Abstract: An additive-manufacturing facility and a method for managing a powder transported to and from additive-manufacturing machines of the facility are provided. According to the method, a volume of feedstock powder is stored, and the machines are automatically fed with powder from the volume of feedstock powder. For each machine, the powder fed to the machine undergoes at least one layering operation during an additive-manufacturing cycle, and excess powder in the layering operation is moved away and conveyed from the machine to the volume of feedstock powder. For each machine, recovered powder, which is derived from cleaning rough components produced by the machine, is reintroduced into the volume of feedstock powder. A same collection circuit is used to convey the excess powder and the recovered powder to the volume of feedstock powder.

Abstract: An additive-manufacturing facility and a method for managing a powder transported to and from additive-manufacturing machines of the facility are provided. According to the method, a volume of feedstock powder is stored, and the machines are automatically fed with powder from the volume of feedstock powder. For each machine, the powder fed to the machine undergoes at least one layering operation during an additive-manufacturing cycle, and excess powder in the layering operation is moved away and conveyed from the machine to the volume of feedstock powder. For each machine, recovered powder, which is derived from cleaning rough components produced by the machine, is reintroduced into the volume of feedstock powder. A same collection circuit is used to convey the excess powder and the recovered powder to the volume of feedstock powder.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for perforating a formation surrounding a wellbore and initiating and propagating a fracture in that formation to stimulate hydrocarbon production from the wellbore. The technique uses a perforation and propellant loading device which perforates and fractures in a single operation to greatly increase the efficiency over current perforation techniques. Efficiency is increased by a number of factors including firing the perforating shaped charge through a gas zone, reducing the overall perforation damage to the formation, increasing operation speed, and increasing pressure in the area of the borehole surrounding the production zone before perforation and propagation are initiated. In accordance with the invention, the timing of the propellant ignition and charge detonation are critical to achieve the desired results.

Abstract: A pressure sensor of the present invention can perform pressure measurements under very severe mechanical and thermal conditions. It comprises a cell carrying a strain-measuring circuit. The cell is placed inside a body and is put into contact with the pressure to be measured. The cell has a hermetically sealed internal chamber inside which pressure is set to a predetermined reference value. The outside surface of the cell is subjected to the pressure to be measured. The cell is constituted by two half-shells joined together according to a join plane. The cell is preferably made of sapphire, with the crystal axis of the sapphire being perpendicular to the join plane so as to obtain isotropic stresses. A strain-gauge circuit is deposited on a plane surface of one of the half-shells, parallel to the join plane. The sensor is particularly suitable for testing oil deposits.