HIPING NEWS Archives

Research at Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center Advances with HIP Technology

When the new additive research facility at the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center Research & Development (OMIC R&D) opens in Scappoose, Oregon, the facility will acquire a hot isostatic press. Operating at a temperature of 2550°F (1400°C) and a pressure of up to 30,000 psi (2070 bar), the new press will give OMIC researchers the ability to study densification of metals as well as how HPHT can modify the grain structure to enhance the mechanical properties of additively manufactured parts.

Overseen by Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech), a public polytechnic university, OMIC R&D is a collaborative effort that brings together industry and higher education with government support to conduct applied research and advanced technical training. Its mission is to increase industrial competitiveness by developing new tools and techniques to address today’s manufacturing challenges, particularly in the aerospace and defense, transportation, and metals sectors.

The Quintus Technologies HIP, a QIH 48 M URC® press, will allow new research into 3D printing technology and optimized material properties. The press model is equipped with Uniform Rapid Cooling, URC®, the proprietary Quintus feature that combines HIP and heat treatment in a single process. Accelerated cooling under pressure minimizes thermal distortion and improves material properties. The QIH 48 also has a hot zone of 14.8 inches (375 mm) in diameter and 47.2 inches (1200 mm) in height.

“For OMIC R&D to fulfill our mission, we must have world-class cutting-edge capabilities to support our applied research & development projects. We accomplish this by partnering with some of the best companies in the world in their respective fields and identifying and utilizing their unique technologies and expertise. Our solutions can be implemented by regional, national, and international partners to increase their competitiveness,” says Craig Campbell, executive director at OMIC. “We chose Quintus as a partner because the company is continually innovating, and developing new processes such as High Pressure Heat Treatment, or HPHT.”

The press will be housed in OMIC’s new 30,000-square-foot additive manufacturing innovation center in Scappoose, approximately 20 miles north of Portland. Scheduled for ground-breaking in late 2021 and occupancy in 2022, the facility will be adjacent to the Portland Community College/OMIC Training Center, which serves students in machining, fabrication, and mechatronics.

“Today’s globally competitive manufacturing industry demands rapid innovations in advanced manufacturing technologies to produce complex, high-performance products at low cost,” observes Dr. Mostafa Saber, associate professor of Manufacturing & Mechanical Engineering Technology at Oregon Tech. “To conduct world-class, competitive research on new high-performance metal alloys, long-lasting tools, and rapid production of complex metal structures, especially in additive manufacturing, materials densification plays a pivotal role. And that is where the advanced generation of hot isostatic pressing offers the solution. We are very excited to leverage the advantageous features offered by Quintus Technologies soon at OMIC R&D.”

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HIP Deepens Expertise in High-Performance Materials

April 9, 2021 / FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES, HIPING NEWS

The Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM in Dresden has received a hot isostatic press. This HIP technology will permit researchers to deepen their expertise and refine processes for pressure-supported heat treatment, used to maximize theoretical density, ductility, and fatigue resistance in high-performance materials.

Applications for the new system from Quintus Technologies include the hot isostatic pressing and heat treatment of specialty materials such as nickel-based superalloys and intermetallic compounds like titanium aluminides, as well as densification of the unconventional microstructures associated with additive manufacturing (AM).

Dr. Thomas Weißgärber
Director of the Branch Lab
Fraunhofer IFAM
Source: ifam.fraunhofer.de

The QIH 15L is equipped with Quintus’s Uniform Rapid Quenching® (URQ®) technology, which achieves a cooling rate of 103K/minute, while minimizing thermal distortion and non-uniform grain growth for finished 3D printed parts with optimal material properties. The press’s furnace chamber has a diameter of 6.69 inches (170 mm) and a height of 11.4 inches (290 mm) and operates at a maximum pressure of 200 [207] MPa (30,000 psi) and a maximum temperature of 2,552°F (1,400°C).

