Category: Aerospace and Defense

Seco/Warwick Partners with European Defense Sector Manufacturer

Seco/Warwick, Swiebodzin, Poland, announced its first contract with a European defense manufacturer. The company will deliver a customized single-chamber vacuum furnace equipped with advanced low-pressure carburizing technology and high-pressure gas quenching for heat treatment of steels used in firearm manufacturing.

The contract represents a shift by the defense client from traditional gas carburizing to modern low-pressure carburizing, which improves quality, process predictability, and energy efficiency. The vacuum furnace approach eliminates the environmental concerns associated with atmosphere-based systems while delivering more uniform case depth and reduced distortion.

The deal holds strategic significance for both parties. For the client, it represents a modernization of defense manufacturing infrastructure. For Seco/Warwick, it establishes a position as a solutions provider in the European defense sector, a market segment with growing demand for advanced thermal processing equipment.

Seco/Warwick operates globally with manufacturing facilities in Poland, the United States, India, and China, and service centers across Europe and Asia.

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Constellium and renault group complete r&d project advancing lightweight aluminium solutions

Constellium, Paris, announced the successful completion of the “ISA3” R&D project, an initiative launched in 2021 to advance lightweight aluminium solutions for automotive applications. Conducted in collaboration with Renault Group, ESI Group, the Institut de Soudure, and the University of Lorraine, the project was supported by a grant from the France Relance investment program. The research focused on developing cost-efficient, recyclable aluminium components to enhance vehicle performance and sustainability.

A key achievement of the project was the development of a lightweight aluminium door in partnership with Renault. Utilizing Constellium’s proprietary uni-alloy 6xxx rolled and extrusion-based solutions, the door design achieved a 14% weight reduction compared to existing aluminium doors used in compact battery electric vehicles. By employing a single alloy series, the project streamlined closed-loop recycling, reducing the door’s overall carbon footprint. This innovation resulted in a 33% reduction in Global Warming Potential (GWP), reinforcing the project’s emphasis on sustainability.

Beyond material advancements, the project also explored more efficient and flexible production processes to enhance performance while optimizing costs. Ludovic Piquier, senior vice president, manufacturing excellence and chief technical officer at Constellium, emphasized that the results highlight the company’s commitment to providing sustainable, high-performance aluminium solutions for the automotive sector.

Patrice Belliard, expert in flat products at Renault Group, noted that the project demonstrated how aluminium can support both weight reduction and cost efficiency in automotive manufacturing. Mathilde Chabin, manufacturing product director at ESI Group, added that the use of advanced pre-certification and validation technologies eliminated the need for physical prototypes, accelerating innovation while reducing costs and environmental impact.

The completion of Project ISA3 underscores the potential of aluminium to contribute to the automotive industry’s decarbonization efforts while delivering economic and environmental benefits.

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DARPA Innovation Fellowship

DARPA, Arlington, Va., is accepting applications for its Innovation Fellowship, a two-year position for early career scientists and engineers.

Wisconsin Oven ships electrically heated walk in series oven to aerospace industry

Wisconsin Oven, East Troy, Wis., has announced the shipment of an electrically heated enhanced duty walk-in oven to the aerospace industry. The oven will be used for powder coatings and curing applications.

Seco/Vacuum sells two Vector furnaces to Australian Defense

Seco/Vacuum, Meadville, Pa., has sold two new Vector single chamber high-pressure quench vacuum to the Australian defense industry through HTA. These will go to the Melbourne and Sydney commercial heat treatment facilities to provide expanded processing capabilities.

Accurate Brazing receives Nadcap merit accreditation

Accurate Brazing, Greenville, S.C., has received the Nadcap merit accreditation for heat treating at its Pelham Road facility. The accreditation is for demonstrating an ongoing commitment to quality by satisfying customer requirements and industry specifications.

NUST MISIS scientists create unique alloy for air, rail transports

National University of Science and Technology, Russia, has developed a technology for producing a unique heat-resistant aluminum alloy with improved durability in cooperation with their colleagues from the Siberian Federal University and the Research and Production Centre of Magnetic Hydrodynamics (Krasnoyarsk).

Perryman increases titanium melting capacity

Perryman, Pennsylvania, announced today it will more than double its current titanium melting capacity through the addition of two new furnaces. The new furnaces will include one Electron Beam (EB) and one Vacuum Arc Remelt (VAR). They will be located with Perryman’s existing melting facilities on its California, Pa., campus. Once complete, the company’s total melt capacity will exceed 26 million pounds, placing Perryman among the world’s largest melters of aerospace quality titanium.

Seco/Warwick supplies vacuum oil quenching furnace to the US Department of Defense

Seco/Vacuum, Pennsylvania, has supplied the US Department of Defense with a vacuum heat treating furnace with integral oil quench, high pressure gas quench, and low pressure carburizing capabilities. As a critical supplier of aerospace components to the U.S. Department of Defense, this new vacuum oil quenching furnace will be able to handle any of the functions of the department’s existing heat treatment furnaces, either in a redundant role or to provide additional capacity to any of them.

Solar Atmospheres retains preferred aerospace supplier status with Boeing

Solar Atmospheres of Western Pennsylvania, Hermitage, participated in a Boeing Supplier Assessment. The on-site, preventative engagement resulted in zero findings and Solar, once again, achieved preferred status for heat treating, hardness, and non-destructive liquid penetrant testing.