Industry News
ITSA’s Annual Meeting Scheduled for November
The International Thermal Spray Association (ITSA) will hold its annual meeting on November 6 and 7 at AWS World Headquarters in Miami, Fla.
The Association for Materials Protection & Performance and Florida International University (FIU) will cohost the event, which focuses on the latest advancements in arc spray and thermal spray technologies, with an emphasis on infrastructure solutions.
Participants can expect to learn about the impacts of arc spray and thermal spray technologies on infrastructure durability and longevity, explore real-world applications and new solutions in infrastructure maintenance and enhancement, connect with industry leaders and peers at the forefront of infrastructure technology, and tour FIU’s engineering campus and the Cold Spray and Rapid Deposition (ColRAD) Laboratory. The event also offers the opportunity to participate in discussions with the AWS C2 Committee on Thermal Spray and ITSA Executive Committee, including a formal ITSA business meeting.
Visit thermalspray.org to register and for more information about the event.
SPEE3D Builds U.S.-Based Manufacturing Facility and Applications Center
SPEE3D, a metal additive manufacturing company, opened its first U.S.-based manufacturing facility and applications center at the John Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center at the University of New Hampshire (UNH), Durham, N.H. The new location will enable the company to collaborate more closely with clients in the United States, including the U.S. Department of Defense.
Printers will be manufactured at the new facility while SPEE3D will maintain its manufacturing headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. The company will also staff an applications center, work with customers to identify new applications, and tailor solutions based on customers’ needs. Additionally, the company will leverage UNH’s resources, facilities, and talent pool to drive additive manufacturing innovation and adoption while providing technical support for existing and future advanced 3D printing initiatives.
“Establishing our first U.S.-based location at the Olson Center brings together a world-class manufacturing center at UNH with SPEE3D’s leading cold spray additive manufacturing technology to a region known for its innovation and advancements,” said Byron Kennedy, CEO at SPEE3D. “Although we are an Australian company, we have partners worldwide and a strong presence in America, so it made perfect sense to expand our footprint to address the needs of our partners.”
Wall Colmonoy Buys Indurate Alloys Ltd.
Wall Colmonoy Corp., Madison Heights, Mich., a global provider of brazing, surfacing, and engineered materials, has acquired Indurate Alloys Ltd., a supplier of hardfacing products located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This acquisition will strengthen the company’s position in the Canadian market and provide customers with a wider range of products and expertise to meet their wear resistance and corrosion protection needs.
Indurate Alloys supplies metallic and carbide powders in high-velocity oxygen fuel, plasma spray, thermal spray, laser, and plasma-transferred arc forms, as well as wires and electrodes. It also provides additive manufacturing powders and collaborates with companies utilizing the latest 3D printing technologies, such as powder bed fusion and direct energy deposition.
Wall Colmonoy recognizes the value of Indurate’s customer base, thermal spray products, and vendor relationships, which will add new products to complement its portfolio.
“Wall Colmonoy stood out as the right partner for us, thanks to its extensive history in the hardfacing industry and its shared commitment to strong customer relationships,” said Lorne Chrystal, founder and CEO of Indurate Alloys Ltd. “We are excited to merge the expertise and experience of both companies and eagerly anticipate expanding opportunities together.”
Liebherr-Aerospace Inaugurates Building for Surface Treatment
Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH, Lindenberg, Germany, an aircraft equipment manufacturer, has started operations in its newly built extension. The facility features a coating center that focuses on more sustainable surface treatments.
The company uses high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) spraying to replace the currently used chrome-plating process without jeopardizing the quality or safety of aircraft components. The new extension building is equipped with the latest technology for implementing this coating method to increase capacities for the HVOF process. The company is thus securing its expertise at the site in Lindenberg and reducing transport routes within the production process.
Liebherr-Aerospace is already using the HVOF process in series production for exteriors and the interiors of components. The manufacturer claims it is currently the only company in the aerospace industry to offer this technology.
“We are very aware of our responsibility towards nature and the environment,” explained Martin Wandel, managing director and chief operating officer at Liebherr-Aerospace & Transportation SAS. “Our center of excellence for coatings in Lindenberg takes us another step further in our efforts to establish more environmentally friendly production methods. Simultaneously, we are expanding our skilled workforce needed to continuously pursue our goals.”
Woodside Energy to Use Titomic’s System on Offshore Gas Platform
Titomic Ltd., Mount Waverley, Australia, a provider of cold spray solutions, will supply Woodside Energy, a global energy company based in Perth, Australia, with a D523 low-pressure cold spray system to use on an oil and gas project. The work will be conducted via Monadelphous Group, an Australia Securities Exchange-listed service provider to the oil and gas industry.
Woodside has engaged Monadelphous to deploy the system to combat corrosion at Woodside’s offshore gas platform in the Indian Ocean near Karratha, Western Australia. Titomic claims this on-site application of cold spray technology is the first of its kind in the Australian oil and gas industry. Additionally, it marks Titomic’s first foray into the oil and gas sector, which the company considers to be a significant future market for its technology.
Titomic Managing Director Herbert Koeck commented, “We are thrilled to see our technology being recognized and implemented by industry leaders like Woodside Energy and Monadelphous. This partnership not only validates the effectiveness of our cold spray solutions but also opens the door to further opportunities in the oil and gas sector.”
The system will be used to deposit corrosion-resistant materials like aluminum directly onto steel and other metals without heat and structure disassembly.
Oerlikon Opens Advanced Coating Technology Center, Elevating Aerospace and Gas Turbine Industries
Oerlikon, a global provider of surface and additive manufacturing solutions and services, has established the Advanced Coating Technology Center in Westbury, N.Y., dedicated to advancing technologies for the aerospace and gas turbine industries. Located at the existing Oerlikon Metco brand headquarters, it integrates thermal spray with physical vapor deposition (PVD) expertise from the Oerlikon Balzers brand. By combining thermal spray, PVD, and testing capabilities under one roof, the company aims to accelerate the development of high-temperature materials and coatings, enhancing efficiency in these critical sectors.
The integration of thermal spray and PVD technologies enables the company to develop coating solutions tailored to the specific needs of aerospace and gas turbine industries. This approach enhances efficiency, durability, and performance, addressing key challenges such as high-temperature operation and corrosive environments.
One focus area is environmental barrier coatings for ceramic matrix composite aerospace components. By developing advanced coatings that protect components from environmental degradation, Oerlikon contributes to the longevity and reliability of aerospace systems while reducing environmental impact.
The facility’s location in the United States enhances collaboration with aerospace and industrial gas turbine original equipment manufacturers. This proximity to stakeholders enables the company to better understand market needs and deliver solutions.