The present invention is to provide a laser irradiation technique for irradiating the irradiation surface with the laser beam having homogeneous intensity distribution using a cylindrical lens array without being affected by the intensity distribution of the original beam. A laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator is divided by two kinds of cylindrical lens arrays into a plurality of beams, which are two kinds of linear laser beams with their energy intensity distribution inverted each other, and the two kinds of linear laser beams are superposed in a minor-axis direction. This can form the linear laser beam having homogeneous intensity distribution on the irradiation surface.

The present invention is to provide a laser irradiation technique for irradiating the irradiation surface with the laser beam having homogeneous intensity distribution using a cylindrical lens array without being affected by the intensity distribution of the original beam. A laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator is divided by two kinds of cylindrical lens arrays into a plurality of beams, which are two kinds of linear laser beams with their energy intensity distribution inverted each other, and the two kinds of linear laser beams are superposed in a minor-axis direction. This can form the linear laser beam having homogeneous intensity distribution on the irradiation surface.

The invention relates to a method for producing a central housing part (1) of a high-pressure slide gate valve from high-temperature steel, in the case of which two die-forged central-housing-part half-shells (1a, 1b) with forged-on connectors (4a, 4b) are welded to one another, using electron-beam welding without any welding filler material, by a butt weld seam (2), which runs in a plane (3) which runs transversely to the connectors (4a, 4b) and subdivides the central housing part (1). In order to increase the creep resistance, and to reduce the weight, of such a central housing part, the production costs at the same time being advantageous, the invention proposes that the wall thicknesses of the central-housing-part half-shells (1a, 1b) should be designed overall on the basis of a weld strength factor (WSF=1), and that, once the weld seam (2) has been produced, the entire central housing part (1) should be subjected to a rigorous heat treatment involving heating to beyond the transformation temperature, quenching and tempering.

The invention relates to a method for producing a central housing part (1) of a high-pressure slide gate valve from high-temperature steel, in the case of which two die-forged central-housing-part half-shells (1a, 1b) with forged-on connectors (4a, 4b) are welded to one another, using electron-beam welding without any welding filler material, by a butt weld seam (2), which runs in a plane (3) which runs transversely to the connectors (4a, 4b) and subdivides the central housing part (1). In order to increase the creep resistance, and to reduce the weight, of such a central housing part, the production costs at the same time being advantageous, the invention proposes that the wall thicknesses of the central-housing-part half-shells (1a, 1b) should be designed overall on the basis of a weld strength factor (WSF=1), and that, once the weld seam (2) has been produced, the entire central housing part (1) should be subjected to a rigorous heat treatment involving heating to beyond the transformation temperature, quenching and tempering.

A solid freeform manufacturing system includes a manufacturing chamber containing a powder based additive manufacturing device. The manufacturing chamber is connected to an environmental control chamber. The environmental control chamber contains environmental control devices including fans, filters, and an inert gas source. An interconnection between the environmental control chamber and manufacturing chamber allows an inert, contaminant free manufacturing environment.

A solid freeform manufacturing system includes a manufacturing chamber containing a powder based additive manufacturing device. The manufacturing chamber is connected to an environmental control chamber. The environmental control chamber contains environmental control devices including fans, filters, and an inert gas source. An interconnection between the environmental control chamber and manufacturing chamber allows an inert, contaminant free manufacturing environment.

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, systems and/or software to form one or more complex three-dimensional objects. The three-dimensional object may be formed by three-dimensional printing one or more methodologies. The three-dimensional object may comprise an overhang portion and/or cavity ceiling with diminished deformation and/or auxiliary support structures.

A method of manufacturing an outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint includes forming cup and shaft members of medium carbon steel, the cup member being manufactured by preparing a cup member having cylindrical and bottom portions being integrally formed, and a fitting hole formed in a thick portion of the bottom portion, the shaft member being manufactured by preparing a shaft member having a fitting outer surface formed at an end portion of the shaft member to be joined to the bottom portion of the cup member, and fitting the fitting hole of the cup member to the fitting outer surface of the shaft member. The method also includes welding the cup and shaft members from an inner side of the cup member to a fitted portion between the cup and shaft members.

A method for producing in particular conical bore holes in work pieces, wherein the contouring and cross-sectional form of the bore hole can be influenced in that one or a plurality of operating parameters are changed, which parameters are elected from the following group: pulse length, beam diameter, beam current, acceleration voltage, beam focusing, deviation of the electron beam from a beam axis, movement velocity of the electron beam over the work piece.

A method for producing in particular conical bore holes in work pieces, wherein the contouring and cross-sectional form of the bore hole can be influenced in that one or a plurality of operating parameters are changed, which parameters are elected from the following group: pulse length, beam diameter, beam current, acceleration voltage, beam focusing, deviation of the electron beam from a beam axis, movement velocity of the electron beam over the work piece.