An apparatus and method for fabricating a three-dimensional object from a representation of the object stored in memory. The apparatus includes a build platform having a build gap defined therein. A base plate is initially supported along a lower surface of the build platform such that an edge of the base plate extends along and closes off the build gap. A powder delivery assembly is configured to supply powder to the build gap. At least one directed energy source is configured to apply directed energy to at least a portion of the build gap to form a layer of the three-dimensional structure. An advancement assembly configured to selectively engage with the base plate and/or the three-dimensional structure to hold the base plate and the three-dimensional structure in a fixed position during forming of a layer and to advance the base plate and the three-dimensional structure once the layer is formed.

The present disclosure relates to a composite material, in particular a composite material of metals, a process for producing a composite material, and a medical device, in particular an implant, based on the composite material. The composite material comprises at least 5 vol-% of Fe and at least 1 vol-% of Mg or Zn, wherein the composite material comprises a Mg or Zn phase and an Fe phase, wherein the average size of the Mg or Zn phase in at least one dimension is less than 20 μm, in particular less than 10 μm. The medical device, in particular an implant, may be suitable for fixing of bone fractures (as well as fractions of a tendon or a ligament, etc.) and/or corrections and may be capable of exhibiting a targeted failure representing a complete paradigm shift in the treatment of bone fractures and the like.

The present invention provides a metal powder-polymer matrix film for use in delivering metal powder to a three-dimensional printing process, the matrix comprising at least one metal powder and a polymer sheet, wherein the metal powder is incorporated within the polymer sheet architecture or on the polymer sheet surface, and wherein the polymer sheet has a thickness that is at least half that of the powder thickness.

A fuel cell according to the present disclosure includes a flat plate-shaped metal porous body having a framework of a three-dimensional network structure as a gas diffusion layer. The framework is made of metal or alloy. In the metal porous body, a ratio of an average pore diameter in a direction parallel to a gas flow direction to an average pore diameter in a direction perpendicular to the gas flow direction is greater than or equal to 1.4 and less than or equal to 2.5.

A metal porous body having a connection portion where end portions in a longitudinal direction X of at least two long sheet-shaped metal porous materials are connected in a manner overlapping with each other, each of the metal porous materials having a frame with a three-dimensional network structure, the metal porous body having a recess with a thickness thinner than a thickness of each of the metal porous materials, in the connection portion, the frames of the at least two metal porous materials being entangled with each other, in the recess.

A porous titanium sheet configured to function as an anode side gas diffusion layer of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer is formed by a powder technique, such as tape casting or powder metallurgy.

A compression tool, a cutting plate and a method of producing a cutting plate by multiaxial pressing a powder mixture of a hard metal component and a binder to form a green body is provided. After pressing, the body has two parallel main surfaces and a peripheral edge surface extending between and connecting the main surfaces. The main surfaces include depressions, such that cutting edges are formed at the intersection of the bottom of the depressions and at least a part of the edge surface. A heading tool includes a main punch and an independently moveable form punch. In a first pressing step, the form punch is moved towards the powder mixture to form a preliminarily compressed portion. In a second step, the main punch and the form punch are both moved towards a final position to provide the green body with its final dimensions including the depressions.

A flexible porous metal foil sheet made of a metal porous material which use a solid solution alloy, a metal element of a face-centered cubic structure or a metal element of a body-centered cubic structure as the matrix phase, wherein the thickness of the sheet is greater than 200 μm and less than or equal to 1500 μm, the average aperture is 0.05˜100 μm, and the porosity is 15%˜70%. The method for making the flexible porous metal foil comprises: (1) making viscous suspension or muddy paste of raw material powder that will form the metal porous material using a dispersing agent and a binding agent; (2) injecting the suspension or paste into a mold for making membrane, and drying the suspension or paste to form a homogeneous membrane; (3) pressing the membrane to improve the stacking density of the powder particles; and (4) sintering the pressed membrane to obtain the flexible porous metal foil. The flexible porous metal foil has more uniform aperture distribution, and better flatness of the foil.

A method of and apparatus for sinter forging a precursor powder to form a film may reduce or eliminate the stress in the film and may facilitate processing of continuous length of films such as ceramic films for use in batteries. The precursor powder can be provided on a substrate and is simultaneously heated and pressed in a pressing direction parallel to a thickness of the film so as to sinter and densify the precursor powder to form the film in a sinter forging area. Notably, in a plane perpendicular to the pressing direction, there are no lateral constraints on the sinter forging area or the material received therein.

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.