Some Cryogenic History
The word cryogenics commonly refers to very cold temperatures being used in science, education, food, and industry. In reality there are various temperature levels of cryogenics. Your home freezer is a cryogenic tool used to preserve food for extended periods of time at subfreezing temperatures as low as -20ºF. Foods last even longer at lower temperatures, often what is termed shallow cryogenics, and also to treat various useful materials for better properties.
As home freezers can go as low as -20ºF, shallow cryogenics are usually measured at around -110ºF. It was a surprise to much of the watch-making world to eventually find out that the ancient art of the Swiss watch makers stored their metals in frozen caves for multiple years, thus improving valuable properties in the metal. Because of the secret use of cold treating metals and the resulting increase in watch quality lifted the Swiss watch making to mystic levels. Imagine the watch makers of the world not knowing they actually had equivalent watch making skills. Imagine the frustration of so many decades, even centuries of effort and frustration trying to compete with the Swiss, when all the time the only difference was a cold treating process of the watch material!
1930s German records tell of aircraft engine manufacturers testing cryogenics on their products with some success. Some time later a vapor process was tested where a mixture of alcohol and dry ice was allowed to evaporate from a drum and parts were suspended over the vapor, reaching shallow cryogenic temperatures near -100ºF. During World War II American bomber manufacturers used this method of cold tempering to stress relieve aluminum superstructures. This allowed the airplanes to be made from thinner materials of lesser weight. This allowed airplanes to carry heavier ammunition and bomb loads. Increasing the bomb load dramatically increased the effectiveness of the airplanes.
In the early half of the 1960s useful deep cryogenics, which are temperatures in the range of -300ºF, came out of the control of government and its exclusive contractors. A heat treat specialist named Ed Bush developed the dry cryogenic process using liquid nitrogen. He engaged Dr. Randal Barron of Louisiana Tech who devised a test which resulted in a well known informational table illustrating wear improvement of various metals after having been subject to cryogenic tempering.
Today cryogenic tempering is used to some degree in many industries. Its positive effects are not just limited to metals. They include nylons and other plastics, lighting, high voltage/amperage electrical systems, soldered connections, computer memory, circuit boards and components, well drilling, machining processes, casting and forging, ceramics, farming, transportation fleets, construction, excavation, fine arts, printing, video reproduction, woodworking, sandblasting and painting to name just a few. There are very few limits to the applications that can benefit from cryogenic tempering.
In this time of economic concern cryogenic tempering has become even more important to the economy. Businesses and consumers alike can enhance the value of financial investments, reducing overall cost of goods and components by dramatically extending their usable life span. General public education extolling the value of cryogenic tempering is only enhancing the value of products subject to this highly valuable materials improving process.
Phone: (509) 270-1786 Email: dmrcryogenics@icehouse.net