Acquiring the Quintus HIP allows Fraunhofer IFAM researchers to “strengthen their technological expertise in the field of pressure-supported heat treatment,” comments Dr. Thomas Weißgärber, director of the Branch Lab at Fraunhofer IFAM. “The new system is not only used for R&D projects but is also available as a service for carrying out predefined HIP cycles.”

The press model QIH 15L incorporates heat treatment and cooling in a single process known as High Pressure Heat Treatment™ (HPHT™). HPHT combines stress-relief annealing, HIP, high-temperature solution-annealing (SA), high pressure gas quenching (HPGQ), and subsequent ageing or precipitation hardening (PH) in one integrated furnace cycle.

Jan Söderström
CEO
Quintus Technologies
Heat Treat Today

Consolidating these multiple steps in the HIP process brings several benefits for Fraunhofer IFAM. Several functions can be performed in a single location with fewer pieces of equipment on the production line. The Quintus press produces fast throughput and high work piece quality. It also enhances efficiency and reduces per-unit processing costs while generating savings in space, energy, and infrastructure.

“We have noted exceptional interest in new approaches that improve quality, lower cost, and reduce environmental impacts,” says Jan Söderström, CEO of Quintus Technologies. “HPHT is rapidly emerging as the go-to post-processing path to lean AM operations, and we are delighted to be working with Fraunhofer IFAM as its talented researchers expand the potential for high pressure heat treatment.”

The new system will be installed in the Innovation Center Additive Manufacturing ICAM® of Fraunhofer IFAM Dresden, where various technologies for additive manufacturing are a major focus.

(source: background image from ifam.fraunhofer.de and Quintus HIP image from Quintus Technologies)

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Strategic Heat Treat Partnership to Open Options for Customers

October 23, 2020 / FEATURED NEWS, HEAT TREAT NEWS INDUSTRIES, HIPING NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

A recent strategic partnership between a North American commercial heat treater and a hot isostatic pressing service provider will open up more immediate options for heat treating customers.

Solar Atmospheres of California, providing vacuum heat treating services, and Kittyhawk, offering hot isostatic pressing (HIP) services for the aerospace, commercial, military, medical, automotive, firearms and oil and gas industries, will partner to offer heat treating and hot isostatic pressing services.

“This partnership,” says Brandon Creason, president of Kittyhawk, “allows the customer to take advantage of hot isostatic pressing and heat treat without having to look further. I am very excited about the future, and more importantly, providing our customers with two of the best options in the service industry.”

Derek Dennis
President
Solar Atmospheres California

Derek Dennis, president of Solar Atmospheres of California, adds, “In response to the needs and requirements of our valued customers, Solar Atmosphere is delighted to partner with a high caliber organization like Kittyhawk to provide hot isostatic pressing services.”

(photo source: National Cancer Institute at unsplash.com)

(photo source: Defense Imagery at pixabay.com)

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Heat Treat Provider Expands HIP Capabilities to Serve Quality-Critical Industries

December 12, 2019 / ENERGY HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, HIPING NEWS

A heat treating and metal processing services provider in the Pacific Northwest recently increased its hot isostatic pressing (HIP) capabilities with the purchase of new equipment to enable the company to process a broad range of materials and lot sizes for quality-critical industries, such as energy, aerospace, and medical.

Doug Puerta, CEO, Stack Metallurgical Group

Stack Metallurgical Group has doubled its HIP processing with the addition of a model QIH 122 M URC® from Quintus Technologies following the recent installation of a high-capacity Mega-HIP, the QIH286 M URC®; both combine HIP and heat treatment in a single process and are located at Stack’s recently completed facility in Albany, Oregon.

“We’ve been extremely happy with the market response as we have expanded our service offerings to include HIP,” said Doug Puerta, CEO, Stack Metallurgical Group. “The massive size of our first unit enables us to process larger castings and/or powder metal components. The new unit now allows us to process all ranges of materials and lot sizes and is ideal for moderately sized components. The capabilities and capacity offered by these two units further strengthen the value proposition that Stack facilities provide their clients.”

