development of Alloy Microstructure Through Solidification and Working
Dr. Christopher W. Corti
Last year in part I, the effect of alloying on the various properties of the jewelry precious metals
was examined and related to microstructure through an understanding of phase diagrams—
the metallurgist’s ‘road maps’ of alloying behavior. The influence of working and annealing on
properties was also explained. We noted that properties, alloy composition and microstructure
are all interrelated.
In part II, we'll focus more on the alloy macro- and micro-structures and how they are affected by its processing history—
solidification conditions, working and thermal treatments—which, in turn, influences the final properties. We look
at metal integrity, microstructure development and defect formation during casting and working, and how microstructure
is important to both manufacturing and service performance.
Dr. Corti holds a Ph.D. in metallurgy from the University of Surrey, UK, and is currently a consultant for the World Gold Council and the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths in London. He served as editor of Gold Technology magazine and currently edits Gold Bulletin Journal and the Goldsmiths’ Company. A recipient of the Santa Fe Symposium® Research, Technology and Ambassador Awards, he has been a frequent presenter at the Symposium.
Hard Spots: A Trip Through Ambiguity
Damiano Zito
The daily routine of the goldsmith is plagued with unexpected problems such as random casting defects, which are very difficult to properly diagnose. This often evolves into a big waste of time with useless trials aimed at finding the right solution. From our archive of defect analyses collected over a ten-year period, we selected cases involving hard spots we judged to be commonly occurring and difficult to diagnose correctly. Hard spots actually identify a defect which, even if displaying the same appearance (looking with the naked eye or a little
magnification) is in truth a consequence of any number of multiple causes. Basing our assumption on such considerations, we sketched a detailed classification of various families of hard spots, providing a series of causes and possible solutions.
Mr. Zito is the CEO for ProGold srl and holds a degree from “A. Rossi” Institute of Technology in Vicenza. He is the recipient of the 2006 Santa Fe Symposium® Ambassador Award. This is his first year presenting at the Symposium.
Wire and Bar manufacturing—Some Basics
Klaus Wiesner
This paper is the third in a series of three and describes how to produce semi-finished
products according to various specifications. The paper provides an overview of methods to produce wire and bars in precious metals—the complete production process, from the melt to the finished product. You will learn how to achieve tight specifications on diameter, straightness, coiling and spooling, surface quality and other physical properties. The
presentation includes theoretical and practical information together with helpful tips and tricks for everyday use.
Mr. Wiesner has more than 20 years of experience with precious metals. He is a Key Account Manager for Wieland, Precious Metals Division, in
Pforzheim, Germany, and is responsible for the development and technical support for customers and for production of semi-finished products.
He is the recipient of the Santa Fe Symposium® Ambassador Award. This is his eighth year presenting at the Symposium.
Manual Surface Finishing With Rotary Grinders and Polishers
Klaus Wiesner
Every day, bench workers are using rotary grinders and polishers to impart a high-shine surface finish to pieces of fine jewelry. Many of them are still using the ’red disc’ or ’white lens’, and quite often are unaware of the technology behind these colors and for which specific applications they are designed. This paper will help them to understand more about the technology, documenting the most important information the bench worker needs in his daily work. It will show some basic metallurgical information on surface treatment and will provide useful
information on polishing materials, grits and grains, tools, surface qualities and on how to avoid polishing defects.
Mr. Wiesner has more than 20 years of experience with precious metals. He is a Key Account Manager for Wieland, Precious Metals Division, in
Pforzheim, Germany, and is responsible for the development and technical support for customers and for production of semi-finished products.
He is the recipient of the Santa Fe Symposium® Ambassador Award. This is his eighth year presenting at the Symposium.
Incorporation of Gold Nanoparticles In Metal Matrix Systems—An Innovative Way to new Materials
Dr. Andreas Zielonka
In past years, the discussion about the preparation and application of nano materials has become
an important part of all research strategies and promises the development of a completely new class of materials with enhanced properties. Experiments with nano materials show the properties can be changed widely but, until recently, the materials and structural effects have not been understood
completely and need further investigations. The presentation gives an overview of the preparation of nano-structured materials at FEM and shows the possible applications and properties of such materials. A special topic will be the incorporation of gold nano particles in metal matrix systems.
Dr. Zielonka is the director of the Research Institute for Precious Metals and Metal Chemistry (FEM) in Germany. He holds a Ph.D. in electrochemistry and electroplating. This is his fourth year presenting at the Symposium.
