After receiving his
Master of Science degree in 1916, Udy accepted a position at the United States Smelting, Mining and Refining Company in
Midvale, Utah. While there, he focused his research on
cadmium production. From November 1918 to November 1919, Udy was chief
chemist for the
Haynes Stellite Company of
Kokomo, Indiana. Udy worked on the treatment of
cobalt ores from
Idaho and on manufacturing processes for
stellite. During this period, Udy developed a method of plating piano wire with
cadmium. In 1919, Udy founded the Udylite Process Company in
Kokomo, Indiana with Frank C. Nicholson and William A Wissler to explore for and mine metals "of all kinds." Udy perfected his
rustproofing process for
steel and
iron. The Udylite Process Company was sold in 1921 and became the Udylite Company. In November 1919, Udy went west to
Leesburg, Idaho, to manage the
Haynes Stellite Company's cobalt mine. After completing his work at
Swann, Udy returned to
Niagara Falls, New York in 1934 as an
engineer for Oldbury Electrochemical Company. He continued his research into the production of
phosphorus. Udy designed an
electric smelting furnace that allowed smelteries to extract
chromium,
copper,
zinc, and
manganese from low-grade ore. To convert a variety of grades and types of iron ores into semi-refined
steel, Udy invented the Strategic-Udy process for Strategic Materials Corp. Using this new process, Udy was able to bypass the
blast furnace, coke oven, and
open hearth furnace that traditionally had been used for this purpose. Strategic Materials Corp. subsequently formed two new companies, Strategic-Udy Metallurgical and Chemical Processes, Ltd., in
Niagara Falls, Ontario, and the Strategic-Udy Processes, Inc., in
Niagara Falls, New York. The
New York plant focused on industrial research while the
Ontario installation operated as an experimental plant with a prototype
electric furnace. George Dubpernell incorrectly stated that Udy had copied the prior work of Dr. Colin G. Fink relating to discoveries involving the electrodepositing of chromium. In 1925, Fink had documented and patented a process of electrodepositing chromium in 1926. Udy's documentation proved that Udy had begun development of the process in 1922 and had completed his work in December 1923. In 1936, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit determined that "the evidence clearly establishes prior invention of the essential principles by Marvin J. Udy," and concluded that Udy's patent application should have been granted rather than Fink's. The court further determined that Fink's patent "must be held invalid."
Senate hearings on minerals, materials and fuels In March 1958, Udy was called to
Washington, D.C. as an expert witness to testify before the
United States Senate Subcommittee on Minerals, Materials and Fuels. The purpose of the hearings was to determine how best
Congress could support the reestablishment of the mining and minerals industries in the
United States, reduce unemployment in
United States' mines and keep the
United States' mineral extractive industries a meaningful part of the mobilization base necessary for national security. ==Community service==