Background; When you read through this press release you start to realize the magnitude of this order-12 furnaces in total of which 10 are atmosphere and 2 are 20 bar vacuum units-all automated. The end customer has to be one of the booming aerospace firms located in Poland. Read on.
“SECO/WARWICK will deliver a complete heat treatment line for aerospace components to a global aerospace manufacturer. The contract combines atmosphere technologies and vacuum technologies within a single automated processing line management system. The solution will include 12 industrial furnaces, 5 cooling stations, a quench tank, an automatic material handling systems, and auxiliary infrastructure. The equipment will operate in a new production facility currently under construction in Poland.
The new line will be used to heat treat forgings intended for aerospace component production. The project is connected to the launch of production of parts currently manufactured in the United States and forms part of a broader investment program implemented by this Partner.
SECO/WARWICK’s scope of supply is exceptionally broad and includes both atmosphere technology equipment and vacuum furnaces, along with the complete infrastructure required for automated processing. The atmosphere section of the line will include 10 chamber furnaces, six of which are equipped with cooling systems. These will be complemented by an oil quench tank, a spray washer and five cooling stations. The second key component of the delivery will be two single chamber Vector vacuum furnaces, each equipped with a high pressure gas quenching system operating up to 20 bar absolute.
One of the project’s most important requirements is maintaining specified process parameters at every stage. This applies both to the cooling characteristics in the vacuum furnaces and to the precisely defined load transfer time between the atmosphere furnaces and the quench tank. For this reason, an advanced transport and automation system will be an integral part of the line. It will include a material handling unit traveling on an external track, a robot for automatically positioning loads onto process fixtures, and two roller conveyors with turntables.
“The interdependencies among the individual units are crucial in this project. Reaching the correct process temperature is not enough. We must also ensure the required cooling dynamics in the vacuum furnaces, repeatable parameters, and a strictly defined load transfer time between the atmosphere chamber furnaces and the quench tank. When designing the line, we therefore treat it as one integrated technological process rather than a collection of independent units,” Skarbiński added.”
Yesterday “The Monty” posted Part I of a two-part article entitled “Heat Treatment of Firearms-“Blaser”. In this article we look at the manufacturing process and subsequent heat treatment of firearms produced by “Blaser” of Isny, Germany.
While the firm makes virtually all of the components for their line of high end rifles and shotguns heat treatment is reserved almost entirely to the gun barrels themselves. The brief summary (with the help of Mr. AI) is that “Blaser” treats the barrels using a sequence of pre-hardened material selection, cold-hammer forging, and specialized plasma nitriding alongside Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) surface technologies. Unlike manufacturers who heat treat raw steel blanks after the barrel is formed, Blaser avoids traditional post-forging heat treatment on the complete barrel profile. Subjecting a finished barrel to extreme hardening temperatures can warp and bend the precise alignment of the bore.
The company starts with long circular bars of steel which arrive at the plant already hardened and tempered. The solid bars are then cut, drilled, and reamed. The drilled blank is then processed in a cold-hammer forging machine. Four timed hammers forge the steel over a precision mandrel at room temperature (under 20°C). This compresses and stretches the metal to shape the rifling and the chamber simultaneously. Because this is done cold, it preserves the steel molecular structure and avoids introducing heat-induced straightness errors.
For some of the firm’s products, induction hardening is used to heat treat the locking lug region-this is a process outsourced to a local commercial heat treater.
The heart of the heat-treating process is Plasma (Ion) nitriding which takes place in a dual retort plasma nitriding system provided by “Rubig” of Austria. Subsequent to this the barrels receive a DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) finish which again takes place in a system provided by “Rubig”. The DLC system provides corrosion resistance, a highly scratch-resistant finish, as well as giving the barrels their very distinctive black color. While our knowledge of “DLC” is limited, we did learn from “Mr. George Immler”, (Heat Treat and Surface Treatment Manager) that settings for the process are entirely dependent upon the total surface area of the parts, meaning a successful result relies upon knowing the exact size and weight of the total load.
