Revolutionizing Metal 3D Printing: Hiperbaric and Aenium Forge a Future with Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP)

In a significant move poised to reshape the landscape of advanced manufacturing, Hiperbaric, a Spanish company renowned as a global leader in High Pressure Processing (HPP) for food and beverage preservation, has announced a pivotal Industrial R&D Collaboration Alliance with Aenium. Aenium is an innovative engineering firm specializing in Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies, particularly in the realm of metal components. This strategic partnership underscores Hiperbaric’s ambitious expansion into Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) technology, a field they entered in 2020 with the aim of becoming a leading force in high-pressure applications across diverse industrial sectors, including the rapidly evolving additive manufacturing industry. This collaboration also coincides with the inauguration of Hiperbaric’s cutting-edge HIP Innovation Center, a facility designed to allow companies worldwide, including those at the forefront of the 3D printing sector, to rigorously test and validate their components using advanced HIP processes. The integration of HIP processes into the AM workflow promises to elevate the quality standards of manufactured components, making them exceptionally reliable and suitable for demanding industries such such as aerospace, energy, automotive, oil and gas, and the critical field of medical implants.

The alliance between Hiperbaric and Aenium represents a shared dedication to advancing the development and enhancement of industrial metal components. It emphatically highlights the synergistic value derived from combining the strengths of Hot Isostatic Pressing with Additive Manufacturing. Andrés Hernando, CEO of Hiperbaric, articulated the profound impact of this partnership, stating, “The agreement with Aenium clearly demonstrates how Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) post-processing technology is essential when combined with Additive Manufacturing techniques to achieve parts that demand excellent mechanical properties and structural integrity.” Given that HIP processes are globally recognized for their efficacy in optimizing material properties, especially in complex metallic structures, and for producing parts with superior reliability, the strategic benefits of uniting these two transformative technologies are undeniable. Both Hiperbaric and Aenium have unequivocally affirmed their commitment to collaboratively addressing existing challenges and emerging needs within both the AM and HIP domains. Their joint efforts are focused on pioneering faster, more economical, and ultimately more efficient post-processing cycles, which are crucial for the widespread industrial adoption of metal AM.

Understanding Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) Technology

At its core, Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) is a sophisticated manufacturing process that, true to its name, involves subjecting parts and components to extremely high levels of pressure and elevated temperatures. The distinct advantage of employing this advanced technology lies in its remarkable ability to significantly enhance the mechanical properties of both metallic and ceramic parts and components. Essentially, the HIP process works by densifying the material’s internal structure. This densification closes internal voids, pores, and micro-cracks that might arise during initial manufacturing processes like casting or, crucially, additive manufacturing. By eliminating these microscopic defects, the material is able to develop vastly superior mechanical properties, particularly concerning its fatigue life, resilience, and ductility (the capacity of a solid material to stretch or deform plastically under tensile strain before fracturing). The uniform application of pressure from all directions ensures a consistent and homogenous material structure throughout the component. This comprehensive densification translates into less variability and improved consistency among parts, ultimately rendering components far more reliable and robust in critical applications. This inherent reliability is invaluable across a multitude of sectors, and particularly in additive manufacturing, where the process can be strategically utilized to optimize the characteristics of metal powders and the resulting printed parts, preparing them for the most demanding environments.

HIP’s Transformative Impact on Additive Manufacturing

While perhaps not as universally recognized within the broader AM community, HIP processes offer immensely significant and often indispensable benefits to additive manufacturing users. Notably, the synergistic application of these two technologies has consistently proven to facilitate the creation of more efficient and complex designs. This powerful combination thrives because HIP effectively addresses and resolves certain inherent challenges often encountered in 3D printing, such as porosity, internal defects, and anisotropic material properties, while also enabling the feasibility of large-scale volume production for high-performance components. HIP technology dramatically improves the mechanical and physical properties of metal parts produced through AM, making it exceptionally critical for AM companies that supply to industries where the reliability and consistency of final-use parts are paramount. For sectors like aerospace, automotive, defense, and medical devices, where components face extreme stresses and safety is non-negotiable, HIP post-processing transforms AM parts from prototypes into flight-ready, implantable, or mission-critical components. The collaboration between Hiperbaric and Aenium is thus anticipated to provide a substantial boost to the market for additive manufacturing of metal components, as it is uniquely positioned to address and overcome existing challenges in both industries. Hernando emphasizes this strategic necessity: “The most effective way to overcome these complex challenges and push the boundaries of manufacturing is to build strong, collaborative partnerships between different solution providers, just as we have done with Aenium and Hiperbaric.”

