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Bonal Technologies, Inc. BBB Business Review
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Bonal Technologies, Inc. is a Leading Provider of Equipment and Processes for Sub-Harmonic Vibratory Stress Relief

Bonal Technologies, located in Royal Oak, MI, provides a complete variety of consulting, training, program design, and metal stress relief services to various industries including: automotive, aerospace, mining, petroleum, shipbuilding, welding, machine tool, plastic molding, racing, engine building, armament and die casting.

Bonal's patented technology and its three distinct product lines: (1) Meta-Lax Stress Relief, (2) Pulse Puddle Arc Welding (PPAW), and (3) Black Magic are sold throughout the U.S. and in over 51 other countries.

Major Accomplishments

  • The development of the technology that could produce successful (effective and consistent) stress relief results in comparison to heat treat stress relief.
  • Receiving patents on its sub-harmonic vibratory stress relief process.
  • Seeing the Meta-Lax process written into manufacturing specifications by many major organizations, including automotive companies, aerospace components manufacturers, and government defense branches.
  • Seeing Meta-Lax processed workpieces set new quality standards for accuracy and performance in almost every sector of the metalworking industry.

A Brief History

In the late 1960s, August G. Hebel Jr. and A. George Hebel III of Bonal Corporation developed the Sub-Harmonic technology that Meta-Lax utilizes. At the time, the Bonal Corporation was a planermill machine shop.

The Hebels found that all available vibratory stress relief equipment was only reliable from 40-50% of the time. These findings were very discouraging to other companies who had the same results. However, the Hebels did not give up on the concept altogether. They researched and experimented with vibratory processing, searching for a way to achieve 100% reliability.

The Hebels discovered that to get successful stress relief results when using vibrational energy two key principles must be followed: Sub-Harmonic energy must be used, and the harmonic curve of a stressed part would “shift” frequency from an unnatural frequency to its natural frequency as the part is relieved of stress.

Through several inventions, innovations, and patents, Bonal developed a process that would measure the harmonic curve and provide the 100% success rate that the Hebels originally envisioned. They named their Sub-Harmonic process "Meta-Lax:" (Metal Relaxation). Meta-Lax quickly became the leader in vibratory stress relief and provided the industry with its first attractive alternative to heat-treat stress relief for widespread use.

Soon after, Meta-Lax technology brought about a new breakthrough for the fabrication industry. Through a specialized process called Meta-Lax Weld Conditioning, welders were able to do something they could never do before: weld a part while inducing negligible stress. It was also found that Meta-Lax Weld Conditioning yielded several other benefits to welders and their products.

To manufacture and market Meta-Lax, a separate company, Bonal Technologies, Inc. was formed. Later it became a public company as a subsidiary of Bonal International.

Today Meta-Lax equipment is sold throughout the U.S. and in 51 foreign countries through a network of national and international distributorships.

See Complete History

Other Bonal Products

Besides the standard Meta-Lax equipment line, Bonal manufactures two other product lines: Pulse Puddle Arc Welding (PPAW), designed exclusively for weld conditioning and Black Magic - The Ultimate Distortion Controller, to treat small parts that weigh less than 300lbs.

Learn More About Meta-Lax®

About Meta-Lax For Stress Relief For Weld Conditioning Case Studies Research
Meta-Lax® Vibratory Stress Relief Equipment from Bonal Technologies, Inc. - meta-lax-logo

Technology Pioneered in 1969

The Proven Alternative to Heat Treat Stress Relief

United States Department of Energy seal

Meta-Lax is a proven substitute for 80% to 90% of heat-treatment stress relief in metal-working applications. It improves the inconsistencies of the previous resonant-vibration technology by using more efficient, more consistent "sub-harmonic" vibrational energy, which is the optimum vibration stress relief frequency. U.S. Department of Energy
The Future of Stress Relief is Here
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