A method of forming a rod feedstock for titanium stir friction welding additive manufacturing may comprise: mixing a plurality of powdered metals comprising titanium, iron, vanadium, and aluminum to produce a powder blend; at least one of die pressing the powder blend to form a die pressed powder or continuously powder rolling the powder blend to form a die pressed powder; and sintering the powder blend to form a rod feedstock having a cross-sectional profile.

Provided is a heat sink that has a clad structure of a Cu—Mo composite material and a Cu material and has a low coefficient of thermal expansion and high thermal conductivity. A heat sink comprises three or more Cu layers and two or more Cu—Mo composite layers alternately stacked in a thickness direction so that two of the Cu layers are outermost layers on both sides, wherein each of the Cu—Mo composite layers has a thickness section microstructure in which flat Mo phase is dispersed in a Cu matrix. The heat sink has a low coefficient of thermal expansion and also has high thermal conductivity in the thickness direction because the thickness of each of the Cu layers which are the outermost layers is reduced, as compared with a heat sink of a three-layer clad structure having the same thickness and density.

Provided is a heat sink that has a clad structure of a Cu—Mo composite material and a Cu material and has a low coefficient of thermal expansion and high thermal conductivity. A heat sink comprises three or more Cu layers and two or more Cu—Mo composite layers alternately stacked in a thickness direction so that two of the Cu layers are outermost layers on both sides, wherein each of the Cu—Mo composite layers has a thickness section microstructure in which flat Mo phase is dispersed in a Cu matrix. The heat sink has a low coefficient of thermal expansion and also has high thermal conductivity in the thickness direction because the thickness of each of the Cu layers which are the outermost layers is reduced, as compared with a heat sink of a three-layer clad structure having the same thickness and density.

The devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure are directed to powder spreading and binder distribution techniques for consistent and rapid layer-by-layer fabrication of three-dimensional objects formed through binder jetting. For example, a powder may be spread to form a layer along a volume defined by a powder box, a binder may be deposited along the layer to form a layer of a three-dimensional object, and the direction of spreading the layer and depositing the binder may be in a first direction and in a second direction, different from the first direction, thus facilitating rapid formation of the three-dimensional object with each passage of the print carriage over the volume. Powder delivery, powder spreading, thermal energy delivery, and combinations thereof, may facilitate consistently achieving quality standards as the rate of fabrication of the three-dimensional object is increased.

The devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure are directed to powder spreading and binder distribution techniques for consistent and rapid layer-by-layer fabrication of three-dimensional objects formed through binder jetting. For example, a powder may be spread to form a layer along a volume defined by a powder box, a binder may be deposited along the layer to form a layer of a three-dimensional object, and the direction of spreading the layer and depositing the binder may be in a first direction and in a second direction, different from the first direction, thus facilitating rapid formation of the three-dimensional object with each passage of the print carriage over the volume. Powder delivery, powder spreading, thermal energy delivery, and combinations thereof, may facilitate consistently achieving quality standards as the rate of fabrication of the three-dimensional object is increased.

A continuous hot bonding method for producing a bi-material strip with a strong bond therebetween is provided. The method comprises sanding a first strip formed of steel; and applying a layer of first particles, typically formed of copper, to the sanded first strip. The method next includes heating the first strip and the layer of the first particles, followed by pressing a second strip formed of an aluminum alloy onto the heated layer of the first particles. The aluminum alloy of the second strip includes tin particles, and the heat causes the second particles to liquefy and dissolve into the melted first particles. The first particles and the second particles bond together to form bond enhancing metal particles, which typically comprise bronze.

A continuous hot bonding method for producing a bi-material strip with a strong bond therebetween is provided. The method comprises sanding a first strip formed of steel; and applying a layer of first particles, typically formed of copper, to the sanded first strip. The method next includes heating the first strip and the layer of the first particles, followed by pressing a second strip formed of an aluminum alloy onto the heated layer of the first particles. The aluminum alloy of the second strip includes tin particles, and the heat causes the second particles to liquefy and dissolve into the melted first particles. The first particles and the second particles bond together to form bond enhancing metal particles, which typically comprise bronze.

A three-dimensional, additive manufacturing system is disclosed. The first and second printer modules form sequences of first patterned single-layer objects and second patterned single-layer objects on the first and second carrier substrates, respectively. The patterned single-layer objects are assembled into a three-dimensional object on the assembly plate of the assembly station. A controller controls the sequences and patterns of the patterned single-layer objects formed at the printer modules, and a sequence of assembly of the first patterned single-layer objects and the second patterned single-layer objects into the three-dimensional object on the assembly plate. The first transfer module transfers the first patterned single-layer objects from the first carrier substrate to the assembly apparatus in a first transfer zone and the second transfer module transfers the second patterned single-layer objects from the second carrier substrate to the assembly apparatus in a second transfer zone. The first and second printer modules are configured to deposit first and second materials under first and second deposition conditions, respectively. The first and second materials are different and/or the first and second deposition conditions are different.

A three-dimensional, additive manufacturing system is disclosed. The first and second printer modules form sequences of first patterned single-layer objects and second patterned single-layer objects on the first and second carrier substrates, respectively. The patterned single-layer objects are assembled into a three-dimensional object on the assembly plate of the assembly station. A controller controls the sequences and patterns of the patterned single-layer objects formed at the printer modules, and a sequence of assembly of the first patterned single-layer objects and the second patterned single-layer objects into the three-dimensional object on the assembly plate. The first transfer module transfers the first patterned single-layer objects from the first carrier substrate to the assembly apparatus in a first transfer zone and the second transfer module transfers the second patterned single-layer objects from the second carrier substrate to the assembly apparatus in a second transfer zone. The first and second printer modules are configured to deposit first and second materials under first and second deposition conditions, respectively. The first and second materials are different and/or the first and second deposition conditions are different.

Aluminum-boron nitride nanotube composites and methods of making thereof are disclosed herein. In at least one specific embodiment, the method can include: at least partially coating boron nitride nanotubes with aluminum to make an aluminum-boron nitride nanotube layered structure, where the at least partially coating is performed by sputter deposition, and where the boron nitride nanotubes have a length of about 100 μm to about 300 μm; sintering the aluminum-boron nitride nanotube layered structure to make an aluminum-boron nitride nanotube pellet, where the sintering is performed by spark plasma sintering; and rolling the aluminum-boron nitride nanotube pellet to make the aluminum-boron nitride nanotube composite.