A composite hard-surface material preparation method and a composite hard-surface material prepared thereby, the preparation method comprising: dispersedly fixing a plurality of cemented carbide sheets (2) to a surface of a metal substrate (1); and surfacing the cemented carbide sheets (2) and the metal substrate (1) with a solder (3) to obtain a composite hard-surface material, the solder (3) comprising nickel-based alloy powder, tungsten carbide particles and boron nitride powder. The solder (3) used in the preparation of the composite hard-surface material comprises nickel-based alloy powder, tungsten carbide particles and boron nitride powder, wherein the nickel-based alloy powder can increase fluidity and corrosion resistance, the tungsten carbide particle can improve hardness, and the boron nitride powder can effectively reduce friction coefficient. The present solder has good fluidity, high hardness and good solderability, using said solder, the obtained composite hard-surface material may enjoy good wear resistance.

The preparation and use of particulate metallic solder alloy having particles of a single chemical composition is described. The particles of the particulate metallic solder alloy have a bimodal size distribution in which particles in a smaller size range have a largest dimension that is smaller than a smallest dimension of particles in a larger size range of the bimodal distribution. In some examples the particles in the smaller size mode have dimensions in the range of 1 to 100 nm. In some examples, the particles in the larger size mode have dimensions in the range of 2 to 75 microns in dimension. In some examples, a halogen-free flux is used. In some examples, a solvent is used to make a paste.

Provided is a preform solder including a first metal containing Sn and a second metal formed of an alloy containing Ni and Fe. Alternatively, provided is a preform solder (1) having a metal structure including a first phase (10) that is a continuous phase and a second phase (20) dispersed in the first phase (10), the first phase (10) contains Sn, the second phase (20) is formed of an alloy containing Ni and Fe, and a grain boundary (15) of a metal is present in the first phase (10).

An additive manufacturing apparatus comprises a processing chamber (100) defining a window (110) for receiving a laser beam and an optical module (10) The optical module is removably-mountable to the processing chamber for delivering the laser beam through the window. The optical module contains optical components for focusing and steering the laser beam and a controlled atmosphere can be maintained within the module.

A solder ball with a concave-convex structure is provided. The solder ball with a concave-convex structure includes tin-bismuth alloy including a plurality of concave portions and convex portions on its surface. The height difference between the concave portions and the convex portions is between about 10 nanometers and about 200 nanometers. The proportion of tin in the tin-bismuth alloy is between about 28% and about 52%. A method for preparing the solder ball with a concave-convex structure is also provided.

A composite wear pad includes a substrate that is selected from the group of iron based alloys, steel, nickel based alloys, and cobalt based alloys. A hard particle-matrix alloy layer is bonded at a surface to the substrate. The hard particle-matrix alloy layer has a plurality of hard particles dispersed in a matrix alloy. The hard particle-matrix alloy layer has a thickness ranging between greater than about 13 millimeters and about 20 millimeters.

Undercooled liquid metallic core-shell particles, whose core is stable against solidification at ambient conditions, i.e. under near ambient temperature and pressure conditions, are used to join or repair metallic non-particulate components. The undercooled-shell particles in the form of nano-size or micro-size particles comprise an undercooled stable liquid metallic core encapsulated inside an outer shell, which can comprise an oxide or other stabilizer shell typically formed in-situ on the undercooled liquid metallic core. The shell is ruptured to release the liquid phase core material to join or repair a component(s).

A process for producing an interior trim part (1) with a decorative layer situated on a first side (S1) thereof and forming a decorative pattern (M) for the interior of a motor vehicle, the process comprising the following steps: (a) formation of at least one cutout configuration (R), defined by a predetermined decorative pattern (M), in a protective layer (120) situated on a first side (S1), which is situated on a first surface (110a) of the shell-shaped base body (110) made of a metallic material, (b) deposition of sinterable decorative material on the first side (S1) in such a way that the decorative material, as an intermediate layer (150), covers at least the area in which the cutout configuration (R) defined by the decorative pattern (M) is formed in the protective layer (120), (c) laser-sintering of the intermediate layer (150) inside the at least one cutout configuration defined by the decorative pattern (M), (d) removal of the sinterable decorative material that is situated outside the at least one cutout configuration defined by the decorative pattern (M),
as well as an interior trim part (1).

By using a solder alloy consisting essentially of 0.2-1.2 mass % of Ag, 0.6-0.9 mass % of Cu, 1.2-3.0 mass % of Bi, 0.02-1.0 mass % of Sb, 0.01-2.0 mass % of In, and a remainder of Sn, it is possible to obtain portable devices having excellent resistance to drop impact and excellent heat cycle properties without developing thermal fatigue even when used in a high-temperature environment such as inside a vehicle heated by the sun or in a low-temperature environment such as outdoors in snowy weather.

A continuous hot bonding method for producing a bi-material strip with a strong bond therebetween is provided. The method comprises sanding a first strip formed of steel; and applying a layer of first particles, typically formed of copper, to the sanded first strip. The method next includes heating the first strip and the layer of the first particles, followed by pressing a second strip formed of an aluminum alloy onto the heated layer of the first particles. The aluminum alloy of the second strip includes tin particles, and the heat causes the second particles to liquefy and dissolve into the melted first particles. The first particles and the second particles bond together to form bond enhancing metal particles, which typically comprise bronze.