Series production of Lightweight parts by Isostatic pressing of Metal powders to give Material and Energy Reduction (SLIMMER)

Metal powders are being pressed into complex, lightweight parts in a single step, cutting waste and energy use in manufacturing. This matters because making metal components—like brackets, housings, or structural parts for vehicles and machinery—typically involves machining away large amounts of material, wasting both metal and energy. The SLIMMER project aims to replace that wasteful process with a near-net-shape method: metal powder is sealed inside a reusable rubber mould, cold-pressed into a rough shape, then fully densified using a novel hot isostatic pressing (HIP) step that can consolidate multiple parts at once. The key innovations are a reusable tooling system for complex geometries and a processing route that densifies several components simultaneously. If successful, this could reduce material waste and energy consumption in producing lightweight metal parts for industries such as aerospace, automotive, and medical devices. Lighter components mean lower fuel use in transport, and fewer machining steps cut production costs and carbon emissions. The process is designed to work across a range of production volumes, from small batches to larger runs, making it flexible for different supply chains. The project does not target a specific consumer product but rather improves an industrial manufacturing step that quietly underpins many everyday technologies.