Process Spotlight: Forging & Billet Conditioning – Shaping Strength and Precision

Once melting is complete, alloys at SMP move into forging and billet conditioning — a critical stage that refines material structure and performance. Here, solidified ingots are transformed into precisely shaped billets and complex shapes, developing the strength, integrity, and consistency required for demanding applications across aerospace, oil & gas, defence, and nuclear sectors.

At the heart of this stage is our GFM Rotary Precision Forge (RPF). This advanced system delivers exceptional accuracy, consistency, and repeatability, enabling tight dimensional control and uniform grain flow. The result is billets with enhanced mechanical properties, optimised for strength and reliability, and ready for downstream processing or machining.

Supporting Processes: Heating, Homogenisation, and Annealing

Forging performance starts well before deformation. SMP’s dedicated suite of furnaces ensures each billet is in optimal condition:

  • Homogenisation reduces chemical segregation, promoting more uniform deformation during forging.
  • Heating brings material to precise forging temperatures, minimising the risk of cracking or tearing.
  • Annealing relieves residual stresses and refines grain structure, improving ductility, toughness, and workability.

Together, these processes ensure every billet enters forging fully prepared — enabling precision shaping and consistent, high-performance outcomes.

Billet Conditioning and Bar Finishing

Once forged, billets pass through SMP’s comprehensive conditioning and finishing facilities, which includes:

  • Overhead heat treatment and vertical heat treatment
  • Bar finishing to achieve precise dimensions and surface quality
  • Immersion ultrasonic testing to check internal integrity and detect inclusions or defects

These steps ensure that the billets are strong, reliable, and ready for the next stage in production, while maintaining SMP’s high quality standards.

Expertise, Precision, and Safety

Behind every successful forge is a team of skilled metallurgists, operators, and engineers. Their expertise, precision, and hands-on experience are vital in maintaining consistency and quality across billets and bars.

Working with steel at high temperatures and under intense pressure requires strict safety protocols and meticulous attention to detail. Every stage – from homogenisation, heating, and forging to conditioning, finishing, and testing – is carefully monitored to protect both staff and product quality. This combination of advanced equipment, technical expertise, and disciplined processes ensures that SMP maintains its reputation for excellence.

Delivering Steel that Performs

Forging and billet conditioning are where SMPs steel truly takes shape. By combining the GFM Rotary Forge, precise supporting processes, billet conditioning, bar finishing and expert oversight, we transform raw material into billets and bars with uniform structure, strength, and reliability.

Every piece of steel leaving SMP is the product of careful preparation, precise forging, and rigorous finishing – ready to meet the highest standards demanded by aerospace, defence, energy, and industrial applications worldwide.

 

 

/by

Special Melted Products Ltd Signs Danieli Breda Forging Press Contract as Part of Project Vulcan

Strengthening UK speciality metal production, critical supply chains, and sovereign capability

Special Melted Products (SMP) is pleased to announce that we have today signed a contract with Danieli Breda for the supply of a new, state-of-the-art forging press as part of our large capital expansion. Project Vulcan represents a major milestone for SMP and a significant boost for UK speciality metals manufacturing.

Project Vulcan highlights SMP’s commitment to advancing speciality metal production capabilities in the UK, securing critical supply chains, and reinforcing national sovereign capability, while also strengthening our position as a trusted supplier to international markets. The new forging press will enable SMP to produce high-integrity steels, superalloys and advanced components for highly regulated, mission-critical sectors such as Aerospace, Energy and Civil Nuclear.

In an industry often highlighted for challenges, SMP exemplifies UK metals manufacturing thriving through innovation and advanced manufacturing, where product safety, reliability and quality are paramount. By expanding our domestic forging capabilities, we help ensure the UK remains self-reliant in key sectors while continuing to meet global demand for high-performance materials. SMP remains one of the world’s pre-eminent producers of alloys for mainline jet engine shafts and other critical rotating parts.

Andy Richardson, CEO/Managing Director of SMP, said:
” Project Vulcan is an exciting step forward for SMP and for the UK speciality metals industry. This new forging press strengthens our capabilities, supports both UK and international supply chains, and reinforces our position as a world-class supplier of high-performance metallic materials and components. Importantly, it also allows us to provide high-quality jobs in the region and retain key skills that are vital to the future of UK advanced manufacturing. Project Vulcan enables SMP to continue to deliver critical products to aerospace, nuclear, and other demanding industries, all manufactured with the expertise that has made SMP and Sheffield a global leader”.

The Danieli Breda forging press represents a major investment in the future of advanced metals production in the UK, whilst driving innovation and reinforcing SMP’s role as a global leader in advanced materials manufacture.

/by

Christmas & New Year Office Hours

Our Christmas and New Year office hours are outlined above. We close at 4:00pm on the 23rd of December and will reopen on the 2nd of January.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

/by

Process Spotlight: Melting – The Heart of Our Steelmaking

At Special Melted Products, everything starts with melting. It’s the very first and one of the most critical stages in our manufacturing process – where precision, expertise, and innovation come together to create the high-integrity alloys that our customers rely on across aerospace, oil & gas, nuclear and defence sectors.

