At Flash Steelworks, innovation begins at the atomic level. The Flash® Process represents a fundamental leap forward in metallurgy, a breakthrough in how steel is heated, cooled, and strengthened.
Developed through years of independent research and validated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), Flash Processing achieves what conventional steelmaking never could: ultra-high strength, cold-formability, and true weldability all in a single, energy-efficient step.
Traditional high-strength steels rely on complex alloying and slow furnace cycles that make them expensive, brittle, and difficult to weld. The Flash® Process turns that model upside down.
By heating standard, low-cost steel to over 1000°C (1832°F) in just a few seconds and cooling it instantly, Flash transforms ordinary steel into a new microstructure mix of bainite and martensite.
This unique thermal profile locks in a balance of hardness, ductility, and toughness previously thought impossible, creating steel with tensile strengths of 1500-2000 MPa that can still be cold-stamped, bent, and welded at room temperature.
The Flash® Process isn’t just faster, it’s cleaner.
Using renewable electricity to power rapid induction heating, Flash Processing reduces the embodied energy used to strengthen steel by up to 400% compared to conventional fossil-fueled furnaces.
This innovation delivers high-strength material at lower cost and lower carbon impact, enabling lighter vehicles, longer-lasting structures, and improved fuel efficiency.
The Flash® Process was advanced under the DOE Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and selected for Phase III commercialization funding, an award reserved for technologies proven ready for industrial deployment.
That validation, combined with ARL certification for Flash® armor, places Flash Steelworks among a select group of companies whose technology has transitioned successfully from laboratory research to national defense production.
A steel unlike any other:
In every sense, Flash® represents a new class of materials that are pound for pound stronger, lighter, and Truly Weldable®
The Flash® Process is a continuous heat treatment system that transforms commercial off-the-shelf steels into high-performance materials through precise, ultra-rapid heating and cooling cycles.
Steel enters a high-frequency induction coil that raises its temperature from ambient to over 1000°C in under five seconds. Unlike conventional furnaces, this induction method uses renewable electricity rather than fossil fuels.
The strip remains above 1000°C for just seconds before entering the quench zone. This brief soak time ensures microstructural transformation while controlling grain growth with minimal oxidation
Immediately after heating, the steel passes through a submerged water quench that cools it to near room temperature in less than one second. This rapid cooling traps a fine, complex matrix of bainite and martensite, creating an exceptionally strong yet ductile steel.
The continuous process produces high-strength sheet, plate, and tube that’s ready for forming, welding, and integration into structural or armor applications.
Flash Processing has been validated through testing by:
Results demonstrate tensile strengths exceeding 1500 MPa, energy absorption comparable to titanium at a fraction of the cost, and weldability unmatched in steels above 500 Brinell hardness.
Flash Steelworks’ materials and processes have been recognized and certified by the U.S. government’s foremost research and defense institutions.
These certifications make Flash® Ultra 600 the only known armor-grade steel that meets ballistic and blast performance requirements and can be welded in the field.
Flash Steelworks’ technology was matured and refined under the U.S. Department of Energy SBIR program, culminating in a Phase III award from the Advanced Manufacturing Office confirming its readiness for widespread commercial use.
The Phase III project enabled the design and construction of a coil-to-coil pilot line now operating in Ira Township, Michigan. A key milestone recognized by DOE as a model for small business innovation.
Flash Steelworks holds one of the most comprehensive IP portfolios in modern steel processing:
All intellectual property is managed in compliance with SBIR Data Rights and the Intellectual Property & Innovation Security Consortium (IPISC) framework.
Flash Steelworks holds one of the most comprehensive IP portfolios in modern steel processing:
Flash Steelworks continues to develop new applications for its patented process, from ultra-hard armor and structural sections to advanced stainless steels and alloys for electric vehicles and renewable energy systems.
Each innovation reinforces a single principle:
the future of steel isn’t found in new alloys, it’s found in better processing.
