Abstract: This shaping apparatus is equipped with: a movement system which moves a target surface; a measurement system for acquiring position information of the target surface in a state movable by the movement system, a beam shaping system that has a beam irradiation section and a material processing section which supplies a shaping material irradiated by a beam from beam irradiation section; and a controller. On the basis of 3D data of a three-dimensional shaped object to be formed on a target surface and position information of the target surface acquired using the measurement system, the controller controls the movement system and the beam shaping system such that a target portion on the target surface is shaped by supplying the shaping material while moving the target surface and the beam from beam irradiation section relative to each other.

Abstract: A process of manufacturing a golf club head includes the steps of generating, via an additive manufacturing process, a golf club head. Generating, via an additive manufacturing process, the golf club head includes the steps of printing a first material, layer by layer, along a first plane, and creating a first blow through aperture that allows air to pass from a front portion of the golf club head to a head cavity disposed within a rear portion of the golf club head. The process further includes blowing excess material out from within the head cavity using the first blow through aperture, and removing excess material formed at one or more material deposits disposed along the golf club head.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object, which is a method of shaping a three-dimensional shaped object using a cutting tool configured to cut a first length in a cutting direction, includes: a first portion shaping step of stacking a shaping material to shape a first portion having a length in the cutting direction shorter than the first length; a first portion cutting step of cutting the first portion in the cutting direction by the cutting tool; and a second portion shaping step of stacking the shaping material to couple to a first end surface of the first portion in a direction opposite to the cutting direction, and to shape a second portion having a length in the cutting direction shorter than that of the first portion.

Abstract: A method for forming a three-dimensional article through successive fusion of parts of a powder bed comprising: providing a model of the three dimensional article, applying a first powder layer on a work table, directing an energy beam over the work table causing the first powder layer to fuse in selected locations according to the model to form a first cross section of the three-dimensional article, applying a second powder layer on the work table, directing the energy beam over the work table causing the second powder layer to fuse in selected locations according to the model to form a second cross section of the three-dimensional article, wherein the second layer is bonded to the first layer, detecting a local thickness in at least two positions in at least the second powder layer, varying an energy beam parameter depending on the detected local thickness of the second powder layer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for 3D printing hollow bodies, such as bodies having an exterior cylindrical shape with a hollow interior, are described. Such systems and methods utilize rotatable hollow print base supports having an interior size and/or shape that matches the desired exterior shape of the final printed structure. The printed bodies, methods, and systems enable printing of the desired hollow printed body from the outside-to-inside. They also allow easy production, customization, and modification of internal structures within the printed hollow body.

Abstract: A shaping stage has a shaping face where a shaping material is deposited and is used in a three-dimensional shaping apparatus by being subjected to temperature control. The shaping stage includes a first member having a plurality of recess portions or penetration portions and a first shaping face portion that is present in peripheries of the recess portions or the penetration portions and that is included in the shaping face, and a second member that is placed inside the recess portions or the penetration portions, that has a second shaping face portion included in the shaping face, and that has a thermal expansion coefficient different from the first member.

Abstract: Additive manufacturing method includes providing first and second scanners having first and second overlapping fields of view, applying a layer of powder-based materials to a part bed, providing a laser source for each scanner, each laser source producing a laser beam, and directing its laser beam to its scanner. A first laser beam from the first scanner pre-heats the powder-based material along a tool path in a selected pattern, and a second laser beam from the second scanner melts the pre-heated powder-based material along a second tool path. The first laser beam may be a pre-heat beam, and the second laser beam may be a melt beam. An additive manufacturing system includes a laser source, first and second scanners to receive a pre-heat laser beam to pre-heat a portion of material in the part bed, and a melt laser beam to melt a portion of the pre-heated material to form a part layer.

