Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing metals and metal-like substances in two and three dimensional form without a substrate in a safe, rapid and economical fashion using gas shielded arc welding equipment and programmable robotic motion. The method and apparatus includes the use and application of robotic controls, temperature and position feedback, single and multiple material feeds, and semi liquid deposition thereby creating near net shape parts particularly well suited to rapid prototyping and lower volume production.

Abstract: A cutting blade for vegetation is provided for example for use in a straw chopper or rotary mower. The blade includes a first base material and a plurality of hard surface beads of at least two different materials formed on at least one surface of the base material extending up to a cutting edge of the base material wherein the plurality of hard surface beads lie alternately side by side with touching side edges and one contains at least one different material of a different hardness relative to the other so that differential wear rates are created, and a wear profile is controlled. The softer material is burnt away at the edge by the cladding laser to form pockets so that the blade is serrated by the pockets when supplied with additional wear increasing the pockets to maintain the serrations.

Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus for atomic layer deposition including a frame, an injector head with longitudinal slots supplying gases to deposition spaces confined by the longitudinal slots and a substrate. The slots are transverse to a movement in a first direction of the substrate, a subframe suspending the injector head; a movable carrier supporting the substrate for movement in the first direction; and gas pads at the subframe outside the injector head between the subframe and the moveable carrier, bearing the subframe on the carrier for the movement in the first direction. Actuators suspend the injector head from the subframe, and a control device connected to the actuators controls the actuators to adjust a working distance between a reference plane of the injector head and the surface of the substrate corresponding to a predetermined distance and to adjust an orientation of the injector head corresponding to an orientation of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for layer-by-layer manufacturing of a three-dimensional metallic work piece, comprising the steps of: delivering a metallic feed material in a substantially solid state into a feed region; emitting an electron beam; and translating the electron beam through a first predetermined raster pattern frame in an x-y plane. The method may also include monitoring a condition of one or both of the feed region or the substrate region in real time for the occurrence of any deviation from a predetermined condition; upon detecting of any deviation, translating the electron beam through at least one second predetermined raster pattern frame in the x-y plane that maintains the melting beam power density level substantially the same as the first predetermined raster pattern frame, but alters the substrate beam power density level.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the additive manufacture of three-dimensional metallic components (12), said components (12) being built layer-by-layer or section-by-section under vacuum conditions by fusing a metallic material with the component (12) at a machining point by means of a radiation source with a high energy density. In order to keep the energy applied to the machining point by the radiation itself relatively low, the metallic material is supplied in the form of a wire (28) which is preheated under vacuum conditions before reaching the machining point.

Abstract: A 3D printing system is disclosed. The 3D printing system has a print head and a positioning platform. The positioning platform supports and positions a product printed by the print head. The positioning platform is movable with respect to the print head in a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction perpendicular to each other. The positioning platform is also rotatable with respect to the print head about at least two of the first, second, and third directions.

Abstract: A method includes applying thermal and/or strain modeling to the CAD representation of an object. In addition, scan path data is generated based at least in part on a result of the thermal and/or strain modeling. A build file comprising the scan path data is generated. The build file comprises instructions that configure an additive manufacturing tool to generate the object according to the scan path data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a component 1 by additive manufacturing. The method comprises providing a work surface 2 on which the component 1 is to be manufactured, and providing at least one deposition material 3 from which the component 1 is to be composed. The deposition material, typically in the form of wire, is advanced to a localized deposition area 4 where it is added to the component 1 being manufactured. The method further comprises focusing at least one light beam 5 of incoherent light emitted from at least one heating source 6 in the deposition area 4 so that the deposition material 3 is deposited for building up the component 1. At least one light focusing mirror 7 and/or lens 11 is used to focus the incoherent light in the deposition area 4. The invention further relates to the use of such a method in space, such as on a space station, on a space craft or on parabolic flights for testing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a beam blanker for a scanning particle microscope for blanking a charged particle beam having a beam axis, along which charged particles propagate before entering the beam blanker, wherein the beam blanker comprises: (a) at least one stop having an aperture, through which the charged particle beam can pass; (b) at least one first and one second deflection element, which are each configured to deflect the particle beam from the beam axis in a first and a second direction, respectively, upon a voltage being present; and (c) a deflection controller configured to apply a first AC voltage having a first frequency to the first deflection element and a second AC voltage having a second frequency to the second deflection element, wherein the deflection controller sets a difference frequency between the first and second AC voltages such that pulses of the charged particle beam have a predefined pulse period and during the pulse period outside the pulse duration substantially no charged