Hiperbaric’s Vision: The HIP Innovation Center

Beyond its groundbreaking partnership with Aenium, Hiperbaric’s commitment to advancing high-pressure technologies, particularly within the AM sector, is further underscored by the recent establishment of its state-of-the-art HIP Innovation Center in Spain. This facility is a landmark achievement, representing the first of its kind in Spain. It is envisioned as a global hub, providing an invaluable resource where companies from across the world can access expert advice, conduct rigorous testing, and validate their components for HIP processes. The HIP Innovation Center is explicitly designed to foster experimentation, comprehensive testing, and the validation of both metal and ceramic parts, irrespective of the manufacturing technique used or the specific industrial sector. While open to all industries seeking the undeniable advantages that HIP provides, its strategic alliance with Aenium strongly indicates that additive manufacturing companies will be among its primary beneficiaries, leveraging its capabilities to unlock new levels of performance and reliability for their 3D printed components.

The heart of the HIP Innovation Center features a powerful 38 HIP press, an advanced system capable of generating extreme conditions: pressures reaching up to 2000 bar (approximately 30,000 psi) and temperatures soaring to 1400 °C (equivalent to 1675 °K), all within an inert atmosphere. For this purpose, argon gas, known for its non-reactivity, is utilized to prevent oxidation and ensure the purity of the process. Furthermore, this cutting-edge press is meticulously equipped with a large Ø380 mm x 1200 mm (Ø14.5 inches x 47 inches) molybdenum furnace, renowned for its high-temperature capabilities and durability. A crucial feature of the center’s equipment is its integrated Fast Cooling technology. This innovative system enables parts to be cooled down at a much faster and significantly more uniform rate than conventional methods. The tangible benefits of Fast Cooling are twofold: it dramatically increases productivity by reducing cycle times, and more importantly, it substantially enhances the material properties of the treated components, such as improving microstructures and minimizing residual stresses, leading to superior overall performance.

Beyond its impressive technological infrastructure, the HIP Innovation Center boasts a dedicated and highly skilled team of industrial engineers. These experts possess deep knowledge in materials science and the mechanical characterization of complex structural parts and assemblies. Their collective expertise is invaluable, enabling them to provide comprehensive guidance and answer intricate questions for clients who may be less familiar with the nuances of HIP processes, ultimately helping them identify and implement optimal solutions for any technical challenge. While its doors are open to all industries, the Center is poised to be an indispensable asset for Additive Manufacturing companies eager to witness firsthand and harness the transformative benefits of integrating HIP processes into their production workflows. Clients will have the unique opportunity to test various materials and observe how the high-pressure presses meticulously improve the quality, density, and performance of their components. Hiperbaric particularly highlights that the center can be utilized to fine-tune and optimize HIP parameters, ensuring that metal components achieve their absolute maximum potential in terms of mechanical properties, fatigue resistance, and overall reliability. To delve deeper into Hiperbaric’s pioneering work and their HIP technology, interested parties are encouraged to explore their comprehensive website HERE.

What are your thoughts on this significant partnership between Hiperbaric and Aenium and its implications for the future of metal additive manufacturing? Share your insights and perspectives in a comment below or join the conversation on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t miss out on the latest advancements and news in the 3D printing world; sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, delivered straight to your inbox! You can also find all our compelling videos and technical demonstrations on our YouTube channel.

*All Image Credits: Hiperbaric