Timken Approved for $11.8 Million Research Project

    CANTON, Ohio, April 18 The U. S. Department of Energy
recently approved continued funding of The Timken Company's
Controlled Thermo-Mechanical Processing (CTMP) technology project. The
Department granted the company $5 million to continue developing the concept
that is intended to optimize the manufacturing and performance of seamless
tube and pipe. Timken was granted $3.3 million in 1999 to begin the research
project.  The total project budget now totals $11.8 million.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991012/TKRLOGO )
    "Research and development activities to date have successfully validated
the feasibility of the CTMP concept," said Raymond V. Fryan - director -
process improvement - alloy steel. "We look forward to proving it further in
both lab and plant tests."
    "Over the next few months, the project team will attempt to improve the
accuracy of fundamental tube making process models already developed," said
Robert V. Kolarik - CTMP project manager.  "Process recipes will then be
generated to produce tubes that deliver optimized performance in our
customers' machining and forming operations."
    Application of enhanced CTMP technology should significantly reduce energy
consumption and waste emissions in the manufacture and processing of steel
tubing.
    The Timken Company ( http://www.timken.com ) is a leading
international manufacturer of highly engineered bearings, alloy and specialty
steels and components, as well as related products and services. With
operations in 24 countries, the company employs about 20,500 people worldwide
and recorded 2000 sales of U.S. $2.6 billion.