Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP)

HIP has long been used as a method to densify parts fabricated by other means. However, the process is also very useful for the fabrication of near net shapes. This is known in the industry as Powder Metallurgy Hot Isostatic Pressing (PM HIP).

In PM HIP, gas atomized powders are placed in a sheet metal capsule that is designed to shape the parts. The capsule is then placed in a high-pressure chamber and brought up to a temperature at which it consolidates and densifies but is below the melting point of the powder. The resulting parts are further post processed as needed. PM HIP can make complex parts over a wide range of sizes and from powders of many different compositions. Parts made using the PM HIP process are used by many industries, including oil and gas, aerospace, power generation and more.