Plural Heating Steps Including Sintering Patents (Class 419/53)
  • Publication number: 20150136908
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for passenger door corner components of aircraft or spacecraft includes using additive layer manufacturing, ALM, to form an integral passenger door corner component. The integral passenger door corner component includes a substantially cruciform shape having a frame coupling member with two frame couplings as end pieces. The frame coupling member intersect with a beam coupling member with two beam couplings as end pieces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Hegenbart, Wolfgang Eilken
  • Publication number: 20150141234
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for reinforced structural elements includes providing a reinforcement structure including a first material, and embedding the reinforcement structure in an encasing matrix comprising a second material using additive layer manufacturing, ALM. A manufacturing tool for reinforced structural elements includes a positioning component including a jig for clamping a reinforcement structure including a first material and an ALM robot configured to embed a reinforcement structure clamped in the jig in an encasing matrix including a second material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Sander, Matthias Hegenbart, Carlos Weinbuch, Helene-Hedwig Koenig
  • Patent number: 9028582
    Abstract: Seizure resistance and wear resistance of Cu—Bi—In copper-alloy sliding material are enhanced by forming a soft phase of as pure as possible Bi. Mixed powder of Cu—In cuprous alloy powder and Cu—Bi containing Cu-based alloy powder is used. A sintering condition is set such that Bi moves outside particles of said Cu—Bi containing Cu-based powder and forms a Bi grain-boundary phase free of In, and In diffuses from said Cu—In containing Cu-based powder to said Cu—Bi containing Cu-based powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Taiho Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Wada, Takashi Tomikawa, Daisuke Yoshitome, Hiromi Yokota
  • Publication number: 20150125657
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing road surface covering elements that can be mounted on rollers of chassis dynamometers, including detection of a surface contour of a road surface covering within an essentially strip-shaped section. The method also includes production of a digital image of the detected section and manufacturing of the road surface covering element according to the digital image by means of a three-dimensional manufacturing technique.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Anton Knestel, Christian Hartmann, Thomas Becherer
  • Publication number: 20150113993
    Abstract: A fuel injector assembly includes a fuel injector and a fuel injector shroud housing the fuel injector. The fuel injector includes a body and a nozzle coupled to the body. The fuel injector shroud includes a swirler device defining a center opening proximate to the nozzle of the fuel injector and a plurality of swirler holes surrounding the center opening, a body section with an air inlet configured to admit a flow of air into the fuel injector shroud and a dome section defining a mount for securing the swirler device to the body section, and at least one interior rib positioned on an interior surface of the dome section configured to direct the flow of air to the swirler holes of the swirler device such that the flow of air exiting through the swirler is mixed with the flow of fuel exiting the nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Nagaraja S. Rudrapatna, Thomas J. Bronson, Donald G. Godfrey
  • Publication number: 20150090074
    Abstract: The invention refers to a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional metallic article/component made of a Ni-, Co-, Fe-based superalloy or combinations thereof, entirely or partly, by a powder based additive manufacturing process. During the step of performing powder melting by scanning a dual laser setup is used, where two laser beams of different beam properties are combined in the same machine and by adjusted beam profiling and integration of a suitable beam switch in a controlled manner a switching between two different laser beam diameters is performed. In each layer the laser beam with the smaller diameter scans the whole area and in every kth layer, with k>1, the laser beam with the larger diameter scans the area where a coarse grain size is needed thereby remelting the area with fine grain sizes. With such a manufacturing method higher lifetime and operation performances of metallic parts and prototypes can be reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas ETTER, Matthias HOEBEL, Julius SCHURB, Felix ROERIG
  • Patent number: 8992828
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a high ductility Ti-, Ti-alloy or NiTi-foam, meaning a compression strain higher than 10%, includes: preparing a powder suspension of a Ti-, NiTi- or Ti-alloy powder, bringing the said powder suspension into a desired form by gelcasting to form a green artifact. The method also includes a calcination step wherein the green artifact is calcined, and sintering the artifact. The calcination step includes a slow heating step wherein said green artifact is heated at a rate lower or equal to 20° C./hour to a temperature between 400° C. and 600° C. and the Ti-, NiTi- or Ti-alloy powder has a particle size less than 100 ?m. A high ductility Ti-, Ti-alloy or NiTi foam, with a compression higher than 10%, with a theoretical density less than 30%, pore size (cell size) between 50 to 1000 ?m can be obtained with such a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Vlaamse Instelling Voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
