Press Releases Conforma Clad Expands Power Generation Applications New Albany, IN — (July 7, 2004) Conforma Clad Inc., a leading provider of severe wear solutions for metal components, introduces infiltration brazed tungsten carbide protection for shaft seal sleeves, burner components, and boiler tubes used in coal-fired power plants. Infiltration brazing is used to bond tungsten carbide to the base material forming a hard, uniform protective cladding that provides wear resistance against abrasion, erosion, corrosion, and thermal shock. Conforma Clad’s shaft seal sleeves are effective in both mechanical seals and standard packing seals, where pump failures caused by severe wear are persistent problems. Tungsten carbide cladding is metallurgically bonded to outside diameter (OD) and inside diameter (ID) sleeve surfaces. Surfaces are diamond ground to accommodate fine finishes and tight tolerances. Diameter ranges from 3/4" to 12", and length ranges from 1/2" to 30" are available. The direct cladding of burner tips, nozzles, and barrels, and custom shields for barrel and burner inlet pant legs are also available with Conforma Clad tungsten carbide. These applications are used to protect burner components from severe erosion, even in the presence of thermal shock. Conforma Clad offers protection for burner components produced by Riley Power Inc., The Babcock & Wilcox Company, Foster Wheeler Corporation, ALSTOM, Advanced Boiler Technology Group (ABT), and other prominent manufacturers. Conforma Clad protected boiler tubes installed in erosive areas, including gas paths and soot blower lanes, provide greater erosion resistance than stainless steel and nickel alloy castings alone. The tube cladding also has a high coefficient of heat transfer and is able to withstand severe thermal shock. Conforma Clad’s proprietary technology has been used in coal-fired power plants for 15 years, extending the life of burners, gas fans, thermowells, ash conveyance equipment, pitot tubes and pulverizer components. Conforma Clad Inc. is a leading provider of severe wear solutions for applications involving extreme abrasion, corrosion and erosion. Conforma Clad’s proprietary process uses infiltration brazing to bond tungsten carbide to the base material of steel parts, producing a hard, uniform protective cladding that is both extremely wear resistant and very durable. It is the major supplier of radial bearings used in directional drilling for oil and gas. For the plastic and food industries, Conforma Clad provides wear resistant extruder barrels, liners, screws, and dies. Among the products provided for coal-fired power plants are fan blades and liners, and components for burners, pulverizers, and ash conveyance. Conforma Clad, which has been in operation since 1981, is based in New Albany, Indiana.