A method for manufacturing a sintered component includes a step of making a green compact having a relative density of at least 88% by compression-molding a base powder containing a metal powder into a metallic die, a step of machining a groove part having a groove width of 1.0 mm or less in the green compact by processing groove with a cutting tool, and a step of sintering the green compact in which the groove part is formed after the step of forming the groove part.

A method for manufacturing a sintered component includes a step of making a green compact having a relative density of at least 88% by compression-molding a base powder containing a metal powder into a metallic die, a step of machining a groove part having a groove width of 1.0 mm or less in the green compact by processing groove with a cutting tool, and a step of sintering the green compact in which the groove part is formed after the step of forming the groove part.

It has been found that metal parts having rough surfaces can be manufactured by (1) compacting a metal powder under high pressure in a mold to make a green part, wherein at least one face of the mold is roughened by electrical discharge machining to have an R.sub.a of 10 to 200 micro-inches, as measured with a profilometer having a stylus tip, (2) heating the green metal part to a temperature of at least 1500 F. to sinter the green metal part to produce the metal part having at least one rough surface, wherein the rough surface has an R.sub.a which is within the range of 10 to 200 micro-inches, as measured with a profilometer having a chisel tip, and (3) optionally, buffing, classifying, deburring and/or washing the metal part. This method can be beneficially used in manufacturing clutch plates, pressure plates, and cam shaft sprockets.

It has been found that metal parts having rough surfaces can be manufactured by (1) compacting a metal powder under high pressure in a mold to make a green part, wherein at least one face of the mold is roughened by electrical discharge machining to have an R.sub.a of 10 to 200 micro-inches, as measured with a profilometer having a stylus tip, (2) heating the green metal part to a temperature of at least 1500 F. to sinter the green metal part to produce the metal part having at least one rough surface, wherein the rough surface has an R.sub.a which is within the range of 10 to 200 micro-inches, as measured with a profilometer having a chisel tip, and (3) optionally, buffing, classifying, deburring and/or washing the metal part. This method can be beneficially used in manufacturing clutch plates, pressure plates, and cam shaft sprockets.

This invention teaches a quality assurance system for additive manufacturing. This invention teaches a multi-sensor, real-time quality system including sensors, affiliated hardware, and data processing algorithms that are Lagrangian-Eulerian with respect to the reference frames of its associated input measurements. The quality system for Additive Manufacturing is capable of measuring true in-process state variables associated with an additive manufacturing process, i.e., those in-process variables that define a feasible process space within which the process is deemed nominal. The in-process state variables can also be correlated to the part structure or microstructure and can then be useful in identifying particular locations within the part likely to include defects.

A method for additively manufacturing an object from a metal powder is disclosed. The method includes distributing a first stratum of the metal powder in a powder-bed volume at least partially delimited by a build platform. The method further includes melting a first selected portion of the first stratum of the metal powder in a powder-bed volume by exposing the first selected portion of the first stratum of the metal powder to electromagnetic energy from an electromagnetic energy source while moving the electromagnetic energy source along a first predetermined path in a polar coordinate system to form at least a portion of a first layer of the object. The electromagnetic energy source is movable in a linear travel path along a linear rail and the linear rail is one of rotatable or revolvable in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis A.

A continuous method of manufacturing permanent magnets and the permanent magnets created thereby. A fine powder is created from a combination of magnetic metals. The powder (a metal alloy) is placed in a non-magnetic container of any desired shape which could be, for example, a tube. The metal alloy and tube are swaged while a magnetic field is applied. Once swaging is complete, the metal alloy and tube are sintered and then cooled. Instead of sintering, a bonding agent can mixed into the powder. Following cooling, the metal alloy is magnetized by placing it between poles of powerful electromagnets with the desired field direction. The process of the invention enables mass-produced, cost-effective PM products, which are more robust, easily assembled into products, enables new wire like shapes with arbitrary magnetization direction. The process enables mass production of permanent magnets of any desired cross section, produces permanent magnets continuously that may be cut to any length, and may, in an embodiment, result in directional magnets.

In one aspect, A method of forming a product using an additive-manufacturing head includes forming a new layer of material of the product with the additive-manufacturing head. Forming the new layer of material includes depositing the new layer of material on an existing layer of material and melting the new layer of material so that the new layer of material is welded to the existing layer of material. The method also includes processing at least one of the new layer of material or the existing layer of material with a laser-emitting device, coupled to the additive-manufacturing head. Processing the at least one of the new layer of material or the existing layer of material with the laser-emitting device comprises smoothing a lateral surface of at least one of the new layer of material or the existing layer of material with a laser beam, emitted from the laser-emitting device.

A method for producing a thermoelectric object for a thermoelectric conversion device is provided. A starting material which has elements in the ratio of a half-Heusler alloy is melted and then cooled to form at least one ingot. The ingot is homogenized at a temperature of 1000 C. to 1400 C. for a period of time t, wherein 0.5 ht<12 h or 24 h<t<100 h. The homogenized ingot is crushed and ground into a powder. The powder is cold-pressed and sintered at a maximum pressure of 1 MPa for 0.5 to 24 h at a temperature of 1000 C. to 1500 C.

A method for producing a thermoelectric object for a thermoelectric conversion device is provided. A starting material which has elements in the ratio of a half-Heusler alloy is melted and then cooled to form at least one ingot. The ingot is homogenized at a temperature of 1000 C. to 1400 C. for a period of time t, wherein 0.5 ht<12 h or 24 h<t<100 h. The homogenized ingot is crushed and ground into a powder. The powder is cold-pressed and sintered at a maximum pressure of 1 MPa for 0.5 to 24 h at a temperature of 1000 C. to 1500 C.