Melting isn’t just about turning metal into liquid; it’s about control, integrity, and consistency. At SMP, our state-of-the-art meting facilities ensure that every heat meets the highest standards of quality and performance. This is where the journey begins – transforming carefully selected raw materials into premium quality alloys that form the foundation of everything we produce.

Primary Melting: Precision from the Start

Our melting operations begin with primary melting carried out in two world-class vacuum furnaces:

  • Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM):10-ton capacity
  • Vacuum Induction Degassing and Pouring (VIDP): 6-ton capacity

These furnaces allow us to melt under vacuum conditions, providing exceptional control over temperature, chemistry, and cleanliness, The vacuum environment prevents contamination from atmospheric gases such as oxygen and nitrogen, ensuring the production of exceptionally clean steels.

Secondary Remelting: Refining for Perfection

Once the primary melt is complete, the electrode undergoes secondary Remelting to further remove impurities and enhance chemical homogeneity. SMP operates a range of advanced remelting facilities, including:

  • Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR): 2 x 10-ton and 3 x 20-ton furnaces
  • Electroslag Remelting (ESR): 1 x 10-ton and 1 x 20-ton furnaces

Each process serves a distinct purpose:

  • VAR removes dissolved gases by melting under high vacuum and enhances chemical homogeneity and structural integrity through directional solidification.
  • ESR melts the electrode using a molten metal-oxide flux. Inclusions are removed by chemical reaction as metal droplets travel through the molten flux.
  • Some alloys used in safety critical applications require the use of VIM, ESR and VAR to combine the benefits of each process.

These advanced remelting techniques ensure our alloys achieve the exceptional levels of purity and performance that SMP is known for worldwide.

People and Precision Working Together

Behind every successful melt is a highly skilled team of metallurgists, furnace operators, and engineers. Their expertise, attention to detail, and commitment to safety are what makes SMP’s melting operations world-class.

Working with molten metal at temperatures exceeding 1600◦C requires not only advanced technology but also precision, teamwork, and a deep understanding of the process. From charging the furnace to pouring and analysis, every step is carefully executed to maintain consistency and ensure product excellence.

Setting the Standard for Quality

At SMP, melting is more than just the first stage of production – it’s where quality is built from the very beginning. Through continual investment in our equipment, processes, and people, we ensure that each melt delivers steel with the integrity and reliability our customer’s trust.

Melting is where every products journey begins – and at SMP, it’s where we set the standard for everything that follows.

/by

SMP Shortlisted for Large Organisation of the Year!

We’re thrilled to announce that Special Melted Products Ltd has been shortlisted for the Large Organisation of the Year at the Sheffield Business Awards 2025! 🏆🎉

To be named one of only three finalists in this category is a fantastic achievement and a reflection of the dedication, innovation, and teamwork that drives everything we do.

As a proud Sheffield-based business with deep roots in advanced manufacturing, we’re committed to driving excellence, sustainability, and growth in the region and beyond.

Massive thanks to our colleagues for their hard work every day and the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce for this recognition — and congratulations to all the other finalists!

/by

SMP Invests In Additional Machining Capability

SMP has recently made an investment in two new Tuscan Heavy Duty Lathes.

We can now machine workpieces up to 8 meters between centers and 9 meters through the spindle, while handling materials with a diameter of up to 950 mm.

As the demand for our extensive range of products continues to grow, the new Tuscan Lathes will enable us to achieve faster cycle times through high-speed machining. This upgrade will enhance our capacity, provide higher precision in machining, and increase the durability of our equipment

/by

Gill Furniss MP Visits Special Melted Products

Last week SMP had the privilege of welcoming Gill Furniss MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough to our Sheffield manufacturing facility. Discussions took place on how SMP, backed by its owners Walsin and Cogne Acciai Speciali can collaborate with the UK Government to generate new jobs and wealth in the South Yorkshire area, aligning with the new UK Steel Strategy.

As our local MP, Gill was informed about the ambitious and transformational Project Vulcan, which aims to build the UK’s first 10,000T Superalloy forging press in support of aerospace, defence, and civil nuclear applications which SMP heavily participates in, especially within the Rolls-Royce supply chain.

Born and bred in Sheffield, Gill’s father was a steel worker and as the former Shadow Minister for Steel, Postal Affairs and Consumer Protection, it is fair to say that this is an industry that is close to Gill’s heart and she enjoyed a tour of the facility with Andy Richardson CEO.

 

/by

Defence Secretary John Healey Visits Special Melted Products

/by

Stuart Hanson Retires after 47 years’

Last month we said farewell to Stuart Hanson, after a whopping 47 years’ service!
The entire SMP family are extremely grateful for Stuarts’ contribution over the years, and he will be missed, we wish he all the best for a long and happy retirement with many hours on the golf course to look forward to!

 

/by

SMP a world-leading producer of Inconel 718

Our considerable manufacturing capability, experience and commitment to quality enables us to produce nickel based superalloys in a large range of sizes and heat treatment conditions, making us a world-leading producer of Inconel 718.

For sales enquiries please contact shfsales@smp.ltd

/by