    Inventors: Steven Mullens, Ivo Thijs, Jozef Cooymans, Jan Luyten
  • Publication number: 20150064048
    Abstract: Method for fabricating a three-dimensional object by successive consolidation, layer by layer, of selected regions of a layer of powder, consolidated regions corresponding to successive sections of the three-dimensional object, comprising in order: a—deposit layer of powder onto a support; b—fuse the layer of powder by a first laser energy source so as to obtain a fused layer corresponding to the section of the object and exhibiting a first state of its mechanical properties, c—heat at least a part of the fused layer by a second electron beam energy source to a temperature which follows a controlled variation over time so as to modify the first state of the fused layer and to obtain a consolidated layer with improved mechanical properties, d—repeat the preceding steps until several superposed consolidated layers are formed with improved properties forming the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Christophe Bessac, Stephanie Brochet, Frederic Pialot, Gilles Walrand
  • Publication number: 20150060042
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump and pump system including additively manufactures structures and method of manufacture are disclosed. The pump system including the electric submersible pump and an electric motor configured to operate the electric submersible pump. The electric submersible pump including a housing, at least one impeller and at least one diffuser disposed within the housing in cooperative engagement. The housing, the at least one impeller, and the at least one diffuser defining an internal volume configured to receive a fluid. At least one of the at least one impeller and the at least one diffuser configured as a monolithic additively manufactured structure comprised of a metal matrix composite. Also provided is an electric submersible pump including an impeller and a diffuser, wherein at least one of the impeller and the diffuser is configured as a monolithic additively manufactured structure comprised of a tungsten carbide (WC) dispersed in a metal matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vijay Shilpiekandula, James William Sears, Yanzhe Yang, Hongqing Sun, Farshad Ghasripoor
  • Publication number: 20150064050
    Abstract: A device for additive manufacturing of components by selective irradiation of a powder bed, having a processing chamber -in which at least one powder bed chamber and at least one radiation source are arranged such that the radiation source can irradiate a powder in the powder bed chamber, and wherein the device includes at least one induction coil, so that a component which is produced by irradiation of the powder bed can be at least partially inductively heated, and wherein the induction coil is movable relative to one or more powder bed chambers. A method for additive manufacturing of components by selective irradiation of a powder bed, in which method the component being manufactured is inductively heated at the same time, wherein the position of one or more induction coils for inductive heating is determined and adjusted based on the geometry of the component to be produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Retze, Andreas Jakimov, Herbert Hanrieder
  • Publication number: 20150048209
    Abstract: A structural spacecraft component comprising internal microstructure; wherein said microstructure comprises a plurality of parallel layers and a plurality of spacers that connect adjacent parallel layers; wherein said structural spacecraft component is a product of an additive manufacturing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Hoyt, Jonathan Wrobel, Jesse Cushing, Mark Jaster, Nestor Voronka, Scott Frank, Jeffrey Slostad, Leonid Paritsky
  • Patent number: 8951465
    Abstract: A method for preparing an implant having a porous metal component. A loose powder mixture including a biocompatible metal powder and a spacing agent is prepared and compressed onto a metal base. After being compressed, the spacing agent is removed, thereby forming a compact including a porous metal structure pressed on the metal base. The compact is sintered, forming a subassembly, which is aligned with a metal substrate portion of an implant. A metallurgical bonding process, such as diffusion bonding, is performed at the interface of the subassembly and the metal substrate to form an implant having a porous metal component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventor: Gautam Gupta
  • Publication number: 20150024233
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to fabricate additive manufactured parts with in-process monitoring are described. As parts are formed layer-by-layer, a 3D measurement of each layer or layer group may be acquired. The acquisition of dimensional data may be performed at least partially in parallel with the formation of layers. The dimensional data may be accumulated until the part is fully formed, resulting in a part that was completely inspected as it was built. The as-built measurement data may be compared to the input geometrical description of the desired part shape. Where the part fails to meet tolerance, it may be amended during the build process or rejected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Steven Matthew GUNTHER
