An expeditionary additive manufacturing (ExAM) system [10] for manufacturing metal parts [20] includes a mobile foundry system [12] configured to produce an alloy powder [14] from a feedstock [16], and an additive manufacturing system [18] configured to fabricate a part using the alloy powder [14]. The additive manufacturing system [18] includes a computer system [50] having parts data and machine learning programs in signal communication with a cloud service. The parts data [56] can include material specifications, drawings, process specifications, assembly instructions, and product verification requirements for the part [20]. An expeditionary additive manufacturing (ExAM) method for making metal parts [20] includes the steps of transporting the mobile foundry system [12] and the additive manufacturing system [18] to a desired location; making the alloy powder [14] at the location using the mobile foundry system; and building a part [20] at the location using the additive manufacturing system [18].

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 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.

The production of steel components in an additive process using a steel powder having a mean grain diameter of 5-150 m, and comprising (in wt % ) 0.08-0.35% C, up to 0.80% Si, 0.20-2.00% Mn, up to 4.00% Cr, 0.3-3.0% Mo, 0.004-0.020% N, 0.004-0.050% Al, up to 0.0025% B, up to 0.20% Nb, up to 0.02% Ti, up 0.40% V, up to 1.5% Ni, up to 0.3% Cu, up to 2.0% Co, at least one of Nb, Ti, V, and S, wherein Nb is 0.003-0.20%, Ti is 0.001-0.02%, V is 0.02-0.40% and/or S is 0.001-0.4%, and the remainder being iron and unavoidable impurities, where % Al/27+% Nb/45+% Ti/48+% V/25>% N/3.5. The steel component has a structure including at least 80 vol % of bainite, with the remainder being retained austenite, ferrite, perlite and/or martensite. and after shaping and before an optional heat treatment, has a tensile strength of 900 MPa, a yield strength of 560 MPa and an elongation at break A5.65 of 8%.

The production of steel components in an additive process using a steel powder having a mean grain diameter of 5-150 m, and comprising (in wt % ) 0.08-0.35% C, up to 0.80% Si, 0.20-2.00% Mn, up to 4.00% Cr, 0.3-3.0% Mo, 0.004-0.020% N, 0.004-0.050% Al, up to 0.0025% B, up to 0.20% Nb, up to 0.02% Ti, up 0.40% V, up to 1.5% Ni, up to 0.3% Cu, up to 2.0% Co, at least one of Nb, Ti, V, and S, wherein Nb is 0.003-0.20%, Ti is 0.001-0.02%, V is 0.02-0.40% and/or S is 0.001-0.4%, and the remainder being iron and unavoidable impurities, where % Al/27+% Nb/45+% Ti/48+% V/25>% N/3.5. The steel component has a structure including at least 80 vol % of bainite, with the remainder being retained austenite, ferrite, perlite and/or martensite. and after shaping and before an optional heat treatment, has a tensile strength of 900 MPa, a yield strength of 560 MPa and an elongation at break A5.65 of 8%.

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 spray forming method for producing a metallic ingot and metallic powder from a metallic source of metal or metal alloy includes: forming one or more streams of metal or alloy from the source, gas atomizing one or more streams of metal or alloy to form one or more sprays of atomized droplets, directing the spray(s) of droplets through a spray nozzle to a rotatable hot body, depositing the droplets to the hot body to form the ingot, controlling the process parameters 1) temperature of metal or alloy, 2) inlet and outlet pressure of the spray nozzle, 3) rotation speed of the hot body, and/or 4) distance between the hot body and the spray(s) of droplets, and collecting the metallic powder having a predefined size distribution. The process parameters are controlled such that the ingot yield is 60-80% and the metallic powder yield is 40-20%, relative to the metallic source.

A spray forming method for producing a metallic ingot and metallic powder from a metallic source of metal or metal alloy includes: forming one or more streams of metal or alloy from the source, gas atomizing one or more streams of metal or alloy to form one or more sprays of atomized droplets, directing the spray(s) of droplets through a spray nozzle to a rotatable hot body, depositing the droplets to the hot body to form the ingot, controlling the process parameters 1) temperature of metal or alloy, 2) inlet and outlet pressure of the spray nozzle, 3) rotation speed of the hot body, and/or 4) distance between the hot body and the spray(s) of droplets, and collecting the metallic powder having a predefined size distribution. The process parameters are controlled such that the ingot yield is 60-80% and the metallic powder yield is 40-20%, relative to the metallic source.

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.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to apparatus and methods for producing a downhole electrical component, having steps of providing a non-conductive polymer substrate, establishing an active area on the non-conductive polymer substrate, patterning the active area on the non-conductive polymer substrate with a conductive material through an additive manufacturing process and incorporating the patterned non-conductive polymer substrate into a final arrangement.