The Role of Hardness In Jewelry Alloys
Dr. Christopher W. Corti
Hardness is one of several parameters used to indicate the mechanical properties of jewelry alloys. Because hardness is easily measured, it is often used in the industry. Its value is of importance in
fabricating jewelry and the subsequent performance of that jewelry when worn by the customer.
After briefly discussing what hardness is and how it is measured, this presentation discusses the
role of hardness in jewelry fabrication and how its value can be a useful tool in assessing the
metallurgical condition of a jewelry alloy as well as its significance to service performance. Importantly, it highlights that
there is a minimum hardness value required to make jewelry that will meet basic customer requirements for all jewelry
metals—gold, silver, platinum and palladium.
Dr. Corti holds a Ph.D. in metallurgy from the University of Surrey, UK, and is currently a consultant for the World Gold Council and the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths in London. He served as editor of Gold Technology magazine and currently edits Gold Bulletin Journal and Goldsmiths’ Company.
A recipient of the Santa Fe Symposium® Research, Technology and Ambassador Awards, he has been a frequent presenter at the Symposium.
Stone–In–Place Casting For High–End Jewelry
Dr. Hubert Schuster
With its 30+ year history, stone-in-place casting is no longer a novelty in the manufacture of jewelry. Many manufacturers wrongly assume stone-in-place casting techniques can only be used for low-cost jewelry when, in fact, many years of research and development in co-operation with high-end jewelry manufacturers have shown that stone-in-place casting is also suitable for high-end and branded. This article aims to provide answers to the limits and opportunities of stone-in-place casting, as well as important instructions about the stone-in-place casting process for high-end jewelry. Mr. Marco Raselli, specialized model maker on CAD and rapid prototyping from Valenza, Italy, gives valuable contribution to this paper.
Dr. Schuster is an independent technical consultant and was formerly the Director of the Jewelry Technology Institute in Creazzo, Italy. He has more than 30 years of experience in jewelry production and four patents for jewelry applications. Dr. Schuster has served as a technical consultant for more than 110 major companies worldwide. He is a recipient of the Santa Fe Symposium® Applied Engineering and Ambassador Awards. This is his sixth year
presenting at the Symposium.
jewelry.
Methods For Reducing Ergonomic Risk
Samuel A. Davis, P.E.
In 2005, two ergonomic committees were formed for the mill and findings/chain areas,
respectively. The purpose of addressing ergonomic risk was to reduce the number of ergonomic-related injuries and associated costs. An Ergonomic Job Measurement System (EJMS) was used to evaluate the risk of various tasks. High risk areas were prioritized and corrective actions
implemented to reduce risk. In 2006, key program results were as follows: a 31% improvement in the Recordable Injury Rate; a 36% improvement in the Days Away Incident Rate; EJMS scores were reduced by an average of 50% in the mill area; a 60% decrease ($168,000 in direct cost savings) in total workers compensation claim expense in 2006 compared with the average from 2003–2005. In 2007, Stern-Leach/Hallmark-Sweet/Excell received the Most Improved Safety Award for Cookson companies with greater than 50 employees worldwide.
Mr. Davis is a senior process engineer at Cookson Precious Metals, Material Products Group. He developed processes to manufacture Argentium®
sterling sheet, wire, casting grain and granules. Mr. Davis led a committee that implemented numerous ergonomic improvements at Cookson; he holds degrees in chemical engineering and metallurgical engineering. This is his second year presenting at the Symposium.
Platinum and Lasers: The Natural Solution
Jurgen J. Maerz
It has often been a challenge for the jeweler at the bench to work with platinum. The high
temperatures used in soldering and welding can make even simple jobs difficult. Using a laser makes
it possible to size a platinum ring while holding it in your hand. Complex fabricating tasks become simple and fun to do. This paper will show assembly, repair and the creation of beautiful platinum
jewelry using laser welders. Complex welding is done in close proximity to pearls and stones without fear of damage. Using a laser to perform these tasks is the natural solution to many challenges the bench jeweler or manufacturer faces daily.
Mr. Maerz is Director of Technical Education for Platinum Guild International, USA. His love of teaching and more than 40 years of experience in the jewelry industry have led him to teach all over the world and in the United States. He is the recipient of the Santa Fe Symposium® Ambassador Award. This is his ninth year presenting at the Symposium.
