Wall Colmonoy has expanded its vacuum brazing capacity with the addition of new vacuum furnaces, supporting the production of aerospace and defense components. The investment is expected to increase capacity for vacuum brazing and vacuum heat treating operations involving stainless steel and nickel-alloy heat exchanger cores and other high-temperature assemblies.
The expansion includes two TITAN H6 vacuum furnaces supplied by Ipsen. One furnace has been installed at Wall Colmonoy’s Oklahoma City facility, while a second unit is scheduled for installation at the company’s Cincinnati location this summer.
The 2-bar vacuum furnace recently installed at the Oklahoma City features a 36″ x 48″ x 36″ graphite hot zone, a 3,000-pound load capacity, a maximum operating temperature of 2400°F (1315°C), and ±10°F temperature uniformity. Designed for high-vacuum brazing, the furnace supports consistent processing of critical components while increasing capacity to meet growing demands.
John Mars Vice President / General Manager, Aerospace and Defense Division Wall Colmonoy
“Due to rapidly increasing stainless steel/nickel alloy heat exchanger core production, we needed to expand high-temperature vacuum brazing capacity,” said John Mars, vice president and general manager for Wall Colmonoy, Aerospace and Defense Division. The Oklahoma City expansion is part of a broader effort to strengthen heat treating and brazing capabilities across Wall Colmonoy’s operations.
Press release is available in its original form here.
IperionX has commissioned new powder metallurgy equipment to expand U.S. titanium component manufacturing capacity, supporting the production of near-net-shape parts for defense, aerospace, and industrial applications. The technology forms titanium preforms that can be sintered and forged into finished components, increasing production flexibility and supporting high-volume manufacturing pathways.
The company announced the commissioning of a 300-ton, six-axis SACMI powder metallurgy press at its Titanium Manufacturing Campus in South Boston, Virginia. The press triples IperionX’s existing powder metallurgy capacity and expands the range of titanium components that can be manufactured domestically using its powder metallurgy technologies.
SACMI powder press at IperionX’s titanium manufacturing campus, Virginia, and examples of complex parts that can be produced by powder metallurgy using IperionX titanium metal powder. | Image Credit: IperionX
The SACMI press provides higher compaction force, multi-axis movement, improved repeatability, and enhanced geometry control compared with conventional uniaxial pressing systems. These capabilities are intended to support programs requiring more complex component designs, tighter process control, and higher-volume production.
The press utilizes titanium powder produced through IperionX’s HAMRTM titanium process and forms neat-net-shape titanium preforms that can then be sintered and forged using the company’s HSPTTM process. Components targeted by the manufacturing platform include fasteners, gears, brackets, actuators, and other titanium parts used in defense, aerospace, industrial markets.
Anastasios (Taso) Arima CEO IperionX Source: IperionX
The six-axis press is capable of up to 24 pressing cycles per minute, equivalent to approximately 11 milion single-cavity parts annually under operation assumptions. The system is also designed to integrate with additional HSPT furnace capacity expected to arrive in June to support customer qualification, low-rate initial production, and the continued scale-up of titanium component manufacturing.
“Titanium is a critical material, but its use has often been limited by cost and supply chain challenges. By combining our U.S.-sourced titanium powder, patented HAMRTM process, powder metallurgy pressing, and HSPTTM sintering and forging, IperionX is building a more scalable platform for domestic titanium manufacturing,” said Anastasios (Taso) Arima, CEO of IperionX.
Press release is available in its original form here. For additional context, watch a short video from IperionX discussing the newly commissioned powder metallurgy press and its planned role in scaling titanium component production embedded above.
A U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer is expanding its heat treat capabilities for bearing components with the addition of vacuum heat treatment processes, including high-pressure gas quenching and low-pressure carburizing. The move supports increasing production capacity, process quality, and operational flexibility.
Image Credit: SECO/WARWICK
SECO/WARWICK has supplied a Vector vacuum furnace equipped with a 15-bar absolute high-pressure gas quenching system that has been customized to meet the client’s requirements by integrating the low-pressure carburizing (LPC) option. With a working zone of 900 mm x 900 mm x 1200 mm (36 in x 36 in x 48 in), the system is designed to process large loads, including parts with critical dimensions, while maintaining cleanliness and parameter repeatability.
The furnace configuration includes a cylindrical heating chamber that ensures temperature uniformity of ±5°C (±10°F). A convection heating system improves heat transfer at lower temperatures, while directional gas quenching enables better process control for components with more complex geometries.
Operating under vacuum conditions, the system helps limit sublimation of alloying elements from the load surface, while the gas quenching system provides a maximum quenching pressure of up to 15 bar abs. It is complemented by the LPC option, enabling precise surface hardening within a single, integrated technological cycle.
Maciej Korecki Vice President of the Vacuum Segment SECO/WARWICK Group
“In this project, the [client] was looking for a solution that would combine a large working area, a short delivery time, and an excellent price-to-performance ratio. Vector meets these expectations, and thanks to the LPC option and advanced quench control, it gives users great flexibility in processing a wide range of components,” emphasizes Maciej Korecki, vice president of the Vacuum Segment at the SECO/WARWICK Group.