Abstract: Molybdenum is alloyed into stainless steel surface by electro-spark deposition technique. Shielding gas is used during electro-spark deposition process to minimize the oxidation of materials. Control of electro-spark voltage, frequency, capacitance, time can determine the alloying depth of Molybdenum. The alloyed surface thickness varies from 5 ?m to 80 ?m depending on the electro-spark deposition parameters. The alloyed surface comprises, by weight, 15 to 40% of Molybdenum, 8 to 22% of Cr, 0-15% of other alloy elements and impurities. The molybdenum alloyed stainless steel surface exhibits improvement in micro-hardness, wear resistance, and especially corrosion resistance in sodium chloride solutions. Thus, the present invention would be utilized in marine and handling of brines application, as well as in other applications which better corrosion resistance of stainless steel is desired.

Abstract: A build assembly and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The build assembly includes a first component, a second component, and a support structure coupling the two components together to fix their relative position. The support structure may be a “ghost” structure that is not connected with or does not contact the components, but is positioned such that the components are restrained to prevent distortion. The support structure may also be connected to the components and may define channels for removing additive powder from within or around the components.

Abstract: A cutting bit includes a body, a plurality of blades, and at least one ultrahard insert cast directly into at least one of the plurality of blades. The ultrahard insert is positioned with a rear face directly contacting the blade.

Abstract: Ti-based metal matrix composites, methods of their additive manufacture, and parts manufactured therefrom and thereby are provided. Method include layer-by-layer additive manufacturing for fabricating Ti-based metal matrix composite parts thicker than 0.5 mm, in layers with thickness between 10-1000 micrometers. The parts formed may have one or more of the following properties: a tensile strength greater than 1 GPa, a fracture toughness greater than 40 MPa m1/2, a yield strength divided by the density greater than 200 MPa cm3/g, and a total strain to failure in a tension test greater than 5%.

Abstract: Additive manufacturing includes successively forming a plurality of layers on a support. Depositing a layer from the plurality of layers includes dispensing first particles, selectively dispensing second particles in selected regions corresponding to a surface of the object, and fusing at least a portion of the layer. The layer has the first particles throughout and the second particles in the selected regions. Alternatively or in addition, forming the plurality of layers includes depositing multiple groups of layers. Depositing a group of layers includes, for each layer in the group of layers dispensing a feed material to provide the layer, and after dispensing the feed material and before dispensing a subsequent layer fusing a selected portion of the layer. After all layers in the group of layers are dispensed, a volume of the group of layers that extends through all the layers in the group of layers is fused.

Abstract: The use of a specific molybdenum-silicon-boron alloy and a particular production process in which powder is used makes it possible to achieve components which have a particular fiber-matrix structure and can be used for high-temperature applications and can also be produced inexpensively.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides various aspects for mobile and automated processing utilizing additive manufacturing. The present disclosure includes methods for the utilization of mobile and automated processing apparatus. In some examples, the mobile additive manufacturing apparatus may create communication means into an advanced roadway, which may be used for various communications including communications to and from autonomous vehicles. The communications may involve data related to the operation of systems of autonomous vehicles. In other examples, the communications may relate to the status of roadways which may be sensed or imaged by vehicles using the advanced roadways.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that forms a three-dimensional (3D) nanostructure through 3D printing. During operation, the system performs a 3D printing operation that uses multiple passes of a scanning probe microscope (SPM) tip to deliver an ink to form the 3D nanostructure, wherein the ink includes both a positively charged polyelectrolyte (PE) and a negatively charged PE. While delivering the ink, the SPM tip is loaded with the ink and moved to a target location to deposit the ink. Finally, after the multiple passes are complete, the system cures the 3D nanostructure to remove excess positive or negative charges from the 3D nanostructure.

Abstract: Controlling microstructure in an object created by metal powder additive manufacturing is disclosed. During additive manufacturing of one or more objects using an irradiation beam source system, for each respective layer in a selected range of layers including a cross-sectional area of the one or more objects including the selected object, a duration controller controls actuation of each irradiation device to maintain constant a sum of: an irradiation device melting time, an irradiation device idle time, and a recoating time expended applying a new powder material layer, while otherwise maintaining all other operation parameters of each irradiation device constant.