Alloys By Design—Knowing the Answer Before Spending the Money
Dr. Boonrat Lohwongwatana
Guesswork has historically played a disproportionately large role in the development of precious metal alloys and solders. The laws of thermodynamics, governing order, entropy and free energy, are fundamental to the discussion of metals. Research results from various precious metal alloy development projects shows how thermodynamic modeling, in conjunction with analysis and characterization techniques, can result in the reduction of both time and cost in new alloy design and development.
Specific examples include the development of high karatage (20K and above) solder alloys, the discovery of ultra-low melting point gold solders, which flow at 550ºF or below, and grain size and phase selectivity in sterling silver alloys. Simple concepts, such as binary phase diagrams, calorimetry study and metallography will be discussed in the examples to lead the audience
into a deeper understanding of thermodynamics and how they can be applied to jewelry-specific work.
Dr. Lohwongwatana is a professor of metallurgical engineering at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. He holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science from the California Institute of Technology. This is his second year presenting at the Symposium.
Lost Wax Glass Casting
Linus L. Drogs III
Lost wax casting as an art form has spanned centuries. This forum has dissected some of the
smallest variables in precious metal casting resulting in some superior results in efficiency and output. Investment material, burnout, fuel, oven ratios and air fuel mixtures have been graphed and analyzed into a predictable result. Using some of these techniques, this paper explores the possibility of lost wax casting with the incorporation of glass.
Mr. Drogs is the president of Au Enterprises, Inc. in Berkley, Michigan. He is an MJSA Innovation Judge. This is his first year presenting at the Symposium.
Designing For Rapid Manufacturing and Other Emerging Technologies
Gay Penfold
This paper discusses the evolution of Rapid Prototyping (RP) into Rapid Manufacturing (RM)
and the changes in mind-set and approaches needed by designers to allow them to fully exploit, enjoy and take advantage of these new and emerging technologies.
The paper examines recent developments and movements from the various RP and RM
technologies together with the emergent Digital Manufacturing (DM) from a designer’s perspective.
This paper also includes a discussion on how RM//RP/DM affords new design freedoms and the impact on the existing
compliances used by designers for manufacture and assembly. This will encompass RM’s potential for direct customer input and customization of individual products, the new production economics and aspects of supply chain management.
Ms. Penfold is the manager of the Jewellery Industry Innovation Centre at the University of Central England. She holds a B.A. in metal work and
jewelry from Sheffield Hallam University and an M.A. in metalworks from the Royal College of Art. This is her third year presenting at the Symposium.
Handling and Shipping At the Manufacture Stage
Alexandre Auberson
Each time a piece of jewelry is touched or carried from one production step to another, there is an opportunity for damage, resulting in unnecessary rework and work flow efficiency costs. Then, even after perfect pieces are past quality control, if they are improperly packaged for shipping, they can be damaged or even destroyed in the hands of the carrier. Working on the handling and packaging process helps to avoid numerous and costly repairs. This paper shows how quality tools can be used to find the most critical problem, root out the cause of damage and test solutions and then
measure the results. Different trays and wrapping materials often used by other industries are shown and jewelry production applications for these materials are discussed.
Mr. Auberson, a jewelry goldsmith trained and educated in Switzerland, has been in business with jewelry- and watch-making firms in Switzerland, France and Thailand. He is experienced as a prototypist, workshop manager, production manager, quality manager and, most recently, plant director
at Cartier North America. As a quality manager, he carried out many audits of suppliers that contributed to improvements in the quality of both the
products manufactured and the organizations where he worked. This is his third year presenting at the Symposium.
Development of Nickel–Free, Palladium–Free Alloys For 14–18K White Gold
Dr. Andrea Basso
The general request from the market for safe products represents a driving force also for jewelry research, pushing it to the development of new materials. At present, with very few exceptions,
14–18K white gold production is mainly based on the use of nickel and palladium as bleaching agents in the alloy. The jewelry industry still doesn’t have an alternative way to manufacture white gold in a safe, inexpensive way without adding one of these two metals. This paper explores new
possibilities for the development of nickel-free, palladium-free alloys for the production of 14–18K white gold, highlighting advantages and disadvantages of this new generation of alloys.
Dr. Basso has been a process engineer and researcher in the chemical industry for more than 15 years. Currently, he is the technical director for
Legor Group srl in Italy. He is a two-time recipient of the Santa Fe Symposium® Research Award. This is his fourth year presenting at the Symposium.
Company Social Reponsibility: The Way Forward
Stewart Grice
A subject high on the agenda of today’s world population is social responsibility. This includes
everything from government and politics to industry in general and the public at large. The message to all is “be responsible,” and the jewelry industry is no exception. A group of socially responsible jewelers has launched the Council for Responsible Jewelry Practices, whose goal is to develop a Responsible Practices Framework for participating members to use.
