Isotatic Pressing

This group of processes involves the application of uniform pressure via a gas or liquid in a controlled, sealed chamber.

As indicated by the process names, the main variable between these processes is the application or lack of heat used during the pressurisation. 

Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) involves the use of heat and can be used as a forming process or a finishing process, where the heat provides the required energy to either create components or transform pre-formed items into fully dense components.

Cold Isostatic Pressing (CIP) on the other hand does not use heat, components formed tend to be simpler in shape and require further processing to create a finished component. When used in combination with the HIP process, CIP provides initial compression - HIP then provides the final compression and increase in density.

Due to the bonding and densification that Hot Isostatic Pressing can achieve it can be used a lot more flexibly than Cold Isostatic Pressing, with applications in Cladding, Forming and being an integral part of the powder forging process - providing the "Sintering" stage.

Applications are wide ranging, but the Aerospace industry make extensive use of these processes both for the forming of high integrity components and increasing the density and integrity of already processed components.

• • Hot Isostatic Pressing
• • Cold Isostatic Pressing