Abstract: A method of making a medical device includes forming a precursor medical device using additive manufacturing. The precursor medical device includes a first portion, a second portion, a first connector, and a second connector. The first connector connects the first portion to the second portion and is configured to remain. The second connector connects the first portion to the second portion and are configured to be removed. The second connector is formed such that the second connector is less ductile than the first portion, the second portion, and the first connector. The precursor medical device is processed to remove the second connector without adversely affecting the first portion, the second portion, and the first connector.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing method includes providing a first and second scanners with fields of view that at least partially overlap. The method includes applying a layer of powder-based materials to the part bed and providing a number of laser sources that direct a number of laser beams to the first and second scanners. The laser beams are directed from the scanners to the part bed to selectively fuse the material to produce a layer of a three-dimensional part. The layer is formed by selectively directing laser energy to the material in a selected pattern, and synchronizing the movement of the laser beams to continuously process the selected pattern in each layer of the three-dimensional part. An additive manufacturing system includes first and second laser sources, first and second scanners, and a controller configured to operate the scanners and laser(s) for producing the three-dimensional printed part.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure pertain to methods of plating magnets with a stack of layers such that the resulting magnet assembly has improved corrosion resistance. Embodiments of the disclosure are also directed to magnet assemblies formed by such methods. Some embodiments include a High Phosphorus Electroless Nickel (HiPEN) layer with Phosphorus content greater than 11% by weight.

Abstract: A functionally graded carbide body (400) can include a group 5 metal carbide substrate having a bulk composition region (410) that contains at least 70 wt % of a rhombohedral ?-phase carbide. A ?-phase-rich region (420) having a ?-phase-rich composition can be at a surface (430) of the substrate, and a phase composition gradient region (440) can transition from the ?-phase-rich composition region at the surface to the bulk composition region at a gradient depth (450) below the surface.

Abstract: A method of producing a curved plate by additive layer manufacture is provided. The method includes building up the plate layer-by-layer such that a first layer forms a bottom edge of the plate and the plate is additively extended upwards therefrom by subsequent layers such that a last layer forms an opposing top edge of the plate. In this way, spaced, first and second lateral edges of the plate each grow layer-by-layer to extend between respective ends of the bottom and top edges. The plate thus built up arches over from the bottom edge to adopt a curved shape on cross-sections through the plate normal to the bottom edge.

Abstract: A method for forming a three-dimensional article through successive fusion of parts of a powder bed comprising: providing a model of the three dimensional article, applying a first powder layer on a work table, directing an energy beam over the work table causing the first powder layer to fuse in selected locations according to the model to form a first cross section of the three-dimensional article, applying a second powder layer on the work table, directing the energy beam over the work table causing the second powder layer to fuse in selected locations according to the model to form a second cross section of the three-dimensional article, wherein the second layer is bonded to the first layer, detecting a local thickness in at least two positions in at least the second powder layer, varying an energy beam parameter depending on the detected local thickness of the second powder layer.

Abstract: A method of making an article is disclosed in which a fusible material is fused with an energy beam applied to the fusible material at a build location with a scanning pattern comprising a plurality of parallel lines terminating at the contoured edge. An energy beam is also applied with a vector scanning pattern at the build location along the contoured edge to liquefy and re-solidify material at the build location along the contoured edge. The method also includes controlling vector scanning energy beam intensity, vector scanning energy beam scanning speed, vector scanning energy beam focus depth, or any combination thereof as a function of an angle between the plurality of parallel lines and the vector along the contoured edge.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a lamination molding apparatus configured to mold a desired lamination molded object based on a project file, comprising: a chamber covering a molding region and being filled with an inert gas; a laser beam emitter configured to irradiate material powder with a laser beam for sintering the material powder, in an irradiation region on a material powder layer formed on a molding region, a cutting machine configured to move a cutting tool, within the chamber, for cutting a predetermined cutting allowance from a sintered layer obtained by sintering the material powder a calculation means configured to calculate an amount of displacement between a target irradiation position and an actual irradiation position of the laser beam, and to determine a recommended value of a size of the cutting allowance based on a time transition of the amount of displacement or to generate a new project file containing a size of the cutting allowance set based on a time transition of the amount of d