The installation enhances the manufacturer’s ability to meet stringent aerospace requirements while increasing throughput for heat treated bearing components used in demanding operating environments.
Press release is available in its original form here.
Wallwork Group is doubling its hot isostatic pressing (HIP) capacity with the installation of a second HIP system to support improved component integrity and performance for aerospace applications.
The expansion at its facility in the United Kingdom supports aerospace components requiring the elimination of internal voids and improved mechanical properties, including parts produced by casting and additive manufacturing.
The new system is supplied by Quintus Technologies, a global manufacturer of high-pressure systems with operations in North America. The installation complements Wallwork’s existing thermal processing capabilities, which include vacuum heat treatment, plasma nitriding, and vacuum brazing, enabling a broader range of metallurgical services under one roof.
HIP processing subjects components to elevated temperature and isostatic gas pressure to remove internal porosity and improve structural integrity. The added capacity is expected to support increasing throughput for aerospace clients, where consistency and material performance are tightly controlled.
The expanded operation positions Wallwork to provide integrated thermal processing services to aerospace manufacturers seeking consolidated supply chains. By combining HIP with other heat treatment and surface engineering processes, the company aims to streamline processing routes and reduce handling between suppliers.
Simeon Collins Group Director Wallwork Group
Wallwork will present its expanded HIP capability and single-source aerospace support offering at FIA2026. “Farnborough 2026 is the ideal platform to show how Wallwork is investing in the future of aerospace manufacturing,” said Simeon Collins, group director of Wallwork. “Our second Quintus HIP significantly expands capacity for our [clients], while our full range of accredited thermal processing, surface engineering, and brazing services gives manufacturers a dependable single-source partner.”
Press release is available in its original form here.
Aerospace firm Velontra is leveraging metal additive manufacturing (AM) technology to support hypersonic propulsion development. Their choice of laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) for rapid prototyping is an AM method that requires post-processing technologies — hot isostatic pressing (HIP) being key to bring these types of AM parts to their full potential.
The original source was published in Metal AM, and the following content has been adapted for our Heat TreatToday audience.
Aerospace firm Velontra is using metal additive manufacturing (AM) technology to advance hypersonic engine development, signaling continued momentum in high-performance propulsion and downstream demand for post-processing capabilities.
Velontra, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based startup, partnered with Innovative 3D Manufacturing, a rapid prototyping company in Franklin, Indiana, to produce propulsion system components using laser power bed fusion (L-PBF) technology from Renishaw. The approach enables rapid prototyping while addressing material use, dimensional tolerances, and cost constraints.
Joel Darin CTO Velontra
“Compact hypersonic propulsion systems are highly sought after by space companies, so, to remain competitive, we must develop parts quickly,” explained Joel Darin, CTO of Velontra. “In aerospace, we know that the best way to learn is by doing things, particularly if you want to be the first to launch a new technology.”
While the focus is on AM production, the resulting components require post-processing to achieve final material properties. Parts produced via L-PBF are typically subjected to stress relief and heat treatment to stabilize microstructures formed during rapid solidification. For high-temperature aerospace alloys, hot isostatic pressing (HIP) may also be applied to reduce internal porosity and improve structural integrity.
This requirement is consistent with broader industry findings for nickel-based superalloys used in propulsion systems. As noted in Dan Herring and Nikolai Alexander’s article published in Heat Treat Today’sAnnual Aerospace Heat Treating magazine (March 2026) covering IN 718 processing, powder bed fusion methods often rely on post-HIP to heal cracks and homogenize the microstructure.
To learn more about why HIP is critical for AM superalloys, read this overview of IN 718 heat treatment.Explore this look at emerging technologies to learn more about how HIP is scaling with AM.
As adoption of AM expands in aerospace applications, supporting technologies such as heat treating and HIP are expected to scale alongside it. Industry perspectives highlighted in Heat Treat Today’sMedical & Energy Heat Treat magazine (December 2025) indicate that HIP capabilities are evolving in response to increased demand from additive manufacturing and advanced materials development.
The integration of AM with post-processing underscores the role of heat treating in enabling next-generation propulsion systems, where component performance under extreme conditions remains a key requirement.
Press release is available in its original form here. Main image shows the additively manufactured afterburner casing for the hypersonic propulsion system with several components combined into one part. | Image Credit: Renishaw
RTX’sPratt & Whitney, a North American aerospace manufacturer headquartered in East Hartford, Connecticut, is investing $100 million to expand production capacity through advanced manufacturing processes, including heat treatment of forged engine components, to support increased output of commercial and military aircraft engines. The expansion is expected to strengthen supply for aerospace programs and improve throughput of critical engine parts used across global aviation fleets.
The investment will be made at the company’s facility in Rzeszów, Poland, where operations will be expanded to include additional processing capabilities and production capacity. The site supports manufacturing for several engine programs. including GTF™, F135, and F100 platforms, which serve both commercial aviation and defense applications.
