Provided are a jet device and systems and methods using the jet device for manufacturing objects by additive manufacturing, especially titanium and titanium alloy objects, wherein the jet device directs a cooling gas across a liquid molten pool, or to impinge on the liquid molten pool, or to impinge upon a solidified material adjacent to a liquid-solid boundary of the liquid molten pool, or to impinge on an as-solidified material, or any combination thereof, during the additive manufacturing process. The application of the cooling gas can result in an additively manufactured metal product having refined grain structure with a high proportion of the grains being approximately equiaxed, and can yield an additively manufactured product exhibiting improvements in strength, fatigue resistance, and durability.

Lap joints and butt joints can be used for braze-welding metals together, particularly metal sheet materials. Disclosed herein are hybrid joints that include features of both lap joints and of butt joints, that are suitable for braze-welding together articles and workpieces, particularly sheets, composed of different metals including aluminum and steel. Methods for braze-welding such hybrid joints are also disclosed.

A heating assembly includes: an outer surface for contacting an aerosol-forming medium. A part of the outer surface is relatively recessed to form a low surface energy structure of the heating assembly, the low surface energy structure having a micro-scale structure and/or a nano-scale structure. In an embodiment, the heating assembly includes a substrate; a heating layer; and an insulative and thermally conductive layer. The heating layer is stacked between the substrate and the insulative and thermally conductive layer. A surface of a side of the insulative and thermally conductive layer away from the heating layer forms the outer surface.

A heating assembly includes: an outer surface for contacting an aerosol-forming medium. A part of the outer surface is relatively recessed to form a low surface energy structure of the heating assembly, the low surface energy structure having a micro-scale structure and/or a nano-scale structure. In an embodiment, the heating assembly includes a substrate; a heating layer; and an insulative and thermally conductive layer. The heating layer is stacked between the substrate and the insulative and thermally conductive layer. A surface of a side of the insulative and thermally conductive layer away from the heating layer forms the outer surface.

A method for the preparation of steel sheets for fabricating a welded steel blank is provided. The method includes a step of removing at least part of the first and second metal alloy layers in first and second peripheral zones of pre-coated steel first and second sheets, respectively, by simultaneously ablating the first and second precoatings in the first and second peripheral zones of the pre-coated steel first and second sheets to define first and second ablation zones, the first and second peripheral zones being zones of the first and second principal faces closest to the median plane and located on either side of the median plane.

A method for the preparation of steel sheets for fabricating a welded steel blank is provided. The method includes a step of removing at least part of the first and second metal alloy layers in first and second peripheral zones of pre-coated steel first and second sheets, respectively, by simultaneously ablating the first and second precoatings in the first and second peripheral zones of the pre-coated steel first and second sheets to define first and second ablation zones, the first and second peripheral zones being zones of the first and second principal faces closest to the median plane and located on either side of the median plane.

A semiconductor fabrication apparatus includes a source chamber being operable to generate charged particles; and a processing chamber integrated with the source chamber and configured to receive the charged particles from the source chamber. The processing chamber includes a wafer stage being operable to secure and move a wafer, and a laser-charged particles interaction module that further includes a laser source to generate a first laser beam; a beam splitter configured to split the first laser beam into a second laser beam and a third laser beam; and a mirror configured to reflect the third laser beam such that the third laser beam is redirected to intersect with the second laser beam to form a laser interference pattern at a path of the charged particles, and wherein the laser interference pattern modulates the charged particles by in a micron-zone mode for processing the wafer using the modulated charged particles.

A semiconductor fabrication apparatus includes a source chamber being operable to generate charged particles; and a processing chamber integrated with the source chamber and configured to receive the charged particles from the source chamber. The processing chamber includes a wafer stage being operable to secure and move a wafer, and a laser-charged particles interaction module that further includes a laser source to generate a first laser beam; a beam splitter configured to split the first laser beam into a second laser beam and a third laser beam; and a mirror configured to reflect the third laser beam such that the third laser beam is redirected to intersect with the second laser beam to form a laser interference pattern at a path of the charged particles, and wherein the laser interference pattern modulates the charged particles by in a micron-zone mode for processing the wafer using the modulated charged particles.

An additive manufacturing apparatus forms layers with a material that is molten to produce a formed object. The additive manufacturing apparatus includes a CMT power supply that supplies as a power supply current to heat a wire that is the material fed to a workpiece, to the material; a laser oscillator that produces as a beam source a laser beam that is a beam with which the workpiece is irradiated; and a head drive unit that shifts as a drive unit a feed position for the material on the workpiece and an irradiation position for the beam on the workpiece. The additive manufacturing apparatus shifts the feed position and the irradiation position, with the irradiation position leading in a moving path for the feed position in spaced relation to the feed position.

An additive manufacturing apparatus forms layers with a material that is molten to produce a formed object. The additive manufacturing apparatus includes a CMT power supply that supplies as a power supply current to heat a wire that is the material fed to a workpiece, to the material; a laser oscillator that produces as a beam source a laser beam that is a beam with which the workpiece is irradiated; and a head drive unit that shifts as a drive unit a feed position for the material on the workpiece and an irradiation position for the beam on the workpiece. The additive manufacturing apparatus shifts the feed position and the irradiation position, with the irradiation position leading in a moving path for the feed position in spaced relation to the feed position.