Abstract: This invention relates to a method of forming sections of seamless titanium or titanium alloy pipe. The method involves providing a substrate for forming pipe and a sleeve of a section of pipe on the substrate. The pipe section has an end from which the substrate projects. The pipe is formed by spraying particles of titanium or titanium alloy generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the substrate to impact a face of the end and to cause particles to bond to and to accumulate on the pipe end to form pipe. The method further involves moving formed pipe longitudinally relative to the substrate to remove formed pipe from the pipe-forming substrate and continuing to spray titanium or titanium alloy particles onto the end face to cause further pipe to form continuously and integrally with the formed pipe. This enables a seamless titanium or titanium alloy pipe to be formed of any desired length.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of forming sections of seamless titanium or titanium alloy pipe. The method involves providing a substrate for forming pipe and a sleeve of a section of pipe on the substrate. The pipe section has an end from which the substrate projects. The pipe is formed by spraying particles of titanium or titanium alloy generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the substrate to impact a face of the end and to cause particles to bond to and to accumulate on the pipe end to form pipe. The method further involves moving formed pipe longitudinally relative to the substrate to remove formed pipe from the pipe-forming substrate and continuing to spray titanium or titanium alloy particles onto the end face to cause further pipe to form continuously and integrally with the formed pipe. This enables a seamless titanium or titanium alloy pipe to be formed of any desired length.

Abstract: Apparatus for the closed-loop controlled growth of crystalline material by the Czochralski technique includes means for establishing a melt of a given crystallisable material, means for pulling a crystal from said melt when established, said means for pulling incorporating a rigid elongated pulling member defining a crystal pulling axis, means for rotating said pulling member about said crystal pulling axis and a weighing cell located at the end of said pulling member distant from said means for establishing a melt and capable of providing, for the purpose of closed-loop control of said crystal pulled, a signal related to the force along said crystal pulling axis on the pulling member.The weighing cell is preferably one of the kind having a spring and a transducer arranged to produce an electrical output related to the tension of the spring. The pulling member is preferably freely suspended from the weighing cell by a coupling which allows the pulling member to be rotated without rotating the weighing cell.