SECO/WARWICK USA delivers second vacuum tempering furnace to aerospace manufacturer

SECO/WARWICK USA, Meadville, Pa., announced that a leading international aircraft motion-control manufacturer has placed a repeat order for an identical low-temperature vacuum tempering furnace, following the success of the first unit installed at the customer’s facility. The new furnace is designed for tempering, ageing, and other sub-critical heat-treat processes, with a maximum operating temperature of 1380°F, a 24-by-24-by-36-in. work zone, and a load capacity of 1750 pounds. It meets AMS2750F Class 2 temperature uniformity requirements (±10°F) and supports nitrogen convection heating and cooling, with final cooling handled by an internal recirculation blower and a water-cooled heat exchanger. The repeat unit adds to the customer’s existing SECO/WARWICK installed base, which includes multi-chamber CaseMaster Evolution furnaces in double- and triple-chamber configurations and a Vector single-chamber high-pressure gas-quench vacuum furnace deployed across multiple sites. “This customer’s continued investment in SECO/WARWICK equipment reflects their trust in the quality and reliability required for aerospace applications,” said Piotr Zawistowski, managing director of SECO/WARWICK USA. “Their repeat business underscores the strength of our technology and our long-term customer relationships.” SECO/WARWICK Group is a global manufacturer of vacuum and atmosphere heat-treatment equipment, with headquarters in Świebodzin, Poland, and US operations based in Meadville, Pennsylvania, serving aerospace, automotive, medical, energy, and tool steel markets.

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Harper International promotes new CEO and COO

Harper International, Buffalo, New York, announced the promotion of Janelle Camesano to Chief Executive Officer and John Schenk to Chief Operating Officer. Camesano, who holds an MBA and PHR certification, has been with Harper for 13 years, rising through human resources and administration roles before assuming the top leadership position. Schenk has been part of the Harper team for over 14 years, most recently serving as Vice President of Operations. The leadership transition reflects an internal succession at the global thermal processing equipment manufacturer, which provides customized furnace, kiln, and oven systems for production of advanced materials including carbon fiber, battery materials, and technical ceramics.

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Ipsen USA Receives New Vacuum Furnace Order from Urschel Laboratories

Ipsen USA, Cherry Valley, Illinois, announced a new equipment order from Urschel Laboratories for a MetalMaster HR 54×48 vacuum furnace. The order marks 40 years of partnership between the two companies, with the new unit replacing an original Ipsen furnace installed in 1986.

The MetalMaster HR is designed for high-performance heat treating applications including hardening, tempering, brazing, and annealing in a vacuum or partial-pressure environment. The furnace features a horizontal front-loading design with an integrated high-pressure gas quench system.

Urschel Laboratories, based in Chesterton, Indiana, is a global manufacturer of precision food cutting equipment. The company relies on vacuum heat treatment to achieve the hardness, wear resistance, and dimensional stability required for its cutting components, which operate under demanding production conditions in the food processing industry.

The replacement of the 1986 furnace reflects both the longevity of Ipsen equipment and the ongoing need for modern controls, energy efficiency, and process documentation capabilities in today’s manufacturing environment. Ipsen reported a 45% year-over-year increase in new equipment units sold in 2025.

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Bodycote Expands U.S. Aerospace and Defense Footprint with Acquisition of Spectrum Thermal Processing

Bodycote, Macclesfield, UK, announced the acquisition of Spectrum Thermal Processing, a heat treatment provider based in Cranston, Rhode Island. The transaction closed on January 14, 2026.

Spectrum brings established Nadcap-accredited and ITAR-compliant capabilities to Bodycote’s North American operations, including vacuum heat treatment, low-pressure carburizing, and gas nitriding services. The acquisition strengthens Bodycote’s regional capacity in the northeastern United States and reinforces its ability to support aerospace, defense, space, and industrial customers.

The deal expands Bodycote’s presence in critical process categories that serve sectors with demanding quality and compliance requirements. With the addition of Spectrum’s facility and expertise, Bodycote continues to build on its position as the world’s largest provider of heat treatment and specialist thermal processing services.

Bodycote operates more than 160 facilities in 22 countries worldwide. The company noted that the acquisition aligns with its strategy of targeted growth in markets with high barriers to entry and strong long-term demand, particularly in the aerospace and defense sectors.

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Pyromaitre delivers integrated heat-treating solution to GKN driveline Mexico

Pyromaitre, Lévis, Québec, announced the completion of assembly for its P-208E oven system for GKN Driveline Mexico, marking a total of four systems delivered to the client. The company developed a fully integrated solution that includes a high-speed tempering furnace, a post-treatment cooling chamber, automated loading and unloading systems, and a smoke collection unit. Each component was configured to meet the customer’s specific production requirements.

