A method for creating a clad structure, comprising providing a substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface; providing a cladding material, wherein the cladding material is placed on the inner surface of the substrate, the outer surface of the substrate, or both; providing a surface activation material that is disposed between the substrate and the cladding material; providing at least one resistance welding device, wherein the at least one resistance welding device includes at least one electrode wheel that directly contacts the cladding material, and wherein the at least one resistance welding device generates resistance heating and pressure sufficient to melt the surface activation material and form a localized bond between the substrate and the cladding layer; and traversing the at least one electrode wheel across the cladding material and substrate to propagate the localized bond between the cladding material and the substrate and create a clad structure.

The present disclosure provides a system for printing at least a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) object. The system may comprise a source of at least one feedstock, a support for supporting at least a portion of the 3D object, a feeder for directing at least one feedstock from the source towards the support, and a power supply for supplying electrical current. The system may comprise a controller operatively coupled to the power supply. The controller may receive a computational representation of the 3D object. The controller may direct the at least one feedstock through a feeder towards the support and may direct electrical current through the at least one feedstock and into the support. The controller may subject such feedstock to Joule heating such that at least a portion of such feedstock may deposit adjacent to the support, thereby printing the 3D object in accordance with the computational representation.

The present disclosure provides a system for printing at least a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) object. The system may comprise a source of at least one feedstock, a support for supporting at least a portion of the 3D object, a feeder for directing at least one feedstock from the source towards the support, and a power supply for supplying electrical current. The system may comprise a controller operatively coupled to the power supply. The controller may receive a computational representation of the 3D object. The controller may direct the at least one feedstock through a feeder towards the support and may direct electrical current through the at least one feedstock and into the support. The controller may subject such feedstock to Joule heating such that at least a portion of such feedstock may deposit adjacent to the support, thereby printing the 3D object in accordance with the computational representation.

The present disclosure provides a system for printing at least a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) object. The system may comprise a source of at least one feedstock, a support for supporting at least a portion of the 3D object, a feeder for directing at least one feedstock from the source towards the support, and a power supply for supplying electrical current. The system may comprise a controller operatively coupled to the power supply. The controller may receive a computational representation of the 3D object. The controller may direct the at least one feedstock through a feeder towards the support and may direct electrical current through the at least one feedstock and into the support. The controller may subject such feedstock to Joule heating such that at least a portion of such feedstock may deposit adjacent to the support, thereby printing the 3D object in accordance with the computational representation.

The present disclosure provides a system for printing at least a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) object. The system may comprise a source of at least one feedstock, a support for supporting at least a portion of the 3D object, a feeder for directing at least one feedstock from the source towards the support, and a power supply for supplying electrical current. The system may comprise a controller operatively coupled to the power supply. The controller may receive a computational representation of the 3D object. The controller may direct the at least one feedstock through a feeder towards the support and may direct electrical current through the at least one feedstock and into the support. The controller may subject such feedstock to Joule heating such that at least a portion of such feedstock may deposit adjacent to the support, thereby printing the 3D object in accordance with the computational representation.

A method for three-dimensional printing includes depositing, via a first metal deposition device, first metal on a base along a first path and simultaneously depositing, via a second metal deposition device, second metal on the base along a second path to form a three-dimensional structure. The three-dimensional structure includes the first metal along the first path and the second metal along the second path. A first end of the first path is adjacent to a first end of the second path. The first metal deposition device moves independently from the second metal deposition device.

The invention discloses a method and an apparatus for metal three-dimensional printing, in which the method for metal three-dimensional printing comprises the following steps: molten or softened flowable metal is placed in a build area used by a three-dimensional printing device, after having no fluidity, the molten or softened flowable metal is converted into metal built by printing, the molten or softened flowable metal is accumulated on the basis of the metal built by printing, until an object to be printed is built, and the accumulated metal built by printing forms the object to be printed; the key characteristics are as follows: in the building process, the interlayer binding force and the binding force between pixel points are changed through a manner of resistance heating; and a printing area for implementing resistance heating can be set. The metal component generated has high strength, high density, and high building precision, the building process of each pixel point is monitored, a removable auxiliary support can be generated synchronously, a large-scale component can be printed, and the apparatus is simple in structure and low in cost. The present invention possesses a substantial progress.

This patent describes metal flake composites consisting of metal flakes and thermoplastic resins as printing materials for additive manufacturing of prototypes with metallic appearance, improved mechanical properties and durability. Metal flakes of 5 to 50 microns in average size (D.sub.50) and 0.2-2 microns in thickness are made of base metals such as aluminum, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, nickel, tin, titanium, zinc, and their alloys, e.g., stainless steel, brass and bronze by ball milling metal powder precursors in the presence of a liquid solvent and lubricants. Thermoplastic resins such as Nylon, polystyrene, polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene are coated with metal flakes in a composition ranging from 0.5 to 50% by weight. The composite undergoes a bonding process to improve its adhesion and uniformity. The metal flake-based resin composites are used for additive manufacturing by selective laser sintering or other heating methods such as resistance heating at temperature ranging from 150 to 280 C.

The present disclosure provides a method for printing at least a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) object adjacent to a support. The method may comprise receiving in computer memory a computational representation of the 3D object. Subsequent to receiving the computational representation of the 3D object, at least one feedstock may be directed through a feeder towards the support. Upon directing the at least one feedstock through the feeder, electrical current may be flowed through the at least one feedstock and into the support. The at least one feedstock may be subjected to Joule heating upon flow of electrical current through the at least one feedstock, which may be sufficient to melt at least a portion of the at least one feedstock. The at least the portion of the at least one feedstock may be deposited adjacent to the support in accordance with the computational representation of the 3D object.

A method of manufacturing a tube is provided. The method includes: selecting a core pipe having a thickness that is initially less than a desired thickness of the tube; and building-up an outer layer over an exterior surface of the core pipe via additive manufacturing so as to increase the thickness of the core pipe such that the thickness of the core pipe is equal to the desired thickness of the tube.