A method for inspection of additive manufactured parts and monitoring operational performance of an additive manufacturing apparatus is provided. The method includes a heating step for heating an area of a build platform on which at least one part is built by the additive manufacturing apparatus. An obtaining step is used for obtaining, in real-time during an additively manufactured build process, a thermographic scan of the area of the build platform. An evaluating step evaluates, by a processor, the thermographic scan. A determining step determines, based on the evaluating, whether an operational flaw with the additive manufacturing apparatus has occurred or a defect in the at least one part has occurred.

Described herein is a method of forming a heat-treated material includes positioning the heat-treated material between first and second susceptors. Each of the first and second susceptors includes a tool face shaped according to a desired shape of the heat-treated material. The method also includes applying a low-strength magnetic field to the first and second susceptors to heat the first and second susceptors. Further, the method includes compressing the heat-treated material between the first and second susceptors to form the heat-treated material into the desired shape. The method additionally includes applying a high-strength magnetic field to the heat-treated material before compressing the heat-treated material between the first and second susceptors.

A method for synthesizing a metal matrix nanocomposite (MMNC) is an in-situ synthesis technique for preparing a metal matrix with ceramic reinforcements dispersed homogenously therein. The method includes mixing a base metal matrix material with two or more ceramic-forming elements to form a mixture; blending the mixture; drying the mixture; ball milling the mixture with a plurality of milling balls to form a milled mixture; using induction heating to form a melt flow and induce electromagnetic forces; and initiating a plurality of stirring vortexes in the melt flow to form the metal matrix nanocomposite.

A method for synthesizing a metal matrix nanocomposite (MMNC) is an in-situ synthesis technique for preparing a metal matrix with ceramic reinforcements dispersed homogenously therein. The method includes mixing a base metal matrix material with two or more ceramic-forming elements to form a mixture; blending the mixture; drying the mixture; ball milling the mixture with a plurality of milling balls to form a milled mixture; using induction heating to form a melt flow and induce electromagnetic forces; and initiating a plurality of stirring vortexes in the melt flow to form the metal matrix nanocomposite.

A method for creating a dynamic mold from a ferrofluid substrate in or adjacent to curable molding material is disclosed. A combination of magnetic elements is used to create a magnetic field that is capable of concentrating a ferrofluid substrate in a 3-D space. The ferrofluid substrate shapes a molding material to effect its shape. The ferrofluid, under the influence of a magnetic field, is capable of creating surface features and internal features in the molding material. Once cured or partially cured, the ferrofluid may be removed, resulting in features that are difficult to form by conventional methods.

A method of and apparatus for sinter forging a precursor powder to form a film may reduce or eliminate the stress in the film and may facilitate processing of continuous length of films such as ceramic films for use in batteries. The precursor powder can be provided on a substrate and is simultaneously heated and pressed in a pressing direction parallel to a thickness of the film so as to sinter and densify the precursor powder to form the film in a sinter forging area. Notably, in a plane perpendicular to the pressing direction, there are no lateral constraints on the sinter forging area or the material received therein.

Systems and methods for the manufacture of a solid wire using additive manufacturing techniques are disclosed. In one embodiment, a fine powdery material is sintered or melted or soldered or metallurgically bonded onto a metal strip substrate in a compacted solid form or a near-net shape (e.g., a near-net solid wire shape) before being turned into a final product through forming or drawing dies.

A powdered material preform includes a pressed powdered metal or other powdered material, where the preform is processed and sealed so that a skin or shell is formed at the outer surface of the preform (such as via melting an outer layer or surface of the preform or via adding an outer layer around the preform or via a combination thereof), with an inner portion of the preform comprising pressed powdered material. The skinned preform may comprise a shape that is generally similar to that of a final product or part to be formed, or may simply comprise a puck or shape of approximately the same mass of the shape being formed, and the skinned preform is suitable for use in subsequent densification and/or consolidation processes or combinations thereof to form the final, fully processed part.

A powdered material preform includes a pressed powdered metal or other powdered material, where the preform is processed and sealed so that a skin or shell is formed at the outer surface of the preform (such as via melting an outer layer or surface of the preform or via adding an outer layer around the preform or via a combination thereof), with an inner portion of the preform comprising pressed powdered material. The skinned preform may comprise a shape that is generally similar to that of a final product or part to be formed, or may simply comprise a puck or shape of approximately the same mass of the shape being formed, and the skinned preform is suitable for use in subsequent densification and/or consolidation processes or combinations thereof to form the final, fully processed part.

A high frequency induction heating method includes: providing a film containing a component, which melts at a preset heating temperature, on a surface of a workpiece before heating the workpiece by high frequency induction heating using a high-frequency coil; and heating the workpiece by high frequency induction heating.