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.

A method and an apparatus for collecting a powdered material after a print job in powder bed fusion additive manufacturing may involve a build platform supporting a powder bed capable of tilting, inverting, and shaking to separate the powder bed substantially from the build platform in a hopper. The powdered material may be collected in a hopper for reuse in later print jobs. The powder collecting process may be automated to increase efficiency of powder bed fusion additive manufacturing.

An integral ring gear and torque arm for a wind turbine gearbox and method of manufacturing same includes forming the ring gear and the associated gear housing as a single part using the same material, e.g., using a casting process. Further, the ring gear defines an inner circumferential surface having a plurality of gear teeth. Thus, the method also includes applying a coating material to the gear teeth of the ring gear via an additive manufacturing process, such as cold spraying, so as to increase a hardness of gear teeth.

In a method for making a tooth system of a gearing component, an unfinished tooth-system part is heat-treated. At least part of an oxide layer on the unfinished tooth-system part is mechanically removed, while leaving a residual oxide layer in at least one region, and the residual oxide layer is at least partially removed by irradiating with a laser at least a portion of the residual oxide layer.

A method for welding a first component to a second component. The method includes providing a first component including a first alloy, providing a second component including a second alloy, heating the first component, and solid state welding the second component to the first component.

A method and an apparatus pertaining to recycling and reuse of unwanted light in additive manufacturing can multiplex multiple beams of light including at least one or more beams of light from one or more light sources. The multiple beams of light may be reshaped and blended to provide a first beam of light. A spatial polarization pattern may be applied on the first beam of light to provide a second beam of light. Polarization states of the second beam of light may be split to reflect a third beam of light, which may be reshaped into a fourth beam of light. The fourth beam of light may be introduced as one of the multiple beams of light to result in a fifth beam of light.

Methods of fabricating reduced weight components for apparatuses include obtaining a component including a relatively lightweight material; placing at least one stabilizing structure on the component; sequentially applying a plurality of applied layers on the component and the stabilizing structure by applying the relatively lightweight material over the component and applying over the relatively lightweight material a plurality of layers having gradually progressively higher proportions of the relatively heavyweight material than preceding ones of the plurality of layers closer to the component, with an outer layer of the plurality of applied layers including the relatively heavyweight material; diffusion bonding the plurality of applied layers by consolidation of the plurality of applied layers; and cutting component features in the plurality of applied layers.

A method for producing a rack for a steering gear may involve providing a toothed segment and a shaft segment aligned on a longitudinal axis and connecting the segments by axial joining faces by friction welding at a welding joint. For friction welding, the joining faces may be brought into frictional contact by an initial friction force, the segments may be rotated relative to one another, the joining faces may be mutually compressed by way of a contact pressure force until a predefined joining path has been reached by way of a welding force 10 to 20 times the initial friction force, thermal input friction may be performed by an input force 5 to 12 times the initial friction force, and the segments may be moved toward one another in an axial direction by the predefined joining path. The segments may be held in position without friction.

A gear for a torque transmission device includes a gear member and a support member with a weld formed therebetween, and the gear member has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface has teeth. The support member has a support surface. The weld attaches the second surface of the gear member and the support surface. Portions of the second surface of the gear member and the support surface which contact the weld are ungrooved.

A gearbox for a planetary gear having a hollow-cylindrical housing body having a first internal gear, and a bearing flange engaging at least in sections coaxially in the housing body, so that an overlap area is formed, wherein the housing body and the bearing flange are firmly bonded to each other in the overlap area by laser irradiation welding. The bearing flange has a second internal gear in the overlap area. The gearbox relates to a planetary gear and a motor/transmission combination having such a gearbox and a production method thereof.