An optical manufacturing process sensing and status indication system is taught that is able to utilize optical emissions from a manufacturing process to infer the state of the process. In one case, it is able to use these optical emissions to distinguish thermal phenomena on two timescales and to perform feature extraction and classification so that nominal process conditions may be uniquely distinguished from off-nominal process conditions at a given instant in time or over a sequential series of instants in time occurring over the duration of the manufacturing process. In other case, it is able to utilize these optical emissions to derive corresponding spectra and identify features within those spectra so that nominal process conditions may be uniquely distinguished from off-nominal process conditions at a given instant in time or over a sequential series of instants in time occurring over the duration of the manufacturing process.

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 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.

Tantalum powder that is highly spherical is described. The tantalum powder can be useful in additive manufacturing and other uses. Methods to make the tantalum powder are further described as well as methods to utilize the tantalum powder in additive manufacturing processes. Resulting products and articles using the tantalum powder are further described.

Tantalum powder that is highly spherical is described. The tantalum powder can be useful in additive manufacturing and other uses. Methods to make the tantalum powder are further described as well as methods to utilize the tantalum powder in additive manufacturing processes. Resulting products and articles using the tantalum powder are further described.

A supply module (2) for supplying additive manufacturing powder comprises: a main hopper (29) for storing additive manufacturing powder, the main hopper (29) being designed to be connected to a manufacturing module (4) configured to additively manufacture an object from the powder; an inlet (211) of the supply module (2) designed to be connected to the manufacturing module (4) and to receive powder located in the manufacturing module (4); a glovebox (25) being able to be closed in a sealed manner; a provisioning circuit configured to transfer powder located in the glovebox (25) to the main hopper (29); and a circulation system designed to set powder in motion according to a circulation loop closed on itself, the circulation system comprising a suction system (21) designed to evacuate gas present in the circulation loop, the circulation loop passing through the main hopper (29) and the suction system (21).

A spherical powder for manufacturing a three-dimensional component. The spherical powder is an alloy powder which has at least two refractory metals. The alloy powder has a homogeneous microstructure and at least two crystalline phases.

Disclosed is a spherical powder, and a preparation method therefor including: placing an electrode and a workpiece at two electrodes of a power supply, adjusting a discharging gap between the electrode and workpiece by a motion control system to generate an arc plasma, when arc plasma acts on surfaces of the electrode and workpiece, the surfaces of the electrode and workpiece are melt to form a melting region, at the same time, introducing a fluid medium into the discharging gap, controlling a flow rate of the fluid medium and a relative rotation speed of the electrode or the workpiece, so as to change a working morphology of the arc plasma, such that a tiny explosion is generated in the melting region, crushing and throwing away a material located in the melting region, condensing the crushed molten material in the fluid medium and collecting a condensed fine spherical powder.

A powder material includes metal particles including an iron alloy and having an average particle diameter of 10 μm or larger and 500 μm or smaller, and nanoparticles including a metal or a metal compound and having undergone no surface treatment with an organic substance.

A three-dimensional fabrication system includes a supply device that supplies a fabrication material to form a fabrication material layer, an application device that applies a binder to the fabrication material layer, and circuitry. The circuitry determines a fabrication control condition based on data of a shape of a three-dimensional object to be fabricated, to form the fabrication material layer having a biased distribution of a density of the fabrication material.