  • Publication number: 20150018956
    Abstract: A surgical implant device, comprising: a body portion; and one or more surfaces comprising a plurality of protruding structures; wherein the body portion and the one or more surfaces comprising the plurality of protruding structures are integrally formed. The one or more surfaces comprising the plurality of protruding structures are formed by an additive manufacturing process. The plurality of protruding structures comprise a plurality of needles. Optionally, the surgical implant device comprises one of an anterior lumbar interbody fusion cage, a posterior lumbar interbody fusion cage, a transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion cage, an oblique lumbar interbody fusion cage, a cervical cage, and a bone screw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: John C. STEINMANN, Scott RUCKER, Tim RASMUSSEN, John P. STEINMANN, Trace CAWLEY, Thomas ROSS, Ernesto RIOS, Andrew OLCESE
  • Publication number: 20150017055
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a three-dimensional shaped object is capable of suitably forming a solidified layer by subsequent formation of a powder layer. The manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is performed by repetition of a powder-layer forming and a solidified-layer forming, the repetition including forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer with a light beam, thereby allowing a sintering of the powder in the predetermined portion or a melting and subsequent solidification thereof; and forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the resulting solidified layer, followed by the irradiation of a predetermined portion of the powder layer with the light beam, wherein a light-beam condition for an irradiation path with an unirradiated portion on both adjacent sides thereof is different from that for another irradiation path with an irradiated portion at an adjacent region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Abe, Norio Yoshida, Yoshikazu Higashi
  • Publication number: 20150017054
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for generatively producing components by layer-by-layer building from a powder material by selective material bonding of powder particles by a high-energy beam. An eddy current testing is carried out concurrently with the material bonding. Also disclosed is an apparatus which is suitable for carrying out the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Andreas JAKIMOV, Georg SCHLICK, Joachim BAMBERG, Thomas HESS
  • Publication number: 20150004046
    Abstract: A system for fabricating a component includes an additive manufacturing device and a computing device. The additive manufacturing device is configured to fabricate a first component by sequentially forming a plurality of superposed layers based upon a nominal digital representation of a second component, which includes a plurality of nominal digital two-dimensional cross-sections, each corresponding to a layer of the first component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Evans Graham, William Thomas Carter, Mark Allen Cheverton, Pinghai Yang
  • Publication number: 20140363327
    Abstract: A method for forming a component includes providing a first layer of a mixture of first and second powders. The method includes determining the frequency of an alternating magnetic field to induce eddy currents sufficient to bulk heat only one of the first and second powders. The alternating magnetic field is applied at the determined frequency to a portion of the first layer of the mixture using a flux concentrator. Exposure to the magnetic field changes the phase of at least a portion of the first powder to liquid. The liquid portion couples to at least some of the second powder and subsequently solidifies to provide a composite component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventor: Matthew J. Holcomb
  • Publication number: 20140348691
    Abstract: A method for forming a three-dimensional article through successive fusion of parts of a powder bed, which parts corresponds to successive cross sections of the three-dimensional article, said method comprising the steps of: providing a model of said three dimensional article, providing a first powder layer on a work table, directing a first energy beam from a first energy beam source over said work table causing said first powder layer to fuse in first selected locations according to said model to form a first cross section of said three-dimensional article, directing a second energy beam from a second energy beam source over said work table causing said first powder layer to fuse in second selected locations according to said model to form the first cross section of said three-dimensional article, wherein said first and second locations of said first powder layer are at least partially overlapping each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: ARCAM AB
    Inventors: Ulric Ljungblad, Anders Snis
  • Publication number: 20140348692
