Custom Carbon & Graphite Machining

15 Oct

5 Ways Custom Graphite Machining Enhances Industrial Productivity

The manufacturing environment is and has always been competitive. As a manufacturing company ourselves, we know at Semco that every advantage matters. Companies constantly seek ways to streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve output quality. For example, we have written here about Semco's pursuit and achievement of ISO-9001 certification, a process which led us to find new strengths and efficiencies in our graphite machining operation. We have also written extensively about our use of CNC machining. For many manufacturers, custom graphite machining offers multiple pathways to enhanced productivity that many manufacturers overlook. Unlike off-the-shelf components that force processes to adapt...

02 Oct

Graphite Electrodes: Boosting Productivity in Electric Arc Furnaces

Electric arc furnaces (EAFs) have become the backbone of modern steel production, particularly for recycling scrap steel into new products. At the heart of every EAF operation are graphite electrodes—massive carbon conductors whose electrical conductivity and thermal resistance create the intense heat needed to melt steel efficiently while enabling reduced energy consumption. Understanding how these electrodes function and impact productivity helps explain why steel mills invest so heavily in electrode quality and performance. The Role of Graphite Electrodes in Steel Production Electric arc furnaces work by passing enormous electrical currents through graphite electrodes to create electric arcs between the electrodes...

30 Sep

Graphite Coatings: Benefits and Industrial Uses

When equipment operates in extreme environments—high temperatures, corrosive conditions, or situations requiring low friction and dry lubrication—traditional protective coatings often fail. And let’s be honest--what industrial equipment doesn’t operate in an extreme environment? It is in such environments that graphite coating technology proves invaluable. Graphite offers unique properties like dry lubrication and corrosive resistance that make it a favored material in numerous industrial applications. For many of these applications, synthetic graphite components are standard. However, graphite coatings are sometimes used on other materials, from steel to plastics, to enhance the performance or durability of the underlying material. Below, we’ll take...

22 Sep

Understanding the Properties of Graphite for Aerospace Applications

The aerospace industry demands materials that can perform reliably in the most extreme conditions imaginable. All rocket science jokes aside, there is little room for error in aerospace engineering and only the most formidable materials make their way into aerospace applications. From the intense heat of rocket engine combustion to the electromagnetic interference challenges in modern avionics, aerospace engineers need materials with exceptional properties. Graphite, with its unique combination of characteristics, has become indispensable in aerospace applications ranging from rocket nozzle components to lightweight carbon fiber structures. Lightweight Yet Strong Weight matters (like, really matters) in aerospace applications, where every...

11 Sep

Advancements in Graphite Recycling : What You Need to Know

The Importance of Graphite RecyclingA question we often hear from customers: is graphite renewable? While graphite isn't renewable in the traditional sense—it's a carbon material formed over millions of years—the good news is that graphite can be recycled and reused effectively. As demand for graphite batteries and other applications continues to surge, recycling has become important for graphite producers facing supply chain challenges and sustainability pressures. Recycling regulations in most places don’t stipulate that graphite must be recycled, but the graphite market has made recycling not just a priority for the environmentally minded, but also for the bottom lines of businesses...