Emerging high temperature materials such as intermetallic alloys and composites are intrinsically brittle and cannot be either processed or machined by conventional methods. Near net shape processing (of rapidly solidified powders and plasma sprayed foils) using hot isostatic or vacuum hot pressing has recently emerged as a promising method for overcoming these problems. Interestingly, these consolidation processes determine both the component’s final shape and its mechanical properties (which depend on relative density, grain size, etc.). Thus a need has emerged for the control of mechanical properties (1,2).