Piotr Owsicki General Manager Pratt & Whitney Rzeszów
The expansion is intended to address growing global demand for aircraft engines and related components. “This investment reflects our continued commitment to increase production capacity for our [clients] and deliver more, faster,” said Piotr Owsicki, general manager of Pratt & Whitney Rzeszów. The capital project, expected to be fully operational by 2028, will enable a 30% increase in output of critical engine parts such as rotating compressor and turbine disks.
Press release is available in its original form here.
An aircraft engine manufacturer has purchased a custom-built vacuum induction melting (VIM) furnace to support the production of equiaxed (EQ) turbine blade castings for aircraft engines. The furnace enables melting in a controlled vacuum environment, with unique and intuitive control systems that help improve metallurgical consistency.
A tailor-made vacuum induction melting (VIM) furnace | Image Credit: SECO/WARWICKEarl Good Managing Director, Retech Vice President of Vacuum Metallurgy Segment, SECO/WARWICK Group
The system is a two-chamber 50 kg VIM induction furnace supplied by SECO/WARWICK, a global manufacturer of thermal processing equipment with operations in North America. It was engineered as a tailored solution with configuration and technical parameters adapted to the client’s production needs. “The furnace has a non-standard design in which the mold elevator was replaced with a special trolley that moves horizontally on rails. Thanks to this solution, the furnace fits perfectly into the available space without any impact on its performance,” said Earl Good, managing director of RETECH, a company within the SECO/WARWICK Group, and vice president of the Vacuum Metallurgy Segment at SECO/WARWICK Group.
The system includes a control platform for casting processes, temperature control, and comprehensive data acquisition, delivering the repeatability and throughput essential to the aerospace industry. Its two-chamber design and pumping system allow for continuous operation, and the furnace can be equipped with a mold heater to maintain thermal conditions for the casting mold.
The use of VIM furnaces continues across aerospace applications, where vacuum metallurgy supports the aerospace industry’s constantly changing production needs.
Press release is available in its original form here.
Boeing is adding vacuum furnace capacity at its Tube, Duct and Reservoir Center in Algona, Washington, to expand in-house heat treating capability for aerospace tube and duct assemblies. The investment is intended to address production needs across commercial and defense aerospace programs.
Dave Farmery, president and COO of Vac Aero, speaks at the CP8A Poseidon ITB commitment event on April 2, 2026. | Image Credit: Bolour Studio, courtesy of BoeingAl Meinzinger President Boeing Canada
The investment is part of Boeing’s Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) commitments tied to Canada’s CP8A Poseidon aircraft program, which includes a multi-million dollar investment in Vac Aero International to strengthen aerospace manufacturing capabilities in Canada.
“We are pleased to support Vac Aero with the purchase of this new equipment for our Fabrication facility, which serves our commercial programs and select space and defense work,” said Al Meinzinger, president of Boeing Canada. “This ITB investment underscores Boeing’s commitment to Canada following the CP8A Poseidon selection and to modern manufacturing and Canadian small businesses in our global supply chain.”
The expansion includes the installation of two vacuum furnaces for vacuum heat treating and annealing of complex tube and duct assemblies at Boeing’s Algona facility. The furnaces, sized at 60″ x 90″ and 60″ x 60″, will be dedicated assets supporting Boeing’s aerospace manufacturing operations for multiple airplane programs.
The furnaces will be co-located within a single heat treat area, a configuration expected to free up approximately 300 square feet of production space. The equipment is scheduled to be ready for use in April 2027.
Press release is available in its original form here. Additional details provided by Boeing.
Solar Atmospheres has provided thermal processing services for materials and components used in the Artemis II mission, supporting aerospace applications that require precise control of material properties and performance under extreme conditions.
Image Credit: Solar Atmospheres
The heat treater specializes in thermal processing of a range of materials, including raw stock, nickel-based tubing, and other aerospace components that play a vital role in bringing next-generation space technology to life.
Click on the image above to learn more about high-temperature materials used in space applications.
At the core of some of these components is the 6AI-4V titanium Launch Abort System (LAS), which is a complex safety system. The LAS aboard the Orion spacecraft functions as a rocket capable of outrunning another rocket in an emergency. In the event of a catastrophic launch anomaly, its manifold enables the abort motor to ignite and safely propel the crew module away from the rocket.
Components used in these applications must meet strict requirements for precision and reliability, with little margin for error in performance.
Press release is available in its original form here.
Vacu-Braze, a commercial heat treater specializing in vacuum heat treating and brazing, has added a large-capacity nitriding furnace to support processing of oversized components requiring enhanced surface hardness, wear resistance, and fatigue performance.
The furnace features a working chamber of 48″ in diameter and 108″ in depth, more than doubling the company’s current processing volume. It can accommodate larger workloads while meeting AMS2759/6 requirements for aerospace nitriding applications that require strict control of compound layer formation, case depth, and process uniformity.
In addition to conventional gas nitriding, the new furnace enables ferritic nitrocarburizing, providing an additional surface engineering option in many alloy steels. Along with advanced pyrometry and temperature uniformity controls, these features ensure compliance with AMS2750 for critical applications.
With this addition, Vacu-Braze can process a broader range of part sizes while maintaining process control and consistency.
Press release is available in its original form here.
