The AREVA group, together with a network of eight Burgundy-based corporate and academic partners and research labs, has received funding from the French public investment bank (BPI) for its HIPPI project (manufacturing of innovative hydraulic parts via hot isostatic pressing).
Pioneered by the AREVA Technical Center at Le Creusot, the HIPPI process involves pouring metal powder into a specifically designed container, placing it under a press and subjecting it to a temperature of the order of 1,000°C and a pressure of 1,400 bar. This process enables the production of large metal parts that have the same mechanical properties as wrought equipment, with the benefits of simpler methods and shorter production times. It offers significant savings in materials and energy.
The HIPPI solution has been officially recognized by the French government for the collaborative and innovative characteristics of the Research & Development involved and for its contribution to the development of manufacturing technologies for the nuclear industry.
"HIPPI was selected from hundreds of other projects to receive this funding," said Denis Cedat, Project Manager at AREVA R&D and Director of the HIPPI project. "This choice underlines AREVA's know-how and capacity for innovation in the manufacturing of large-size metal parts, a key area of expertise for the nuclear industry."