CREDIT: QUINTUS TECHNOLOGIES
The new hot isostatic press (HIP) model QIH 200 URC introduced by Quintus Technologies integrates multiple heat treatment processes into a single system cycle.
Long used by parts manufacturers around the world, hot isostatic pressing has become the go-to solution for improving the ductility and fatigue resistance of critical, high-performance materials. The process has proven to be of particular value in the densification of components produced by additive manufacturing (AM) across a broad spectrum of industries, from aerospace to medicine to energy.
Production of wrought, cast, powder metallurgy (PM), and AM components has traditionally involved several post-HIP heat treatment steps, often outsourced to a third party. Quintus’s new large-format press incorporates heat treatment and cooling in a proprietary process, High Pressure Heat Treatment (HPHT), that combines stress-relief (SR), HIP, high-temperature solution-annealing (SA), high pressure gas quenching (HPGQ), and subsequent ageing or precipitation hardening (PH) in one integrated furnace cycle. These capabilities allow multiple functions to be performed at a single location, removing bottlenecks, saving energy, lowering capital costs, significantly reducing lead time, and enhancing product quality. Quintus’s Uniform Rapid Cooling (URC) and control systems with full digital connectivity assure repeatable performance of customized heating, densification, and cooling regimes.
“Our new press model QIH 200 URC produces faster throughput and higher workpiece quality,” says Peter Henning, director marketing and sales, Quintus Technologies. “Having fewer pieces of equipment on the production line also enhances efficiency and dramatically reduces per-unit processing costs while generating significant savings in space, energy, and infrastructure. We expect this press to become a cornerstone of lean production lines for AM, casting, and PM HIP industries.”
The hot zone of the model QIH 200 URC measures 34.6" (880mm) in diameter and 84.6" (2,150mm) in height. With an operating pressure up to 207MPa (30,000psi) and temperature up to 2,552°F (1,400°C), the press can achieve 100% of maximum theoretical density and improve the ductility and fatigue resistance of critical, high-performance materials. The components made from casting, PM, or AM, regardless of method (EBM, SLM, etc.), all experience significant benefits from HIP.
Quintus press offerings are accompanied by Quintus Care, a customized service solution that ensures operational reliability, maximum performance, controlled annual costs, and long-term partnership. Quintus Care participants have access to the company’s Application Centers, where materials science experts can assist with technical challenges and process parameters, such as developing customized heating and cooling rates for optimal material properties.
“As the industry leader in advanced Hot Isostatic Pressing technology for over 70 years, we have noted exceptional interest in new manufacturing approaches that improve quality, lower operational cost, and significantly reduce both lead times and environmental impact,” says Johan Hjärne, who was recently appointed CEO of Quintus Technologies. “Our new QIH 200 URC press is the result of our strong focus on materials science and materials processing research, and we are very pleased to support our customers’ goals for innovation, productivity, and sustainability.”