AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS

Vacuum Arc Remelting Supports Aerospace Casting

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FOUNDRY CASTING NEWS, TITANIUM PROCESSING NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

A titanium casting manufacturer is expanding its vacuum melting capacity with the installation of a vacuum arc remelting consumable casting furnace, increasing capacity for near-net-shape titanium components serving the aerospace industry. The investment is intended to improve production lead times while supporting growing demand for titanium castings used in high-performance applications.

Castings Technology chooses Retech VAR. | Image Credit: SECO/WARWICK Group

Castings Technology, the United Kingdom’s only commercial titanium casting specialist, selected a VAR Consumable Caster (VAR-CC) furnace from Retech, a global vacuum metallurgy company within the SECO/WARWICK Group based in North America. The furnace will be installed at the company’s new 18,000-square-meter facility, where it will be used to cast titanium ingots into ceramic molds.

Richard Cook
Managing Director
Castings Technology

“The delivery of the new VAR furnace will help us fulfill the growing needs of our exacting client base,” said Richard Cook, managing director of Castings Technology. “Due to dynamic growth and significant constraints within our current facility, we are in the process of relocating to a new site of about 18,000 square meter just a short distance away. The relocation is on plan, with a period of parallel operation continuing throughout 2026 to fully mitigate any risk to our clients’ programs.”

The new furnace is expected to support increased demand for titanium, especially from the aerospace sector, where backlogs have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Titanium’s high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance have made it a widely used material across many sectors, including aerospace, motorsport, medical prosthetics, restorative dentistry, and high-duty rotating equipment. Near-net-shape titanium casting also provides mechanical properties comparable to forged or wrought material while increasing fatigue resistance.

Press release is available in its original form here.

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Defense Funding Backs US Titanium Production

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, SINTERING POWDER METAL NEWS, TITANIUM PROCESSING NEWS

Federal funding will support expanded domestic production of titanium plate and large-format titanium components for defense applications, helping strengthen U.S. manufacturing capacity for mission-critical materials. The initiative supports efforts to scale advanced titanium processing technologies that reduce reliance on conventional production routes while increasing supply chain resilience for aerospace, defense, and other strategic industries.

IperionX, an American titanium metal and critical materials company, has been awarded up to $6.8 million through the U.S. Department of War’s Office of the Secretary of War-Submarine Workforce and Industrial Base (OSW-SWIB) program to expand manufacturing capabilities at its Titanium Manufacturing Campus in Virginia. The award is part of a broader, multi-organization effort to increase domestic production of high-performance titanium alloy products, including ballistic-grade titanium plate for land and maritime defense platforms.

The project will be completed in two phases. An initial $200,000 will fund project scoping and testing. Pending successful completion of Phase 1, IperionX expects to receive an additional $6.4 million to expand the manufacturing capacity and purchase capital equipment for its Virginia facility.

Conventional titanium plate production involves multiple thermal and metallurgical processing steps, including sponge production, vacuum melting and remelting, ingot or slab casting, breakdown forging, hot rolling, repeated annealing, and final surface conditioning. These processes contribute to long production lead times, high capital and energy requirements, and material yield losses.

IperionX’s patented titanium technologies are designed to simplify and shorten this production route. Its proprietary HAMR™ process can produce low-cost titanium powder from titanium materials or recycled titanium while its HSPT™ and THRM™ technologies processes hydrogen-enabled thermodynamics and powder metallurgy processing to deliver high-performance, wrought-like titanium properties without reliance on conventional melt-remelt-forge pathway.

Anastasios (Taso) Arima
CEO
IperionX
Source: IperionX

Together, these technologies support IperionX’s powder-to-plate titanium manufacturing platform, which aims to reduce process steps, improve material utilization, lower energy consumption, and strengthen domestic supply-chain resilience. “By combining lower-cost titanium feedstocks with our patented HAMR™, HSPT™ and THRM™ technologies, we are developing a more efficient domestic manufacturing platform for high-performance titanium plate and components,” said Taso Arima, CEO of IperionX.

The project is a systematic metallurgical study to demonstrate how THRM/HSPT microstructural engineering can be used to achieve ballistic performance. It complements separately DoW-funded IperionX programs for powder-to-plate production. Together, these DoW-funded activities provide an alternative pathway that has the potential to reduce the U.S. dependency on imported titanium sponge.

Press release is available in its original form here.

Defense Funding Backs US Titanium Production Read More »

HIP Capacity Expansion Planned for Garden Grove Facility

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, HIPING NEWS

Kittyhawk Inc., a commercial provider of hot isostatic pressing (HIP) services, has placed a purchase order for a new HIP vessel at its facility in Garden Grove, California. The planned investment is intended to expand processing capacity for commercial aerospace, space, defense, and other industries that rely on HIP technology to improve material performance and component integrity.

The new vessel will complement Kittyhawk’s existing HIP operations and support growing client demand across critical manufacturing sectors. The company provides HIP processing services through facilities in California and Oregon.

Brandon Creason
CEO
Kittyhawk Inc.

“This new vessel is another step in our ongoing investment in long-term growth. As demand continues to increase, we want to make sure our [clients] have access to the HIP services they need when they need them,” said Brandon Creason, CEO of Kittyhawk.

