A Virginia titanium manufacturer has commissioned additional hydrogen sintering and phase transformation (HSPT) capacity and begun production sintering of titanium components for U.S. defense and commercial programs. The expanded operation combines HSPT sintering with heat treatment and downstream finishing as production scales for fasteners and other engineered titanium components.
IperionX commissioned the first of two additional Elnik HSPT sintering furnaces at its Virginia operation during the quarter ended September 30. The furnace completed its first production sintering cycles on titanium fasteners and track pins, relieving what the company identified as a downstream manufacturing constraint. A second furnace has been installed and is scheduled for commissioning during the December quarter.
The company’s fastener production route includes uniaxial pressing, HSPT sintering, THRM heat treatment, finish machining, and thread rolling. IperionX reported producing 1,500 fasteners, with further production scaling for U.S. Army and commercial programs.
The production milestone follows the U.S. Army task order reported by Heat Treat Today in September. The $18.5 million base award supports expansion of domestic titanium component manufacturing, including continuous and industrial-scale HSPT and dehydrogenation furnace capacity and in-house fastener finishing equipment.
Under its defense programs, IperionX has continued manufacturing titanium track pins for American Rheinmetall Vehicles and secured a follow-on purchase order from the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center for titanium fasteners for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and associated trailer. Independent testing found that the titanium fasteners exceeded SAE Grade 8 steel torque-to-yield performance.
Press release is available in its original form here.