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for recycling carbon fibers (5), which includes two metal rails (1, 2) between which the carbon fibers (5) are intended to be stretched, and a current generator (3), the terminals of which are connected or intended to be connected to the two metal rails (1, 2). The rails (1, 2) form electrodes (1, 2) in short circuit when the carbon fibers (5) are arranged on said rails (1, 2). The generator (3) is suitable for outputting at least one current pulse of a power in the order of or greater than the MW between these two rails (1, 2), which allows the separation of the fibers from their resin. A recycling method implemented with this device is also proposed.

Abstract: A component of a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) system may be configured to cause a processor to generate instructions that specify how a 3D-printer additively builds an article on a build plate via depositing material from a deposition head. The 3D printer is configured to cause the deposition head to rotate in order to selectively change, an angle of a deposition axis at which the deposition head outputs material. The generated instructions specify how the deposition head is operated by the 3D printer to build the article on the build plate such that material deposited along a side wall surface of the article is provided by the deposition head having its deposition axis orientated at an angle determined based at least in part on an angular orientation of the side wall surface.

Abstract: A solid freeform manufacturing system includes a manufacturing chamber containing a powder based additive manufacturing device. The manufacturing chamber is connected to an environmental control chamber. The environmental control chamber contains environmental control devices including fans, filters, and an inert gas source. An interconnection between the environmental control chamber and manufacturing chamber allows an inert, contaminant free manufacturing environment.

Abstract: A workpiece processing machine includes a separation device for dividing an operating space into a processing region and at least one additional operating region, a laser processing head configured to process the workpiece, and a rotary workpiece changer having a rotatable workpiece support for transporting the workpiece between the processing region and the at least one additional operating region by an opening. The rotatable workpiece support has a protection wall configured to shield the at least one additional operating region with respect to the processing region. The separation device has a protection element movable between a processing position and a transport position and configured to be in abutment with the protection wall in the processing position to close the opening and spaced apart from the protection wall in the transport position. A spacing between the processing position and the transport position is adjustable based on a dimension of the workpiece.

Abstract: A method for producing in particular conical bore holes in work pieces, wherein the contouring and cross-sectional form of the bore hole can be influenced in that one or a plurality of operating parameters are changed, which parameters are elected from the following group: pulse length, beam diameter, beam current, acceleration voltage, beam focusing, deviation of the electron beam from a beam axis, movement velocity of the electron beam over the work piece.

Abstract: A method for increasing the pixel count delivered from a plurality of light detectors when scanning an object that includes positioning a mask, having a plurality of two dimensional Walsh-Hadamard filter patterns, in front of a plurality of light detectors to control the passage of light through the mask filter patterns to the light detectors. The method also includes positioning a lens assembly in front of the mask to project an image through the mask filter patterns on to the plurality of light detectors. The method also includes moving the mask, plurality of light detectors, or the image in a plane defined by a planar surface of the plurality of light detectors. The method also includes measuring the filtered image projected through the mask with the plurality of light detectors.

Abstract: A method for layer-by-layer manufacturing of a three-dimensional work piece, including: (a) delivering a metallic feed material into a feed region; (b) emitting an electron beam; (c) translating the electron beam through a first predetermined raster pattern frame that includes: (i) a plurality of points within the feed region; and (ii) a plurality of points in a substrate region that is outside of the feed region; (d) monitoring a condition of the feed region or the substrate region for the occurrence of any deviation from a predetermined condition; (e) upon detecting of any deviation, translating the electron beam through at least one second predetermined raster pattern frame that maintains the melting beam power density level substantially the same, but alters the substrate beam power density level; and (f) repeating steps (a) through (e) at one or more second locations for building up layer-by-layer.

