Build cylinder arrangements for machines for the layered production of three-dimensional objects by sintering or melting with a high-energy beam, of powdered material, are disclosed and have a base member and a piston that can be moved on an inner side of the base member along a central axis of the base member. The piston has at its upper side a substrate for building a three-dimensional object, and on the piston is a seal in abutment with the inner side of the base member for sealing the powdered material. The seal is a circumferential fiber metal seal of metal fibers that are pressed together and the pressed metal fibers are arranged with resilient compression stress between the piston and the inner side of the base member.

A porous aluminum body having high porosity and a manufacturing method therefor are provided, wherein the porous aluminum body can be manufactured by continuous manufacturing steps. In the present invention, this porous aluminum body includes a plurality of aluminum fibers connected to each other. The aluminum fibers each have a plurality of columnar protrusions formed at intervals on an outer peripheral surface of the aluminum fibers, the columnar protrusions protruding outward from the outer peripheral surface. Adjacent aluminum fibers are integrated with the aluminum fibers and the columnar protrusions.

A nanofiber based micro-structured material including metal fibers with metal oxide coatings and methods are shown. In one example, nanofiber based micro-structured material is used as an electrode in a battery, such as a lithium ion battery, where the nanofibers of micro-structured material form a nanofiber cloth with free-standing, core-shell structure.

A fine metal linear body is provided in which the sintering temperature is lower than that in conventional examples. The fine metal linear body has a length of 0.5 to 200 .Math.m and a thickness of 30 nm to 10 .Math.m. When a length of a crystal of a metal constituting the fine metal linear body, in a direction in which the fine metal linear body extends, is taken as X, and a length thereof in a direction orthogonal to the direction is taken as Y, an X/Y value, which is a ratio of the X to the Y, is 4 or less, in three boundary regions when dividing the length of the fine metal linear body into four equal parts along the extending direction.

A fine metal linear body is provided in which the sintering temperature is lower than that in conventional examples. The fine metal linear body has a length of 0.5 to 200 .Math.m and a thickness of 30 nm to 10 .Math.m. When a length of a crystal of a metal constituting the fine metal linear body, in a direction in which the fine metal linear body extends, is taken as X, and a length thereof in a direction orthogonal to the direction is taken as Y, an X/Y value, which is a ratio of the X to the Y, is 4 or less, in three boundary regions when dividing the length of the fine metal linear body into four equal parts along the extending direction.

A method of forming a bulk product includes the step of coating a particulate conductive phase material with a binder phase, and forming the coated conductive phase material into at least one of sheet stock, tape formed into a bulk material. A method of forming a bulk product includes the step of coating a particulate conductive phase material with a binder phase and forming the coated conductive phase material into a bulk material. The conductive phase material includes at least one of two dimensional materials, single layer materials, carbon nanotubes, boron nitride nanotubes, aluminum nitride and molybdenum disulphide (MoS.sub.2). A component is also disclosed.

A self-cleaning screen is formed via additive printing. The dimensions of the self-cleaning screen are modified. Supports are printed via additive printing. The supports are formed over a plurality of wires. Side seals may be additively printed along major sides of the plurality of wires. Wear of the screens is monitored.

A self-cleaning screen is formed via additive printing. The dimensions of the self-cleaning screen are modified. Supports are printed via additive printing. The supports are formed over a plurality of wires. Side seals may be additively printed along major sides of the plurality of wires. Wear of the screens is monitored.

The invention relates to a method of producing elongate metal strands or fibres with a crucible, the method comprising the steps of; directing molten metal through a nozzle having a nozzle direction in a deposition direction at a regulated pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the crucible; depositing said molten metal from said nozzle on a rotating planar surface having an axis of rotation; entraining said molten metal in one plane via said rotating planar surface to form elongate metal strands, wherein said rotating surface is aligned at an alignment angle, to the deposition direction during the entraining of the molten metal; cooling said elongate metal strands to form solidified metal strands; and guiding said metal strands to collecting means to collect the solidified metal strands formed on the rotating planar surface.

A powder deagglomerator includes a vertical flow chamber, a powder inlet tube, and an ultrasonic horn vibrationally coupled to an ultrasonic transducer. The vertical flow chamber includes an outer wall, powder outlet port, and a mounting port sealably engaging an ultrasonic horn. The powder inlet tube extends through the outer wall and is aligned to dispense agglomerated powder in a gaseous stream downward onto a distal end of the ultrasonic horn. A method of using the powder deagglomerator to deagglomerate a powder is also disclosed.