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.

In one aspect, additive manufacture techniques are described herein which enable the densification of green articles prior to further article processing. In some embodiments, a method of forming an article comprises providing a powder composition, and forming the powder composition into a green article by one or more additive manufacturing techniques. The green article is contacted with a powder pressure transfer media. The green article and powder pressure transfer media are then subjected to cold isostatic pressing (CIP) or warm isostatic pressing (WIP) at a pressure less than minimum isostatic compaction pressure of the powder pressure transfer media to provide a densified green article.

A method of fabricating a near net shape component includes forming a sacrificial shell from a pulverant material using an additive manufacturing process, the shell having an aperture. The method further includes filling the shell with a second pulverant material, subjecting the filled shell to a consolidation process, and removing the shell from the consolidated second pulverant material.

A method of fabricating a near net shape component includes forming a sacrificial shell from a pulverant material using an additive manufacturing process, the shell having an aperture. The method further includes filling the shell with a second pulverant material, subjecting the filled shell to a consolidation process, and removing the shell from the consolidated second pulverant material.

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a system is described. The system includes a hot isostatic pressing system. The hot isostatic pressing system includes a pressure vessel to receive an additively manufactured 3D steel object and a pressure source to apply isostatic pressure to the 3D steel object disposed therein. The isostatic pressing system also includes a heater to heat the 3D steel object while in the pressure vessel. The system also includes a controller. The controller 1) determines characteristics of the 3D steel object, 2) determines, a temperature, pressure, and duration for isostatically treating the 3D steel object, and 3) activates the pressure source and heater to apply a determined pressure and temperature to the 3D steel object based on determined characteristics of the 3D steel object.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for treatment of articles by hot pressing and in particular by hot isostatic pressing. The pressing arrangement includes a pressure vessel and a furnace chamber adapted to hold articles, which furnace chamber is provided inside the pressure vessel. At least one guiding passage communicating with the furnace chamber forms an outer cooling loop, wherein the pressure medium in a part of the outer cooling loop is guided in proximity to pressure vessel walls and the top end closure before it re-enters into the furnace chamber. Further, a guiding channel element is located in the at least one guiding passage forming the outer cooling loop is arranged with at least one pressure medium channel for guiding the pressure medium from a central opening of the heat insulated casing radially and circumferentially towards a lateral wall of the pressure cylinder. The at least one pressure medium channel has a substantially constant cross-sectional area in a flow direction of the pressure medium.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for treatment of articles by hot pressing and preferably by hot isostatic pressing. In particular, the present invention relates to such an arrangement capable of obtaining a rapid rate without the need of special purpose valves for the cooling. A furnace chamber is provided inside the pressure vessel of the arrangement and a heat insulated casing arranged to surround the furnace chamber. A bottom insulating portion is arranged beneath the furnace chamber. Further, a fan having a controllable number of revolutions for circulating the pressure medium within the furnace chamber is arranged in the pressure vessel, and preferable within the furnace chamber. At least one feeding passage is arranged to allow feeding of pressure medium from a region being colder than a region within the furnace chamber towards an inlet of the fan, wherein an amount of pressure medium being fed to the inlet of the fan can be controlled by adjusting operational parameters of the fan.

Provided is a combined cold isostatic press and general press capable of simultaneously performing cold isostatic pressing using pressure of fluid and general pressing using mechanically applied pressure. The combined cold isostatic press and general press includes a main frame having a center penetration region, a pressure vessel supported by the penetration region of the main frame, the pressure vessel performing cold isostatic pressing using fluid injected therein, a top lid installed to be vertically slidable from or to an upper end of the pressure vessel by the fluid filled in the pressure vessel so as to function as piston, the top lid being configured to open or close the upper end of the pressure vessel, a lower lid configured to open or close a lower end of the pressure vessel and a press unit located between the top lid and the main frame to perform pressing using pressure applied by the top lid as the top lid slides from the pressure vessel. As such, enhanced productivity and reduction in fluid consumption and manufacturing costs may be accomplished.

A press apparatus includes a pressure vessel arranged to hold pressure medium therein during use of the press apparatus. The pressure vessel includes a top end closure and a bottom end closure. A furnace chamber is arranged within the pressure vessel so that pressure medium can enter and exit the furnace chamber, the furnace chamber at least in part defining a treatment space arranged to accommodate at least one article. The press apparatus includes at least one outer convection loop pressure medium guiding passage in fluid communication with the furnace chamber and arranged to form an outer convection loop within the pressure vessel. The outer convection loop is arranged to guide the pressure medium after having exited the furnace chamber in proximity to an inner surface of one or more wall(s) of the pressure vessel to a space between the furnace chamber and the bottom end closure.

The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy member capable of suppressing deterioration in ductility thereof. In the method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy member, an aluminum alloy casting material that contains 2.0 to 5.5 mass % of Cu, and 4.0 to 7.0 mass % of Si in which a content of Mg is 0.5 mass % or less, a content of Zn is 1.0 mass % or less, a content of Fe is 1.0 mass % or less, a content of Mn is 0.5 mass % or less and the balance is made of Al and inevitable impurities is used. The method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy member includes a heating and holding step of heating and holding the aluminum alloy casting material within a solid-liquid coexisting temperature region; and a quenching step of rapidly cooling the aluminum alloy casting material after performing the heating and holding step.