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a component of defined geometry from two or more materials using a powder bed ALM process includes providing a bed of a first powdered material, selectively fusing portions of the first powdered material to build up a first three dimensional portion of the component geometry and fusing a powder containment bund from the first material to contain unfused first powdered material. A bed of a second powdered material is deposited onto the powder containment bund and selectively fused to build up a second three dimensional portion of the component geometry. Unfused first powdered material can subsequently be removed from a first side of the bund and unfused second powder from a second side of the bund. Remaining parts of the bund which do not form part of the defined geometry of the component can be removed to provide the net shape component.

Abstract: Improved randomized porous structures and methods of manufacturing such porous structures are disclosed. The scaffold of the porous structures are formed from by dividing the space between a plurality of spatial coordinates of a defined volume, where the plurality of spatial coordinates have been moved in a random direction and a random finite distance according to a predetermined randomization limit.

Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a micropore filter usable as SCE. Stainless steel particles having particle diameters of 3 to 60 ?m are subjected to milling in a bead mill using zirconia beads to prepare powder having a flakiness of 0.03 to 0.4. The zirconia adhered to the surface of the powder is removed by pickling. A load of 10 to 15 kN is applied to 0.5 to 1.0 g of the pickled powder, thereby compacting the powder into a columnar compact body. The compact body is kept and fired in a vacuum atmosphere of 10?5 to 10?3 Pa at a temperature of 1000 to 1300° C. for 1 to 3 hours to form a sintered body. The sintered body is pressed into a pipe having an inner diameter of 0.90 to 0.99 times of the outer diameter of the sintered body, and extruded to obtain a micropore filter.

Abstract: Coatings for magnetic materials, such as rare earth magnets, are described. The coatings are designed to reduce or prevent the release of one or both of nickel and cobalt from the coatings or from the underlying magnetic material. The coatings are designed to resist corrosion and release of nickel and cobalt when exposed to moist conditions. The coatings are also designed to be robust enough to withstand damage due to scratch forces. In some embodiments, the coatings include multiple layers of one or of metal and non-metal materials. The coated magnets are well suited for use in the manufacture of wearable consumer products.

Abstract: Support structures are used in certain additive fabrication processes to permit fabrication of a greater range of object geometries. For additive fabrication processes with materials that are subsequently sintered into a final part, an interface layer is fabricated between the object and support in order to inhibit bonding between adjacent surfaces of the support structure and the object during sintering.

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.

Abstract: Prosthetic element for bone extremities such as fingers or toes, or teeth, comprising a trabecular part (20, 40, 120) and two end parts or stumps (12, 34, 112; 15, 39, 115).

Abstract: A process for producing a metallic component with an opening or a hollow space by selective laser sintering or laser melting includes melting a metallic powder in layers at appropriate cross-sectional regions by using laser radiation. After the laser sintering or laser melting process, the component is subjected to a fracture splitting process, in which the component is fractured into at least two fractional parts along a fracture line and then the at least two fractional parts are connected to one another at the sites of fracture to form the component. The fracture line contacts or passes through the opening or the hollow space.

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 heater element is disposed on the solidified layer during the repeated steps (i) and (ii), and thereby the heater element is situated within the three-dimensional shaped object.

Abstract: Systems and methods for fabricating multi-functional articles comprised of additively formed gradient materials are provided. The fabrication of multi-functional articles using the additive deposition of gradient alloys represents a paradigm shift from the traditional way that metal alloys and metal/metal alloy parts are fabricated. Since a gradient alloy that transitions from one metal to a different metal cannot be fabricated through any conventional metallurgy techniques, the technique presents many applications. Moreover, the embodiments described identify a broad range of properties and applications.

