Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) is a manufacturing process used to eliminate internal microporosity in metal castings and other materials. HIP also enables the densification of metal, polymer, ceramic and composite powders in the solid state. Both of these methods result in superior material properties.

Benefits:

• Eliminates all internal voids in castings and metallic components created by additive manufacturing methods
• Decreases casting inspection rejection rate
• Improves product consistency
• Improves soundness and mechanical properties (fatigue life, ductility, impact strength) of castings, potentially allowing sleeker design
• Enhances vacuum tightness and machined surface finish of castings
• Produces full density material from metal, composite, polymer or ceramic powders without melting
• From powders, creates solid material with superior properties due to fine, uniform grain size and isotropic structure
• Enables unique powder blends to be combined into solids that would not be possible to form by other manufacturing methods
• Produce complex-shaped solid components from powders
• Improves toughness, ductility, fatigue strength, and consistency of metal injection moulded (MIM) parts
• Bonds dissimilar metals without the need of temperature-limiting adhesives
• Produce clad components via HIP bonding.

Application & materials:

Examples of parts HIPed in large volumes include, but are not limited to: Hot section and structural gas turbine components (both dynamic and static); aerospace structural and engine parts; implantable medical devices; automotive engine components; valve bodies and other petrochemical processing equipment; critical munitions pieces; tooling, die and general engineering parts; sputter targets; and PM alloy billets and near net shapes (NNS).

HIP can produce multiple diffusion bonds in a single process cycle. HIP cladding is commonly used to coat premium materials with superior properties, such as corrosion and wear resistance, onto more economical substrates, so the part can be designed cost effectively.

Most metal alloys along with many composites, polymers and ceramics can be HIPed, including nickel, cobalt, tungsten, titanium, molybdenum, aluminium, copper and iron based alloys; oxide and nitride ceramics; glasses; intermetallics; and premium plastics.

Process details:

• Reproducible automated HIP cycles tailored to meet customers’ needs
• Component traceability from door to door
• Stringent inert gas (argon) purity requirements
• Meet or exceed customer, military, and/or industry specifications
• Technical support for HIPing novel materials or alloys
• Compatible tooling for the HIP cycle and customer material requirements.