Patent ID: 8758676

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a component, the method comprising: (i) defining a mould cavity within a deformable envelope, at least a portion of the mould cavity being defined by a moulding surface of a rigid moulding tool; (ii) introducing a porous powdered material into the mould cavity; (iii) evacuating the mould cavity; (iv) forming a partially consolidated component by subjecting the deformable envelope to a first external isostatic pressing operation at a first temperature, thereby to deform the envelope to consolidate the powdered material to such an extent that the powdered material in contact with the moulding surface forms a non-porous shaped surface; (v) separating the partially consolidated component from the moulding surface and removing the rigid moulding tool; and (vi) forming a fully consolidated component by exposing the shaped surface to a fluid under pressure and subjecting the partially consolidated component to a second external isostatic pressing operation at a second temperature higher than the first temperature, thereby to consolidate the powdered material substantially fully, in which, following separation of the partially consolidated component from the moulding surface, and before the second external isostatic pressing operation, at least part of the envelope is removed to enable separation of the moulding tool from the respective non-porous shaped surface.