Abstract: An expeditionary additive manufacturing (ExAM) system [10] for manufacturing metal parts [20] includes a mobile foundry system [12] configured to produce an alloy powder [14] from a feedstock [16], and an additive manufacturing system [18] configured to fabricate a part using the alloy powder [14]. The additive manufacturing system [18] includes a computer system [50] having parts data and machine learning programs in signal communication with a cloud service. The parts data [56] can include material specifications, drawings, process specifications, assembly instructions, and product verification requirements for the part [20]. An expeditionary additive manufacturing (ExAM) method for making metal parts [20] includes the steps of transporting the mobile foundry system [12] and the additive manufacturing system [18] to a desired location; making the alloy powder [14] at the location using the mobile foundry system; and building a part [20] at the location using the additive manufacturing system [18].

Abstract: A system for producing rare earth magnets from metal powder includes a melting cold hearth atomization system for producing the metal powder from a scrap material and an additive manufacturing system for building the rare earth magnets using the metal powder and an additive manufacturing process. The melting cold hearth atomization system includes a reactor for melting the scrap material into a molten metal, and one or more atomizers for spheroidizing the molten metal into powder particles that form the metal powder. The additive manufacturing system includes magnetized build plates for aligning the grain structures of the rare earth magnets during a building step of the additive manufacturing process. The scrap material can include recycled rare earth magnets, recycled metal powder containing rare earth metal, and recycled rare earth metal parts.

Abstract: A load lock system for manufacturing a metal alloy using a feed material includes a process chamber having a controlled atmosphere, a feed chamber in flow communication with the process chamber having controlled atmosphere capabilities configured to contain a quantity of the feed material, and a collection chamber in flow communication with the process chamber having controlled atmosphere capabilities configured to collect the metal alloy manufactured in the process chamber. The system also includes a gate valve between the process chamber and the feed chamber configured to either allow passage of the feed material between the chambers, or to seal the process chamber from the feed chamber. The system also includes a discharge valve between the process chamber and the collection chamber configured to either allow passage of the metal alloy between the chambers, or to seal the process chamber from the collection chamber.

Abstract: A deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system includes a foundry module containing a metallurgical system configured to convert a raw material into an alloy powder, and an additive manufacturing (AM) module containing an additive manufacturing system configured to form the alloy powder into metal parts. The deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system can also include a machining module containing a machining system configured to machine the metal parts into machined metal parts, and a quality conformance (QC) module containing an inspection and evaluation system configured to inspect and evaluate the metal parts. A process for manufacturing metal parts includes the steps of providing the deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system; deploying the (DMC) system to a desired location; forming an alloy powder from a raw material using the deployable foundry module; and then forming the metal parts from the alloy powder using the additive manufacturing (AM) module.

Abstract: A tilting melting hearth system (10) includes a tilting melting hearth (12) for melting a metal (14) into a molten metal (16) and a central processing unit (CPU) (18) for controlling the tilting melting hearth (12) having an automated hearth tilting program (20) configured to select a hearth tilt profile based on a weight (66A) of the molten metal (16) in the tilting melting hearth (12). The tilting melting hearth system (10) can also include an atomization die (38) in flow communication with the tilting melting hearth (12) for receiving a stream of molten metal (40) and generating a metal powder (42), or a casting die (46) for generating a casting (48) of the metal (14). The tilting melting hearth system (10) can be used to perform a method for recycling scrap metal by automatically determining the weight of the molten metal (16) in the tilting melting hearth (12).