Jan Söderström, CEO of Quintus Technologies

“We see opportunities not only in traditional markets such as castings but also in emerging markets, with additive manufacturing being the most notable,” added Puerta.

“Stack’s decision to invest in a second Quintus HIP is a tribute to our leadership position in the industry,” said Jan Söderström, CEO of Quintus Technologies. “As the need for hot isostatic pressing steadily increases, we are very pleased with this next step in our relationship.”

Heat Treat Provider Expands HIP Capabilities to Serve Quality-Critical Industries Read More »

Alfa Romeo Racing Invests in High-Pressure Heat Treatment

November 11, 2019 / AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, HIPING NEWS

A Swiss company that operates Alfa Romeo Racing recently partnered with a global leader in high-pressure heat treatment (HPHT) technology for processing high-performance materials.

Christoph Hansen, head of technical development at Sauber Engineering AG

Sauber Motorsport AG, a part of the Sauber Group of Companies, launched a long-term partnership with Title Sponsor Alfa Romeo in 2018 and have now chosen Quintus Technologies to supply their hot isostatic pressing (HIP) equipment.

"The partnership with Quintus is an important milestone on Sauber Engineering’s Additive Manufacturing journey" said Christoph Hansen, head of technical development at Sauber Engineering AG. "The implementation of the hot isostatic pressing process adds massive value in bringing performance to our car as well as for the demanding needs of our customers. By using Quintus’s HIP technology, the Sauber Group will be able to push the boundaries of what we do even further and bring the materials we produce to an outstanding level."

With the QIH 21 M URQ®, Alfa Romeo Racing has access to Quintus’s proprietary URQ® technology, which allows heat treatment and cooling to be combined in a single process, known as high-pressure heat treatment. The QIH 21 M URQ® has an operating temperature of 2,552°F (1,400°C).

"We are excited to be partnering with one of the most iconic Formula One teams—Alfa Romeo Racing," said Jan Söderström, CEO of Quintus Technologies. “This collaboration brings together two organizations at the forefront of advanced development and product innovation in the AM field. Working with Alfa Romeo Racing also gives us at Quintus a unique opportunity to show a large audience how well the modern HIP technology optimizes material properties."

Main photo credit: Speedcafe

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HIP Capabilities Expand at Heat Treating Facility

March 20, 2019 / FEATURED NEWS, HIPING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

A company that specializes in the design, manufacture, installation, and support of high-pressure solutions recently supplied a Hot Isostatic Press (HIP) to a leading heat treating equipment manufacturer.

Scott Herzing, Paulo Vice President Engineering

Paulo will add hot isostatic pressing to its thermal processing services with the HIP acquisition from Quintus Technologies, which is headquartered in Västerås, Sweden. The press, model QIH 122 M URC®, is equipped with Quintus’ proprietary uniform rapid cooling (URC), a feature that improves material properties in additive manufacturing and investment casting.

“We see the market for HIP expanding, with a large part attributed to additive manufacturing,” said Scott Herzing, Paulo Vice President Engineering. “We have the leading material knowledge and process expertise to help our customers in this area. The ability to combine HIP and heat treatment will allow us to offer one-stop-shop thermal processing solutions, with faster turnaround times.”

The HIP, which operates at a maximum temperature of 2,552°F (1,400°C) and a maximum pressure of 30,000 psi (2,070 bar), will be installed in Paulo’s recently expanded Cleveland Division in Willoughby, Ohio, which provides brazing and vacuum heat treatment services.

Paulo and Quintus Technologies have also entered into a marketing agreement where the two companies will partner in educating the industry on the use of the HPHT process.

“Paulo was very intrigued by our ability to offer a complete partnership: the system itself, the Quintus Care program including application support, and the marketing agreement,” said Jan Söderström, CEO of Quintus Technologies. “With this partnership, they see the possibility to enter the market in the best possible way.”

“Working with a market-leading company like Quintus is a good fit for Paulo,” says Herzing. “This partnership will allow us to continue to do what we have always done, help our customers succeed.”

