An interconnector for a solid oxide fuel cell is manufactured by single-press compacting a powder blend to form a green interconnector with a desired shape of a final interconnector. The powder blend includes chromium and iron, and may include an organic lubricant. At least 50 wt % or more of an iron portion of the powder blend comprises iron particles smaller than 45 um. The green interconnector is then sintered and oxidized to form the final interconnector. The oxidation step occurs in a continuous flow furnace in which a controlled atmosphere (e.g., humidified air) is fed into the furnace in the travel direction of the interconnector. The final interconnector comprises at least 90 wt % chromium, at least 3 wt % iron, and less than 0.2 wt % nitrogen. An average density within a flow field of the final interconnector may be less than 6.75 g/cc.

An interconnector for a solid oxide fuel cell is manufactured by single-press compacting a powder blend to form a green interconnector with a desired shape of a final interconnector. The powder blend includes chromium and iron, and may include an organic lubricant. At least 50 wt % or more of an iron portion of the powder blend comprises iron particles smaller than 45 um. The green interconnector is then sintered and oxidized to form the final interconnector. The oxidation step occurs in a continuous flow furnace in which a controlled atmosphere (e.g., humidified air) is fed into the furnace in the travel direction of the interconnector. The final interconnector comprises at least 90 wt % chromium, at least 3 wt % iron, and less than 0.2 wt % nitrogen. An average density within a flow field of the final interconnector may be less than 6.75 g/cc.

A method of producing an atomized powder includes: an atomizing step of forming magnetic alloy particles from a molten metal by an atomizing method, to obtain a slurry in which the magnetic alloy particles are dispersed in an aqueous dispersion medium; a slurry concentration step of causing magnetic separation means to separate the magnetic alloy particles from the slurry to form a concentrated slurry having the magnetic alloy particles of more than 80% by mass, the magnetic separation means using a rotary drum including a magnetic circuit part fixedly disposed at a position where at least a part of the magnetic circuit part is immersed in the slurry and an outer sleeve capable of rotating outside the magnetic circuit part; and a drying step of causing drying means using an air flow dryer to dry the concentrated slurry to form a magnetic alloy powder.

A method of producing an atomized powder includes: an atomizing step of forming magnetic alloy particles from a molten metal by an atomizing method, to obtain a slurry in which the magnetic alloy particles are dispersed in an aqueous dispersion medium; a slurry concentration step of causing magnetic separation means to separate the magnetic alloy particles from the slurry to form a concentrated slurry having the magnetic alloy particles of more than 80% by mass, the magnetic separation means using a rotary drum including a magnetic circuit part fixedly disposed at a position where at least a part of the magnetic circuit part is immersed in the slurry and an outer sleeve capable of rotating outside the magnetic circuit part; and a drying step of causing drying means using an air flow dryer to dry the concentrated slurry to form a magnetic alloy powder.

A system and method for treating additive powder includes a reactor configured for receiving a large volume of additive powder. An evacuation subsystem removes injected or residual gases from the reactor chamber by purging the chamber with an inert gas or drawing a vacuum within the chamber. A heating assembly raises the reactor content temperature of the reactor chamber while the additive powder is continuously stirred. A gas mixture including a small amount of reactive gas is injected into the reactor chamber to modify the surface chemistry of the additive powder before the additive powder is slowly cooled down.

A system and method for treating additive powder includes a reactor configured for receiving a large volume of additive powder. An evacuation subsystem removes injected or residual gases from the reactor chamber by purging the chamber with an inert gas or drawing a vacuum within the chamber. A heating assembly raises the reactor content temperature of the reactor chamber while the additive powder is continuously stirred. A gas mixture including a small amount of reactive gas is injected into the reactor chamber to modify the surface chemistry of the additive powder before the additive powder is slowly cooled down.

An additive manufacturing method includes depositing a first amount of metal powder onto a powder bed of a printing system, spreading the first amount of metal powder across the powder bed to form a first layer, and depositing a first amount of binder material on the first layer. The additive manufacturing method also includes exposing the first layer to a first lighting condition, imaging the first layer under the first lighting condition to generate a first image, analyzing the first image of the first layer, and determining whether to adjust at least one printing parameter based on the analyzing.

An additive manufacturing method includes depositing a first amount of metal powder onto a powder bed of a printing system, spreading the first amount of metal powder across the powder bed to form a first layer, and depositing a first amount of binder material on the first layer. The additive manufacturing method also includes exposing the first layer to a first lighting condition, imaging the first layer under the first lighting condition to generate a first image, analyzing the first image of the first layer, and determining whether to adjust at least one printing parameter based on the analyzing.

A method for manufacturing a powder magnetic core using a soft magnetic material powder, wherein the method has: a first step of mixing the soft magnetic material powder with a binder, a second step of subjecting a mixture obtained through the first step to pressure forming, and a third step of subjecting a formed body obtained through the second step to heat treatment. The soft magnetic material powder is an Fe—Cr—Al based alloy powder comprising Fe, Cr and Al. An oxide layer is formed on a surface of the soft magnetic material powder by the heat treatment. The oxide layer has a higher ratio by mass of Al to the sum of Fe, Cr and Al than an alloy phase inside the powder.

The invention relates to a sintered metal material comprising at least one magnetic part, characterised by directional through-pores having a size of between 1 and 100 μm, said material having a density varying by less than 20% from one sample of 1 cm3 to another taken from a one-piece part made from the material.