Abstract: An extended structure additive manufacturing device and method are provided. The device includes a movable material bonding component and a movement mechanism which enable the device to create parts outside the conventional additive manufacturing device print volumes defined by the device and its print-head. Methods of making parts involve creating a portion of a part and moving the extended structure additive manufacturing device relative to the part and printing a second portion of the part. Parts incapable of being formed using a conventional additive manufacturing device may be made using the extended structure additive manufacturing device and/or methods disclosed herein.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for printing at least a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) object. The system may comprise a source of at least one feedstock, a support for supporting at least a portion of the 3D object, a feeder for directing at least one feedstock from the source towards the support, and a power supply for supplying electrical current. The system may comprise a controller operatively coupled to the power supply. The controller may receive a computational representation of the 3D object. The controller may direct the at least one feedstock through a feeder towards the support and may direct electrical current through the at least one feedstock and into the support. The controller may subject such feedstock to Joule heating such that at least a portion of such feedstock may deposit adjacent to the support, thereby printing the 3D object in accordance with the computational representation.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a method of forming an optical coupler system. The method includes forming at least one waveguide over a substrate, and forming gratings in a first region over the substrate. The method further includes configuring the gratings to couple optical signals to or from the at least one waveguide, and forming a v-groove in the first region over the substrate, wherein forming the v-groove includes removing the gratings from the first region.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for printing at least a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) object. The system may comprise a source of at least one feedstock, a support for supporting at least a portion of the 3D object, a feeder for directing at least one feedstock from the source towards the support, and a power supply for supplying electrical current. The system may comprise a controller operatively coupled to the power supply. The controller may receive a computational representation of the 3D object. The controller may direct the at least one feedstock through a feeder towards the support and may direct electrical current through the at least one feedstock and into the support. The controller may subject such feedstock to Joule heating such that at least a portion of such feedstock may deposit adjacent to the support, thereby printing the 3D object in accordance with the computational representation.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for printing at least a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) object adjacent to a support. The method may comprise receiving in computer memory a computational representation of the 3D object. Subsequent to receiving the computational representation of the 3D object, at least one feedstock may be directed through a feeder towards the support. Upon directing the at least one feedstock through the feeder, electrical current may be flowed through the at least one feedstock and into the support. The at least one feedstock may be subjected to Joule heating upon flow of electrical current through the at least one feedstock, which may be sufficient to melt at least a portion of the at least one feedstock. The at least the portion of the at least one feedstock may be deposited adjacent to the support in accordance with the computational representation of the 3D object.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a friction plate provided with a core plate includes subjecting a spline portion formed at an outer periphery or an inner periphery of the core plate to a hardening process by laser.

Abstract: Laser cutting systems and methods are used to cut amorphous metal materials, such as thin amorphous metal ribbons or foils, with a relatively high speed. Embodiments of laser cutting systems and methods described herein also allow cutting with reduced crystallization, and thus reduced increases in thickness, at the cut edges and with reduced cracks or other cutting defects at the cut edges. A fiber laser, such as an Ytterbium fiber laser, is used to generate a laser beam with a power level greater than about 50 W. The laser beam is focused and directed at the amorphous metal material with a beam spot size of about 30 microns or less. The focused laser beam and the amorphous metal material are moved relative to each other at a speed greater than about 18 inches per second such that the focused laser beam cuts the amorphous metal material.

Abstract: A photostructurable ceramic is processed using photostructuring process steps for embedding devices within a photostructurable ceramic volume, the devices may include one or more of chemical, mechanical, electronic, electromagnetic, optical, and acoustic devices, all made in part by creating device material within the ceramic or by disposing a device material through surface ports of the ceramic volume, with the devices being interconnected using internal connections and surface interfaces.

Abstract: Inorganic materials are deposited onto organic polymers using ALD methods. Ultrathin, conformal coatings of the inorganic materials can be made in this manner. The coated organic polymers can be used as barrier materials, as nanocomposites, as catalyst supports, in semiconductor applications, in coating applications as well as in other applications.