Various other manufacturing processes included Laser Engraving which can add up to 20 hours in production time, high end vacuum part cleaning provided by “HEMO” of Germany, shot peening and sand blasting.
Not every gun manufacturer uses the same heat treatment technology. “The Monty” can attest to the fact that gun manufacturers in North America use a number of different heat treat options although gun manufacturer Glock in Smyrna, Georgia also uses plasma nitriding along with gas nitriding and carburizing in their heat treat department. In the case of “Blaser” they consider plasma nitriding a tried and true process that has provided the company with a top notch product. We would not argue with them.
Courtney joined Solar Atmospheres in August 2018 and has since gained valuable experience across multiple areas of the business, developing a comprehensive understanding of operations—from receiving inspection, order entry, and contract review to cycle development, certification, final inspection, and shipment. Most recently serving as Senior Quality Technician, Courtney has earned the respect of her colleagues and Solar’s extensive customer base through her dedication, technical knowledge, and commitment to quality.
“We’re excited to support Courtney’s professional growth as she transitions into her new role as Quality Manager at one of Solar’s largest heat-treating facilities,” said Derek Dennis, President. “There is much to learn in this challenging yet highly rewarding position.”
In her new role, Courtney will play a key part in overseeing the quality management systems at Solar’s Fontana facility, ensuring continued compliance with customer requirements and rigorous industry standards.
The entire Solar Atmospheres of California team congratulates Courtney on her well-deserved promotion and looks forward to her continued leadership, growth, and contributions to the company’s success.
For more information about vacuum heat treating services at Solar Atmospheres, visit solaratm.com, or contact Frank Trujillo at 866-559-5994 ext. 1333, or [email protected].
In this two-part series we share all of the details of this facility along with extensive photos-this is the story of firearm manufacturer “Blaser” and their in house heat treatment department;
“Blaser” has the ability to produce lot sizes anywhere from single orders right on up to 500 weapons at a time although the standard is typically 30 at a time. Interestingly enough each and every weapon is tested fired at least twice at “overpressure” to ensure quality and safety-this test (which we did not see) is a semi-automated process.
This year the firm will produce over 50,000 rifles and 2,000 shotguns although they can produce 100,000 barrels/year if required with a typical delivery time of 3-5 months from order to finished product.
Tomorrow, we look at various steps in the manufacturing process with special attention to the heat treat/finishing department.
Providing more ammunition (no pun intended) to the story about increased defense spending helping to increase vacuum furnace demand we have this brief story. October 20th, 2026 Pete Hegseth U.S. Secretary of War (formerly Secretary of Defense) visited “Metalcraft Riverside Machine & Engineering” in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA a high end machining firm which provides components to various defense firms. His press conference was held in front of an “Ipsen” Vacuum Aluminum Brazing furnace and he can be seen signing the door of the furnace with the words; “Forging the Arsenal of Freedom”.
An interesting photo to say the least.
For more details about trends driving the growth in new vacuum furnace sales we would suggest these articles provided by “The Monty Heat Treat News”;
“AI Data Centers Spiking New Vacuum Furnace Orders-Update”
“You Can’t Buy a Vacuum Furnace This Year. You Can still buy capacity! CFC Fixturing”
https://www.facebook.com/share/1Ed1vGP3Tf/ “Pete Hegseth Signing”
“Metal Treating Institute” (MTI) is the North American organization for commercial heat treaters. According to this press release, “Mr. Ben Gasbarre”, President of furnace builder “Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems” will be the 2027 President-good choice in our opinion.
“This past week, the Metal Treating Institute welcomed their 2027 President, Ben Gasbarre of Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems. Ben accepted the President’s gavel from outgoing President, Deidra Minerd of Euclid Heat Treating during MTI’s Fall Meeting, held in conjunction with Furnaces North America in Indianapolis.
Ben Gasbarre has been very active within MTI the past 7 years, serving on MTI’s Safety Committee, Jobs of Tomorrow Task Force, Heat Treat 4.0 Task Force, Benchmarking Committee, and Executive Committee.