    Abstract: An apparatus and a process for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by successive layer-by-layer consolidation of selected zones of a powder stratum, the consolidated zones corresponding to successive sections of the three-dimensional object, each layer being divided into a central internal portion and an external border , said process comprising the following steps in order: a—depositing a powder layer on a holder; b—fusing the external border of said powder layer by means of a laser beam originating from a first energy source by moving the laser beam of said first energy source relative to the object along a preset path that follows the contour of said external border corresponding to the contour of the cross section of the object so as to selectively fuse said layer; and c—fusing the central internal portion of the powder layer by means of an electron beam originating from a second energy source, by moving the electron beam of said second energy source relative to the object so as to sweep it over s
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicants: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ESTABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe Bessac, Frédéric Pialot, Gilles Walrand
  • Publication number: 20140308153
    Abstract: A method for detecting defects in three-dimensional articles. Providing a model of said article. Providing a first powder layer on a substrate, directing an energy beam over said substrate causing said first powder layer to fuse in selected locations forming a first cross section of said three-dimensional article, providing a second powder layer on said substrate, directing the energy beam over said substrate causing said second powder layer to fuse in selected locations to form a second cross section of said three-dimensional article. A first and second image of a first and second fusion zone of said first powder layer respectively is captured. Comparing said first and second images with corresponding layers in said model. Detecting a defect in the three-dimensional article if a deviation in said first image with respect to said model is at least partially overlapping a deviation in said second image with respect to said model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventor: Ulric Ljungblad
  • Patent number: 8852498
    Abstract: A process for fabricating hollow metal shells such as Be or Al filled with a selected gas such as D or T. An organic preform is coated with a slurry of organic binder and metal powder of Be or Al. The coated preform is heated to remove the preform and any organics to form a hollow shell which is then fired at an elevated temperature in a gas so as to seal the shell and capture the gas inside the sealed shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Imaging Systems Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Carol Ann Wedding
  • Patent number: 8840832
    Abstract: Material processing systems are disclosed. Some systems include methods of eliminating or reducing defects in elongate workpieces that can undergo large deformations during processing. Some systems include apparatus configured to facilitate such large deformations while maintaining internal stresses (e.g., tensile stresses) below a threshold stress. Some disclosed systems pertain to powder extrusion techniques. Continuous and batch processing systems are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Accellent Inc.
    Inventors: Mark W. Broadley, James Alan Sago, John Eckert, Jeffrey M. Farina
  • Publication number: 20140271328
    Abstract: One variation of a method for fusing and annealing powered material within an apparatus for manufacturing includes: depositing a layer of powdered material across a build platform; at a first time, projecting a first energy beam of a first power density onto an area of the layer of powdered material; and at a second time succeeding the first time, projecting a second energy beam of a second power density less than the first power density onto the area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Matterfab Corp.
    Inventors: Matthew Burris, Andrew Dolgner
  • Publication number: 20140140882
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by additive layer manufacturing. The method includes providing layers of material in powder form on a support inside a chamber, and irradiating each layer with a beam before providing the subsequent layer. A gas atmosphere is maintained inside the chamber during the irradiation steps. The pressure and/or the composition of the gas atmosphere is controlled where at least two different gas atmospheres having different predetermined pressures and/or compositions are inside the chamber during irradiation of the layers, the beam spot size on the layers is controlled such that at least two different beam spot sizes are utilized during irradiation, and/or the temperature of the gas atmosphere inside the chamber and/or of the layer being irradiated is controlled such that at least two different temperatures of the gas atmosphere and/or of the layer being irradiated are present during irradiation of the layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Inventor: Freerk Syassen
  • Patent number: 8703044
