A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with a magnetic field generator to form a magnetic field selectively about a nozzle from which melted metal drops are ejected. The drops ejected in the presence of the magnetic field have their velocities reduced from the initial velocity at which they are ejected. The reduced velocity increases the time in flight of the drops before they impact their landing areas. The increased travel time enables the melted metal drops to oxidize sufficiently that they bond less tightly than the drops ejected without passing through the magnetic field. Thus, the apparatus can form metal support structures that adhere less tightly to the part portions of the object so they can be more easily removed after printing of the object.

The present invention relates to a method of printing a composite material (1), for example polymeric, carbonaceous, siliconic or metallic comprising steps of: i) providing a plurality of bundles (2) of reinforcement fibres (4), wherein the reinforcement fibres (4) have a length in the range 3-50 mm and are in the number of about 1,000-100,000 in each bundle (2); ii) aligning the bundles (2) along a predetermined path (X, X′); iii) incorporating at least part of the bundles (2) into a matrix (6, 8), for example polymeric, carbonaceous, siliconic or metallic, preserving the alignment along said path (X, X′); iv) laying and solidifying at least one layer (8) of the matrix (6, 8) of step iii) to make the composite material (1).

A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is equipped with a liquid silicate application system to apply liquid silicate to a surface of a build platform prior to manufacture of a metal object. The liquid silicate layer is permitted to air dry and then the platform is heated to its operational temperature range for formation of a metal object with melted metal drops ejected by the apparatus. The liquid silicate layer forms a glassy, brittle layer on which the metal object is formed. This brittle layer is removed relatively easily with the object after the object is manufactured and the build platform is permitted to cool. The silicate layer improves the wetting of the surfaces of build platforms made with non-wetting materials, such as oxidized steel, while also preventing metal-to-metal welds with wetting materials, such as tungsten or nickel.

A three-dimensional (3D) printer includes an ejector having a nozzle. The 3D printer also includes a heating element configured to heat a solid metal in the ejector, thereby causing the solid metal to change to a liquid metal within the ejector. The 3D printer also includes a coil wrapped at least partially around the ejector. The 3D printer also includes a power source configured to supply one or more pulses of power to the coil, which cause one or more drops of the liquid metal to be jetted out of the nozzle. The 3D printer also includes a substrate configured to support the one or more drops as the one or more drops solidify to form a 3D object. The 3D printer also includes a gas source configured to cause an oxygen concentration to be less than about 5% proximate to the one or more drops, the 3D object, or both.

A three-dimensional printing system includes a build platform comprising a build surface. The printing system also includes an enclosure system having a side portion extending entirely around the build surface, a top plate portion that abuts the side portion, and a bottom portion. The side portion, the top plate portion and the bottom portion form an enclosed space surrounding the build surface. The top plate portion is moveable so as to adjust a volume of the enclosed space. A 3D printer printhead is disposed adjacent to the enclosure system for depositing a print material onto the build surface. The printing system also includes a heating system for heating the enclosed space.

Systems and methods are provided for the real time inspection of additive manufacturing deposits using infrared thermography. Various embodiments may enable the measurement of material properties and the detection of defects during the additive manufacturing process. Various embodiments may enable the characterization of deposition quality, as well as the detection of deposition defects, such as voids, cracks, disbonds, etc., as a structure is manufactured layer by layer in an additive manufacturing process. Various embodiments may enable quantitative inspection images to be archived and associated with the manufactured structure to document the manufactured structure's structural integrity.

A cast component includes a cast structure having a primary geometry formed by a mold. Also included is a structural deposit formed by cold spraying one or more layers of powdered material on an outer surface of the cast structure, the structural deposit defining at least one feature of the overall outer geometry of the cast component in addition to the primary geometry. Also provided are methods of manufacturing the cast component.

Phase change materials (PCM) that are used for temporary thermal energy storage (TES), and, more particularly, encapsulated PCM (ePCM) where the encapsulated material can include one or more different materials, each with melting points that are significantly higher than the PCM and which is created in whole or in part using a variety of different additive manufacturing technologies.

A soft magnetic alloy thin strip which has high saturation magnetic flux density and low coercivity, which enables a core with high space factor and high saturation magnetic flux density. A soft magnetic alloy thin strip including a main component that has a composition formula (Fe.sub.(1−(α+β))X1.sub.αX2.sub.β).sub.(1−(a+b+c+d+e+f))M.sub.aB.sub.bP.sub.cSi.sub.dC.sub.eS.sub.f. In the formula, X1, X2 and M are selected from a specific element group; 0≤a≤0.140, 0.020≤b≤0.200, 0≤c≤0.150, 0≤d≤0.090, 0≤e≤0.030, 0≤f≤0.030, α≥0, β≥0, and 0≤α+β≤0.50; and at least one of a, c and d is larger than 0. The strip has a structure that is composed of an Fe-based nanocrystal; and the surface roughness of a release surface satisfies 0.85≤Ra.sub.e/Ra.sub.c≤1.25 (wherein Ra.sub.c is the average of arithmetic mean roughnesses in the central portion, and Ra.sub.e is the average in the edge portion).

A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus selects operational parameters for operation of the printer to form conductive metal traces on substrates with dimensions within appropriate tolerances and with sufficient conductive material to carry electrical currents without burning up or becoming too hot. The apparatus identifies the material of the substrate and the bulk metal being melted for ejection and uses this identification data to select the operational parameters. Thus, the apparatus can form conductive traces and circuits on a wide range of substrate materials including polymeric substrates, semiconductor materials, oxide layers on semiconductor materials, glass, and other crystalline materials.