The present invention provides a modification to the EBW process, which is referred to as a slope-out methodology, the results in the formation of a slope-out portion located generally in that region of the overall weldment located at the end of the ordinary EBW welding process for joining two components. The slope-out portion overlaps with the initial weld of the workpiece for a given distance or length along the weld and effectively eliminates the keyhole and provides a weldment that has minimal to no defects, particularly in the slope-out portion. The slope-out methodology begins by adjusting various parameters related to the electron beam to essentially decay the beam. In general, the focus position of the electron beam is moved from under-focused (focal position in the bulk of the material) to over-focused (focal position ahead of the workpiece surface) as the overlapping weld is made.

Systems and methods for additive layer manufacturing of metallic components, such as rocket engines and propellant supply systems, are provided. Methods include melting the surface of a work piece to form a weld pool; adding wire to the weld pool and moving a heat source relative to the work piece to progressively form a new layer of metallic material on the work piece; cooling the formed layer; stress relieving (e.g., peening) the cooled layer; applying a secondary operations either sequentially or simultaneously; and repeating the above steps as required to form components layer by layer. Systems and methods of supplying a first propellant to the rocket engine of a launch vehicle are also provided, where the first propellant is supplied through a heat exchanger for generating mechanical energy to pump the first propellant into the rocket engine, and electrical energy to pump a second propellant into the rocket engine.

The present disclosure generally relates to additive manufacturing systems and methods on a large-scale format. One aspect involves a build unit that can be moved around in three dimensions by a positioning system, building separate portions of a large object. The build unit has an energy directing device that directs, e.g., laser or e-beam irradiation onto a powder layer. In the case of laser irradiation, the build volume may have a gasflow device that provides laminar gas flow to a laminar flow zone above the layer of powder. This allows for efficient removal of the smoke, condensates, and other impurities produced by irradiating the powder (the gas plume) without excessively disturbing the powder layer. The build unit may also have a recoater that allows it to selectively deposit particular quantities of powder in specific locations over a work surface to build large, high quality, high precision objects.

The present disclosure generally relates to additive manufacturing systems and methods on a large-scale format. One aspect involves a build unit that can be moved around in three dimensions by a positioning system, building separate portions of a large object. The build unit has an energy directing device that directs, e.g., laser or e-beam irradiation onto a powder layer. In the case of laser irradiation, the build volume may have a gasflow device that provides laminar gas flow to a laminar flow zone above the layer of powder. This allows for efficient removal of the smoke, condensates, and other impurities produced by irradiating the powder (the gas plume) without excessively disturbing the powder layer. The build unit may also have a recoater that allows it to selectively deposit particular quantities of powder in specific locations over a work surface to build large, high quality, high precision objects.

A resin film has through holes formed to extend through the thickness of the resin film. The through holes are pillar-shaped. An average density of the through holes is 1?10.sup.6 to 1?10.sup.12 holes/cm.sup.2. An average diameter of the through holes is 1 to 310 nm. A degree of variability of the diameter of the through holes is 30% or less, the degree of variability of the diameter of the through holes obtained by dividing a standard deviation of the diameter of the through holes by the average diameter of the through holes and multiplying the resulting value by 100.

A manufacturing method is used for an outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint. The outer joint member includes a cup section having track grooves formed in an inner periphery of the cup section, which are engageable with torque transmitting elements, and a shaft section formed at a bottom portion of the cup section. The outer joint member is constructed by forming the cup section and the shaft section as separate members, and by welding a cup member forming the cup section and a shaft member forming the shaft section to each other. The manufacturing method at least includes welding the cup member and the shaft member by irradiating a beam to joining end portions of the cup member and the shaft member, and inspecting a welded portion formed in the welding by a plurality of ultrasonic flaw detection methods with one probe.

A manufacturing method is used for an outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint. The outer joint member includes a cup section having track grooves formed in an inner periphery of the cup section, which are engageable with torque transmitting elements, and a shaft section formed at a bottom portion of the cup section. The outer joint member is constructed by forming the cup section and the shaft section as separate members, and by welding a cup member forming the cup section and a shaft member forming the shaft section to each other. The manufacturing method at least includes welding the cup member and the shaft member by irradiating a beam to joining end portions of the cup member and the shaft member, and inspecting a welded portion formed in the welding by a plurality of ultrasonic flaw detection methods with one probe.

A core-shell structured alloy powder for additive manufacturing, an additively manufactured precipitation dispersion strengthened alloy component, and a method for additively manufacturing the component are provided. The alloy powder comprises a plurality of particles, where one or more of the plurality of particles comprise an alloy powder core and an oxygen or nitrogen rich shell disposed on at least a portion of the alloy powder core. The alloy powder core comprises an alloy constituent matrix with one or more reactive elements, where the reactive elements are configured to react with oxygen, nitrogen, or both. The alloy constituent matrix comprises stainless steel, an iron based alloy, a nickel based alloy, a nickel-iron based alloy, a cobalt based alloy, a copper based alloy, an aluminum based alloy, a titanium based alloy, or combinations thereof. The alloy constituent matrix comprises reactive elements present in a range from about 0.01 weight percent to 10 weight percent of a total weight of the alloy powder.

An additive manufacturing apparatus is disclosed. The additive manufacturing apparatus includes a linear rail having a length. The linear rail is one of rotatable or revolvable in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis. The additive manufacturing apparatus further includes an electromagnetic energy source movably coupled to the linear rail and movable in a polar coordinate system having a radius R.

A method of manufacturing an orthopedic implant is provided. The method includes creating a 3D model of an orthopedic implant having a solid portion and a porous portion and selectively adjusting a physical property of at least one of porosity of the porous portion, lattice thickness of the porous portion, beam profile of the porous portion, and topography of the 3D model. The entire implant is then additively manufactured based on the 3D model.