Kobe Steel Receives Prestigious ASME U3 Certification

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Kobe Steel Receives Prestigious ASME U3 Certification



Tokyo, Japan, June. 29, 2004 - (JCN Newswire) - Kobe Steel, Ltd.
announces that it has received U3 certification of the ASME Boiler
and Pressure Vessel Code for its pressure vessels used in isostatic
presses. 

The U3 certification from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME) covers pressure vessels with design pressures generally above
10,000 psi (70 MPa). Kobe Steel is the first company in Asia to have
received this prestigious qualification. 

Pressure vessels are a key component of isostatic presses. Operating up
to a maximum 140,000 psi (1 Gpa), isostatic presses produce parts from
powdered materials. Typical examples of Cold Isostatic Pressing
applications are turning powders into solid shapes and processing food.
Hot Isostatic Pressing, at temperatures up to a maximum 3,000 degrees
C., is used in treating automotive aluminum castings, manufacturing
high-temperature superconductors, processing cemented carbide, and the
net-shape forming of super alloys. 

Kobe Steel markets its isostatic presses mainly to the powder metal and
ceramics industries. With an 80 percent share of the domestic market,
Kobe Steel has provided over 700 isostatic presses in Japan and
overseas, mainly Asia.

The U3 certification will enable Kobe Steel to better supply the North
American and European markets, as well as further solidify its position
in Asia. Kobe Steel anticipates that, in supplying isostatic presses for
such applications as food processing, fuel cells, and automotive
aluminum castings, annual overseas sales could rise to approximately 2
billion yen.


About Kobe Steel, Ltd.

Kobe Steel, Ltd. is one of Japan's leading steelmakers and
producers of aluminum and copper products. Other businesses include
welding consumables, infrastructure and plant engineering, machinery,
and real estate.For further information, please visit the Kobe Steel,
Ltd. home page at: ?Company_Show.asp?compid=341
<http://?Company_Show.asp?compid=341> 

Contact
Gary Tsuchida
Publicity Group
Kobe Steel, Ltd.
9-12 Kita-Shinagawa 5-chome
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-8688
JAPAN
Tel +81-3-5739-6010
Fax +81-3-5739-5971
Email  www-admin@kobelco.co.jp
Web site  www.kobelco.co.jp
  _____  

June. 29, 2004, 16:38 (JST)
Source: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
Kobe Steel, Ltd.
?Company_Show.asp?compid=341 <http://?Company_Show.asp?compid=341> 
From the Japan Corporate News Network
www.japancorp.net <http://www.japancorp.net> 
Topic: Awards received
Sectors: Auto Manufacturing, Metals


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