A 3D printer that is mostly twenty to thirty times faster than existing 3D printers. Pixel-based Raster images are converted into Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG) images, which are then categorized as lines, curves and surface areas. For each category, faster printing methods for printing with pre-formed shapes such as rods, boards, arcs, etc., are disclosed. Pre-formed shapes may be made of plastic/thermoplastic/polymer or sintering materials, as desired. Sintering materials may be cladded/coated with appropriate materials such as solder, copper, and thermoplastics. The new print-head, which has a fixed portion and a replaceable portion, has a mechanism to draw upon pre-formed shapes to print. The replaceable portion has varying shapes and sizes of placement holes, and a mechanism to signal which replaceable portion has been mounted. The print-head incorporates mechanisms to heat and tack the pre-formed shapes. The invention discloses methods to use multiple print-heads to further speed up printing.

A method of welding including: applying a flux having at least a majority weight percent boron to a surface of a superalloy base material; forming a weldment on the surface wherein boron is melted onto the surface and is incorporated into a resulting weld pool and heat affected zone, and wherein incipient melted inter-dendritic material resulting from presence of the boron is available to flow into a crack formed during cooling of the weldment; and heat treating the weldment to diffuse a remaining concentration of the boron in the weldment and heat affected zone to a desired value.

A method of welding including: applying a flux having at least a majority weight percent boron to a surface of a superalloy base material; forming a weldment on the surface wherein boron is melted onto the surface and is incorporated into a resulting weld pool and heat affected zone, and wherein incipient melted inter-dendritic material resulting from presence of the boron is available to flow into a crack formed during cooling of the weldment; and heat treating the weldment to diffuse a remaining concentration of the boron in the weldment and heat affected zone to a desired value.

A method and system to manufacture workpieces employing a high intensity energy source to create a puddle and at least one resistively heated wire which is heated to at or near its melting temperature and deposited into the puddle as droplets.

A method and system to manufacture workpieces employing a high intensity energy source to create a puddle and at least one resistively heated wire which is heated to at or near its melting temperature and deposited into the puddle as droplets.

A configuration for joining a ceramic layer has a thermal insulating material to a metallic layer. The configuration includes an interface layer made of metallic material located between the ceramic layer and the metallic layer, which includes a plurality of interlocking elements on one of its sides, facing the ceramic layer, the ceramic layer comprising a plurality of cavities aimed at connecting with the corresponding interlocking elements of the interface layer. The configuration also includes a brazing layer by means of which the interface layer is joint to the metallic layer. The invention also refers to a method for obtaining such a configuration.

A configuration for joining a ceramic layer has a thermal insulating material to a metallic layer. The configuration includes an interface layer made of metallic material located between the ceramic layer and the metallic layer, which includes a plurality of interlocking elements on one of its sides, facing the ceramic layer, the ceramic layer comprising a plurality of cavities aimed at connecting with the corresponding interlocking elements of the interface layer. The configuration also includes a brazing layer by means of which the interface layer is joint to the metallic layer. The invention also refers to a method for obtaining such a configuration.

A welding system includes at least one high intensity energy source to create a weld puddle during a root pass on a narrow joint of a workpiece with a clad layer. The system also includes a controller to control a weld ramp out process such that, as the molten puddle advances to a start of an existing root pass weld, the controller at least one of decreases an energy output of the at least one high intensity energy source and reduces an interaction time between the at least one high intensity energy source and the weld puddle. After completion of the root pass, a thickness of a root pass weld in a region that is at or near the start point of the existing root pass weld is in a range of 100 percent to 130 percent of a nominal root pass thickness of a remainder of the root pass weld.

A welding system includes at least one high intensity energy source to create a weld puddle during a root pass on a narrow joint of a workpiece with a clad layer. The system also includes a controller to control a weld ramp out process such that, as the molten puddle advances to a start of an existing root pass weld, the controller at least one of decreases an energy output of the at least one high intensity energy source and reduces an interaction time between the at least one high intensity energy source and the weld puddle. After completion of the root pass, a thickness of a root pass weld in a region that is at or near the start point of the existing root pass weld is in a range of 100 percent to 130 percent of a nominal root pass thickness of a remainder of the root pass weld.

Joining methods and corresponding structures are disclosed. In some instances, a method for joining two or more components may include generating a shockwave in a first component to form a jet of a material of the first component directed towards a second component. The jet may penetrate the second component to connect the first component with the second component. Articles of pre-joined and joined components are also described.