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a machine component is provided. The method includes preparing at least a portion of a surface of a machine component for receiving a sintered preform. The method also includes forming a pre-sintered preform hybrid hardface mixture that includes combining a predetermined portion of at least one hardfacing material with a predetermined portion of at least one brazing material. The method further includes forming a pre-sintered preform. The pre-sintered preform has predetermined dimensions. The method also includes forming the sintered preform and positioning the sintered preform on the machine component. The method further includes fixedly coupling the sintered preform to at least a portion of the machine component via brazing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sujith Sathian, Anjilivelil K. Kuruvilla, Daniel Nowak
  • Publication number: 20140072823
    Abstract: The invention relates to a generative production method for producing a component by selectively melting and/or sintering a powder several times consecutively by introducing an amount of heat by means of beam energy, such that the powder particles melt and/or sinter in layers, wherein the powder particles (1) are made of a first material (2) and the powder particles are surrounded by a second material (3) partially or over the entire surface thereof, wherein the second material has a lower melting point than the first material and/or lowers the melting point of the first material when mixed with the first material. The invention further relates to a corresponding powder and to a prototype produced from said powder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Manuel Hertter, Erwin Bayer, Markus Waltemathe, Klaus Broichhausen, Wilhelm Meir, Bertram Kopperger, Josef Waermann, Andreas Jakimov
  • Patent number: 8535604
    Abstract: A method of producing composites of micro-engineered, coated particulates embedded in a matrix of metal, ceramic powders, or combinations thereof, capable of being tailored to exhibit application-specific desired thermal, physical and mechanical properties to form substitute materials for nickel, titanium, rhenium, magnesium, aluminum, graphite epoxy, and beryllium. The particulates are solid and/or hollow and may be coated with one or more layers of deposited materials before being combined within a substrate of powder metal, ceramic or some combination thereof which also may be coated. The combined micro-engineered nano design powder is consolidated using novel solid-state processes that prevent melting of the matrix and which involve the application of varying pressures to control the formation of the microstructure and resultant mechanical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Inventors: Dean M. Baker, Henry S. Meeks
  • Patent number: 8524017
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a component with a base of Co—Cr—Mo alloys having values of average ultimate elongation at 800° C. greater than 10% and of average yielding load at 800° C. greater than 400 MPa, comprising: obtaining a sintered component by additive sintering of powders of Co—Cr—Mo alloys containing carbides irregularly dispersed in the molten matrix; Conducting a first heat treatment on the sintered component for solubilization of the carbides at a temperature of between 1100° C. and 1300° C. for at least 2 hours to form a solubilization intermediate; and cooling the solubilization intermediate at a cooling rate at least equal to that of cooling in air to form a cooled intermediate; and conducting a second heat treatment on the cooled intermediate at a temperature of between 700° C. and 1000° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: AVIO S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giovanni Paolo Zanon
  • Patent number: 8501048
    Abstract: The present invention provides a metal-graphite composite material favorable to two-dimensional diffusion of heat and having a high thermal conductivity in two axial directions, and a production method therefor. The metal-graphite composite material of the present invention includes: 20 to 80% by volume of a scaly graphite powder; and a matrix selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum and alloys thereof, wherein the scaly graphite powder in which a normal vector to a scaly surface thereof is tilted at 20° or higher with respect to a normal vector to a readily heat-conducting surface of the metal-graphite composite material is 15% or less relative to a whole amount of the scaly graphite powder, and the metal-graphite composite material has a relative density of 95% or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Shimane Prefectural Government
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Ueno, Takashi Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 8502107
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making metallic and/or non-metallic products 2, in particular dental products, by freeform sintering and/or melting, in which the products 2 are fabricated layer by layer from a material 5 that is applied layer by layer by means of a computer-controlled high-energy beam 7, in particular a laser or electron beam. In order to reduce production times, beam 7 irradiates predetermined positions P1 to P6 of a layer of a material 5 a plurality of time, namely m times, where m is a whole integer greater than 1. Each of said positions P1 to P6 is initially heated during the first irradiation to a temperature below the melting point Tmelt of the material 5, and during the mth irradiation to a temperature above said melting point and is completely melted over the entire thickness of the layer in such a way that the material (5) fuses at said position to the layer thereunder. The invention also relates to an apparatus for performing said method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: BEGO Medical GmbH
