Apparatuses and methods for removing support material from and/or smoothing surfaces of an additive-manufactured part are disclosed. Apparatuses may include a spraying chamber, a support surface within the spraying chamber, and one or more nozzles having the ability to spray a fluid at the additive-manufactured parts. The fluid may include a liquid and solid particles carried by the liquid. The support surface may have the ability to support the additive manufactured part. The apparatus may include a tank having the ability to hold at least some of the fluid. A heater may be included for heating the fluid to a desired temperature.

Apparatuses and methods for removing support material from and/or smoothing surfaces of an additive-manufactured part are disclosed. Apparatuses may include a spraying chamber, a support surface within the spraying chamber, and one or more nozzles having the ability to spray a fluid at the additive-manufactured parts. The fluid may include a liquid and solid particles carried by the liquid. The support surface may have the ability to support the additive manufactured part. The apparatus may include a tank having the ability to hold at least some of the fluid. A heater may be included for heating the fluid to a desired temperature.

Systems and methods for cleaning and preparing a surface are described. The system includes a housing with a first hopper configured to receive a first material and a second hopper configured to receive a second material. A tube housing an auger may be located where the two hoppers meet. In this way, the materials are mixed in the tube before being pushed through a hose to a nozzle. The mixture can be sprayed out of the nozzle. The mixture only requires a single air source, and the system operates using a combination of gravity, venturi suction, vibration, an auger and the like.

A blasting medium includes first ice particles and second particles having a hardness between 2000 and 2500 HV. The second particles are embedded in the surface and in the volume of the first particles.

A comminutor reduces the size of particles of frangible blast media from each particle's respective initial size to a size smaller than a desired maximum size. The frangible blast media may be entrained in a flow of transport gas. The comminutor includes an inlet and an outlet, both in fluid communication with an internal flow passageway. The internal flow passageway includes a first intermediate passageway which comprise the gap defined by two rotating rollers and a second intermediate passageway which includes an inlet disposed proximal the gap, extending in an upstream direction therefrom.

Provided is a forming system including: a forming device including a fluid supply unit that supplies a fluid to a heated metal pipe material, and a forming die that forms a formed product by bringing an expanded metal pipe material into contact with a forming surface; a machining unit that machines the formed product removed from the forming die; and a scale removing unit that removes scales from the formed product machined by the machining unit.

A metal material other than strain-free iron powder can be used as a reference piece for X-ray measurement of residual stress. The metal material is manufactured by nanocrystallizing at least a portion of a surface of a metal material, and then removing inherent strain by annealing the metal material, thereby eliminating stress.

A cleaning method for an extreme ultraviolet light reflection mirror includes a contacting step of bringing α-tin into contact with solid tin debris attached to an extreme ultraviolet light reflection mirror and an aging step of leaving the tin debris brought into contact with the α-tin in a temperature environment below a freezing point to promote turning into tin pest of the tin debris. The cleaning method further includes a removing step of removing the tin debris turned into tin pest from the extreme ultraviolet light reflection mirror.

A blasting system, comprising a tank, a center tube, an inlet, a top aperture. Said tank holds a slurry mixture for blasting application. Said inlet receives a pressurized air. Said center tube receives a portion of said pressurized air and selectively receives a portion of said slurry mixture. A portion of said center tube exits said tank at said top aperture. Said tank comprises a top end and a bottom end. Said relief valve regulates fluid capacity in said tank and relives pressure from said tank.

The present invention improves surface roughness by knocking down protruding parts while leaving recessed parts in the surface of a metal product, protrusions/recesses having been formed in said surface via blasting, and improves surface hardness and compressive residual stress. Treatment is performed upon a metal product in which protrusions/recesses have been formed in the surface thereof via blasting. Spherical shot that are less hard than the surface hardness of the metal product and have a particle size that is greater than the width of recessed parts of the protrusions/recesses are sprayed toward and collide against the surface of the metal product as crushing shot, and the protruding parts of the protrusions/recesses formed on the surface of the metal product are selectively knocked down, thereby providing a metal product surface member in which the surface roughness of the metal product has been improved.