Wallwork Group orders second Hot Isostatic Press from Quintus

Less than six months after opening, Wallwork Heat Treatment’s Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) Centre is preparing to accommodate its second HIP system from Quintus Technologies. Record customer interest in its expanded thermal processing capabilities has prompted the company to order a second press, the QIH 173L M URC, the same model that inaugurated the HIP Centre when it opened in September 2023.

According to Wallwork Holdings Director Simeon Collins, much of the interest stems from burgeoning opportunities in additive manufacturing and encapsulation. The high number of inquiries about its first HIP, coupled with customers looking to secure future capacity, indicates there is huge potential in these areas, says Collins, noting that the legacy HIP market remains strong as well.

Hot Isostatic Pressing plays a pivotal role in the production of AM parts made from metal powders. “Densification is extremely efficient at removing porosity,” said Collins. It is often the only way to achieve the high material uniformity required of parts designed for mission-critical applications. The QIH 173L can achieve 100% of the maximum theoretical material density – producing components with improved fatigue properties, ductility, structural integrity, and fracture toughness.

Located at its headquarters in Bury, North Manchester, UK, Wallwork’s 2500m² HIP Centre was built with expansion in mind. The decision to purchase a second press from Quintus was a logical move given the success of its first system.

”With a track record in providing our previous unit, it made sense to once again work with Quintus in this next phase of our HIP journey,” said Collins. The emergence of more technically challenging and higher pressure cycles bolstered the decision. “Their knowledge and experience, plus their worldwide Quintus Care support program, gives Wallwork and our customers the confidence to develop and grow long-term relationships and quality service. We see exponential growth for the units over the short term.”

Equipped with Quintus’s proprietary uniform rapid cooling (URC), the QIH 173L’s unique furnace design delivers excellent temperature uniformity, a critical feature for improving the mechanical properties of the end product. The press work zone measures 800mm (34.6 inches) in diameter and 2550mm (100.4 inches) high, for a capacity of over 7000kg (15,432lbs) per cycle. It operates at a maximum temperature of 1250°C (2282°F) and pressure of 207MPa (30,000psi). The technologically advanced system offers full digital connectivity – providing greater control over the production process and finished products. The HIP process also offers the ability to polish cast, welded, or powder metal parts to the highest surface finish.

The Bury HIP Centre strengthens Wallworth’s leadership position as a single-source provider of secondary processes from multiple facilities linked by an internal transport network.

“Wallwork is a privately owned heat treatment company with four sites in the UK,” said Collins. “Many of our customers – component manufacturers within diverse industrial segments – no longer want to deal with the complication of multisite and multi-company subcontracting, as well as logistic management. With our HIP systems, the full package of processing capability and capacity is now available with one phone call or email.”

”We are doubly pleased to be working with Wallwork. Our mutual focus on customer-driven problem-solving and long-term supplier partnerships have engendered a strong commitment to success. We look forward to installing the press in mid-2025 as Wallwork continues to invest in all areas of the business to support its comprehensive service offering,” said Jan Söderström, CEO of Quintus Technologies.