Pyromaitre specializes in resolving convective heat transfer challenges with precision and efficiency. The company focuses on driving innovation and operational performance, aiming to be a recognized leader in stress relief and tempering solutions. Its core values—integrity, innovation, customer satisfaction, and teamwork—guide its approach to delivering high-performance thermal processing systems.

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One Minute Mentor : Phase Transformations in Numerical Simulation

Heat treatment of tool steels means several phase transformations. Every phase transformation must be described by start amount, end amount, and kinetics (change of phases depending on temperature and time). Start and end amount can be calculated with different thermodynamic software. For example, Thermocalc is well validated for tool steels. The most common method for determining the transformation kinetics of main phases (e.g. ferrite, austenite, martensite, bainite) is to use dilatometric investigations. TTT (time-temperature-transformation) diagrams obtained from dilatometer measurements can be easily implemented in HTS software. An example is shown in the figure. 

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 14. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014  https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005980

One Minute Mentor: Distortion of Corrosion-Resistant Plastic Mold Steels

Corrosion-resistant plastic mold steels are usually tempered at lower tempering temperatures than hot-work, high-alloyed cold-work, or high-speed steels. A comparison of different types of corrosion-resistant plastic mold steels with the widely used cold-work tool steel D2 with the same dimensions as in the previous example for cold-work tool steels for such heat treatment conditions can be seen in the figure and shows that all steels show a similar low dimension change in width. Regarding the thickness of the plates there is a significantly higher increase for the ledeburitic cold-work tool steel. Vacuum heat treatment with high-pressure gas quenching leads to a similar amount of distortion as salt bath heat treatments but again shows significant scatter.

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 13. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014  https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005980

One Minute Mentor: Distortion of Ledeburitic Cold-Work Tool Steels

The different effects of steel composition on the dimensional change of plates made of ledeburitic cold-work tool steels and a working hardness of 61 HRC can be taken from the figure. Typical representatives of the new generation of improved toughness 8-9%Cr-steels show slightly higher growth in dimension than the classical 12%Cr-D2 steel. 

The growth in thickness (in the rolling direction) is always significantly higher than in width, confirming again the generally known behavior. Salt-bath heat treatment results in higher distortion than various vacuum heat treatments with high-pressure gas quenching, but the results indicate that there is also a significant scatter for gas quenching depending on the detailed quenching conditions. 

For more information, click on the link below (subscription required). Then scroll to Figure 12. R Schneider; R. Mesquita; W Schützenhöfer, Distortion in Tool Steels, ASM International, 2014  https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.hb.v04d.a0005980

Ipsen USA launches service HUB Model for improved customer support

Ipsen USA, Cherry Valley, Illinois, announced the launch of its new Service HUB model, aimed at enhancing customer support across the United States. The HUB system, developed over the past two years under the leadership of Ipsen Global CEO Geoffrey Somary and currently overseen by Chief Service Officer John Dykstra, is now fully operational across the Midwest and Southeastern regions.

The HUBs are designed to offer quicker response times, with dedicated teams that provide tailored service for customers in close geographic proximity. This model allows Ipsen to optimize service efficiency, reducing downtime for heat-treating operations and improving customer experience.

In addition to benefiting customers, the HUB model also enhances the work-life balance of Ipsen’s Field Service Engineers (FSEs) by reducing travel time. The initiative is led by Lu Chouraki, Manager of Business Development, who emphasized the goal of minimizing response times and improving support for customers facing operational outages.

This strategic shift reflects Ipsen’s commitment to service excellence, offering personalized, regional expertise that both empowers its team and delivers enhanced support to customers.

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Nitrex celebrates 40 Years of innovation in heat treatment solutions

Nitrex, Quebec, announced that it is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, marking four decades of growth and innovation in the heat treatment industry. Founded in 1984, Nitrex has evolved from a pioneer in controlled nitriding to a global leader offering end-to-end heat treatment solutions. The company’s technological advancements have expanded its capabilities to encompass metallurgy, engineering, process optimization, and automation.

Since 2019, under the current leadership, Nitrex has broadened its portfolio to include advanced vacuum furnaces and introduced technology for improved brake rotor performance. The company has also launched digital platforms such as QMULUS, aimed at optimizing customer processes and boosting operational efficiency.

In addition to its own milestone, Nitrex is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its UPC-Marathon office in Germany, recognizing the long-standing contributions and achievements of its global team. These anniversaries reflect Nitrex’s ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence.

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