In an aspect, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus for fabricating an object layer by layer. The apparatus includes a sheet dispenser to stack sheets of bound powder. The apparatus also includes a directed energy source configured to selectively fuse at least a portion of the bound powder to form one or more fused regions.

A method for using a build plate including a reusable supporting platform for additive manufacturing of a component is disclosed. The method may include additive manufacturing the reusable supporting platform on a top surface of a base of the build plate, and additive manufacturing a first component on the second surface of the reusable supporting platform. The method may also include separating the first component from the build plate at the second surface of the reusable supporting platform, thereby exposing a new surface of the body of the reusable supporting platform. Additionally, the method may include additive manufacturing at least a second component on the new surface of the reusable supporting platform. The reusable supporting platform may include a body including a first surface coupled to the top surface of the base of the build plate, and a second surface configured to support a component to be formed by additive manufacturing and for separation of the component from the build plate.

A titanium composite material 1 is provided that includes: an inner layer 5 consisting of a commercially pure titanium or a titanium alloy; an outer layer 3 formed on at least one surface of the inner layer 5 and having a chemical composition that is different from a chemical composition of the inner layer 5; and an intermediate layer formed between the inner layer 5 and the outer layer 3 and having a chemical composition that is different from the chemical composition of the inner layer 5. The thickness of the outer layer 3 is 2 ?m or more, and occupies no more than 40% of the overall thickness per side. The thickness of the intermediate layer is 0.5 ?m or more. Despite being inexpensive, this titanium composite material has desired characteristics.

A vehicle spindle and a method of attaching the spindle to a portion of an axle half shaft housing. The spindle has an inner surface, an outer surface, one or more bearing journals on the outer surface of the spindle and a radially protruding portion circumferentially extending from at least a portion of the outer surface of an axially inboard end portion of the spindle. Prior to attaching the spindle to the axle half shaft housing, the one or more bearing journals are ground, a clocking angle for the radially protruding portion of the spindle is determined and the spindle is aligned to the determined clocking angle. Once the spindle is aligned to the determined clocking angle, the axially inboard end portion of the spindle is attached to an axially outboard end portion of the axle half shaft housing using one or more welds.

A method of additively manufacturing an article includes forming a first portion of the article by three-dimensional printing of a plurality of first layers from a first powder material cut having a first average particle size corresponding to a first feature resolution. The first layers have a first average layer thickness. The method also includes forming a second portion of the article by three-dimensional printing of a plurality of second layers from a second powder material cut having a second average particle size corresponding to a second feature resolution less than the first feature resolution. The second portion includes at least one feature. The second layers have a second average layer thickness less than the first average layer thickness. A three-dimensional printing system and an article formed from a powder material by three-dimensional printing are also disclosed.

A hybrid article is disclosed including a coating circumscribing the lateral surface of a hollow core having a core material and a channel disposed within the lateral surface. The coating includes about 35% to about 95% of a first metallic material, and about 5% to about 65% of a second metallic material with a lower melting point than the first metallic material. A method for forming the hybrid article is disclosed including disposing the hollow core in a die, forming a gap between the lateral surface and the die, introducing a slurry having the metallic materials into the gap, and sintering the slurry, forming the coating. A method for closing an aperture of an article is disclosed including inserting the hybrid article into the aperture, and brazing the hybrid article to the article, welding the aperture with the hybrid article serving as weld filler, or a combination thereof.

The present invention relates to methods of enhancing the surface properties of soft alloys by using a high energy beam. In particular embodiments, the methods can also allow for beam-based welding of such soft alloys to another metal component.

A method of manufacturing a turbo-machine impeller, which includes a hub and a plurality of blades, using powder material in an additive-manufacturing process. The method includes: applying energy to the powder material by way of a high energy source, and solidifying the powder material. At least one bulky portion of the hub is irradiated such that the powder material solidifies in a lattice structure surrounded by an outer solid skin structure enclosing the lattice structure.

This application describes a manufactured component and method for forming the component. The component comprises: a plurality of parts (212, 214) joined together by a straight line joint (216) and a multi-faceted joint (218). The plurality of parts define a cavity (236) having an internal surface (226) and an external (222) surface. The straight line joint extends through a wall of the component along a straight line between the external surface the internal surface; and, the multi-faceted joint includes an external joint line extending from an external surface to meet an internal joint line which extends from an internal surface, the external and internal joint lines being at an angle to one another. The internal joint line and the straight line joint are aligned with one another such that a straight line extending from the straight line joint will coincide with the internal joint.

A method for making an article is disclosed. The method involves first generating a digital model of the article. The digital model is inputted into an additive manufacturing apparatus comprising an energy source. The additive manufacturing apparatus applies energy from the energy source to successively applied incremental quantities of a powder to fuse the powder to form the article corresponding to the digital model. The powder includes an aluminum alloy having 90.15-95.80 wt. % aluminum, 3.00-4.50 wt. % silicon, 0.70-1.50 wt. % magnesium, 0.50-1.00 wt. % manganese, 0-0.50 wt. % iron, 0-0.10 wt. % copper, 0-0.50 wt. % titanium, 0-0.20 wt. % boron, 0-1.50 wt. % nickel, and 0-0.05 wt. % other alloying elements, based on the total weight of the aluminum alloy.