A printer that produces objects from liquid conductive material is disclosed. In one embodiment, the print head has a chamber for containing liquid conductive material surrounded by an electromagnetic coil. A DC pulse is applied to the electromagnetic coil, resulting in a radially-inward force on the liquid conductive material. The force on the liquid conductive material in the chamber results in a drop being expelled from an orifice. In response to a series of pulses, a series of drops fall onto a platform in a programmed pattern, resulting in the formation of an object.

A range of alloys of Mg and at least one of Cu, Si, Ni and Na alloys that is particularly suitable for hydrogen storage applications. The alloys of the invention are formed into binary and ternary systems. The alloys are essentially hypoeutectic with respect to their Cu and Ni contents, where one or both of these elements are present, but range from hypoeutectic through to hypereutectic with respect to their Si content when that element is also present. The terms hypoeutectic and hypereutectic do not apply to Na if it is added to the alloy. The alloy compositions disclosed provide high performance alloys with regard to their hydrogen storage and kinetic characteristics. They are also able to be formed using conventional casting techniques which are far cheaper and more amenable to commercial use than the alternative ball-milling and rapid solidification techniques which are much more expensive and complex. Each of the individual binary Mg-E systems, where E=Cu, Ni or Si, forms a eutectic comprising of Mg metal and a corresponding Mg.sub.xE.sub.y intermetallic phase.

Provided is a cylinder liner having a first portion with a first thermal conductivity and a second portion with a second thermal conductivity. The first portion having the first thermal conductivity can include as-cast projections or a coating of a material, as desired. The first thermal conductivity can be greater than the second thermal conductivity. In this manner, the cylinder liner can exhibit a thermal conductivity gradient.

A manufacturing method for a cast bar and tube made of a magnesium alloy, includes steps of preparing a manufacturing device; depressurizing a vacuum chamber through a depressurization device; heating a vicinity of an opening of a hollow tube; inserting the opening of the hollow tube into a molten metal; switching a valve member to be open; introducing the molten metal into a cylindrical part, and filling the cylindrical part with the molten metal; cooling the hollow tube; and continuously vibrating the hollow tube until completing solidification of the molten metal in the cylindrical part.

An engine has a cylinder block formed by a block material and defining at least one cylinder. The block defines a lubrication circuit with fluid passages including an inlet passage, a main oil gallery, a crankshaft bearing lubrication passage, and a piston ring lubrication passage. The fluid passages are formed by continuous metal walls in contact with and surrounded by the block material. At least one of the fluid passages is curved. A method of forming a component with an internal pressurized lubrication circuit includes positioning a lost core insert in a tool, with the insert shaped to form a lubrication circuit. The lost core insert has a lost core material generally encapsulated in a continuous metal shell, and at least one curved section. Material is provided into the tool to form a body surrounding the lost core insert thereby forming a component preform.

A casting mold and a production method thereof with which exfoliation of coating is controlled and liquidity of molten metal can be maintained are provided. This casting mold 1 includes a surface processing part 3 in which a plurality of groove parts 5 of a grid groove 4 formed in a surface of a molten metal contact part of a mold material 2 is coated with a carbon film 6. In this surface processing part 3, a width W1 of the groove parts 5 is 35 m or narrower, skewness Ssk of three-dimensional surface roughness is in a range of 0.8 to 0.2, and indentation hardness of the carbon film 6 tested by a nanoindenter is 1000 N/mm.sup.2 or higher. With this arrangement, it is possible to optimize the surface processing part 3 in such a manner that a penetration rate of the molten metal (aluminum 10) is controlled to be low and the coating (carbon film 6) is unlikely to exfoliate from the groove parts 5.

A magnesium alloy is suitable for use as a corrodible downhole article, wherein the alloy includes: (a) 11-15 wt % Y, (b) 0.5-5 wt % in total of rare earth metals other than Y, (c) 0-1 wt % Zr, (d) 0.1-5 wt % Ni, and (e) at least 70 wt % Mg. It has been surprisingly found by the inventors that by increasing the Y content of the alloy to the range specified above, increased age hardening response and hence increased 0.2% proof stress can be achieved.

The present application provides a biodegradable magnesium alloy without rare earth elements. The magnesium alloy comprises the following elements in percentage by mass: Zn 1.0-5.0%; Mn 0.1-1.0%; Ca 0.1-1.0%; Sr 0.1-1.0%; Sn 0.1-3.0%; Zr 0.1-0.8%; and Mg balance. The impurity in the magnesium alloy does not contain rare earth elements. The present application also provides a method for preparing the above biodegradable magnesium alloy and use in the preparation of medical devices. In the present application, Mg is used as the main components and mixed with a specific proportion of Zn, Ca and Mn to prepare the alloy. The biodegradable magnesium alloy of the present application has a controllable degradation rate and strong mechanical strength, and there are no harmful elements to a human body, and the degradation of the alloy in the human body will not affect human body.

Provided are a method for preparing a microfluidic device, a microfluidic device and a microfluidic system. The method includes: providing a mold having a groove; injecting a liquid metal into the groove of the mold, and solidifying the liquid metal to obtain a solid metal; separating the solid metal from the mold; providing the solid metal with an electrode; providing a cladding layer on a surface of the solid metal provided with the electrode, such that the solid metal is wrapped by the cladding layer, and at least a part of the electrode extends outside the cladding layer, so as to obtain a preform; and fixing the preform in a substrate, melting the solid metal and extending at least a part of the electrode outside the substrate, to obtain the microfluidic device.

A system and method of manufacturing an aluminum fuel cell cradle includes providing a negative cast mold having cavities to form the cradle and providing a feeding mechanism disposed about the mold and in fluid communication with the cavities thereof. The feeding mechanism includes a plurality of primary risers connected to and in fluid communication with cavities. The method further includes melting a first metallic material to define a molten metallic material, and moving the mold to a vertical casting orientation about a rotational axis, while feeding molten metallic material through the runner to the cavities, and cooling the molten metallic material to define a solidified metallic material. A second solidification time in the risers is greater than a first solidification time in the mold such that shrinkage of the solidified metallic material occurs in the risers away from the mold.