Why China’s first giant HIP press marks a leap forward in aerospace goals
- Ultra-large hot isostatic pressing (HIP) machine expected to boost China’s global edge in high-performance, wear-resistant new materials
The new equipment – called HIPEX1850 – was announced on Friday by the China Iron and Steel Research Institute. It will increase Beijing’s global competitiveness in the field of materials preparation, according to state media reports.
HIP is a manufacturing process which compresses materials using high “isostatic” gas pressure – or pressure applied from all directions – combined with ultra-high temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees Celsius (3,632 degrees Fahrenheit).
This process can reduce the porosity of metals and increase the density of ceramic materials, eliminating defects and increasing resistance to enable their use in an array of industries like aerospace, oil and gas operations, and manufacturing.
According to Qi Wen, project leader of the ultra-large HIP equipment at the institute’s affiliated company Gangyan Haopu Technology: “In simple terms, this equipment can make ordinary metals, ceramics and other materials stronger and capable of superior performance.”
“After undergoing the HIP process, the performance of the material will be greatly improved, and the fatigue life of the material can be increased by at least 10 times on average, which can meet the use requirements under extreme working conditions,” Qi told state broadcaster CCTV.
CCTV also hailed the feat as a milestone in China’s advancement in new material production.