The passing of the gavel marked a celebration of service and a renewed commitment to the collaboration that strengthens MTI and the heat treating industry. Bringing Members together alongside FNA provided a fitting setting for the transition, with industry leaders connecting, exchanging ideas, and exploring technologies shaping the future of heat treating.
MTI extends its sincere appreciation to Minerd for the time, energy, and leadership that she devoted to serving the membership as president. Volunteer leadership requires a significant commitment alongside the daily responsibilities of running a business, and her willingness to serve reflects the Member involvement that is at the heart of MTI.
After taking the gavel, Ben Gasbarre stated in his remarks, “The industry continues to navigate market uncertainty, workforce challenges, advancing technology, and the need to preserve experienced employees’ knowledge. These challenges reinforce the value of the Metal Treating Institute that connects companies with practical resources, education, and one another. MTI provides an incredible platform of strength for every heat treating company and supplier to ban together and seize the opportunities in front of us.”
“Mödling, Austria. Aichelin ST Vacuum GmbH, a company of the Aichelin Group, has received an order from a leading international aerospace company for a large high vacuum furnace. The system will be used for demanding heat-treatment processes for titanium alloys and meets the industry’s stringent requirements for quality, process reliability and traceability.
The vacuum furnace has a usable work zone of 1,500 × 5,000 × 1,500 mm and is designed for charge weights of up to 4,500 kg. The system reaches temperatures of up to 1,250 °C. Insulation and heating elements made of molybdenum and stainless steel provide a carbon-free atmosphere – an essential requirement for the heat treatment of titanium alloys.
To ensure reliable process control, the furnace is equipped with up to twelve vacuum pumps and achieves a stable ultimate vacuum in the 10⁻⁶ mbar range. The system is compliant with AMS2750 and enables quenching pressures of up to 1.49 bar.
“This order is a significant endorsement of our technological capability and our experience in aerospace applications,” says Wolfgang Brosche, Managing Director – Aichelin ST Vacuum GmbH. “The scale of the system and the stringent requirements for atmosphere, vacuum quality and process documentation demonstrate the depth of expertise required for projects of this kind.”
The scope of supply is a turnkey solution comprising a semi-automated loading system, water recooling unit, buffer tank, charge grids and a TUS fixture. Transportation to the installation site and commissioning are also included.
“Our customers expect more than a high-performance furnace; they need a reliably integrated overall solution,” says Dominic Kraus, Sales Manager – Aichelin ST Vacuum GmbH. “This project combines our vacuum-process expertise with a system designed consistently around the requirements of the aerospace industry.”
In recent years, the Aichelin Group has systematically expanded its position in industrial vacuum furnaces. Through Aichelin ST Vacuum GmbH and G-M Enterprises in the United States, the Group offers comprehensive expertise in vacuum heat-treatment systems. Aichelin has established itself in particular as an experienced furnace manufacturer for demanding applications in the aerospace sector.
With this project, Aichelin further strengthens its international presence in a technologically demanding market segment.
About Aichelin ST Vacuum; Aichelin ST Vacuum, headquartered in Mödling, Austria, with its Turkish subsidiary Aichelin ST Vakum Fırınları A.Ş. develops and manufactures advanced vacuum heat treatment systems for demanding industrial applications. As part of the internationally active Aichelin Group, the company combines decades of experience with innovative furnace technology to deliver reliable, energy-efficient and customized solutions for customers around the world.”
(Editor’s Note; The Bodycote Sud-Quest, France (southwest) facility was slated to be closed in the near future. It would appear that aerospace firm “Figeac Aéro Cambes”, acquired this location ahead of the closure which is a win/win for all parties.)
“13-Oct-2026 – FIGEAC AÉRO (FR0011665280 – FGA:FP), a leading partner to major aerospace manufacturers, today announces that it has completed the acquisition of Bodycote Sud-Ouest from the Bodycote Group. Bodycote Sud-Ouest specializes in heat treatment for the aerospace sector. The acquisition, carried out as part of the new strategic initiatives recently announced, strengthens the Group’s surface treatment and special processes business.