Abstract: One aspect relates to a medical implant, for example, implantable stimulation electrode, having a tight substrate and a porous contact region. One aspect also relates to a lead of a cardiac pacemaker having an implantable stimulation electrode and to a method for manufacturing a medical implant, for example, an implantable stimulation electrode. A medical implant according to one aspect is characterized in that the implant includes a sintered body with graduated porosity.

Abstract: A method of making an article of manufacture includes positioning a cemented carbide piece comprising at least 5% of the total volume of the article of manufacture, and, optionally, a non-cemented carbide piece in a void of a mold in predetermined positions to partially fill the void and define an unoccupied space. Inorganic particles are added to the mold to partially fill the unoccupied space and provide a remainder space. The cemented carbide piece, the non-cemented carbide piece if present, and the hard particles are heated and infiltrated with a molten metal or a metal alloy. The melting temperature of the molten metal or the metal alloy is less than the melting temperature of the inorganic particles. The molten metal or metal alloy in the remainder space solidifies and binds the cemented carbide piece, the non-cemented carbide piece if present, and the inorganic particles to form the article of manufacture.

Abstract: A movable die component for a press device includes a plate body having a workpiece engagement surface configured to engage a workpiece formed by the press device. The plate body has a plurality of internal pockets completely enclosed by the plate body. Optionally, the plate body may be formed by an additive manufacturing process, such as by forming a plurality of direct metal laser sintering layers. The direct metal laser sintering layers may include a lower layer, a plurality of middle layers, and an upper layer with the internal pockets being provided in the middle layers, and with the lower layer covering a bottom of each internal pocket and the upper layer coving a top of each internal pocket.

Abstract: In one aspect, methods of making freestanding metal matrix composite articles and alloy articles are described. A method of making a freestanding composite article described herein comprises disposing over a surface of the temporary substrate a layered assembly comprising a layer of infiltration metal or alloy and a hard particle layer formed of a flexible sheet comprising organic binder and the hard particles. The layered assembly is heated to infiltrate the hard particle layer with metal or alloy providing a metal matrix composite, and the metal matrix composite is separated from the temporary substrate. Further, a method of making a freestanding alloy article described herein comprises disposing over the surface of a temporary substrate a flexible sheet comprising organic binder and powder alloy and heating the sheet to provide a sintered alloy article. The sintered alloy article is then separated from the temporary substrate.

Abstract: A thermal barrier tile (34) with a braze layer (46) co-sintered to a ceramic layer (48) is brazed to a substrate (26) of a component for fabrication or repair of a thermal barrier coating (28) for example on a gas turbine ring segment (22, 24). The tile may be fabricated by disposing a first layer of a metal brazing material in a die case (40); disposing a second layer of a ceramic powder on the metal brazing material; and co-sintering the two layers with spark plasma sintering to form the co-sintered ceramic/metal tile. A material property of an existing thermal barrier coating to be repaired may be determined (90), and the co-sintering may be controlled (93) responsive to the property to produce tiles compatible with the existing thermal barrier coating in a material property such as thermal conductivity.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a functionally graded turbine engine component is disclosed and includes the step of depositing layers of powder onto a base and solidifying/fusing each layer with a first directed energy beam to define a component. The method further includes varying a process parameter between deposited layers to define different material properties within the component. The method also proposes surface enhancement approach that can be used after depositing each layer to locally customize the material properties. The method also proposes machining the different internal surfaces to achieve the proper surface finishing required.

Abstract: A method for preparing an article is disclosed. The method comprises compacting a mixture of a first pre-alloyed powder and a lubricant to thereby form a green part having a green strength sufficient to permit mechanical handling; applying a slurry to a surface of the green part to thereby form a slurry coated green part, wherein the slurry comprises a second pre-alloyed powder, a binder, and a solvent; and heating the coated green part to a temperature below a solidus temperature of the first pre-alloyed powder and between a solidus temperature and a liquidus temperature of the second pre-alloyed powder to thereby solid state sinter the first pre-alloyed powder into a sintered core and to liquid state sinter the second pre-alloyed powder into a continuous alloy coating over the sintered core.

