An optical manufacturing process sensing and status indication system is taught that is able to utilize optical emissions from a manufacturing process to infer the state of the process. In one case, it is able to use these optical emissions to distinguish thermal phenomena on two timescales and to perform feature extraction and classification so that nominal process conditions may be uniquely distinguished from off-nominal process conditions at a given instant in time or over a sequential series of instants in time occurring over the duration of the manufacturing process. In other case, it is able to utilize these optical emissions to derive corresponding spectra and identify features within those spectra so that nominal process conditions may be uniquely distinguished from off-nominal process conditions at a given instant in time or over a sequential series of instants in time occurring over the duration of the manufacturing process.

Systems and methods for the manufacture of a solid wire using additive manufacturing techniques are disclosed. In one embodiment, a fine powdery material is sintered or melted or soldered or metallurgically bonded onto a metal strip substrate in a compacted solid form or a near-net shape (e.g., a near-net solid wire shape) before being turned into a final product through forming or drawing dies.

Systems and methods for the manufacture of a solid wire using additive manufacturing techniques are disclosed. In one embodiment, a fine powdery material is sintered or melted or soldered or metallurgically bonded onto a metal strip substrate in a compacted solid form or a near-net shape (e.g., a near-net solid wire shape) before being turned into a final product through forming or drawing dies.

The invention relates to a process for manufacturing a part comprising a formation of successive solid metal layers (201 . . . 20n) that are stacked on top of one another, each layer describing a pattern defined using a numerical model (M), each layer being formed by the deposition of a metal (25), referred to as solder, the solder being subjected to an input of energy so as to start to melt and to constitute, by solidifying, said layer, wherein the solder takes the form of a powder (25), the exposure of which to an energy beam (32) results in melting followed by solidification so as to form a solid layer (201 . . . 20n). The process is characterized in that the solder (25) is an aluminum alloy comprising at least the following alloy elements: —Fe, in a weight fraction of from 1 to 3.7%, preferably from 1 to 3.6%; —Zr and/or Hf and/or Er and/or Sc and/or Ti, in a weight fraction of from 0.5 to 4%, preferably from 1 to 4%, more preferably from 1.5 to 3.5%, even more preferably from 1.5 to 2% each, and in a weight fraction of less than or equal to 4%, preferably less than or equal to 3%, more preferably less than or equal to 2% in total; —Si, in a weight fraction of from 0 to 4%, preferably from 0.5 to 3%; —V, in a weight fraction of from 0 to 4%, preferably from 0.5 to 3%. The invention also relates to a part obtained by this process. The alloy used in the additive manufacturing process according to the invention makes it possible to obtain parts having remarkable features.

A tool bit with a surface layer metallurgically bonded on a substrate layer using electrospark deposition (ESD) that allows the tool bit to reduce camout and engage a fastener head for one-handed starting and removal. The surface layer has a rougher finish, compared to conventional tool bits, and therefore better grips engagement surfaces of a mating recess of the fastener during use. The reduction of camout provides greater durability to the tool bit and resists erosion and wear of the engagement surfaces of the fastener.

A three-dimensional (3D) metal object manufacturing apparatus is configured to increase the oxidation of ejected melted metal drops for the formation of metal support structures during manufacture of a metal object with the apparatus. The oxidation can be increased by either increasing a distance between the ejector head and a platform supporting the metal object or by providing an air flow transverse to the direction of movement of the melted metal drops, or both.

The disclosed technology generally relates to consumable electrode wires and more particularly to consumable electrode wires having a core-shell structure, where the core comprises aluminum. In one aspect, a welding wire comprises a sheath having a steel composition and a core surrounded by the sheath. The core comprises aluminum (Al) at a concentration between about 3 weight % and about 20 weight % on the basis of the total weight of the welding wire, where Al is in an elemental form or is alloyed with a different metal element. The disclosed technology also relates to welding methods and systems adapted for using the aluminum-comprising electrode wires.

A method for forming a vertically cracked thermal barrier coating is disclosed including positioning an article relative to a heat source. The article includes a thermal barrier coating disposed on a first surface of a substrate, and the substrate includes a second surface distal across the substrate from the first surface. Heat is applied locally to at least one discrete portion of the second surface of the substrate. At least one vertical crack in the thermal barrier coating is formed disposed over the at least one discrete portion. An article is disclosed including a substrate and a vertically-cracked thermal barrier coating disposed on the substrate. The vertically cracked thermal barrier coating includes at least one vertical crack in the thermal barrier coating and at least one of a low density of less than 85% of a theoretical density for the thermal barrier coating and a selective crack distribution.

A method for forming a vertically cracked thermal barrier coating is disclosed including positioning an article relative to a heat source. The article includes a thermal barrier coating disposed on a first surface of a substrate, and the substrate includes a second surface distal across the substrate from the first surface. Heat is applied locally to at least one discrete portion of the second surface of the substrate. At least one vertical crack in the thermal barrier coating is formed disposed over the at least one discrete portion. An article is disclosed including a substrate and a vertically-cracked thermal barrier coating disposed on the substrate. The vertically cracked thermal barrier coating includes at least one vertical crack in the thermal barrier coating and at least one of a low density of less than 85% of a theoretical density for the thermal barrier coating and a selective crack distribution.

An additively manufactured object formed by depositing weld bead layers, each of the weld bead layers being obtained by melting and solidifying a filler metal made of a mild steel, the additively manufactured object includes a plurality of the weld bead layers having a ferrite phase with an average grain diameter of 11 μm or less in a part except for a surface oxide film.