Abstract: The described embodiments relate generally to adjusting output or conditioning of an electron beam. More specifically various configurations are disclosed that relate to maintaining a footprint of the electron beam incident to a workpiece within a defined energy level. Such a configuration allows the electron beam to heat only specific portions of the workpiece to a superheated state in which intermetallic compounds are dissolved. In one embodiment a mask is disclosed that prevents low energy portions of an electron beam from contacting the workpiece. In another embodiment the electron beam can be focused in a way that maintains the electron beam at an energy level such that substantially all of the electron beam is above a threshold energy level.

Abstract: An electrode of an inductive output tube (IOT) is provided with channels for guiding cooling fluid. In one aspect of the invention, the channels are in a confronting relationship with a jacket surrounding the electrode and spaced from the electrode so as to define an interior region. Cooling fluid such as oil is circulated in the channels in fluid communication with the interior region, providing an escape mechanism for trapped bubbles in order to prevent localized heating of the electrode. In another aspect of the invention, the channels form multiple intersecting helical patterns of different pitches, with the steeper-pitched channels providing a more direct escape route for the bubbles.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrical component includes providing a substrate, applying an insulating layer on the substrate, applying a circuit layer on the insulating layer, irradiating the insulating layer with an electron beam to transform the insulating layer, and irradiating the circuit layer with an electron beam to transform the circuit layer. The substrate may be a metallic substrate that is highly thermally conductive. The insulating layer provides electrical isolation and effective heat transfer between the circuit layer and the substrate. The method may include coupling a light emitting diode module or other active circuits requiring thermal management to the circuit layer resident on the electrically insulating/thermally conducting layer.

Abstract: A method of forming an implant having a porous region replicated from scanned bone, the method comprising imaging bone with a high resolution digital scanner to generate a three-dimensional design model of the bone; removing a three-dimensional section from the design model; fabricating a porous region on a digital representation of the implant by replacing a solid portion of the digital implant with the section removed from the digital representation; and using an additive manufacturing technique to create a physical implant including the fabricated porous region.

Abstract: Methods for repairing superalloy components include disposing a single crystal coupon in a void of the superalloy component, disposing one or more shims between the single crystal coupon and the superalloy component, and, welding the one or more shims to join with the single crystal coupon and the superalloy component using a high energy density beam welder.

Abstract: An energy beam assisted solid-state welding welds a wire material to a substrate. A wire of coating or repairing material is placed in contact with a surface or surfaces of a substrate. A beam is directed into an outer flat surface of the wire, which heats the wire through flat outer surface of the wire with beam energy. Beam energy produces compression stress-waves that drive molecules of the material flat wire into a surface of the substrate, joining the material and the substrate with strong wave shaped interfaces.

Abstract: A system for welding a tub of a railroad tank car includes a manipulator boom adapted to move with respect to the interior surface of the tank shell. A hybrid laser arc welding head mounted to the manipulator. A supplemental gas metal arc welding head includes dual wires of welding material and is mounted to the manipulator adjacent to the hybrid laser arc welding head. An inductive heating coil is mounted adjacent to the supplemental gas metal arc welding head. The hybrid laser arc welding head welds a seam of the railroad tank car shell with the supplemental gas metal arc welding head following to generally complete filling of a resulting weld joint with welding metal. The supplemental gas metal arc welding head is followed with the inductive heating coil to provide heat to normalize the resulting weld joint.

Abstract: A method of using Joule heating to regenerate nanowire based biosensors. The nanowire based biosensor contains various detection molecules, such as nucleic acids, bound to the surface of the nanowire. Binding of analyte nucleic acids to the detection molecules alters the electrical properties of the nanowire, producing a detectable signal. By passing a Joule heating effective amount of electrical current through the nanowire, the nanowire may be heated to a temperature sufficient to dissociate the bound analyte from the detection molecule, without damaging the detection molecules or the bond between the detection molecules and the nanowire surface. The Joule heated nanowires may thus be regenerated to an analyte-free “fresh” state and used for further sensing. In alternate embodiments, the specificity of the nanowire for a particular analyte may be modulated by using Joule heating to heat the nanowire to an intermediate temperature where some analytes bind and some do not.

