Disclosed herein are embodiments of methods, devices, and assemblies for processing feedstock materials using microwave plasma processing. Specifically, the feedstock materials disclosed herein pertains to scrap materials, dehydrogenated or non-hydrogenated feed material, and recycled used powder. Microwave plasma processing can be used to spheroidize and remove contaminants. Advantageously, microwave plasma processed feedstock can be used in various applications such as additive manufacturing or powdered metallurgy (PM) applications that require high powder flowability.

A three-dimensional shaping apparatus coupled to a server includes a melting portion melting a material to form a shaping material, an ejection portion ejecting the shaping material supplied from the melting portion, a shaping stage where the shaping material ejected from the ejection portion is stacked, a moving mechanism changing a relative position of the ejection portion and the shaping stage, a shape data generation portion generating second shape data for representing a shape of a three-dimensional shaped article including a shape representing identification information for identifying the three-dimensional shaped article using first shape data and the identification information for identifying the three-dimensional shaped article, a controller controlling the melting portion and the moving mechanism according to the second shape data, thereby producing the three-dimensional shaped article, and a communication portion transmitting the identification information for identifying the three-dimensional shaped article and production information of the three-dimensional shaped article to the server.

A thixomolding material includes: a metal body that contains Mg as a main component; and a coating portion that is adhered to a surface of the metal body via a binder and contains SiC particles containing SiC as a main component. A mass fraction of the SiC particles in a total mass of the metal body and the SiC particles is 2.0 mass % or more and 40.0 mass % or less. The binder may contain waxes. A content of the binder may be 0.001 mass % or more and 0.200 mass % or less.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of methods, devices, and assemblies for processing feedstock materials using microwave plasma processing. Specifically, the feedstock materials disclosed herein pertains to scrap materials, dehydrogenated or non-hydrogenated feed material, and recycled used powder. Microwave plasma processing can be used to spheroidize and remove contaminants. Advantageously, microwave plasma processed feedstock can be used in various applications such as additive manufacturing or powdered metallurgy (PM) applications that require high powder flowability.

A deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system includes a foundry module containing a metallurgical system configured to convert a raw material into an alloy powder, and an additive manufacturing (AM) module containing an additive manufacturing system configured to form the alloy powder into metal parts. The deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system can also include a machining module containing a machining system configured to machine the metal parts into machined metal parts, and a quality conformance (QC) module containing an inspection and evaluation system configured to inspect and evaluate the metal parts. A process for manufacturing metal parts includes the steps of providing the deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system; deploying the (DMC) system to a desired location; forming an alloy powder from a raw material using the deployable foundry module; and then forming the metal parts from the alloy powder using the additive manufacturing (AM) module.

Processes for refurbishing a spent sputtering target with a non-circular shape are disclosed. In one form, the processes include the steps of receiving one or more spent sputtering targets, inspecting and weighing the spent sputtering targets, removing any contaminants or other surface impurities from the spent sputtering target surfaces, preparing a hot press die with spacers, disposing the spent sputtering targets in the hot press die, the spacers used to center the spent sputtering targets therein, loading fresh metal refilling powder into the die to account for depleted regions of the spent sputtering targets to produce a powder-filled sputtering target, and applying sufficient heat and force to the filled sputtering target to produce a refurbished sputtering target with homogeneous composition and sufficient adhesion strength.

Processes for refurbishing a spent sputtering target with a non-circular shape are disclosed. In one form, the processes include the steps of receiving one or more spent sputtering targets, inspecting and weighing the spent sputtering targets, removing any contaminants or other surface impurities from the spent sputtering target surfaces, preparing a hot press die with spacers, disposing the spent sputtering targets in the hot press die, the spacers used to center the spent sputtering targets therein, loading fresh metal refilling powder into the die to account for depleted regions of the spent sputtering targets to produce a powder-filled sputtering target, and applying sufficient heat and force to the filled sputtering target to produce a refurbished sputtering target with homogeneous composition and sufficient adhesion strength.

A clamping platen for a die casting machine has a base plate body of a cast iron material, a surface layer of a stainless steel material welded onto at least one plate side of the base plate body, and a transitional layer between the base plate body and the surface layer. The surface layer is applied as a laser weld application layer.

A method for recycling metal parts includes the steps of providing a metal part with a QR code linked to an online website or an application containing data on the metal part and information on recycling of the metal part. The method also includes the step of reading the QR code using a mobile communication device enabling access to the information on the website or the application by a user of the mobile communication device and access to the data on the metal part by a recycling entity associated with the website or the application. The method also includes the step of displaying selected information from the website or the application on the mobile communication device. The method also includes the step of recycling the metal part using at least some of the information on the website or the application and the data on the metal part.

A method for recycling metal parts includes the steps of providing a metal part with a QR code linked to an online website or an application containing data on the metal part and information on recycling of the metal part. The method also includes the step of reading the QR code using a mobile communication device enabling access to the information on the website or the application by a user of the mobile communication device and access to the data on the metal part by a recycling entity associated with the website or the application. The method also includes the step of displaying selected information from the website or the application on the mobile communication device. The method also includes the step of recycling the metal part using at least some of the information on the website or the application and the data on the metal part.