A single-piece regenerator having at least two portions, at least one of the portions having a porosity which differs from a porosity of an adjacent portion, and each of the portions of the regenerator being made of a porous rigid material with a given porosity.

A method of forming a unitary sintered body can include cutting a first portion and a second portion from a sheet of feedstock. The feedstock can include ceramic or metallic particles suspended in a binder. The first portion can be positioned in contact with the second portion and the portions can be sintered together to form the unitary body.

A method of forming a unitary sintered body can include cutting a first portion and a second portion from a sheet of feedstock. The feedstock can include ceramic or metallic particles suspended in a binder. The first portion can be positioned in contact with the second portion and the portions can be sintered together to form the unitary body.

The present invention utilizes laser additive manufacturing technologies (“LAMT”) for the creation of porous media that can be used in filtration devices, flow control devices, drug delivery devices and similar devices that are used for, or in conjunction with, the controlled flow of fluids (e.g., gases and liquids) therethrough.

A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional target object may include forming a shell from loose machining powder using an additive manufacturing process and subjecting the shell to a densification process to form a target object. The shell may define an enclosure that contains additional machining powder. The densification process may include causing metallurgical bonding between the shell and additional machining powder contained in the enclosure defined by the shell and shrinking and/or distorting the shape of the shell to conform the target object to a three-dimensional model for the target object. The shell may include a plurality of layers and/or parts that differ at least in respect of density. The plurality of layers and/or parts may be configured based at least in part on the shrinking and/or distorting to the shape of the shell needed to conform the target object to the three-dimensional model for the target object.

A manufacturing system for fabricating a three-dimensional article includes a housing, a sensor within the housing, a coater, a removable powder module (RPM) with a platen, a laser system, and a controller. A method of operating the manufacturing system includes installing the RPM into the housing, forming pillars onto the platen, positioning the top surfaces of the pillars a distance D below a build plane, installing a calibration plate onto the top surfaces of the pillars, and then calibrating the laser system using the sensor. The sensor can include one or more of an optical sensor and an acoustic sensor.

A manufacturing system for fabricating a three-dimensional article includes a housing, a sensor within the housing, a coater, a removable powder module (RPM) with a platen, a laser system, and a controller. A method of operating the manufacturing system includes installing the RPM into the housing, forming pillars onto the platen, positioning the top surfaces of the pillars a distance D below a build plane, installing a calibration plate onto the top surfaces of the pillars, and then calibrating the laser system using the sensor. The sensor can include one or more of an optical sensor and an acoustic sensor.

A method of forming a rotor blade, including forming at least one of a partial upper skin, a partial lower skin, and a partial support network using an additive manufacturing process; and forming a first receptacle in at least a one of the partial upper skin, the partial lower skin, and the partial support network using the additive manufacturing process. The first receptacle is configured to receive of at least one of an electronic component and a mechanical component. In some embodiments, there is a method of manufacturing a rotor blade that includes forming a first locating receptacle in at least one of the upper skin, the lower skin, and the support network using the additive manufacturing process; and positioning at least one of the upper skin, the lower skin, and the support network in a desired position on a fixture based, in part, on the first locating receptacle.

Provided are a solid oxide fuel cell/electrolytic cell and electric stack, which relate to the field of cells. A metal support frame is molded in one step or more steps through the additive manufacturing technology. And then a fuel/electrolytic cell functional layer is formed on the metal support frame by means of thermal spraying, tape casting, screen printing or chemical vapor deposition method, and self-sealing of the solid oxide fuel cell/electrolytic cell is realized through a dense structure of electrolyte.

Provided are a solid oxide fuel cell/electrolytic cell and electric stack, which relate to the field of cells. A metal support frame is molded in one step or more steps through the additive manufacturing technology. And then a fuel/electrolytic cell functional layer is formed on the metal support frame by means of thermal spraying, tape casting, screen printing or chemical vapor deposition method, and self-sealing of the solid oxide fuel cell/electrolytic cell is realized through a dense structure of electrolyte.