Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP)
Hot isostatic pressing is a manufacturing process which utilizes elevated temperature and isostatic gas pressure to eliminate porosity and increase density in metals, ceramics, polymers, and composite materials. This improves the material's mechanical properties and potentially workability. Primary applications are the elimination of microshrinkage in castings, the consolidation of powders and diffusion bonding, often referred to as cladding. Hot isostatic pressing is also used as part of a sintering (powder metallurgy) process, for pressure-assisted brazing and for fabrication of metal matrix composites.
