Vapour Blasting
Our in-house vapor blasting service plays a key role in preparing and finishing components to the highest standards. This wet blasting process uses a fine media & water to gently clean, degrease, and refine surfaces without removing material or compromising part integrity—making it ideal for precision-engineered components.
Unlike traditional dry blasting, vapor blasting is far less aggressive, allowing us to achieve a consistent, satin-like finish while preserving the dimensional accuracy of each part. It’s the perfect solution for exhaust components that require both aesthetic refinement and functional cleanliness.
By controlling this process in-house, we ensure every part meets our strict surface preparation standards. Whether for cosmetic purposes or part refurbishment, our vapor blasting setup delivers repeatable, high-quality results that align with the performance and presentation our clients expect.
Controlled Shot Peening
Shot-peening is a controlled cold working process used to mechanically modify the properties of metals, increasing the fatigue life of exhaust components.
The process is carried out by impacting the component with a spherical media to modify the surface of a component, each particle acts like a miniature ball-peen hammer meaning no surface material is removed during the process. A variety of media can be used including:
- Metallic
- Glass
- Ceramic
This creates an even compressive layer across the component reducing any tensile stresses that may have been created during the manufacturing process. Therefore, reducing the chance of micro cracks in the surface and lengthening the life of the exhaust component.
The intensity of shot-peening is a key factor of the process. This is controlled and calibrated for each component with the use of an ‘Almen strip’, this metallic strip is shot-peened and doing so causing the Almen strip to deform, the percentage of deformation is then measured and adjusted to reach the desired intensity of the blast stream.
Every Almen strip is filed and stored for inspection and accountability purposes.
Whilst we have an in house shot-peening service and capable of low-volume and service requirements, we also have a long-term relationship with one of our partners, Sandwell UK, for all major shot-peening requirements and high quantities.
Heat Treatment
Heat treatment is a stress relieving process where metals such Inconel and Titanium are heated and cooled in a fully controlled environment, the process is intended to reduce the residual stress present in exhaust component and a result of welding and fabrication.
If these residual stresses are not removed from components before they go into service, the result can be early failures, which in the case of exhaust manufacturing could result in power loss or even early retirement from a race.
Components that have not been stress relieved can also, after heating up during their first use, move out of tolerance, causing poor fitment and transfer stress to other parts.
The high temperature super alloys used in exhausts are usually heated up to temperatures as high as 1000°C at a steady rate, held for a set amount of time depending on the alloy and then gas cooled using pressurised nitrogen.
Exhausts parts can be heat treated in heavy duty temperature resistant jigs if necessary, to stop them from going out of shape and moving out of tolerance during the process.