For the jewelry industry as a whole, there are certain responsibilities many think should be adopted, the most recognizable being the outlawing of “conflict diamonds”, the “no dirty gold” campaign and treating co-workers fairly and compensating adequately in developing nations. These very important global issues deserve our attention, but company social responsibility should not be limited to global issues. Local issues are also important, such as making sure your production facility is
environmentally friendly by introducing processes such as discharge treatments. Company social responsibility can also include raising money for local charities, hosting blood drives and many more activities, all of which allow even the smallest company
to make a difference.
This paper will discuss these global and domestic issues and suggest ways in which both large and small companies can become more socially responsible.
Mr. Grice is the Mill and Refining Director at Hoover & Strong, Inc. He holds a Master of Philosophy degree in metallurgy and materials. He is the
recipient of the Santa Fe Symposium® Ambassador Award and a three-time recipient of both the Collaborative Research and Research Awards.
This is his ninth year presenting at the Symposium.
Casting Perfect Defects
Patrick Sage
Wax pattern defects come in a wide variety and have many causes. When defective wax patterns are cast, the defects are often perfectly reproduced in metal and then are mistaken for casting defects. This paper will explore wax defects, what causes them and how they can be eliminated. Case studies will identify the defect in the metal castings, show how they were traced to the wax pattern and identify the root cause of the defect in the wax pattern. A popular wax injector is investigated to learn what can go wrong with it and how wax defects are influenced by equipment maintenance.
Patrick Sage holds a degree in electrical engineering and currently works as a casting applications engineer for the Technical Support team at Rio Grande. He has worked for Rio Grande and Neutec/USA® for seven years in multiple roles ranging from casting equipment support, to sales consulting,
to process troubleshooting. This is his first year presenting at the Symposium.
A Study of the Effects of CAD/CAM-Derived Materials In the Casting of Platinum Alloys
Teresa Fryé
Jewelry manufacturers have a wide variety of CAD/CAM machines and materials available to them
and are increasingly integrating CAD/CAM into their production processes. There is a significant body of evidence, both anecdotal and documented, indicating that model materials used in CAM have
varying degrees of success in investment casting. The root causes of related defects are not well
understood, leaving the industry plagued by speculation and a variety of home-grown methods
aimed at addressing these problems.
At the 2005 Symposium, initial research on this topic was published. This new research is intended to take up where the 2005 research left off. Through the use of controlled studies, we will first explore the burnout behaviors of several mainstream
materials, followed by an evaluation of dimensional movement experienced by these materials when subjected to investing
and firing. Casting defects will be tracked to their root causes through dimensional analyses and observations of defect
morphology in cast product.
Ms. Fryé has more than 20 years of experience working in the investment casting industry. She spent her early years in sales and marketing for Precision Castparts Corp., serving the broad international customer base for aerospace castings in Europe and Japan. In 1994, she co-founded TechForm Advanced Casting Technology. TechForm initiated its business serving the medical and aerospace markets, entering the jewelry industry in 1995, and specializing
in platinum and other high-temperature metals. This is her second year presenting at the Symposium.
PMG Pre-Finishing/Silver Kristal
Marc “Doc” Robinson
Attend this presentation to learn how a new PMG process system for silver and brass items is eliminating the old processes of hand and machine filing, as well as mass cut-down tumbling. In just 30 to 40 minutes, this system has pieces ready for final polish. This same work requires 6 hours of cut-down tumbling or hours more when using filing processes. At ACH & Co. HK, LTD in China, this new process has allowed the elimination of their entire filing department (100 workers) and closing the cut-down tumbling department (12 machines).
This paper also discusses a new and stunning decorative process developed by Taiwanese chemist, Ms. Yunghan Kuo. By controlling the size and structure of fine silver crystals underneath the surface of metal, this process delivers a reflective appearance that, from a distance, resembles the look of paved diamonds. Information on this process will be limited, as patents are currently under application.
Mr. Robinson has been a fixture in the jewelry industry for more than 30 years. His discoveries include Platinum Sterling, pioneering quick dental investments for casting platinum and creating the Kraftwerks seminar event. He is Technical/Production Director for ACH & Co. HK, Ltd. in China, and was formerly the Tech Director for PMWest/Fine Gold in California and ABI Precious Metals in Bangkok and Bali. This is his first year presenting at the Symposium.
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