    Inventor: Ingo Uckelmann
  • Publication number: 20130069282
    Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object, the method comprising the repeated steps of: (i) forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer with a light beam, thereby allowing a sintering of the powder in the predetermined portion or a melting and subsequent solidification thereof; and (ii) forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the resulting solidified layer, followed by the irradiation of a predetermined portion of the powder layer with the light beam, wherein a part of a surface portion of the three-dimensional shaped object is formed as a low-density solidified portion whose solidified density ranges from 50% to 90% so that an application of pressure can be performed by a gas flowing through the low-density solidified portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicants: OPM LABORATORY CO., LTD., PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Abe, Yoshiyuki Uchinono, Isao Fuwa, Norio Yoshida, Kazuho Morimoto
  • Publication number: 20120329659
    Abstract: A sintering apparatus comprising a container for holding small particles that contact one another, an electric current generator generating an alternating electric current and a flux concentrator having a collector positioned to be exposed to an alternating magnetic field generated by the alternating electric current and a tip that focuses the alternating magnetic field so that the particles are exposed to the alternating magnetic field, the alternating magnetic field heating surfaces of the particles so that they join and are fused together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: Grid Logic Incorporated
    Inventor: Matthew J. Holcomb
  • Patent number: 8309839
    Abstract: A method of improving the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of a high-efficiency thermoelectric material is disclosed. The method includes the addition of fullerene (C60) clusters between the crystal grains of the material. It has been found that the lattice thermal conductivity (?L) of a thermoelectric material decreases with increasing fullerene concentration, due to enhanced phonon-large defect scattering. The resulting power factor (S2/?) decrease of the material is offset by the lattice thermal conductivity reduction, leading to enhanced ZT values at temperatures of between 350 degrees K and 700 degrees K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Lidong Chen, Xun Shi, Jihui Yang, Gregory P. Meisner
  • Publication number: 20120213659
    Abstract: A method for producing a component of a turbomachine is disclosed. The method includes a) layer-by-layer deposition of a powder component material onto a component platform in a region of a buildup and joining zone, where the deposition takes place in accordance with layer information of the component to be produced; b) local layer-by-layer fusion or sintering of the powder component material by energy supplied in the region of the buildup and joining zone, where the buildup and joining zone is heated to a temperature just below a melting point of the powder component material; c) layer-by-layer lowering of the component platform by a predefined layer thickness; and d) repetition of steps a) to c) until the component is finished. A device for producing a component of a turbomachine is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Erwin Bayer, Karl-Hermann Richter
  • Patent number: 8071015
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process of producing a porous metal body containing a metal component which is likely to be oxidized, by which process the amounts of residual carbon and residual oxygen therein are decreased, and by which the performance of the product porous body can be largely promoted. The process for producing a porous metal body by sintering a material of the porous metal body, which material is obtained by coating a slurry containing a metal powder and an organic binder on an organic porous aggregate, comprises a defatting step of treating the material of the porous metal body at a temperature not higher than 650° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Wada, Tomoyuki Haneji, Shinichi Takahashi, Kiichi Kanda, Kenichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8025710
    Abstract: Provided are an ancillary material, used for shape processing, which is capable of shortening a processing time, avoiding a reduction in quality of a shape provided to a workpiece material, and allowing a relatively low manufacturing cost; a processing method using the ancillary material; and a method of manufacturing the ancillary material. The tungsten alloy grains (1) comprise: tungsten of greater than or equal to 80% by mass and less than or equal to 98% by mass; nickel; at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, and cobalt; and an inevitable impurity, a maximum diameter thereof is greater than or equal to 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 5.00 mm, and a specific surface area thereof is less than or equal to 0.02 m2/g. The tungsten alloy grains (1, 10), the workpiece material (30), an abrasive (20) are blended in a container (100) and the container is rotated, thereby processing the shape of the workpiece material (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: A.L.M.T. Corp.