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Indiana Heat Treater Builds to House HIP, New Equipment

May 23, 2018 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, HIPING NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT

A vacuum heat treater which specializes in processing components for aerospace and medical applications recently announced an addition to its facility in Warsaw, Indiana, for the purpose of housing newly acquired equipment.

Lake City Heat Treating has expanded with the construction of a 6,000-square foot addition to accommodate growth in production and an increase in its heat treating capabilities. The new building allows Lake City Heat Treating the space to bring in new machines and equipment, including a new hot isostatic press in late fall 2018.

Lake City Heat Treating provides heat treating of stainless steels, cobalt and nickel alloys and vacuum heat treatable steels for aerospace, medical and other quality-critical industries, as well as cryogenic, hot isostatic pressing, and tempering services.

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Aerospace Giant Secures 15-year Agreement for Heat Treating Services

April 19, 2018 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, HIPING NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

Engineering giant Rolls-Royce has entered into a 15-year contract with a UK-based thermal processing services specialist to secure specialized vacuum heat treatment and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) to support its civil aerospace production.

Bodycote, which provides heat treatment services that protect and improve the properties of metals and alloys, extending their operational life and making them safer, will work with Rolls-Royce’s turbine blade casting facilities in Derby and Rotherham.

The agreement, which is expected to be worth over £160 million ($227.3 million US) in incremental revenues over the 15-year period, ensures the provision of specialist thermal processing capacity utilizing Bodycote’s high performance, quality-focused approach to support the growth of Rolls-Royce’s large civil engine programs, including the Trent XWB, Trent 1000, Trent 7000, Trent 700 and Trent 900.

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French Aerospace Manufacturer Reaches Agreement with Global Heat Treat Provider

February 22, 2018 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, HIPING NEWS

An international high-technology group and tier-1 supplier of systems and equipment in the aerospace market recently announced a long-term agreement with a leading global provider of heat treatment and specialist thermal processing services.

Heat treater Bodycote also announced that its global network will support the agreement with the Paris-based Safran, operating initially from strategically located facilities in France and Belgium.

Safran is a part of the Safran Group, a French multinational aircraft engine, rocket engine, aerospace-component, defense, and security company. Under the agreement, Bodycote will provide manufacturing services which include thermal spray coatings, electron beam welding, hot isostatic pressing (HIP), heat treatment and others to Safran companies and their key strategic first-tier suppliers, in support of Safran’s civil aerospace programs, including but not limited to CFM LEAP for Safran aircraft engines, helicopter engine programs, and landing gear systems.

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“Mega-HIP” Installation in Belgium to Expand Nadcap Capacity

January 31, 2018 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, HIPING NEWS

The world’s largest provider of heat treatment and specialist thermal processing services announced that its hot isostatic pressing location in Belgium will take delivery of a new “Mega-HIP” unit which will be Nadcap capable to meet the demand of the European aerospace market over the next five years and beyond.

Bodycote expects the new high pressure, high-temperature Mega-HIP installed at their facility in Sint Niklaas, Belgium, to be operational by the end of 2018, meeting the growing demand of the European aerospace market over the next five years and beyond. This investment will increase Bodycote’s Nadcap HIP capacity globally.

Bodycote operates the world’s largest HIP equipment network with over 50 HIP vessels of varying sizes in multiple locations, providing its services and Powdermet® technologies for clients in medical, power generation, marine, nuclear, automotive, and electronics industries. The recently launched Powdermet® technologies incorporate patent-pending techniques that combine 3D printing with well-established net shape and near net shape (NNS) techniques. This hybrid technology reduces the manufacturing time and production cost of a part compared to producing the same part using 3D printing alone.

Processing capability can accommodate components which are nominally up to 2m diameter by 3.5 m high, and weighing 0.1kg to over 30,000kg. In addition to standard quality and environmental accreditations, Bodycote’s HIP facilities also hold ASTM and NORSOK accreditations.

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