Abstract: A system for manufacturing a component includes a build platform, a powder delivery unit, an energy unit, at least one analyser, and a controller. The build platform has a build surface. The powder delivery unit is configured to deposit successive layers of a powdered material on the build surface of the build platform to form a powder bed. The energy unit is configured to selectively direct an energy beam to one or more predetermined portions of each successive layer of the powder bed to fuse the powdered material. The at least one analyser is configured to direct an X-ray beam to the powdered material and detect an X-ray fluorescence emitted by the powdered material in response to being excited by the X-ray beam. The controller is configured to determine a contamination of the powdered material based on the detection of the X-ray fluorescence.

Abstract: A method of manufacture comprising: controlling additive manufacturing using a plurality of parameters to melt a metal to provide an object, at least one parameter of the plurality of parameters having a value selected to cause porosity in at least a first portion of the object; and controlling hot pressing of the object.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a valve or an element used to form a valve, the method comprising forming a first part of a first component using additive manufacturing, adding a second component to the first part of the first component and forming a second part of the first component using additive manufacturing.

Abstract: A method of forming a component includes defining an identification pattern, defining one or more scanning parameters and/or one or more heating parameters, depositing a sinterable material on a substrate and scanning a heat source of the deposited sinterable material to thereby selectively sinter the material to the substrate to produce a sintered layer having the identification pattern. The sintered layer includes first and second regions, and the method includes sintering the first region using one or more scanning parameters and/or one or more heating parameters having a first value, and sintering the second region using one or more scanning parameters and/or one or more heating parameters having a second value to thereby produce the identification pattern including a contrast between the first and second regions.