Disclosed herein are embodiments of methods, devices, and assemblies for processing feedstock materials using microwave plasma processing. Specifically, the feedstock materials disclosed herein pertains to scrap materials, dehydrogenated or non-hydrogenated feed material, and recycled used powder. Microwave plasma processing can be used to spheroidize and remove contaminants. Advantageously, microwave plasma processed feedstock can be used in various applications such as additive manufacturing or powdered metallurgy (PM) applications that require high powder flowability.

A deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system includes a foundry module containing a metallurgical system configured to convert a raw material into an alloy powder, and an additive manufacturing (AM) module containing an additive manufacturing system configured to form the alloy powder into metal parts. The deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system can also include a machining module containing a machining system configured to machine the metal parts into machined metal parts, and a quality conformance (QC) module containing an inspection and evaluation system configured to inspect and evaluate the metal parts. A process for manufacturing metal parts includes the steps of providing the deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system; deploying the (DMC) system to a desired location; forming an alloy powder from a raw material using the deployable foundry module; and then forming the metal parts from the alloy powder using the additive manufacturing (AM) module.

A deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system includes a foundry module containing a metallurgical system configured to convert a raw material into an alloy powder, and an additive manufacturing (AM) module containing an additive manufacturing system configured to form the alloy powder into metal parts. The deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system can also include a machining module containing a machining system configured to machine the metal parts into machined metal parts, and a quality conformance (QC) module containing an inspection and evaluation system configured to inspect and evaluate the metal parts. A process for manufacturing metal parts includes the steps of providing the deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system; deploying the (DMC) system to a desired location; forming an alloy powder from a raw material using the deployable foundry module; and then forming the metal parts from the alloy powder using the additive manufacturing (AM) module.

The production of steel components in an additive process using a steel powder having a mean grain diameter of 5-150 m, and comprising (in wt % ) 0.08-0.35% C, up to 0.80% Si, 0.20-2.00% Mn, up to 4.00% Cr, 0.3-3.0% Mo, 0.004-0.020% N, 0.004-0.050% Al, up to 0.0025% B, up to 0.20% Nb, up to 0.02% Ti, up 0.40% V, up to 1.5% Ni, up to 0.3% Cu, up to 2.0% Co, at least one of Nb, Ti, V, and S, wherein Nb is 0.003-0.20%, Ti is 0.001-0.02%, V is 0.02-0.40% and/or S is 0.001-0.4%, and the remainder being iron and unavoidable impurities, where % Al/27+% Nb/45+% Ti/48+% V/25>% N/3.5. The steel component has a structure including at least 80 vol % of bainite, with the remainder being retained austenite, ferrite, perlite and/or martensite. and after shaping and before an optional heat treatment, has a tensile strength of 900 MPa, a yield strength of 560 MPa and an elongation at break A5.65 of 8%.

A method for creating nanoparticles directly from bulk metal by applying ultrasound to the surface in the presence of a two-part surfactant system. Implosive collapse of cavitation bubbles near the bulk metal surface generates powerful microjets, leading to material ejection. This liberated material is captured and stabilized by a surfactant bilayer in the form of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles can be produced regardless of the bulk metal form factor. The method is generally applicable of metals and alloys. The method can be applied to an environmentally important problem, the reclamation of gold from an electronic waste stream.

A manufacturing method includes: 1) forming a melt including one or more metals; 2) introducing nanostructures into the melt at an initial volume fraction of the nanostructures; and 3) at least partially evaporating one or more metals from the melt so as to form a metal matrix nanocomposite including the nanostructures dispersed therein at a higher volume fraction than the initial volume fraction.

A manufacturing method includes: 1) forming a melt including one or more metals; 2) introducing nanostructures into the melt at an initial volume fraction of the nanostructures; and 3) at least partially evaporating one or more metals from the melt so as to form a metal matrix nanocomposite including the nanostructures dispersed therein at a higher volume fraction than the initial volume fraction.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of methods, devices, and assemblies for processing feedstock materials using microwave plasma processing. Specifically, the feedstock materials disclosed herein pertains to scrap materials, dehydrogenated or non-hydrogenated feed material, and recycled used powder. Microwave plasma processing can be used to spheroidize and remove contaminants. Advantageously, microwave plasma processed feedstock can be used in various applications such as additive manufacturing or powdered metallurgy (PM) applications that require high powder flowability.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of methods, devices, and assemblies for processing feedstock materials using microwave plasma processing. Specifically, the feedstock materials disclosed herein pertains to scrap materials, dehydrogenated or non-hydrogenated feed material, and recycled used powder. Microwave plasma processing can be used to spheroidize and remove contaminants. Advantageously, microwave plasma processed feedstock can be used in various applications such as additive manufacturing or powdered metallurgy (PM) applications that require high powder flowability.

A spray forming method for producing a metallic ingot and metallic powder from a metallic source of metal or metal alloy includes: forming one or more streams of metal or alloy from the source, gas atomizing one or more streams of metal or alloy to form one or more sprays of atomized droplets, directing the spray(s) of droplets through a spray nozzle to a rotatable hot body, depositing the droplets to the hot body to form the ingot, controlling the process parameters 1) temperature of metal or alloy, 2) inlet and outlet pressure of the spray nozzle, 3) rotation speed of the hot body, and/or 4) distance between the hot body and the spray(s) of droplets, and collecting the metallic powder having a predefined size distribution. The process parameters are controlled such that the ingot yield is 60-80% and the metallic powder yield is 40-20%, relative to the metallic source.