Categories. Ampliforge and HIP are types of post treatment technologies involving application of pressure in some way for previously manufactured parts. Arcam machines have no pressure treatment technology. That clearly means that Ampliforge is a technology that does not overlap or threaten anything an Arcam machine can do. It does, however, possibly threaten those that are limited to HIP treatment of Arcam produced parts.
I don't have the time today, but my bet is that if someone does enough searching on Carnegie Mellon metallurgy and Alcoa, there's a peer reviewed paper out there somewhere that will provide us with some information on Ampliforge. I'm not sure it's even patented yet so most information has to be in published work. I mean, when you see that someone is ALCOA Professor of Physical Metallurgy at Carnegie Mellon, you know that somewhere in their research, which must be peer reviewed unless things have really gone south, there's gotta be a hint. If they can show no research on the outcomes of Ampliforge treatment, there's trouble ahead. They have to show improvement in mechanical properties and that the parts aren't contaminated by the pressure medium in such a way that future part performance is compromised.