Abstract: A plasma torch rotation assembly for relieving stress on a lead. The rotation assembly can include an outer housing, which can have a mounting surface adapted to be fixedly coupled to a torch mount. The rotation assembly can include an inner component disposed at least partially within the outer housing, and a bearing structure disposed between the outer housing and the inner component. The bearing structure can facilitate rotational movement of the outer housing relative to the inner component, about a longitudinal axis of the rotation assembly. The rotation assembly can include a torch adapter disposed near a first end of the inner component. The torch adapter can be adapted to mate with a plasma arc torch. The rotation assembly can include a receiving portion disposed at a second end of the inner component, the receiving portion adapted to receive at least a portion a lead.

Abstract: Apparatus for manufacturing a component and a method of manufacturing a component. The method comprises the steps of directing a beam of energy to heat a working region of a substrate and adjusting the cross sectional shape of the beam to thereby generate a variety of predetermined cross sectional shapes of working region while the beam is being directed onto the substrate. Thus the distribution of energy delivered to the substrate is controlled during the manufacturing process. The cross sectional shape and area of the beam is repeatedly monitored and compared to a library of predetermined cross sectional shape(s) and area(s).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for altering the characteristics of a three-dimensional article by means of electrons, including at least one electron accelerator for generating accelerated electrons and two electron exit windows, wherein the two electron exit windows are arranged opposite one another, wherein the two electron exit windows and at least one reflector delimit a process chamber in which the surface or surface layer of the article are bombarded with electrons, wherein an energy density distribution inside the process chamber can be detected at least over one spatial dimension by means of a sensor system.

Abstract: Wire-suspended thermionic cathodes provide lower power, further reduction in size, better stability and accuracy, and higher loading then conventional art. The cathodes are too small for use with conventional heaters and so are heated from behind by an electron beam or an intense light beam, such as laser light transmitted via optical fiber to the back of the cathode. The cathodes are electrically isolated from the focus electrode, thus allowing beam cutoff and modulation.

Abstract: A method of joining dissimilar materials of the present invention has a step of lapping a high melting point material on a low melting point material with a third material interposed therebetween. The third material is different from the high and low melting point materials. Further, the method has a step of irradiating an energy beam onto the high melting point material and a step of pressing the high and low melting point materials to cause eutectic melting between at least one of the high and low melting point materials and the third material and to join the high and low melting point materials in the form of a line.

Abstract: An electron emitting element of the present invention includes an electron acceleration layer sandwiched between an electrode substrate and a thin-film electrode, and the electron acceleration layer includes a fine particle layer containing insulating fine particles and a basic dispersant. This makes it possible to provide an electron emitting element which does not cause insulation breakdown in an insulating layer and which can be produced at a low cost.

Abstract: Electron beam annealing apparatuses for annealing a thin layer on a substrate and annealing methods using the apparatuses are provided. The electron beam annealing apparatuses may include an electron beam scanning unit that may scan a pulsed electron beam onto a substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for the heat treatment of integral rotors of gas turbines is disclosed. The apparatus includes a closable working space which can be evacuated or filled with inert gas, a heat source, a distance-measuring instrument, and a pyrometer. A method for diminishing and/or for eliminating internal stresses which are introduced into a component through welding is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of making a biosensor is provided. The method includes providing an electrically conductive material on a base and partially removing the conductive material using laser ablation from the base so that less than 90% of the conductive material remains on the base and at least one electrode pattern is formed from the conductive material. The at least one electrode pattern has an edge extending between two points. A standard deviation of the edge from a line extending between two points is less than about 6 ?m along the length of the edge.

Abstract: An apparatus for formation of a three dimensional object comprising a sealed container; an electron beam subsystem capable of directing energy within said container; a positioning subsystem contained within said container; a wire feed subsystem contained within said container; an instrumentation subsystem electronically connected to said electron beam subsystem, positioning subsystem, and wire feed subsystem; and a power distribution subsystem electrically connected to said electron beam subsystem, positioning subsystem, wire feed subsystem, and said instrumentation subsystem.

