An apparatus and a method for treating an object manufactured from a material having a defined melting temperature, by subjecting the object to hot isostatic pressing to reduce porosity and increase a density thereof. The method comprises arranging the object in a pressure chamber interior cavity, submerged in a liquid partially filling the cavity, heating the liquid to a below melting temperature, pressurizing the liquid by pressurizing gas above a liquid surface in the cavity, then moving the object out of the liquid, but still within the cavity, subsequently heating the liquid to an above melting temperature, and resubmerging the object in the liquid. Subsequently, the object is withdrawn from the liquid and moved above the liquid. The apparatus comprises the pressure chamber, a movable object support in the cavity, a liquid heater, and a gas inlet and outlet selectively introducing gas into and venting gas from the cavity.

An apparatus and a method for treating an object manufactured from a material having a defined melting temperature, by subjecting the object to hot isostatic pressing to reduce porosity and increase a density thereof. The method comprises arranging the object in a pressure chamber interior cavity, submerged in a liquid partially filling the cavity, heating the liquid to a below melting temperature, pressurizing the liquid by pressurizing gas above a liquid surface in the cavity, then moving the object out of the liquid, but still within the cavity, subsequently heating the liquid to an above melting temperature, and resubmerging the object in the liquid. Subsequently, the object is withdrawn from the liquid and moved above the liquid. The apparatus comprises the pressure chamber, a movable object support in the cavity, a liquid heater, and a gas inlet and outlet selectively introducing gas into and venting gas from the cavity.

A structure is provided. The structure defines a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction, the three directions orthogonal to each other. The structure includes a first section, a second section, and a third section. The first section includes a plurality of unit cells joined together, wherein the first section has a first average tensile strength and a first average crack growth resistance. The second substantially solid section is within and surrounding each unit cell of the plurality of first section unit cells, wherein the second section has a second average tensile strength and a second average crack growth resistance, the second average tensile strength different from the first average tensile strength and the second average crack growth resistance different from the first average crack growth resistance. The third section surrounds the first section and the second section.

An improved method of forming components by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) involves making a can for the HIP process from a ceramic mold, reducing the need for welding & machining in the production of the can.

One aspect of the disclosure relates to a method of making a part from at least one elemental metal powder. The part has a near-net shape, a part volume, and a part density. The method includes providing a sintered preform having a sintered density and separating a portion from the sintered preform. The portion has a portion volume exceeding the part volume and a portion shape different from the near-net shape of the part. The method also includes thermally cycling the portion for a thermal-cycling time period at a thermal-cycling pressure while superplastically deforming the portion to form the part having the near net shape and the part density.

In a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) method, the component to be treated, affected by imperfections, like porosity, cracks and cavities in its structure, is placed into a container together with non-metallic material in form of powder or grains having size greater than the porosity and the cracks and imperfections of the component. During the HIP process, the non-metallic material presses on the whole surface of the embedded component in order to generate a combination of temperature and forces capable to reduce defects, embedded and not embedded, in the component itself. The component is not contaminated during the process thus allowing easily removal of the non-metallic material by a simple operation of mechanical cleaning or chemical washing.

In a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) method, the component to be treated, affected by imperfections, like porosity, cracks and cavities in its structure, is placed into a container together with non-metallic material in form of powder or grains having size greater than the porosity and the cracks and imperfections of the component. During the HIP process, the non-metallic material presses on the whole surface of the embedded component in order to generate a combination of temperature and forces capable to reduce defects, embedded and not embedded, in the component itself. The component is not contaminated during the process thus allowing easily removal of the non-metallic material by a simple operation of mechanical cleaning or chemical washing.

An apparatus and a method for treating an object manufactured from a material having a defined melting temperature, by subjecting the object to hot isostatic pressing to reduce porosity and increase a density thereof. The method comprises arranging the object in a pressure chamber interior cavity, submerged in a liquid partially filling the cavity, heating the liquid to a below melting temperature, pressurizing the liquid by pressurizing gas above a liquid surface in the cavity, then moving the object out of the liquid, but still within the cavity, subsequently heating the liquid to an above melting temperature, and resubmerging the object in the liquid. Subsequently, the object is withdrawn from the liquid and moved above the liquid. The apparatus comprises the pressure chamber, a movable object support in the cavity, a liquid heater, and a gas inlet and outlet selectively introducing gas into and venting gas from the cavity.

An apparatus and a method for treating an object manufactured from a material having a defined melting temperature, by subjecting the object to hot isostatic pressing to reduce porosity and increase a density thereof. The method comprises arranging the object in a pressure chamber interior cavity, submerged in a liquid partially filling the cavity, heating the liquid to a below melting temperature, pressurizing the liquid by pressurizing gas above a liquid surface in the cavity, then moving the object out of the liquid, but still within the cavity, subsequently heating the liquid to an above melting temperature, and resubmerging the object in the liquid. Subsequently, the object is withdrawn from the liquid and moved above the liquid. The apparatus comprises the pressure chamber, a movable object support in the cavity, a liquid heater, and a gas inlet and outlet selectively introducing gas into and venting gas from the cavity.

Embodiments provide for a method of manufacturing a part. In example embodiments, the method includes positioning a material within a cavity of a die, positioning solid lubricant within the cavity of the die between a surface of a plunging component and the material, and uniaxially applying pressure to the material with the plunging component via the solid lubricant until the material forms a desired shape.