4. Conclusion

HIP has a wide range of uses, from the simple post-treatment of parts produced by casting or powder metallurgy to the manufacture of complex parts. Thanks to the lower costs made possible by large-scale equipments, HIP is being used more and more frequently. The processing of parts from additive manufacturing should help to extend the scope of HIP applications, as will new energy-related markets: components for the ITER reactor, elements for the oil and nuclear industries, heat exchangers, etc. However, most of the volumes processed are linked to the aeronautics market, which is reputed to be cyclical in nature.

In addition, HIP has the capacity to generate savings in materials, and therefore in energy: (re-)upgrading of defective parts, manufacturing close to dimensions by powder coating, additive rather than subtractive manufacturing by assembly. This particularity...