    Inventors: Shinji Kikuhara, Hitoshi Inoue, Noboru Uenishi, Satoshi Umemoto
  • Patent number: 7993577
    Abstract: The invention relates to manufacture of titanium articles from sintered powders. The cost-effective initial powder: 10-50 wt % of titanium powder having ?500 microns in particle size manufactured from underseparated titanium sponge comprising ?2 wt % of chlorine and ?2 wt % of magnesium; 10-90 wt % of a mixture of two hydrogenated powders A and B containing different amount of hydrogen; 0-90 wt % of standard grade refined titanium powder, and/or 5-50 wt % of alloying metal powders. The method includes: mixing powders, compacting the blend to density at least 60% of the theoretical density, crushing titanium hydride powders into fine fragments at pressure of 400-960 MPa, chemical cleaning and refining titanium powders by heating to 300-900° C. and holding for ?30 minutes, heating in vacuum at 1000-1350° C., holding for ?30 minutes, and cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Advance Materials Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Volodymyr A. Duz, Orest M. Ivasishin, Vladimir S. Moxson, Dmitro G. Savvakin, Vladislav V. Telin
  • Patent number: 7540996
    Abstract: Methods and powder blends are provided for fabricating a metal part. One method includes the first steps of spreading a layer of a powder blend on a platform, the powder blend including a titanium base metal or alloy, and an alloying metal having a lower melting temperature than that of the base metal or alloy. Next, an energy beam is directed onto selected areas of the powder blend layer to thereby melt the alloying metal. Then, the alloying metal is re-solidified by withdrawing the energy beam from the powder blend layer. Then, a preform part is built up by iteratively performing the spreading, melting, and re-solidifying steps on additional adjacently formed layers. A metal liquid phase sintering process is performed at a temperature sufficient to melt the alloying metal but not the base metal or alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Clifford C. Bampton
  • Patent number: 7524475
    Abstract: A cerium oxide powder for one-component CMP slurry, which has a specific surface area of 5 m2/g or more, and a ratio of volume fraction of pores with a diameter of 3 nm or more to that of pores with a diameter less than 3 nm of 8:2˜2:8, is disclosed. A method for preparing the same, a one-component CMP slurry comprising the same as an abrasive material, and a method of shallow trench isolation using the one-component CMP slurry are also disclosed. The CMP slurry causes no precipitation of the cerium oxide powder even if it is provided as a one-component CMP slurry, because the CMP slurry uses, as an abrasive material, cerium oxide powder that is obtained via a low-temperature calcination step, optionally a pulverization step, and a high-temperature calcination step and has a high pore fraction and low strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung Beom Cho, Jun Seok Nho, Dong Mok Shin, Jong Pil Kim, Myoung Hwan Oh, Jang Yul Kim, Eun Mi Choi, Min Jin Ko
  • Publication number: 20090035169
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for transmitting torque in a way that can prolong the life of such apparatuses by using dissimilar materials for a body region and a torque transmitting region that absorbs the wear of the apparatuses, the apparatuses being constructed by methods of powder metallurgy. A torque transmitting apparatus can be provided and can include an annular body member composed of a first material and an outer ring member composed of a second powder metal material. The outer ring member can shrink about the annular body member during a sintering phase to form a single body in which the outer ring member can be fixedly attached to the annular body member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Christopher Wayne Vaughn, Andrew Joseph McDaniel
  • Patent number: 7449144
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a sliding contact piece for medium to high current densities including a step of warm premixing of graphite and plastic binder, a step of cold mixing of the resulting premixture with copper, a step of pressing of the resulting main mixture into the sliding contact piece, and finally a step of sintering of it; and so as to improve the operating characteristics of the sliding contact piece, which is free of any environmentally harmful additives, a metal such as zinc, tin, bismuth or an alloy of such metals is added during the premixing of the graphite and plastic binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Deutsche Carbone AG
    Inventors: Wilhelm Latz, Jürgen Spangenberg, Arwed Uecker
  • Patent number: 7416613
    Abstract: A method for compacting a magnetic powder in a magnetic field comprising steps of filling a die with a magnetic powder, applying a pulsed magnetic field to the magnetic powder in the die to orientate the powder, and compressing the magnetic powder, wherein the pulsed magnetic field is applied twice or more when density ? of a compacted body of said magnetic powder satisfies the relationship ?=?×H0.5+?(?=0.63 and ?=1 to 2), where H is intensity (T) of the applied magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Chou, Gouichi Nishizawa, Masatoshi Hatakeyama, Chikara Ishizaka
  • Patent number: 7354548
    Abstract: Hardmetal compositions each including hard particles having a first material and a binder matrix having a second, different material comprising rhenium or a Ni-based superalloy. A two-step sintering process may be used to fabricate such hardmetals at relatively low sintering temperatures in the solid-state phase to produce substantially fully-densified hardmetals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Genius Metal, Inc.