Sud-Ouest specializes in heat treatment for the aerospace sector, with its main production site located in Cambes (Lot, France). The capabilities deployed at the site focus on complementary special processes, including electron beam welding, radioscopy and a wide range of heat treatment operations. These activities generally fall within the Group’s areas of expertise in surface treatment and non-destructive testing. The site’s order book is primarily linked to activities associated with the Airbus A350 widebody aircraft program.
This acquisition offers FIGEAC AÉRO two major strategic benefits:
- Firstly, it expands the Group’s industrial capabilities in surface treatment and special processes, offering significant potential for the insourcing of activities and the development of high-value-added services. This investment is part of the new strategic initiatives unveiled in June 2026, which, as a reminder, focus on bringing surface treatment activities in-house, developing capabilities in the defense segment and, more generally, pursuing opportunistic integrations across the value chain.
- Secondly, the acquisition of Bodycote Sud-Ouest enables FIGEAC AÉRO to significantly strengthen the Group’s expertise by incorporating critical capabilities into the aerospace and defense supply chain. Complementary to its existing areas of expertise, their integration helps strengthen the relevance of FIGEAC AÉRO’s offering as a one-stop shop for metal parts and subassemblies.
In this context, FIGEAC AÉRO intends to establish the site as a center of excellence for special processes and to continue its industrial and commercial development, with a view to positioning it even more effectively to support the sharp increase in production rates in both aerostructures and engines.
With the integration of this production site into the Group’s consolidation scope, Bodycote Sud-Ouest becomes FIGEAC AÉRO Cambes and the Group’s 15th production site. Pro forma revenue is expected to approach €5 million by March 2028.
About FIGEAC AÉRO; The FIGEAC AÉRO Group specializes in the production of metal parts and subassemblies. It is a leading partner to major manufacturers in the aerospace, defense and energy sectors. FIGEAC AÉRO has a global industrial footprint, with 15 production sites across 8 countries, and holds a strategic position on major civil and military aerospace programs. As of 31 March 2026, the Group had generated annual revenue of €486.8 million.”
In 2022 “The Monty Heat Treat News” had this announcement; “McLaughlin Furnace Group and Rohde GmbH Strengthen Ties”. To recap the announcement summarized how German furnace builder “Rohde” of Hanau, Germany and “McLaughlin Furnace Group” of Avilla, IN, USA were partnering to offer the “Rohde” line of Salt Recovery Units (SRU’s) in North America.
This partnership has grown and prospered and during the recent “HK26”, heat treat exhibition in Cologne, Germany last week the two firms agreed to expand this partnership to include sharing gas nitriding technology-“Joern Rohde”, CEO of “Rohde” had this to say; “Our partnership with “McLaughlin” goes back several years now and it has been so successful that it is a natural extension to expand this co-operation to include gas nitriding systems. We have always been very strong in the gas nitriding sector and recent conversations with “Jeff McLaughlin” made it obvious that sharing this knowledge with a proven partner makes both our companies stronger.”
In turn, Jeff” had this to say; ” We have seen tremendous growth in the nitriding market in North America and we have reacted to this increased demand by expanding our nitriding offerings. The market has reacted favorably to our technology as demonstrated by 3 very recent orders we have received from two North American customers. Having said that discussions with “Joern” at the recent heat treat show demonstrated that by sharing our knowledge both companies will be able to offer an even better product and as an added benefit we will be able to improve upon our delivery time, a delivery time which is already the fastest in the industry”.
While no definite time frame was offered as to when this increased co-operation would be apparent to the industry, both firms are of the opinion that they are ready to start on this new venture almost immediately. The attached photos were taken last week and show a visit to the “Rohde” facility in Hanau, Germany by “Jeff McLaughlin” as well as more relaxed visit in Austria over the course of the past weekend.