Abstract: An expeditionary additive manufacturing (ExAM) system for manufacturing metal parts includes a mobile foundry system configured to produce an alloy powder from a feedstock, and an additive manufacturing system configured to fabricate a part using the alloy powder. The additive manufacturing system includes a computer system having parts data and machine learning programs in signal communication with a cloud service. The parts data can include material specifications, drawings, process specifications, assembly instructions, and product verification requirements for the part. An expeditionary additive manufacturing (ExAM) method for making metal parts includes the steps of transporting the mobile foundry system and the additive manufacturing system to a desired location; making the alloy powder at the location using the mobile foundry system; and building a part at the location using the additive manufacturing system.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing small adaptive engines uses a battlefield repository having cloud services that is configured to enable additive manufacturing (AM) of engine parts and assemblies. The method also uses a compilation of recipes/signatures for building the engine parts and the assemblies using additive manufacturing (AM) processes and machine learning programs. An additive manufacturing system and an alloy powder suitable for performing the additive manufacturing (AM) processes can be provided. In addition, the engine parts can be built using the additive manufacturing (AM) system, the alloy powder, the battlefield repository and the compilation of recipes/signatures. A system for manufacturing small adaptive engines includes the battlefield repository, the compilation of recipes/signatures, a foundry system for providing the alloy powder and an additive manufacturing (AM) system configured to perform the additive manufacturing (AM) processes.

Abstract: A deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system includes a foundry module containing a metallurgical system configured to convert a raw material into an alloy powder, and an additive manufacturing (AM) module containing an additive manufacturing system configured to form the alloy powder into metal parts. The deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system can also include a machining module containing a machining system configured to machine the metal parts into machined metal parts, and a quality conformance (QC) module containing an inspection and evaluation system configured to inspect and evaluate the metal parts. A process for manufacturing metal parts includes the steps of providing the deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system; deploying the (DMC) system to a desired location; forming an alloy powder from a raw material using the deployable foundry module; and then forming the metal parts from the alloy powder using the additive manufacturing (AM) module.

Abstract: A powder feeder system for a foundry system having a mixing hearth includes a housing assembly, and a feeder assembly in the housing assembly having a moveable barrel feeder for feeding a pre-weighed charge of metal powder into the mixing hearth of the foundry system during operation thereof. A method for recycling metal powder includes the steps of melting a content of the mixing hearth completely; and then feeding the metal powder into the mixing hearth while the contents of the mixing hearth are still molten using the powder feeder system.

Abstract: A low Earth orbit neutral impulse defense and salvage (LEONIDAS) launch system includes a base having multiple flexible limbs including cross-bow limbs and recoil limbs. The LEONIDAS launch system also includes a solar powered mechanical drive system on the base configured to position the flexible limbs in desired positions and a rotary magazine on the base configured to hold multiple sub-vessels that are configured to perform different activities in space such as defense and salvage. The LEONIDAS launch system also includes one or more launch cables attached to the cross-bow limbs configured to impart the launch power to the sub-vessels during launch into low earth orbits.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing small adaptive engines uses a battlefield repository having cloud services that is configured to enable additive manufacturing (AM) of engine parts and assemblies. The method also uses a compilation of recipes/signatures for building the engine parts and the assemblies using additive manufacturing (AM) processes and machine learning programs. An additive manufacturing system and an alloy powder suitable for performing the additive manufacturing (AM) processes can be provided. In addition, the engine parts can be built using the additive manufacturing (AM) system, the alloy powder, the battlefield repository and the compilation of recipes/signatures. A system for manufacturing small adaptive engines includes the battlefield repository, the compilation of recipes/signatures, a foundry system for providing the alloy powder and an additive manufacturing (AM) system configured to perform the additive manufacturing (AM) processes.

Abstract: An expeditionary additive manufacturing (ExAM) system for manufacturing metal parts includes a mobile foundry system configured to produce an alloy powder from a feedstock, and an additive manufacturing system configured to fabricate a part using the alloy powder. The additive manufacturing system includes a computer system having parts data and machine learning programs in signal communication with a cloud service. The parts data can include material specifications, drawings, process specifications, assembly instructions, and product verification requirements for the part. An expeditionary additive manufacturing (ExAM) method for making metal parts includes the steps of transporting the mobile foundry system and the additive manufacturing system to a desired location; making the alloy powder at the location using the mobile foundry system; and building a part at the location using the additive manufacturing system.