The vessel will measure 46 inches in diameter by 100 inches high. Once operational, the additional system is expected to help reduce production bottlenecks, support faster turnaround times, and meet evolving needs of clients operating in highly regulated and performance-driven markets.

Press release is available in its original form here.

HIP Capacity Expansion Planned for Garden Grove Facility Read More »

Fringe Friday: Buffalo Project Supports Advanced Materials Processing

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, SINTERING POWDER METAL NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

We’re celebrating getting to the “fringe” of the weekend with a Heat Treat Fringe Friday installment: the completion of a strategic investment project at a U.S. vacuum metallurgy facility highlights ongoing efforts to expand plasma gas atomization (PGA) and advanced materials processing capabilities. The project reflects continued investment in the infrastructure behind high-performance manufacturing.

While not exactly heat treat, “Fringe Friday” deals with interesting developments in one of our key markets: aerospace, automotive, medical, energy, or general manufacturing.

A strategic investment in vacuum metallurgy and advanced materials processing capabilities has been completed in the U.S., expanding capacity for plasma gas atomization and manufacturing operations serving aerospace, defense, energy, medical, and specialty materials sectors.

SECO/WARWICK concludeds Retech’s Strategic Investment Project in the U.S. | Image Credit: Retech

SECO/WARWICK and Retech marked the completion of the project during a ceremony at Retech’s facility in Buffalo, New York. Attendees of this milestone event to commemorate the expansion of Retech’s capabilities included representatives from PFR TFI, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Congress.

The event program included presentations on the growth of the SECO/WARWICK Group, the company’s operations in the United States, Retech’s technological capabilities, and the results of the investment project. Participants also toured Retech’s laboratories and technological facilities, where the Group’s U.S. company presented its processes and solutions. The investment expands Retech’s infrastructure, research, and technology base to support client needs across industrial markets.

Earl Good
Managing Director
Retech Systems, LLC
Source: Retech

“This project is strategically important for Retech. It enables us to expand our technological capabilities, develop our laboratory resources, and respond even more effectively to the needs of [clients] operating in the most demanding industries. Buffalo is an important point on the U.S. industrial map, and Retech, as part of the SECO/WARWICK Group, combines American engineering expertise with the organization’s global potential,” emphasized Earl Good, managing director of Retech.

The project was co-financed by the Foreign Expansion Fund 2 FIZ AN. As part of the cooperation, Retech secured a long-term $10 million loan from the Fund for the development of metal powder production technology, including the development and installation of plasma gas atomizer (PGA) furnaces and the expansion of manufacturing and assembly operations. The investment was undertaken to support continued growth in advanced metallurgical technologies and related markets.

Image Credit: SECO/WARWICK Group

Press release is available in its original form here.
Main image shows the shop floor at Retech’s headquarters in Buffalo, New York. Image Credit: Retech

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Ohio Facility Opens for HIP Processing

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, HIPING NEWS

Isostatic Toll Services (ITS) has opened a new hot isostatic pressing (HIP) facility in Ohio, expanding certified thermal processing capacity for aerospace, defense, additive manufacturing, and advanced industrial applications. The new operation adds HIP processing capability to the company’s global network, supporting clients with additional capacity, scheduling flexibility, and supply-chain resilience.

Located in Mount Vernon, Ohio, the new ITS-Ohio facility joins the company’s existing operations in Bilbao, Spain, and Mississippi. All ITS facilities operate under Nadcap accreditation and AS9100D certification, providing HIP processing services for aerospace and other high-performance components.

The Ohio facility adds large-format and high-pressure HIP capability, including systems capable of processing components up to 44″ in diameter by 100″ in height at pressures up to 25,000 PSI. The facility is equipped with HIP systems manufactured by American Isostatic Presses, Inc. (AIP), based in Columbus, Ohio.

“Our investment in Ohio reflects our commitment to supporting [clients] with certified capacity, responsive service, and direct technical engagement,” said Tyler Persaud, general manager of ITS-Ohio. “The addition of ITS-Ohio strengthens our global network and positions us to meet growing demand across aerospace, additive manufacturing, and advanced industrial markets.”

ITS-Ohio has achieved Nadcap accreditation, AS9100D certification, and client approvals, including approval from Rolls-Royce, enabling the facility to support qualification programs and production requirements.

Press release is available in its original form here.
The main image shows the shop floor at the ITS-Ohio facility in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Image Credit: ITS-Ohio

Ohio Facility Opens for HIP Processing Read More »

New Furnaces Boost Vacuum Brazing Capacity

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, BRAZING NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

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.

New Furnaces Boost Vacuum Brazing Capacity Read More »

Powder Metallurgy Press Strengthens Titanium Component Production

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, SINTERING POWDER METAL NEWS, TITANIUM PROCESSING NEWS

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.

Powder Metallurgy Press Strengthens Titanium Component Production Read More »

New Vacuum Furnace Supports Aerospace Heat Treating at U.S. Facility

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, CARBURIZING NEWS, HARDENING NEWS, QUENCHING NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

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.

New Vacuum Furnace Supports Aerospace Heat Treating at U.S. Facility Read More »

HIP Capacity Expansion Targets Aerospace Demand

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, HIPING NEWS

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.

HIP Capacity Expansion Targets Aerospace Demand Read More »

AM Drives Hypersonic Engine Development Demand

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, HIPING NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

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 Treat Today 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’s Annual 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’s Medical & 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

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