Selective laser solidification apparatus is described that includes a powder bed onto which a powder layer can be deposited and a gas flow unit for passing a flow of gas over the powder bed along a predefined gas flow direction. A laser scanning unit is provided for scanning a laser beam over the powder layer to selectively solidify at least part of the powder layer to form a required pattern. The required pattern is formed from a plurality of stripes or stripe segments that are formed by advancing the laser beam along the stripe or stripe segment in a stripe formation direction. The stripe formation direction is arranged so that it always at least partially opposes the predefined gas flow direction. A corresponding method is also described.

Selective laser solidification apparatus is described that includes a powder bed onto which a powder layer can be deposited and a gas flow unit for passing a flow of gas over the powder bed along a predefined gas flow direction. A laser scanning unit is provided for scanning a laser beam over the powder layer to selectively solidify at least part of the powder layer to form a required pattern. The required pattern is formed from a plurality of stripes or stripe segments that are formed by advancing the laser beam along the stripe or stripe segment in a stripe formation direction. The stripe formation direction is arranged so that it always at least partially opposes the predefined gas flow direction. A corresponding method is also described.

Alloy compositions for 3D metal printing procedures which provide metallic parts with high hardness, tensile strengths, yield strengths, and elongation. The alloys include Fe, Cr and Mo and at least three or more elements selected from C, Ni, Cu, Nb, Si and N. As built parts indicate a tensile strength of at least 1000 MPa, yield strength of at least 640 MPa, elongation of at least 3.0% and hardness (HV) of at least 375.

A method for forming films on particles of powder includes diffusing the powder by leading the powder into a jet nozzle and ejecting a jet flow of the powder; leading the diffused particles of powder, a raw material gas, and a reaction gas activated by atmospheric pressure plasma, into a reaction container, and forming a swirl flow in the container; and forming the films on the diffused particles of powder by reaction of a raw material gas and an activated reaction gas in the container. An apparatus is also disclosed having a reaction container with a peripheral wall having a round section in plan view and a jet nozzle for a powder source, raw material gas, and atmospheric pressure plasma sources are coupled to and enter the container at an angle with a radius thereof thereby forming a swirl flow to form a film on the powder.

A method for forming films on particles of powder includes diffusing the powder by leading the powder into a jet nozzle and ejecting a jet flow of the powder; leading the diffused particles of powder, a raw material gas, and a reaction gas activated by atmospheric pressure plasma, into a reaction container, and forming a swirl flow in the container; and forming the films on the diffused particles of powder by reaction of a raw material gas and an activated reaction gas in the container. An apparatus is also disclosed having a reaction container with a peripheral wall having a round section in plan view and a jet nozzle for a powder source, raw material gas, and atmospheric pressure plasma sources are coupled to and enter the container at an angle with a radius thereof thereby forming a swirl flow to form a film on the powder.

The invention relates to the field of metallurgy, namely to new heat-resistant aluminum alloys used in additive technologies. The alloy includes nickel, manganese, iron, zirconium, cerium, at least one element selected from the group: copper, magnesium, zinc, and at least one element selected from the group: silicon, calcium, where Ni>Mn+Fe, one or more eutectic phases of the type of Al.sub.3Ni, Al.sub.16Mn.sub.3Ni, Al.sub.9FeNi, which are thermally stable, and dispersoids of the Al.sub.3Zr type, which ensure an ultimate strength of a resulting product of at least 370 MPa. The technical effect is the development of an aluminum material used in the form of a powder, which has good processability when printing and increased strength characteristics at room temperature after printing, without a significant decrease in strength after annealing.

The invention relates to the field of metallurgy, namely to new heat-resistant aluminum alloys used in additive technologies. The alloy includes nickel, manganese, iron, zirconium, cerium, at least one element selected from the group: copper, magnesium, zinc, and at least one element selected from the group: silicon, calcium, where Ni>Mn+Fe, one or more eutectic phases of the type of Al.sub.3Ni, Al.sub.16Mn.sub.3Ni, Al.sub.9FeNi, which are thermally stable, and dispersoids of the Al.sub.3Zr type, which ensure an ultimate strength of a resulting product of at least 370 MPa. The technical effect is the development of an aluminum material used in the form of a powder, which has good processability when printing and increased strength characteristics at room temperature after printing, without a significant decrease in strength after annealing.

A metal powder producing apparatus comprising a melted metal supplying part discharging a melted metal, a cylinder body provided below the melted metal supplying part, and a cooling liquid layer forming part forming a flow of a cooling liquid for cooling the melted metal discharged from the melted metal supplying part along an inner circumference face of the cylinder body, wherein the cooling liquid layer forming part has a primary pressure reservoir, and the primary pressure reservoir is provided on an outer circumference part of the cylinder body.

A metal powder producing apparatus comprising a melted metal supplying part discharging a melted metal, a cylinder body provided below the melted metal supplying part, and a cooling liquid layer forming part forming a flow of a cooling liquid for cooling the melted metal discharged from the melted metal supplying part along an inner circumference face of the cylinder body, wherein the cooling liquid layer forming part has a primary pressure reservoir, and the primary pressure reservoir is provided on an outer circumference part of the cylinder body.

A method for prepares low melting point metal particles, a conductive paste and a method for preparing the conductive paste, and relates to the technical field of functional materials. The method for preparing low melting point metal particles includes providing an organic resin carrier having fluidity, adding a low melting point metal material and the organic resin carrier into a sealed container for a vacuuming operation or filling a protective gas, making a temperature in the sealed container higher than the melting point of the low melting point metal and performing dispersion by stirring, and lowering the temperature, after performing the dispersion, to be below the melting point of the low melting point metal with continuous stirring during a cooling process to obtain low melting point metal particles dispersed in the organic resin carrier. Low melting point metal particles can be effectively prepared.