Thermal Coatings Specialist Continues Strategy of Investing in New Processes
Västerås, Sweden, June 23, 2020 – A Hot Isostatic Press (HIP) from Quintus Technologies will enable advanced thermal spray coatings specialist Flame Spray SpA to respond to growing demand for the densification and heat treatment process as additive manufacturing (AM) increasingly takes hold in aerospace parts production.
“Hot Isostatic Pressing is identified as one of the most promising technologies for the future,” says Alessandro Zanini, Flame Spray Aerospace Key Account Manager. “Our investment in the Quintus HIP allows us to provide a more complete range of special processes to our customers while satisfying the needs of the aerospace industry for high quality, reliability, and repeatability.”
The Quintus press model QIH 122 M URC® streamlines the workflow by integrating the ability to stress relieve, HIP, heat treat, and age parts in a single cycle. The combination of High Pressure and Heat Treatment (HPHT) in one system enhances efficiency and dramatically reduces per-unit processing costs while generating significant savings in space, energy, and infrastructure. The Uniform Rapid Cooling (URC®) capability minimizes thermal distortion and non-uniform grain growth, producing finished parts with optimal material properties.
Built for high performance, the QIH 122 press features a hot work zone of 26.0 inches (660 mm) in diameter and 68.9 inches (1750 mm) in height. It operates at a maximum pressure of 2,070 bar (30,000 psi) and a maximum temperature of 2,552°F (1,400°C). With Quintus’s exclusive Uniform Rapid Cooling technique, a cooling rate of 500K/minute can be achieved.
“The press will also be used to fulfill the needs of many other markets in which we operate, for example, energy and turbogas,” says Mr. Zanini. “Its size permits us to process not only blades, vanes, and small parts, but also medium sized items.”
Flame Spray supplemented its press order with a long-term Quintus® Care agreement, a rigorous preventative maintenance program that optimizes press functionality at a fixed annual cost. The program provides application support and full access to Quintus HIP knowledge, along with high availability of spare and wear parts and guaranteed and prioritized technical support. Quintus Care also includes annual press inspections and recertification of Flame Spray personnel to maintain and elevate their skills.
“The need for Hot Isostatic Pressing is steadily increasing, and we’re pleased to help Flame Spray meet this demand,” says Jan Söderström, CEO of Quintus Technologies. “Quintus Technologies has led the industry in advanced Hot Isostatic Pressing technology for over 60 years, so Flame Spray and its customers can rest assured that they are using the best equipment available.”
Installation of the new press will take place in the Flame Spray facility in Morra De Sanctis, in Southern Italy, in September 2020. The plant, which opened in 2014, specializes in vacuum heat treatment and surface coating of aerospace and IGT (industrial gas turbine) components. It received Nadcap certification for both the application of coatings on aerospace components and for heat treatment in 2019.
About Quintus Technologies
Quintus Technologies is the global leader in high pressure technology. The company designs, manufactures, installs, and supports high pressure systems for sheet metal forming and densification of advanced materials. Quintus has delivered over 1,900 systems to customers within industries such as aerospace, automotive, energy, and medical implants. The company is headquartered in Västerås, Sweden, with a presence in 45 countries worldwide. For more information, visit https://quintustechnologies.com/
About Flame Spray
Specializing in advanced thermal spray coatings, Flame Spray SpA serves an array of critical industrial sectors, from aerospace and energy to railway and oil & gas. To provide its customers with the most complete service possible, the multinational company has also expanded its technology offerings by investing in additional special processes such as Hot Isostatic Pressing, heat treatment, aluminizing, shot peening, and slurry coatings. Founded in Roncello, Italy, near Milan, in 1969, Flame Spray has grown its operations to seven sites worldwide, including three in Italy, two in Central Europe, and one in the United States. For more information, go to www.flamespray.org
Source: Quintus Technologies
