Hot isostatic pressing canister

Abstract

A canister for hot isostatic pressing is disclosed including a body arranged to define a cavity for containing a powder arranged to be subjected to hot isostatic pressing; and an opening defined in the body through which a powder can be inserted into the body, and the opening being closeable so as to seal the canister for hot isostatic pressing; wherein the body comprises a weakened area, the weakened area defining a part of the body which is designed to dissolve in acid faster than the rest of the body.

1 . A canister for hot isostatic pressing, the canister comprising:
 a body arranged to define a cavity for containing a powder arranged to be subjected to hot isostatic pressing; and   an opening defined in the body through which a powder can be inserted into the body, and the opening being closeable so as to seal the canister for hot isostatic pressing;   wherein the body comprises a weakened area, the weakened area defining a part of the body which is designed to dissolve in acid faster than the rest of the body.   
     
     
         2 . A canister as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of weakened areas. 
     
     
         3 . A canister as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the weakened area comprises a notch formed in the body. 
     
     
         4 . A canister as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the body is coated in an etching-resistant coating. 
     
     
         5 . A canister as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the weakened area is an area on the body which is not coated in an etching-resistant coating. 
     
     
         6 . A canister as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the acid etching-resistant coating is a polymeric coating. 
     
     
         7 . A method of producing a canister suitable for hot isostatic pressing, the method comprising:
 constructing a canister by forming a body defining a cavity; and   weakening an area of the body such that the weakened area will dissolve in acid faster than the rest of the body.   
     
     
         8 . A method of producing a canister as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the step of weakening an area of the body comprises machining a notch into the body. 
     
     
         9 . A method of producing a canister as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises coating the body in an acid etching-resistant coating, and the step of weakening an area of the body comprises ensuring an area of the body is not coated by the coating. 
     
     
         10 . A method of producing a canister as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein ensuring an area of the body is not coated by the coating comprises one of either removal of the coating in a desired area or masking off an area prior to the coating being applied and then removal of the mask. 
     
     
         11 . A method for hot isostatic pressing a powdered material, the method comprising:
 disposing at least one powdered material in a canister, wherein the canister comprises:
 a body arranged to define a cavity for containing the powdered material, and the body comprising a weakened area, the weakened area defining a part of the body which is designed to dissolve in acid faster than the rest of the body; and 
 an opening defined in the body through which the powder can be inserted into the body, and the opening being closeable so as to seal the canister for hot isostatic pressing; 
   evacuating at least a portion of air from the canister through the fill stem;   hermetically sealing the canister; and   hot isostatically pressing the canister.   
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , the method comprising a further step after the step of hot isostatically pressing the canister, the further step comprising placing the canister into a chemical bath to remove the material in the weakened area. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising a subsequent step of removing at least a part of the body from the chemical bath using a robotic arm. 
     
     
         14 . The method of as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising a step of removing a hot isostatic pressed product from the chemical bath using a robotic arm.