An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a dispensing system positionable over a platen to deliver a powder, an actuator to move the dispensing system along a scan axis, and an energy source to fuse a portion of the powder. The dispensing system has a hopper to hold the powder and a dispenser. The dispenser includes a channel extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end. The proximal end of the channel of the dispenser is configured to receive the powder from the powder source. A powder conveyor is positioned within the channel to move the powder from the proximal end along a length of the channel, and a plurality of apertures are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the channel. The dispenser is configured such that flow of powder through each aperture is independently controllable.

A method for welding together at least two parts of green material, referred to as green parts, by means of co-sintering, comprising the following steps:assembling the at least two green parts at a junction zone of said parts so as to form a green one-piece assembly,de-binding the green one-piece assembly, andsintering the one-piece assembly so as to obtain a dense one-piece assembly forming a final part, characterised in that the two green parts (10, 12) each have a composition of different powder, so as to produce a final part (1) having at least two parts with different grain sizes.

A method for welding together at least two parts of green material, referred to as green parts, by means of co-sintering, comprising the following steps:assembling the at least two green parts at a junction zone of said parts so as to form a green one-piece assembly,de-binding the green one-piece assembly, andsintering the one-piece assembly so as to obtain a dense one-piece assembly forming a final part, characterised in that the two green parts (10, 12) each have a composition of different powder, so as to produce a final part (1) having at least two parts with different grain sizes.

An aluminum particle group composed of aluminum particles, as observed in an image thereof obtained through a scanning electron microscope, has an average circularity of 0.75 or more, and an average particle diameter of D.sub.50 of 10 m or more and less than 100 m, and satisfies A3B and also satisfying D<C where A represents the number of aluminum particles having a diameter of less than 5 m, B represents the number of aluminum particles having a diameter of 10 m or more, C represents the number of aluminum particles with no satellite, and D represents the number of aluminum particles having satellites.

A method for producing a copper-infiltrated valve seat ring and a valve seat ring are disclosed. The method includes introducing a copper powder and a functional material powder mixture into a joint cavity, simultaneously forming the copper powder and the functional material powder mixture into a green body comprising a functional section and a copper section in the joint cavity by the mold element, and sintering the green body formed in step b) to produce the valve seat ring where the copper section liquefies during the sintering and infiltrates pores present in the functional section.

A method for producing a copper-infiltrated valve seat ring and a valve seat ring are disclosed. The method includes introducing a copper powder and a functional material powder mixture into a joint cavity, simultaneously forming the copper powder and the functional material powder mixture into a green body comprising a functional section and a copper section in the joint cavity by the mold element, and sintering the green body formed in step b) to produce the valve seat ring where the copper section liquefies during the sintering and infiltrates pores present in the functional section.

An additive manufacturing system including a build plate and at least two powder reservoirs. The at least two powder reservoirs including a first powder reservoir configured to store a first powder and deposit the first powder onto the build plate, wherein the first powder reservoir is configured to move relative to the build plate, and a second powder reservoir configured to store a second powder and deposit the second powder onto the build plate, wherein the second powder reservoir is configured to move relative to the build plate. The first powder has at least one predetermined characteristic that is different than that of the second powder.

An additive manufacturing system including a build plate and at least two powder reservoirs. The at least two powder reservoirs including a first powder reservoir configured to store a first powder and deposit the first powder onto the build plate, wherein the first powder reservoir is configured to move relative to the build plate, and a second powder reservoir configured to store a second powder and deposit the second powder onto the build plate, wherein the second powder reservoir is configured to move relative to the build plate. The first powder has at least one predetermined characteristic that is different than that of the second powder.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a dispensing system positionable over a platen to deliver a powder, an actuator to move the dispensing system along a scan axis, and an energy source to fuse a portion of the powder. The dispensing system has a hopper to hold the powder and a dispenser. The dispenser includes a channel extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end. The proximal end of the channel of the dispenser is configured to receive the powder from the powder source. A powder conveyor is positioned within the channel to move the powder from the proximal end along a length of the channel, and a plurality of apertures are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the channel. The dispenser is configured such that flow of powder through each aperture is independently controllable.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a dispensing system positionable over a platen to deliver a powder, an actuator to move the dispensing system along a scan axis, and an energy source to fuse a portion of the powder. The dispensing system has a hopper to hold the powder and a dispenser. The dispenser includes a channel extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end. The proximal end of the channel of the dispenser is configured to receive the powder from the powder source. A powder conveyor is positioned within the channel to move the powder from the proximal end along a length of the channel, and a plurality of apertures are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the channel. The dispenser is configured such that flow of powder through each aperture is independently controllable.