KVA Stainless...The New Lightweight, High-Strength Stainless Steel for Bicylces

April 5, 2010 - PRLog -- Already proven by KVA Stainless in other industries, patented KVA martensitic stainless structural tubing can now be integrated into high performance bicycle frames to reduce weight, increase strength and stiffness, at a significant cost decreases over competitive materials.

KVA Stainless has spent over 4 years and thousands of hours developing and validating their proprietary and patented processes for reducing weight while increasing the strength of Martensitic stainless steels, says Douglas Gore, VP of Sales.  These new, cutting-edge technologies have allowed KVA Stainless to promote a martensitic stainless steel alloys that can be manufactured into tubing, pipes or structural components that rivals the strength of titanium but is lower in cost and more durable, making it suitable for many industrial applications.

Samples of a Ford F150 tow hook were manufactured using KVA’s technology. The new tow hook weighed 50% less and was 17% stronger.  Danny Codd, chief engineer at KVA Stainless, explained that high strength structural shapes can now be integrated into high performance structural assemblies to reduce weight, increase strength and stiffness. Codd outlined a number of components such as vehicle frames, support structures, chassis cross members, bumper beams, suspension control arms, sub-frames, side impact beams, roof rails, etc. could be manufactured using KVA’s technology. Codd stated, “The automotive industry is a perfect fit for our technology. We can increase the strength of the structure to protect the riders, while reducing the overall weight of the vehicle, which results in increased gas mileage.”

KVA's patented technology controls the welding process to rapidly make welds without this brittleness, says Codd. This opens up martensitic steel to markets previously thought impractical such as lightweight automotive components & structures, gas & oil production/pipelines, aviation components & structures, medical devices, bike frames, golf shafts, lacrosse sticks, heat exchangers, bridge structures, dairy, petrochemical & processing equipment, solar water heaters, train/rail cars, etc..

KVA is presently selling its new lightweight, high strength tubing into the bicycle market.

Technology roots

The founder of KVA Stainless, Ed McCrink, along with the scientific team has over 60 years combined experience in thermal processing, metallurgy, automated welding, brazing and mechanical design. McCrink is accomplished in the world of stainless steel for his business and technological innovations.

KVA was founded several years ago by McCrink and is becoming a leader in stainless steel research and development.  McCrink has continuously pursued his vision of utilizing commonly available, low cost martensitic stainless steels to reduce weight and increase strength in components and structures.

For more information, visit www.kvastainless.com or call 760-489-5821

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KVA Stainless is an engineering and research company that also manufactures seam welded tubing. KVA has spent years developing and patenting it’s technologies around air hardenable martensitic stainless steels and other hardenable ferrous alloys.