Besök vid Kennametal Hertel AG

On the 25th of October I visited the heavy and hard metal producer Kennametal Hertal AG in Mistelgau, in Germany. A chance was also given to visit the company´s ceramic production factory in Ebermannstadt. Kennalmetal Hertal AG is part of the Kennametal Inc. with their head office in Latrobe in Pennsylvania, USA. This company was founded in 1938 by Philip M. McKenna to produce tungsten carbide. The heavy metal alloys at Kennametal are of tungsten base, and produced by powder metallurgical sintering processes. The high density, 17-19 g/cm3, is the most important property of these materials. Kennametal Hertel AG does not seem alien to listen and to co-operate towards desired, new and better properties. If a customer comes with a request or a proposition, there is a high level of in-houses know-how to decide whether it is reasonable to proceed or if it is impossible. They are also open to suggestions from FOI on research on established or new materials for projectiles. Further possibilities can be found within the areas of ceramics and advanced materials. For specific questions the message was "ask and we will see what is possible".