A manipulator device such as a robot arm that is capable of increasing manufacturing throughput for additively manufactured parts, and allows for the manipulation of parts that would be difficult or impossible for a human to move is described. The manipulator can grasp various permanent or temporary additively manufactured manipulation points on a part to enable repositioning or maneuvering of the part.

A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include restricting, by an enclosure, an exchange of gaseous matter between an interior of the enclosure and an exterior of the enclosure. The method may further include running multiple machines within the enclosure. Each of the machines may execute its own process of additive manufacture. While the machines are running, a gas management system may maintain gaseous oxygen within the enclosure at or below a limiting oxygen concentration for the interior.

A Ni-based superalloy composition to be used for powder-based additive manufacturing (AM) technology, such as selective laser melting (SLM) or electron beam melting (EBM). The cracking susceptibility during an AM process is considerably reduced by controlling the amount of elements, especially Hf, that form low-melting eutectics.

A welding method includes: arranging end portions of a first member and a second member next to each other facing an end surface of the end portions towards a laser device; performing rotational irradiation to the end surface of the end portions of the first member and the second member with laser light at a predetermined rotating diameter, wherein a spot diameter of the laser light is set to be equal to or larger than the rotating diameter, and wherein an irradiation region of the laser light by the rotational irradiation is set to extend over the first member and the second member.

A method of additive manufacture suitable for large and high resolution structures is disclosed. The method may include sequentially advancing each portion of a continuous part in the longitudinal direction from a first zone to a second zone. In the first zone, selected granules of a granular material may be amalgamated. In the second zone, unamalgamated granules of the granular material may be removed. The method may further include advancing a first portion of the continuous part from the second zone to a third zone while (1) a last portion of the continuous part is formed within the first zone and (2) the first portion is maintained in the same position in the lateral and transverse directions that the first portion occupied within the first zone and the second zone.

A shift in position of a laser beam used for welding objects is corrected without need for intervention by a welder. An irradiator performs welding along a welding part of objects to be welded by relatively moving objects to be welded and a nozzle for emitting a laser beam. An arm apparatus movably holds the nozzle while applying a biasing force to the nozzle in a direction toward the welding part such that the nozzle comes into contact with objects to be welded to irradiate the welding part with the laser beam.

A laser processing apparatus includes: a laser light source configured to generate a laser beam; a plurality of scanners, wherein each of the plurality of scanners is configured to move the laser beam along a processing path so that the laser beam is irradiated onto a corresponding workpiece of a plurality of workpieces, respectively; a plurality of lenses respectively disposed between the plurality of scanners and the plurality of workpieces; and a measuring circuit spaced apart from the plurality of lenses with the plurality of workpieces interposed therebetween, wherein: the measuring circuit moves along a measuring path and measures a characteristic of the laser beam; and the measuring path overlaps the processing path of each of the plurality of scanners.

A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include creating, by a 3D printer contained within an enclosure, a part having a weight greater than or equal to 2,000 kilograms. A gas management system may maintain gaseous oxygen within the enclosure atmospheric level. In some embodiments, a wheeled vehicle may transport the part from inside the enclosure, through an airlock, as the airlock operates to buffer between a gaseous environment within the enclosure and a gaseous environment outside the enclosure, and to a location exterior to both the enclosure and the airlock.

A method of additive manufacture suitable for large and high resolution structures is disclosed. The method may include sequentially advancing each portion of a continuous part in the longitudinal direction from a first zone to a second zone. In the first zone, selected granules of a granular material may be amalgamated. In the second zone, unamalgamated granules of the granular material may be removed. The method may further include advancing a first portion of the continuous part from the second zone to a third zone while (1) a last portion of the continuous part is formed within the first zone and (2) the first portion is maintained in the same position in the lateral and transverse directions that the first portion occupied within the first zone and the second zone.

A steel sheet product and a method for manufacturing the steel sheet product are described, the method includes the steps: providing at least two steel sheets extending in a longitudinal direction (A), cleaning longitudinal edges of the steel sheets by removing any surface oxide layers therefrom, joining the steel sheets along the cleaned longitudinal edges using butt welding without filler material to form a weld, wherein inert gas protection is applied on both a top side and a root side of the weld during welding, thereby obtaining a welded steel sheet product, removal of excess material from the weld, and hardening of the welded steel sheet product by means of heat treatment and subsequent quenching.