Abstract: A method of drawing a pattern on a base material by scanning a beam, comprising: drawing a pattern including ring-shaped zones on a first pattern-drawn field on a base material by scanning a beam on a first pattern-drawn field; shifting at least one of the beam source and the base material to scan the beam on a second pattern-drawn field located next to the first pattern-drawn field in such a way that a boundary between the first pattern-drawn field and the second pattern-drawn field is positioned at a joint portion between a slope portion and a side wall portion of the ring-shaped zones; and drawing the pattern on the second pattern-drawn field by scanning a beam so that the joint portion between the slope portion and the side wall portion is drawn at the boundary between the first pattern-drawn field and the second pattern-drawn field.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a device and method for writing a line with a high degree of precision at high speed. Distance calculation means 311 calculates the start-to-end point distance L of a writing pattern (S502), and number-of-scan-clocks calculating means 312 calculates the number of scan clocks required to write the writing pattern based on the start-to-end point distance L and a unit distance corresponding to the minimum time resolution for a high-speed D/A converter 306 (S503). Count conversion means 605 separates the start-to-end point distance L into X and Y components to convert them in an equation using the number of scan clocks (S504). Based on the equation, variable rate calculating means 314 calculates an extinction ratio to determine the extinction ratio at a variable attenuator 307 (S505).

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a core insert for a molding system uses an electron beam emitter (10) to machine a core insert preform (30). The method includes: mathematically calculating a most similar combined curved surface to that of a desired surface of the core insert preform; measuring an initial surface of the core insert preform; comparing data of the initial surface to data of the calculated combined curved surface, and obtaining a matrix of surface error; storing the matrix of surface error in a computer, wherein the matrix of surface error defines a surplus area of the initial surface that needs to be removed; driving and controlling an electron gun (101) by way of the computer; and using the electron gun to machine the core insert preform according to the matrix of surface error. The method does not need repeated measuring of the machined surface, and thus reduces the manufacturing time.

Abstract: An electron bombardment heating apparatus, in which thermions emitted from filaments 9 are accelerated and impinged upon a heating plate 2, so as to heat the heating plate 2, wherein a periphery wall of a heated material supporting member 1 having a heating plate as a ceiling thereof is made up with multi-staged periphery wall portions 13a and 13b, being piled up vertically and different in the radius thereof, and those periphery wall portions 13a and 13b are connected with each other by means of a ring-like horizontal wall 5. With this, thermal stress can be mitigated, which is caused due to the difference of temperature between the lower end portion of the heated material supporting member 1 and the heating plate 2 when heating up the heating plate 2, thereby bringing about no breakage in the heated material supporting member if conducting heating and cooling upon the heating plate, repetitively.

Abstract: An electron beam exposure apparatus for exposing a pattern to a wafer by a plurality of electron beams, comprising an electron beam generating section for generating a plurality of electron beams, a deflecting section having a plurality of deflectors for deflecting the plurality of electron beams, and a screening section having a first screen electrode disposed between the plurality of deflectors and extending from a position close to the electron beam generating section from one end of the deflector to a position close to the wafer from one end of the deflector along the direction of radiation of electron beams.

Abstract: This invention relates to electron guns, each comprising of an indirectly heated cathode, a gate electrode and an anode, for generating electron beams of various shapes and power that are preferably used to machine workpieces. Thus cathodes can be used with various geometric designs. Thus cathodes of the most varied geometrical shapes can be used. Along with band cathodes and band cathodes with bodies attached to them, massive cathodes such as bolt-type cathodes can also be applied. Using massive bodies results in a longer service life of the cathode as compared to band cathodes. Another benefit is that the service life of the heat source for the cathode is identical to the service life of the laser used. It is particularly advantageous to place the laser outside the housing, which ensures a very long service life of this source of heat. At the same time, the solution according to the invention is distinguished by an indirect temperature measurement of the cathode.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for hardening a metal article, comprising a holding device, an energy beam generator pointed at the holding device for directing energy beams at the holding device, and a movement system supporting the holding device, wherein the movement system varies the orientation of the metal article relative to the energy beam generator. The apparatus includes an energy beam delivery instrument system positioned between the energy beam generator and the holding device so that the energy an energy beam delivery instrument directs the energy beam to the holding device. Also, the apparatus includes an auxiliary heating device engaging the holding device, wherein the auxiliary heating device heats the metal article independently from the energy beam.