A die is supported in a die holder such as a frame or an adapter supported in a frame such that it is operational use in a material deforming operation. One or both of the die and the die holder have at least one gas passage which is substantially closed by at least part of the die. Gas such as pressurised air is directed into an end of the gas passage opposite the die via a hose connected to a gas source. If the die is broken or loose leak paths are available for the escape of gas past the die to or from atmosphere. A pressure sensor connected to the hose detects the change in pressure of the gas and the magnitude of that pressure is used to determine the die condition. Alternatively a flow rate sensor is used to detect a change in the flow rate of the gas in order to determine the condition of the die.

Provided are a systems and methods for continuously providing a metal wire to a welding torch for manufacturing objects by solid freeform fabrication to provide continuous deposition of metal to the freeform object, especially objects made with titanium or titanium alloy wire.

A welding torch includes a main body and an end portion suited to be fed through the main body with a welding wire and a shielding gas. The end portion includes a welding unit electrically powered and provided with an internal channel for the passage of the welding wire. A conveyor element is provided with an outlet mouth to allow the welding wire to move out of the welding unit and to allow the shielding gas to be conveyed outside of the welding unit. Electrical insulation means are interposed between the welding unit and the conveyor element with an insulation portion made of an electrically non-conductive material. The welding torch includes the conveyor channel suited to convey the shielding gas from the main body to the outlet mouth of the conveyor element. The conveyor channel is delimited at least partially by the insulation portion.

An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional work piece comprises a carrier to receive a layer of raw material powder, a control unit, an irradiation system adapted to selectively irradiate electromagnetic or particle radiation onto the layer of raw material powder applied onto the carrier, wherein the control unit controls the operation of the irradiation system in such a manner that the raw material powder is heated to a first temperature which allows sintering and/or melting of the raw material powder in order to generate a layer of the three-dimensional work piece, and a heating system adapted to selectively irradiate electromagnetic or particle radiation onto the layer of raw material powder applied onto the carrier, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the operation of the heating system in such a manner that the raw material powder is heated to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature.

An unpacking device for use in an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional work piece by irradiating layers of a raw material powder with electromagnetic or particle radiation, the unpacking device comprises a holding device which is configured to hold a building chamber arrangement. The building chamber arrangement comprises a building chamber accommodating a carrier, wherein the carrier is configured to receive a three-dimensional work piece produced from a raw material powder by an additive layering process. An engagement unit of the unpacking device is configured to engage with the carrier of the building chamber arrangement. A moving mechanism is configured to cause a relative movement between the building chamber and the engagement unit with the carrier engaged therewith so as to allow a separation of the carrier with a three-dimensional work piece received thereon from the building chamber. Finally, the unpacking device comprises a raw material powder removal mechanism which is configured to cause at least one of a vibration and a rotation of the engagement unit with the carrier engaged therewith so as to remove residual raw material powder from the three-dimensional work piece received on the carrier.

Disclosed is a process for producing a component from a TiAl alloy by layer-by-layer deposition of powder on a substrate and/or an already produced semifinished product. The component has a proportion of x at % of aluminum which is in the range from about 34 to about 47 at % of aluminum, the powder having a proportion of x+1 at % to x+6 at % of aluminum. Also disclosed is a component formed from a TiAl alloy which has been produced by a corresponding process.

Method for additively manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object (2) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of build material layers (3), whereby each build material layer (3) comprises at least one irradiation area (IA) which is to be irradiated and consolidated by means of at least one energy beam (5), whereby the at least one irradiation area (IA) is irradiated on basis of a main irradiation pattern (MP) for consolidating the irradiation area (IA), the main irradiation pattern (MP) comprising a plurality of irradiation pattern elements (IPE) being separately irradiatable or irradiated with the at least one energy beam (5), whereby the amount of energy input into the respective irradiation pattern element (IPE) in the main irradiation step is different from the amount of energy input into the irradiation pattern element (IPE) in the at least one additional irradiation step.

A jig structure for manufacturing heat dissipation unit includes a main body, which internally defines a chamber and has a top forming an upper side thereof. The top defines at least one opening, on which at least one silicon dioxide layer is provided. The chamber is in a vacuum-tight state or maintains a positive pressure inert gas atmosphere therein. The jig structure for manufacturing heat dissipation unit can be used with a laser machining tool to provide a better environment and increased flexibility for laser machining or laser welding in manufacturing a heat dissipation unit.

A High Energy Beam Processing (HEBP) system provides feedback signal monitoring and feedback control for the improvement of process repeatability and three-dimensional (3D) printed part quality. Electrons deflected from a substrate in the processing area impinge on a surface of a sensor. The electrons result from the deflection of an electron beam from the substrate. Either one or both of an initial profile of an electron beam and an initial location of the electron beam relative to the substrate are determined based on a feedback electron signal corresponding to the impingement of the electrons on the surface of the sensor. With an appropriate profile and location of the electron beam, the build structure is fabricated on the substrate.

A method of manufacturing an outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint includes forming cup and shaft members of medium carbon steel, preparing, as the cup member, a cup member having cylindrical and bottom portions integrally formed by forging, and a joining end surface formed on an outer surface of the bottom portion, and preparing, as the shaft member, a shaft member having a joining end surface to be joined to the bottom portion of the cup member. The method also includes bringing the joining end surfaces of the cup and shaft members into abutment against each other, and welding the cup and shaft members from an outer side of the cup member to an abutment portion between the cup and shaft members in a radial direction of the cup members.