Abstract: Assemblies for an ultrasonic probe and manufacturing methods are presented. In one example, the method includes additively forming first portions of the assembly using a first material with first acoustic properties and second portions of the assembly using a second material with second acoustic properties, the first and second acoustic properties being configured to modify ultrasonic signals of the ultrasonic probe. In another aspect, a housing for an ultrasonic probe is presented. The housing includes additively-formed portions, a fluid channel, and at least one cavity. The first additively-formed portions include a first material with first acoustic properties. The second additively-formed portions include a second material with second acoustic properties. The first and second acoustic properties are configured to modify ultrasonic signals of the ultrasonic probe. The fluid channel is for receiving fluid within the housing of the ultrasonic probe.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing impellers is described. The method provides for manufacturing a plurality of tubular components, each tubular component forming an inner passage, which is shaped as one of the flow passages of the final impeller. The tubular components are assembled together forming a semi-finished impeller. The semi-finished impeller is provided with annular cavities extending around the rotation axis of the impeller and gaps between adjacent tubular components. The gaps and cavities are filled with metal powder and the semi-finished impeller is subject to hot isostatic pressing, to densify the metal powder and form a monolithic final impeller.

Abstract: Assemblies for an ultrasonic probe and manufacturing methods are presented. In one example, the method includes additively forming first portions of the assembly using a first material with first acoustic properties and second portions of the assembly using a second material with second acoustic properties, the first and second acoustic properties being configured to modify ultrasonic signals of the ultrasonic probe. In another aspect, a housing for an ultrasonic probe is presented. The housing includes additively-formed portions, a fluid channel, and at least one cavity. The first additively-formed portions include a first material with first acoustic properties. The second additively-formed portions include a second material with second acoustic properties. The first and second acoustic properties are configured to modify ultrasonic signals of the ultrasonic probe. The fluid channel is for receiving fluid within the housing of the ultrasonic probe.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing impellers is described. The method provides for manufacturing a plurality of tubular components, each tubular component forming an inner passage, which is shaped as one of the flow passages of the final impeller. The tubular components are assembled together forming a semi-finished impeller. The semi-finished impeller is provided with annular cavities extending around the rotation axis of the impeller and gaps between adjacent tubular components. The gaps and cavities are filled with metal powder and the semi-finished impeller is subject to hot isostatic pressing, to densify the metal powder and form a monolithic final impeller.

Abstract: An actuator for a gate valve having a gate has a stem coupled to a gate. A spring is coupled to the stem and has an extended length position while the gate is in a closed position and a contracted length position while the gate is in an open position. The spring has a degressive characteristic such that a graph of a force required to move the gate from the closed position to the open position versus a deflection of the spring is a nonlinear curve with a positive slope that decreases when moving from the closed to the open position. The spring may be an array of wavy springs arranged in nested and in valley-to-crest combinations.