HIP Castings
HIP is commonly employed to completely remove internal porosity in castings, utilizing plastic yielding, creep and diffusional effects.
HIP also provides better fatigue and mechanical properties in various materials such as titanium, nickel-based super alloys, and stainless steels. Turbine blades, joint implants, engine parts and many other components are examples of HIP's unique ability to densify castings. HIP treatment is conducted at temperatures where excessive grain coarsening is avoided. The removal of potential initiators of failure - shrinkage defects, pores and voids (even those of considerable size) - significantly improves the strength and durability of cast components.
Use of HIP widens the range of titanium alloy compositions possible for castings in comparison with wrought systems, with resultant property benefits. In addition, significant cost savings may be achieved with investment casting and HIP in comparison to machining parts from solids.