    Inventor: Shaiw-Rong Scott Liu
  • Patent number: 7196297
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for binder removal and sintering of materials such as ceramic materials and products, LTCC intervals, solid oxide fuel cells and powder metals. A combination of microwave and convection/radiation heating is employed for binder removal and sintering. Preferably, the microwave heating is accomplished using a variable or multi-frequency microwave source. A gas atmosphere is provided in the furnace chamber by one or more eductors which produces a high volume gas circulation in the furnace chamber to achieve a highly uniform gas environment and temperature. The process in accordance with the invention controls the heating cycle, the heat sources and thermal profile depending upon the composition of the particular material being processed. The thermal processing can be accomplished in a batch furnace in which a product is loaded for processing and unloaded after processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: BTU International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald A. Seccombe, Jr., Gary Orbeck
  • Patent number: 7037466
    Abstract: After recycled titanium alloy chips are crushed and cleaned, they are pressed into cylindrically briquettes with a relative density of 0.6, and placed into capsules. The capsules are heated and placed into a preheated pressing rig. The pressing rig repetitively applies axial force to the capsule, resulting in a relative density of at least 0.95. The product billets are used for consumable electrodes, secondary casting alloys, forgings, extruded semi-finished products and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Inventors: Vladimir Leonidovich Girshov, Arnold Nikolayevich Treschevskiy, Victor Georgievich Kochkin, Alexey Alexandrovich Abramov, Natalja Semenovna Sidenko
  • Patent number: 6974656
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a paste composition, including a bonding agent charged with a metallic powder, to be used in a prototyping procedure, a procedure for obtaining metallic products from said composition, and a metallic product obtained from said procedure. The composition is characterized by the fact that it includes: a bonding agent comprised of at least one photopolymerizable resin, with a viscosity of less than 4000 mPa.s, measured at 25° C., a photoinitiator, in a concentration greater than 0.2% by mass with respect to the mass of the resin, and a metallic powder in a volumetric concentration greater than 40% with respect to the composition, with said composition having a minimum reactivity on the order of 5 mm3/s per watt of lighting power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Catherine Hinczewski
  • Patent number: 6918943
    Abstract: A machining surface of a machining tool such as a drill is composed of a metal-rich section. A ceramics-rich section is formed centrally in the drill. Further, a gradient section is provided between the ceramics-rich section and the metal-rich section. In the gradient section, the composition ratio of metal is gradually increased from the ceramics-rich section to the metal-rich section. That is, the drill is composed of the gradient composite material in which the composition ratio of ceramics is increased and the composition ratio of metal is decreased inwardly from the machining surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kuwabara, Masanori Ohtsuka
  • Patent number: 6881376
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a nuclear fuel body comprising tungsten network and a method for manufacturing the same, more particularly, a nuclear fuel body in which tungsten network is continuously formed over the entire or some parts of a sintered body and a method for manufacturing the same. The sintered body in the nuclear fuel body of the present invention contains tungsten network having excellent heat conductivity, leading to the enhancement of heat conductivity of the nuclear fuel sintered body itself with decreasing the temperature of the nuclear fuel, so that it can contribute to the improvement in safety and performance of nuclear fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignees: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kun Woo Song, Jae Ho Yang, Keon Sik Kim, Ki Won Kang, Jong Hun Kim, Youn Ho Jung
  • Patent number: 6852273
    Abstract: (a) The metal matrix composite is suitable for the manufacture of flat or shaped titanium aluminide, zirconium aluminide, or niobium aluminide articles and layered metal composites having improved mechanical properties such as lightweight plates and sheets for aircraft and automotive applications, thin cross-section vanes and airfoils, heat-sinking lightweight electronic substrates, bulletproof structures for vests, partition walls and doors, as well as sporting goods such as helmets, golf clubs, sole plates, crown plates, etc. The composite material consists of a metal (e.g., Ti, Zr, or Nb-based alloy) matrix at least partially intercalated with a three-dimensional skeletal metal aluminide structure, whereby ductility of the matrix metal is higher than that of the metal aluminide skeleton. The method for manufacturing includes the following steps: (a) providing an aluminum skeleton structure having open porosity of 50-95 vol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: ADMA Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Ivanov, Vladimir S. Moxson