An additive manufacturing device (AMD) for manufacturing objects through deposition of superposed layers of material in a granulate or powder form, the AMD comprising: a hydraulic cylinder; a mold for sealable attachment to the hydraulic cylinder; a material deposition station having an outlet for depositing the material in the mold layer-by-layer; a heating element; and a compressor. Between the deposition of one or more layers of material in the mold, the mold and the hydraulic cylinder are sealably attached to form a pressure container, the compressor injects gas in the container to increase a pressure within the pressure container and the heating element provides heat within the pressure container to further increase the pressure and to perform sintering or high-temperature synthesis of the material while submitting the material to the pressure.

Provided is a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) device that improves the heat uniformity of a hot zone during a pressurization process of an object being processed. This HIP device (100) is provided with: an outer casing (4) having an open outer opening part (4H); an inner casing (5) having an open inn opening part (5H); a heat-insulating body (R) disposed between the outer casing (4) and the inner casing (5); a gas flow generation part (30); and a plurality of first gas conduits (12), A hot zone (P) in which a pressurization process is performed is formed inside the inner casing (5). During the pressurization process, a low-temperature pressurization medium gas which has been generated by the gas flow generation part (30) and has passed through the first gas conduits (12) moves upward in an inner flow passage (L1) between the casings, and then flows into the hot zone (P) from the inner opening part (5H), Even when the pressurization medium gas leaks from the vicinity of a bottom all part (20) and flows into the hot zone (P), the heat uniformity of the hot zone (P) is maintained.

A method (100) for pressing at least one article in an arrangement as well as a pressing arrangement (500). The method comprises providing an article inside a load compartment and feeding a pressure medium into the pressure vessel and increasing (140) the pressure in the load compartment; increasing (120) the temperature and maintaining (150) the increased temperature and the increased pressure for selected periods of time (t.sub.1, t.sub.2); changing (170) the temperature from the first predetermined temperature level to a second predetermined temperature level (T.sub.2); feeding (180) a carbon-containing gas into the pressure vessel; maintaining (190) the second predetermined temperature level for a selected period of time (t.sub.3); reducing (200) the temperature in the load compartment; and discharging (210) the pressure medium from the pressure vessel and reducing (220) the pressure in the load compartment.

A method for processing at least one article in a pressing arrangement is provided. The method comprises the steps of: increasing the temperature in the load compartment by the at least one heating element in the furnace chamber; maintaining the increased temperature at a predetermined temperature level, T.sub.1, for a selected period of time, t.sub.1; and during the steps of increasing the temperature and maintaining the increased temperature, circulating the pressure medium within the pressure vessel by the at least one flow generator.

A pressing arrangement (100) is disclosed. The pressing arrangement (100) comprises a pressure vessel (2) comprising a pressure cylinder (1), a top end closure (3) and a bottom end closure (9), a furnace chamber (18) for heating a pressure medium, a plurality of guiding passages (10, 11, 13), a load compartment (19) configured for holding at least one article to be treated, and at least one flow generator (30, 32) for circulating pressure medium within the pressure vessel. The pressing arrangement further comprises a heat exchanging element (170) arranged in the top end closure or in the bottom end closure. The heat exchanging element comprises at least one passage for allowing a flow of pressure medium through the heat exchanging element, and at least one circuit for allowing a circulation of cooling medium within the at least one circuit for a cooling of the pressure medium.

There is disclosed a nuclearized hot-isostatic press (HIP) system comprising, a high temperature HIP furnace and a multi-wall vessel surrounding the furnace, such as a dual walled vessel comprising concentric vessels. The described multi-walled vessel comprises at least one detector contained between the walls to detect a gas leak, a crack in a vessel wall, or both. The disclosed HIP system also comprises multiple heads located on top and underneath the furnace, a yoke frame, and a lift for loading and unloading a HIP can to the high temperature HIP furnace. There is also disclosed a method of using such a system to provide ease of maintenance, operation, decontamination and decommissioning.

The present invention relates to an autoclave molding apparatus for use in molding a composite material composed of a fibrous base material and a matrix and sealed together with a molding tool in a vacuum bag, using steam for heating and compressing the composite material. The present invention provides an autoclave molding apparatus capable of effectively reducing the overshoot of the temperature of the composite material caused by poor dissipation of curing heat in a curing process and thereby capable of producing a composite material molded article having uniform and sufficient strength. More specifically, an autoclave molding apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that a condensed water holder(s) configured to hold condensed water generated by heating is mounted on at least a portion of the vacuum bag and/or at least a portion of the molding tool.

A pressing arrangement (100) is disclosed. The pressing arrangement (100) comprises a pressure vessel (2) comprising a pressure cylinder (1). a top end closure (3) and a bottom end closure (9), a furnace chamber (18) for heating a pressure medium, a plurality of guiding passages (10, 11, 13), a load compartment (19) configured for holding at least one article to be treated, and at least one flow generator (30, 32) for circulating pressure medium within the pressure vessel. The pressing arrangement further comprises a heat exchanging element (170) arranged in the top end closure or in the bottom end closure. The heat exchanging element comprises at least one passage for allowing a flow of pressure medium through the heat exchanging element, and at least one circuit for allowing a circulation of cooling medium within the at least one circuit for a cooling of the pressure medium.

A method for processing at least one article in a pressing arrangement is provided. The method comprises the steps of: increasing the temperature in the load compartment by the at least one heating element in the furnace chamber; maintaining the increased temperature at a predetermined temperature level, T.sub.1, for a selected period of time, t.sub.1; and during the steps of increasing the temperature and maintaining the increased temperature, circulating the pressure medium within the pressure vessel by the at least one flow generator.

A method involves heating fiber-reinforced semi-finished products of differing wall thickness to a required temperature above the glass transition range or the matrix melting temperature of a plastic matrix of the semi-finished product to be heated. In a first step, the semi-finished product to be heated is heated by thermal conduction to below the glass transition range or the matrix melting temperature. In a further step, the remaining amount of heat for reaching the required temperature above the glass transition range or the matrix melting temperature is introduced by thermal radiation or thermal convection.