Method for austempering at least one part of a work piece, which method comprises the steps of: a) heating at least one part of the work piece to an initial austenitizing temperature (T1); b) subjecting said at least one part of the work piece to one or more austenitizing temperatures (T1 . . . T1n) for a predetermined time to austenitize it; c) quenching said at least one part of the work piece; d) heat treating said at least one part of the work piece at one or more austempering temperatures (T2 . . . T2n) for a predetermined time to austemper it; e) cooling the at least one part of the work piece; whereby at least one of the steps a) to e) is/are at least partly carried out under Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) conditions.
展开▼