Steel material whose constituent grains comprise a matrix in which precipitates are incorporated, the precipitates comprising at least one metallic element selected from a metallic element M, a metallic element M′, a metallic element M″ or mixtures thereof; the microstructure of the steel being such that the grains are equiaxed and the average grain size being such that the average of their largest dimension “Dmax” and/or the average of their smallest dimension “Dmin” is comprised between 10 μm and 50 μm. The steel material has optimized, stable and isotropic mechanical properties, in particular so that the steel material can best withstand mechanical and/or thermal stresses.

A method of making a capsule 2 for hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) comprises: (i) selecting a first sheet of metal; (ii) subjecting the first sheet to a forming process, for example die forming, thereby to define a first member 4a of the capsule; (iii) securing said first member to one or more other members thereby to define at least part of a capsule for HIPing.

A composite armor plate is disclosed. The composite armor plate includes a first layer made from an ultra-high hardness, high strength alloy that is bonded to a second layer made from a high fracture toughness alloy that also may have high strength. The composite armor plate according to the present provides a gradient of strength, hardness, and toughness. The composite armor plate according to the invention may also include third and fourth layers of different alloys that provide combinations of hardness, strength, and fracture toughness that are intermediate of the hardness, strength, and fracture toughness provided by the first and second steel layers. A method of making the composite armor plate is also disclosed.

The inventive concept relates to method for manufacturing a metal based component comprising at least one protrusion. The method comprises: providing a metal based substrate comprising a surface having at least one cavity; providing a metal based protrusion element comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion has a shape that conforms to a shape of the cavity; arranging the first portion of the protrusion element in said cavity such that at least the second portion of the protrusion element protrudes at least 5 mm from a surface of the metal based substrate, to form a substrate comprising a protrusion; placing said substrate comprising a protrusion in a canister such that a void is formed between the canister and the surface of the substrate comprising the protrusion; filling at least a portion of the void with a diamond powder such that the surface of the substrate comprising the protrusion is covered by the inert filler material; removing gas from the interface between said diamond powder and said substrate comprising

A method of making a capsule 2 for hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) comprises: (i) selecting a first sheet of metal; (ii) subjecting the first sheet to a forming process, for example die forming, thereby to define a first member 4a of the capsule; (iii) securing said first member to one or more other members thereby to define at least part of a capsule for HIPing.

A method of manufacturing an austenitic iron alloy comprising placing austenitic iron alloy powder in a can, evacuating air and other gases from the can, supplying nitrogen gas into the can, sealing the can and then hot isostatically pressing the austenitic iron alloy powder in the can to diffuse the nitrogen into the austenitic iron alloy powder and to produce a nitrogen enriched austenitic iron alloy bar and removing the can from the nitrogen enriched austenitic iron alloy bar.

Process for the manufacture of a steel material, wherein the grains of which it is composed comprise a matrix into which precipitates are incorporated, the precipitates comprising at least one metallic element selected from a metallic element M, a metallic element M′, a metallic element M″ or mixtures thereof; the microstructure of the steel being such that the grains are equiaxial and the average size of the grains being such that the average of their largest dimension “Dmax” and/or the average of their smallest dimension “Dmin” is in the range 10 μm to 50 μm.

The steel material has optimised, stable and isotropic mechanical properties, in particular so that the steel material is more resistant to mechanical and/or thermal stresses.

Steel material whose constituent grains comprise a matrix in which precipitates are incorporated, the precipitates comprising at least one metallic element selected from a metallic element M, a metallic element M′, a metallic element M″ or mixtures thereof; the microstructure of the steel being such that the grains are equiaxed and the average grain size being such that the average of their largest dimension “Dmax” and/or the average of their smallest dimension “Dmin” is comprised between 10 μm and 50 μm.

The steel material has optimized, stable and isotropic mechanical properties, in particular so that the steel material can best withstand mechanical and/or thermal stresses.

Process for the treatment of a steel material, wherein the grains of which it is composed comprise a matrix into which precipitates are incorporated, the precipitates comprising at least one metallic element selected from a metallic element M, a metallic element M′, a metallic element M″ or mixtures thereof; the microstructure of the steel being such that the grains are equiaxial and the average size of the grains being such that the average of their largest dimension “Dmax” and/or the average of their smallest dimension “Dmin” is in the range 10 μm to 50 μm.

The steel material has optimised, stable and isotropic mechanical properties, in particular so that the steel material is more resistant to mechanical and/or thermal stresses.

The invention relates to a stainless steel blank for making a Damascus patterned article, wherein the steel blank is made from at least two different nitrogen alloyed stainless steels having a chromium content of 11-25 weight %, of which at least one of the steels comprises nitrogen in an amount of 0.10-5.0 weight % and, optionally, at least one of the steels comprises nitrogen in an amount of 0.01-0.5 weight %.