This review examines some of the components of this increasingly exploited technology as well as the application of which will surely increase as a result of constant development in equipment design and extensive research in the field of ceramic and metal materials in general for the production of fully dense and reliable parts. Newly developed high temperature HIP equipment can offer potential improvements to material properties relative to more conventional techniques as a possible solution to the manufacture of ceramic and metal components for airframe and structural components where critical and highly stressed applications are required. By the use the near net shape techniques, exotic materials can be used more cost effectively than machining from solid. Designers and manufacturers alike can make better products by introducing HIP to their production route. (C) 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers.