MTI membership is not limited to the U.S. and Canada. For proof, look no further than Heat Treatment Australia, a commercial heat treater in operation since 1979.

HTA has three facilities that cover the major manufacturing centers in Australia: Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. These plants include some of the most sophisticated thermal-processing equipment currently available. They also are fully computerized, offering streamlined processing and live monitoring and recording of all process parameters with remote 24-hour access to staff for process notifications. These state-of-the art sites are considered to have greater flexibility and advancement in process control and repeatability by reducing human error and standardizing process parameters.

The lone heat treater in Australia with both AS9100 and Nadcap accreditations, HTA offers a vast array of commercial processes, including: solution annealing and age hardening, aluminum solution and age processing, sealed quench processing (neutral hardening, carbonitriding, case carburizing and atmosphere normalizing), vacuum processing (15-bar high-pressure gas quenching), conveyor hardening, stress relieving, aluminum vacuum brazing and cryogenic processing.

These services help HTA serve the aerospace, defense, mining, agriculture rail, oil and gas, tooling and machining industries in its home country and overseas. The company has multiple furnaces at each of its locations to provide the capacity necessary for all processes performed.

The company’s focus, however, is vacuum processing. Its brazing, hardening and carburizing services are vital for aerospace and medical applications. HTA’s aerospace processes utilize current technology, moving away from high-cost, labor-intensive processes while focusing on calibration and training. These processes also allow universities, government agencies, advanced research and development bodies and industry the ability to remain at the forefront while driving innovation.

What started as a one-man operation in the late 1970s has grown into a staff of more than 60 people. More importantly, HTA boasts over 250 years of combined industry experience throughout multiple disciplines and markets serviced. It is this know-how that enables customer satisfaction and improves business performance.

HTA’s ability to stay at the leading edge of process research and development has fueled its success. Utilizing sophisticated controls from around the world to refine and improve its processes has also been important.

The company recently installed a Kn-controlled predictive nitriding system capable of meeting the requirements of aerospace specifications. An upgrade over an older line, it enabled HTA not only to offer the standard gas nitriding service but also added nitrocarburizing and incorporated pre- and post-oxidation cycles for improved metallurgical properties.

It is of significant importance to HTA to continue to drive innovation, research and development within Australia. Accordingly, the company is planning significant upgrades to all three of its facilities to ensure it meets the current and future needs of Australian industry.

Visit www.heat.com.au for more information on Heat Treatment Australia.