A method and an apparatus for collecting powder samples in real-time in powder bed fusion additive manufacturing may involves an ingester system for in-process collection and characterizations of powder samples. The collection may be performed periodically and uses the results of characterizations for adjustments in the powder bed fusion process. The ingester system of the present disclosure is capable of packaging powder samples collected in real-time into storage containers serving a multitude purposes of audit, process adjustments or actions.

An additive manufacturing system including a two-dimensional energy patterning system for imaging a powder bed is disclosed. Improved chamber designs, multiple chambers, powder handling and re-use systems, and powder characterization methods are disclosed.

The present invention relates to a heating method for preparing a powder bed for subsequent processing by irradiating the powder bed with an electron beam from an electron source. The electron source may be designed for fast moving of the electron beam to different heating positions at the powder bed comprising the step, local heating of at least two powder bed heating positions by successive resting of said electron beam at the at least two powder bed heating positions. By jumping between local preheating positions at the powder bed before the powder is fused, charged powder can be prevented from levitation and scattering from the powder bed.

A method of repairing a rod guide assembly of a fuel control unit of an aircraft engine is provided. The method comprises disconnecting a used spring seat from the rod of the rod guide assembly and welding a replacement spring seat to the rod using an electron beam controlled using a circular beam deflection pattern.

The present invention provides a modification to the EBW process, which is referred to as a slope-out methodology, the results in the formation of a “slope-out portion” located generally in that region of the overall weldment located at the end of the ordinary EBW welding process for joining two components. The slope-out portion overlaps with the initial weld of the workpiece for a given distance or length along the weld and effectively eliminates the keyhole and provides a weldment that has minimal to no defects, particularly in the slope-out portion. The slope-out methodology begins by adjusting various parameters related to the electron beam to essentially decay the beam. In general, the focus position of the electron beam is moved from under-focused (focal position in the bulk of the material) to over-focused (focal position ahead of the workpiece surface) as the overlapping weld is made.

Additive manufacturing can involve dispensing a powdered material to form a layer of a powder bed on a support surface of a build platform. A portion of the layer of the powder bed may be selectively melted or fused to form one or more temporary walls out of the fused portion of the layer of the powder bed to contain another portion of the layer of the powder bed on the build platform

Device surfaces are rendered superhydrophobic and/or superoleophobic through microstructures and/or nanostructures that utilize the same base material(s) as the device itself without the need for coatings made from different materials or substances. A medical device includes a portion made from a base material having a surface adapted for contact with biological material, and wherein the surface is modified to become superhydrophobic, superoleophobic, or both, using only the base material, excluding non-material coatings. The surface may be modified using a subtractive process, an additive process, or a combination thereof. The product of the process may form part of an implantable device or a medical instrument, including a medical device or instrument associated with an intraocular procedure. The surface may be modified to include micrometer- or nanometer-sized pillars, posts, pits or cavitations; hierarchical structures having asperities; or posts/pillars with caps having dimensions greater than the diameters of the posts or pillars.

A method is provided for manufacturing a segment of a drill string, such as a tubular tool, from a plurality of layers. The method includes arranging a plurality of layers based on a selected length of the segment. Each of the plurality of layers includes an aperture that is received over an alignment feature that restricts movement of the plurality of layers to two or fewer degrees of freedom. A joining process is performed to join the plurality of layers, which may include at least one replacement layer.

Additive manufacturing can involve dispensing a powdered material to form a layer of a powder bed on a support surface of a build platform. A portion of the layer of the powder bed may be selectively melted or fused to form one or more temporary walls out of the fused portion of the layer of the powder bed to contain another portion of the layer of the powder bed on the build platform.

An additive manufacturing system including a two-dimensional energy patterning system for imaging a powder bed is disclosed. Improved optical systems supporting beam combining, beam steering, and both patterned and unpatterned beam recycling and re-use are described.