Press Allows Research-Industry Partnerships to Blaze New Trails in Manufacturing-Related R&D

A Hot Isostatic Press from Quintus Technologies will add a new capability to the world-leading research infrastructure already in place at the Sydney Manufacturing Hub (SMH), the advanced manufacturing research facility at the University of Sydney, Australia.

Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) has become the go-to technology for densification of the unconventional microstructures associated with additive manufacturing (AM) across a broad spectrum of industries. It has proven of particular value in developing high-performance materials and building advanced metallic structures for mission-critical applications, for example within the aerospace, hypersonics, defense, biomedicine, energy, mining & minerals, and oil & gas sectors.

"This hot isostatic press delivers enormous uplift in our university's contribution to the national advanced manufacturing capability," --Professor Simon Ringer, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research Infrastructure), University of Sydney

According to Professor Simon Ringer, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research Infrastructure), University of Sydney, as a research facility, the SMH is focused on offering the broadest possible range of advanced manufacturing capabilities, aiming to support the entire AM workflow from design right through to final part conformity in one facility.

"This hot isostatic press delivers enormous uplift in our university's contribution to the national advanced manufacturing capability," states Prof. Ringer. "It aligns critically with our own initiatives such as at the Sydney Biomedical Accelerator and our Net Zero Initiative. Moreover, this is a nationally significant capability that will allow our researchers to partner with industry to blaze new trails in manufacturing-related R&D."

The SMH selected the press model QIH 15L M URQ® + URC®, equipped with several proprietary features that streamline the HIP process and produce finished 3D printed parts with optimal material properties—maximized theoretical density, ductility, and fatigue resistance. Uniform Rapid Quenching® (URQ) delivers an impressive cooling rate of 103K/minute while minimizing thermal distortion and non-uniform grain growth. HPHT™ (High Pressure Heat Treatment) combines stress-relief annealing, HIP, high-temperature solution-annealing (SA), high pressure gas quenching (HPGQ), and subsequent aging or precipitation hardening (PH) in one integrated furnace cycle.

Quintus's strong focus on materials science and materials processing research, exemplified by the press's URQ functionality, was of special interest to the Sydney hub, Prof. Ringer relates. He also cites the intrinsic safety of the Quintus vessel and yoke design, along with the rapid cycle time for processing AM parts, as major benefits for the facility, which is geared to enable concept-to-production demonstration capabilities.

"Our new HIP capability will address a significant gap in the AM community in the Australian region and further offer the potential for SMEs (small and medium enterprises) and start-up companies to access this critical process," Prof. Ringer adds.

SMH's broad user base extends from its own researchers to those from other local universities and research organizations to private industry and collaborations with international institutions.

"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 cost, and reduce environmental impacts," says Jan Söderström, CEO of Quintus Technologies. "We are excited to work with the talented researchers at the Sydney Manufacturing Hub to deepen their expertise and refine processes for pressure-supported heat treatment, laying the foundation to advance both productivity and sustainability for operations in Australia and its neighbours."

The hot zone of the model QIH 15L M URC® measures 7.32 inches (186 mm) in diameter and 19.7 inches (500 mm) high. The press operates at a maximum pressure of 207 MPa (30,000 psi) and a maximum temperature of 2,552°F (1,400°C). It will be installed in the Hub's purpose-built facility on the University of Sydney's Darlington campus in January 2025.

About Quintus Technologies

Quintus Technologies is the global leader in high pressure technology. The company designs, manufactures, installs, and supports high pressure systems in three main areas: densification of advanced materials; sheet metal forming; and high pressure processing for food and beverage innovation, safety, and shelf life. Quintus has delivered over 1,900 systems to customers within industries such as energy, medical implants, space, aerospace, automotive, and food processing. The company is headquartered in Västerås, Sweden, with a presence in 45 countries worldwide. For more information, visit https://quintustechnologies.com/

About Sydney Manufacturing Hub

The Sydney Manufacturing Hub is a manufacturing-focused research facility established to enable advanced alloy design and applications in sectors ranging from aerospace and defence to medicine and agriculture. Designed to house concept-to-production demonstration capabilities, including advanced pre- and post-processing of materials, the Hub delivers cutting-edge expertise in additive manufacturing and materials processing, training academics and specialists and supporting the incubation of small to medium manufacturing enterprises. A new Quintus Hot Isostatic Press will soon complement its extensive line-up of advanced manufacturing equipment that includes heat treatment, several different metal powder bed fusion AM platforms, cold spray AM, friction stir additive processing/ welding, metal melting/alloy development/ powder atomisation, 5-Axis CNC machining, EDM machining and high fidelity scanning. For more information, visit https://www.sydney.edu.au/research/facilities/sydney-manufacturing-hub.html