A method, product, apparatus, and article of manufacture for the application of the Composite Based Additive Manufacturing (CBAM) method to produce objects in metal, and in metal fiber hybrids or composites. The approach has many advantages, including the ability to produce more complex geometries than conventional methods such as milling and casting, improved material properties, higher production rates and the elimination of complex fixturing, complex tool paths and tool changes and, for casting, the need for patterns and tools. The approach works by slicing a 3D model, selectively printing a fluid onto a sheet of substrate material for each layer based on the model, flooding onto the substrate a powdered metal to which the fluid adheres in printed areas, clamping and aligning a stack of coated sheets, heating the stacked sheets to melt the powdered metal and fuse the layers of substrate, and removing excess powder and unfused substrate.

A method, product, apparatus, and article of manufacture for the application of the Composite Based Additive Manufacturing (CBAM) method to produce objects in metal, and in metal fiber hybrids or composites. The approach has many advantages, including the ability to produce more complex geometries than conventional methods such as milling and casting, improved material properties, higher production rates and the elimination of complex fixturing, complex tool paths and tool changes and, for casting, the need for patterns and tools. The approach works by slicing a 3D model, selectively printing a fluid onto a sheet of substrate material for each layer based on the model, flooding onto the substrate a powdered metal to which the fluid adheres in printed areas, clamping and aligning a stack of coated sheets, heating the stacked sheets to melt the powdered metal and fuse the layers of substrate, and removing excess powder and unfused substrate.

A method of forming an article comprises placing a first material and a second material in a die of a direct current sintering apparatus. The second material directly contacts the first material. An electric current and pressure are applied to the first material and the second material to form an article. An additional method comprises placing a nickel-based material in direct contact with one or more other nickel-based materials to form a stack of nickel-based materials. An electric current and pressure are applied to the stack of nickel-based materials to join the nickel-based material and the one or more other nickel-based materials. Related articles are also disclosed.

A method of forming an article comprises placing a first material and a second material in a die of a direct current sintering apparatus. The second material directly contacts the first material. An electric current and pressure are applied to the first material and the second material to form an article. An additional method comprises placing a nickel-based material in direct contact with one or more other nickel-based materials to form a stack of nickel-based materials. An electric current and pressure are applied to the stack of nickel-based materials to join the nickel-based material and the one or more other nickel-based materials. Related articles are also disclosed.

There are provided an inexpensive copper powder, which has a low content of oxygen even it has a small particle diameter and which has a high shrinkage starting temperature when it is heated, and a method for producing the same. While a molten metal of copper heated to a temperature, which is higher than the melting point of copper by 250 to 700° C. (preferably 350 to 650° C. and more preferably 450 to 600° C.), is allowed to drop, a high-pressure water is sprayed onto the heated molten metal of copper in a non-oxidizing atmosphere (such as an atmosphere of nitrogen, argon, hydrogen or carbon monoxide) to rapidly cool and solidify the heated molten metal of copper to produce a copper powder which has an average particle diameter of 1 to 10 μm and a crystallite diameter Dx.sub.(200) of not less than 40 nm on (200) plane thereof, the content of oxygen in the copper powder being 0.7% by weight or less.

A monofilament (100) for producing an Nb.sub.3Sn-containing superconductor wire (33) includes a powder core (1) with an Sn-containing powder, a reaction tube (3) composed of an Nb alloy that includes Nb and at least one further alloy component X. The powder core is disposed within the reaction tube. The monofilament also includes at least one source (4) for at least one partner component Pk. A respective source includes one or more source structures at a unitary radial position in the monofilament. The alloy component X and the partner component Pk form precipitates XPk on reaction annealing of the monofilament in which Sn from the powder core and Nb from the reaction tube react to produce Nb.sub.3Sn. The powder core is disposed in a moderation tube, which in turn is disposed within the reaction tube. This provides a monofilament for a powder-in-tube based Nb.sub.3Sn-containing superconductor wire with improved current carrying capacity.

A monofilament (100) for producing an Nb.sub.3Sn-containing superconductor wire (33) includes a powder core (1) with an Sn-containing powder, a reaction tube (3) composed of an Nb alloy that includes Nb and at least one further alloy component X. The powder core is disposed within the reaction tube. The monofilament also includes at least one source (4) for at least one partner component Pk. A respective source includes one or more source structures at a unitary radial position in the monofilament. The alloy component X and the partner component Pk form precipitates XPk on reaction annealing of the monofilament in which Sn from the powder core and Nb from the reaction tube react to produce Nb.sub.3Sn. The powder core is disposed in a moderation tube, which in turn is disposed within the reaction tube. This provides a monofilament for a powder-in-tube based Nb.sub.3Sn-containing superconductor wire with improved current carrying capacity.

A method of impregnating voids of a sintered metal body having a porous structure with resin, the method comprising preparing a resin material that contains a defoamer containing hydrophilic or hydrophobic particles, defoaming the prepared resin material by reducing pressure of the resin material, applying the defoamed resin material onto a surface of the sintered metal body, impregnating the voids with the resin material by reducing pressure of the sintered metal body and the resin material applied to the surface of the sintered metal body so as to expel gas from the voids; and curing the resin material by heating.

A method of impregnating voids of a sintered metal body having a porous structure with resin, the method comprising preparing a resin material that contains a defoamer containing hydrophilic or hydrophobic particles, defoaming the prepared resin material by reducing pressure of the resin material, applying the defoamed resin material onto a surface of the sintered metal body, impregnating the voids with the resin material by reducing pressure of the sintered metal body and the resin material applied to the surface of the sintered metal body so as to expel gas from the voids; and curing the resin material by heating.

A method of selective deposition-based additive manufacturing includes conveying a layer (28) of material to previously built layers (22) of material. A determination is made as to whether at least one of the conveyed layers (28) of material and a top previously built layer (22) of material contains an unsupported portion (302). When at least one of the conveyed layer (28) of material and the top previously built layer (22) of material contains an unsupported portion, a first set of steps (306, 408, 506) are used to transfer the conveyed layer (28) of material to the top previously built layer (22) of material. When neither of the conveyed layer (28) of material and the top previously built layer (22) of material contains an unsupported portion, a second set of steps (304, 406, 504) are used to transfer the conveyed layer (28) of material to the top previously built layer (22) of material.