Abstract: An impeller including a blade section, a shroud section, and a hub is made of a monolithic structure. The impeller is made by loading a 3D image file into an additive manufacturing device, using it to generate 2D files which correspond to a plurality of cross-sectional layers of the impeller, and solidifying corresponding portions of pulverant material layers to create the impeller.

Abstract: A method for forming a carbon-metal composite material for a heat sink, comprising the following steps: applying at least one layer comprising carbon particles and at least one layer comprising metal particles on top of one another; and fusing of the layers by irradiating the layers with laser radiation to form the carbon-metal composite material. The invention also relates to a heat sink having a shaped body that comprises a plurality of layers, each layer containing carbon particles in a metal matrix.

Abstract: A blank may include a tang section, a base section, and an angled section with a recess. The tang section may have an outer surface with an outer diameter. The base section may have an outer surface with a diameter greater than the outer diameter of the tang section. The angled section may lie between the tang section and the base section and may have an outer surface that transitions in diameter from the outer diameter of the tang section to the outer diameter of the base section. The recess in the angled section may be shaped to engage a tip of a former.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object. The method of the present invention comprises the repeated steps of: (i) forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer on a base plate 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 the solidified layers are formed such that they have a high-density portion whose solidified density is 95 to 100% and a low-density portion whose solidified density is 0 to 95% (excluding 95%); and wherein the high-density portion is a portion of the three-dimensional shaped object, to which the force is applied when the three-dimensional shaped object is used.

Abstract: A method for additive manufacturing with multiple materials. First (48), second (50), and third (52) adjacent powder layers are delivered onto a working surface (54A) in respective first (73), second (74), and third (75) area shapes of adjacent final materials (30, 44, 45) in a given section plane of a component (20). The first powder may be a structural metal delivered in the sectional shape of an airfoil substrate (30). The second powder may be a bond coat material delivered in a sectional shape of a bond coat (45) on the substrate. The third powder may be a thermal barrier ceramic delivered in a section shape of the thermal barrier coating (44). A particular laser intensity (69A, 69B) is applied to each layer to melt or to sinter the layer. Integrated interfaces (57, 77, 80) may be formed between adjacent layers by gradient material overlap and/or interleaving projections.

Abstract: Described herein are methods of constructing a part using BMG layer by layer. In one embodiment, a layer of BMG powder is deposited to selected positions and then fused to a layer below by suitable methods such as laser heating or electron beam heating. The deposition and fusing are then repeated as need to construct the part layer by layer. One or more layers of non-BMG can be used as needed. In one embodiment, layers of BMG can be cut from one or more sheets of BMG to desired shapes, stacked and fused to form the part.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing gas turbine components, in particular aircraft turbine components, preferably low-pressure turbine blades, from a powder which is sintered selectively in layers by locally limited introduction of radiant energy, wherein the sintering is carried out in a closed first housing (2), so that a defined atmosphere can be set, wherein the powder or at least a part of the powder is generated in the same first housing (2) or in a second housing connected to the first housing in a gas-tight manner. The invention further relates to a corresponding apparatus and to a gas turbine blade produced thereby.

Abstract: A method for preparing a metal-based part, the method comprising applying a slurry to a surface of a temporary substrate to thereby form a slurry-coated temporary substrate, wherein the slurry comprises a Co-, Ni-, or Fe-based metal-based material, a binder, and a solvent; drying the slurry-coated temporary substrate to remove the solvent and to thereby form a coating layer having green strength; heating the coating layer to remove the binder; heating the coating layer to sinter the metal-based material into a continuous metal alloy layer; and separating the substrate from the coating layer. A powder metallurgy preform comprising a powder metallurgy green coating on a preform substrate.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes: a piezoelectric transducer which generates ultrasonic waves when voltage is applied to the piezoelectric transducer; and an acoustic matching layer for matching acoustic impedances between the piezoelectric transducer and a subject. The acoustic matching layer includes a sintered layer having, across a surface of the sintered layer, a plurality of microscopic pores formed by sintering a composite including a bonding material and metal nanoparticles each having a size of one micron or less.