PM HIP: An Industrial Manufacturing Process, Not a Laboratory Experiment
For more than four decades, Powder Metallurgy Hot Isostatic Pressing (PM HIP) has produced demanding components for critical industries. Yet public discussion still often treats PM HIP as a technology with future industrial potential rather than an established manufacturing process operating today.
As a manufacturer that has produced PM HIP components for more than 40 years, MTC Powder Solutions has participated in numerous workshops, conferences, and panel discussions focused on the industrialization of PM HIP. Surprisingly, one recurring observation stands out: many stakeholders still view PM HIP as a technology transitioning from laboratory development to industrial adoption.
This perception conflicts with decades of industrial production experience at MTC Powder Solutions.
PM HIP is not an emerging manufacturing route waiting to be industrialized. It already supports the production of components for demanding applications where material performance, reliability, and safety are paramount. Its industrial maturity rests on controlled powder selection, capsule design, processing, inspection, qualification, and repeatable production.
“Discussions about industrialising PM HIP often assume the process is still emerging. At MTC, that transition happened decades ago. Today, PM HIP is a proven manufacturing process delivering critical components every day.”
– Tomas Berglund, R&D Manager, MTC Powder Solutions
The Perception Gap
Throughout the years, MTC Powder Solutions has been invited to contribute to discussions examining what is required for PM HIP to become an established manufacturing technology. These conversations often revolve around topics such as process modelling, simulation tools, and fundamental material behaviour.
While these subjects support further optimisation, they represent only part of the industrialisation challenge. Industrial PM HIP manufacturers have also developed practical solutions through component design, qualification, quality assurance, inspection, and repeatable production.
This creates a perception gap: public discussion often frames PM HIP around research questions, while industrial manufacturers apply established methods to qualified customer components and serial production.
Unlike technologies that remain largely within research environments, PM HIP has long since crossed the threshold into full-scale industrial production. The technology is not waiting for validation. It has been delivering validated solutions for decades.
Why Does This Misconception Persist?
One possible explanation lies in where most publicly available information about PM HIP originates.
A large share of published articles, conference presentations, and development projects come from universities, research institutes, or organisations that do not manufacture PM HIP components on an industrial scale. Their work often focuses on investigating process fundamentals, simulation models, or material development.
Meanwhile, manufacturers producing critical PM HIP components frequently operate under strict confidentiality agreements.
As a result, many of the most advanced and commercially successful applications remain invisible to the wider market.
This creates an unusual imbalance in the public record. Research organisations can publish methods, models, and findings, while industrial manufacturers are often prevented from disclosing customer components, performance data, and qualified applications. The visible PM HIP story therefore reflects what can be published, not the full scale or maturity of industrial use.
Consequently, the public narrative becomes dominated by research activities rather than industrial success stories.
Learning from Other Manufacturing Processes
What MTC finds particularly surprising is that many panel discussions continue to focus on themes that industrial manufacturers have already addressed and solved through decades of production experience.
Consider conventional manufacturing methods such as forging or casting. When an engineer requires a forged component, they typically approach a forge shop. When they require a cast component, they turn to a foundry. Practical expertise resides with the companies producing the components every day.
The same logic should apply to PM HIP.
Manufacturers of PM HIP components possess decades of accumulated knowledge regarding powder selection, capsule design, process parameters, material properties, quality assurance, inspection requirements, and serial production. This expertise has been developed through real customer projects, industrial qualification programmes, and production of mission-critical components.
“To understand a forged part, consult a forge shop. For a casting, consult a foundry. PM HIP should be treated the same way. HIP manufacturers hold decades of application knowledge that can accelerate development beyond a purely research-led approach."
– Jimmy Bovin, Chief Sales Officer, MTC Powder Solutions
Looking Forward
PM HIP undoubtedly continues to evolve, and there will always be opportunities for further optimisation and innovation. However, innovation should not be confused with industrial readiness.
More than four decades of industrial production have established that PM HIP works. The priority now is to help designers, engineers, procurement teams, and industry decision-makers understand where the process fits, what it delivers, and how experienced manufacturers support the path from concept to qualified production.
As the PM HIP community continues to explore new applications and opportunities, it is important that the voice of industrial manufacturers is represented alongside that of research organisations and academic institutions.
PM HIP is not a future technology waiting to happen. It is an established industrial manufacturing process that has delivered critical components to advanced industries for over 40 years. If you are assessing PM HIP for a new component, material, or production requirement, contact MTC Powder Solutions to discuss the application with a team that understands the full route from powder selection and capsule design to qualification and serial production.