There are provided reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing processes. For example, such processes include providing a heated metal source and contact the heated metal source with at least one additive gas while carrying out the atomization process. Such processes provide raw reactive metal powder having improved flowability. The at least one additive gas can be mixed together with an atomization gas to obtain an atomization mixture, and the heated metal source can be contacted with the atomization mixture while carrying out the atomization process. Reactive metal powder spheroidization manufacturing processes are also provided.

Provided are a method of controllably reducing an oxygen content, a method of preparing titanium metal powder, and a method of preparing Ti6Al4V alloy powder. The method of controllably reducing an oxygen content can accurately control the removal amount of oxygen in titanium oxide or vanadium aluminum alloy by introducing a calcium-containing substance into titanium source and/or vanadium source and using aluminum powder in combination as a reductant, and a simple wet treatment is performed on a reduced material obtained after reduction treatment to achieve separation of a reduction by-product and a first reduction powder to obtain high-purity titanium oxide or high-purity vanadium aluminum alloy, thereby providing theoretical and practical bases for preparing a low-valent titanium oxide having a specific oxygen content, a titanium metal powder having a low oxygen content, a vanadium aluminum alloy having a low oxygen content, and a Ti6Al4V alloy having a low oxygen content.

The copper alloy composition is a Cu.sub.comp(Al.sub.2O.sub.3).sub.aZr.sub.bCr.sub.c mass composition in which, in mass percent 1.5%a5%, 0.01%b5%, 0%c5%, the complement consisting of copper and unavoidable impurities.

The copper alloy composition is a Cu.sub.comp(Al.sub.2O.sub.3).sub.aZr.sub.bCr.sub.c mass composition in which, in mass percent 1.5%a5%, 0.01%b5%, 0%c5%, the complement consisting of copper and unavoidable impurities.

An additive manufacturing apparatus comprises a processing chamber defining a window for receiving a laser beam and an optical module. The optical module is removably-mountable to the processing chamber for delivering the laser beam through the window. The optical module contains optical components for focusing and steering the laser beam and a controlled atmosphere can be maintained within the module.

An additive manufacturing apparatus comprises a processing chamber defining a window for receiving a laser beam and an optical module. The optical module is removably-mountable to the processing chamber for delivering the laser beam through the window. The optical module contains optical components for focusing and steering the laser beam and a controlled atmosphere can be maintained within the module.

A metal powder-based manufacturing system is provided and comprises: a sealed vessel defining a manufacturing chamber; a metal transformation/conversion unit contained in the manufacturing chamber and configured to heat a metal-based feedstock for transformation/conversion; an inert gas source in gas communication with the manufacturing chamber to supply inert gas therein, the inert gas source being operatively connected to the manufacturing chamber through an inert gas line; and at least one gas purifying unit in gas communication with the manufacturing chamber to purify the inert gas to obtain a purified inert gas having an oxygen partial pressure below about 100 ppb. A process for transforming/converting metal in a purified inert gas atmosphere.

An apparatus may include a nonthermal plasma reactor vessel, a gaseous core precursor inlet, a gaseous shell precursor inlet, and a plasma source. The reactor vessel may include a core formation region and a shell formation region downstream of the core formation region. The gaseous core precursor inlet may be upstream of the core formation region and configured to introduce gaseous core precursors to the reactor vessel. The gaseous shell precursor inlet may be downstream of the core formation region, upstream of the shell formation region, and configured to introduce gaseous shell precursors to the reactor vessel. The plasma source may be configured to produce a plasma in the core formation region and the shell formation region. The gaseous core precursors may form negatively-charged core nanoparticles in the core formation region. The gaseous shell precursors may form shells on the core nanoparticles in the shell formation region.

An apparatus may include a nonthermal plasma reactor vessel, a gaseous core precursor inlet, a gaseous shell precursor inlet, and a plasma source. The reactor vessel may include a core formation region and a shell formation region downstream of the core formation region. The gaseous core precursor inlet may be upstream of the core formation region and configured to introduce gaseous core precursors to the reactor vessel. The gaseous shell precursor inlet may be downstream of the core formation region, upstream of the shell formation region, and configured to introduce gaseous shell precursors to the reactor vessel. The plasma source may be configured to produce a plasma in the core formation region and the shell formation region. The gaseous core precursors may form negatively-charged core nanoparticles in the core formation region. The gaseous shell precursors may form shells on the core nanoparticles in the shell formation region.

The invention relates to a method for producing a sintered gear comprising a gear body on which at least one elastomer element is arranged, according to which a green compact is produced by pressing a powder, the green compact is sintered into a gear body and is hardened by carburization and subsequent quenching or sinter-hardening and subsequent quenching with a gas and afterwards the at least one elastomer element is vulcanized onto the gear body.