A body of a fluid control apparatus includes an inlet, an outlet, and a fluid flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet. A first flange surrounds the inlet and a second flange surrounds the outlet. A bore is sized to receive a control stem and a control element. An inner wall includes an outside surface, an inside surface, an area surrounding the bore, an area sized to receive a valve seat, an area surrounding the inlet, an area surrounding the outlet, and an area defining the fluid flow path. A three-dimensional lattice structure is attached to the inner wall. The lattice structure includes a plurality of connected lattice members and is integrally formed with the inner wall.

According to one aspect, embodiments herein provide a method of reducing distortion in an additively manufactured part comprising forming a shrinking platform from a composite including metal particles embedded in a first matrix, forming shrinking supports from the composite, forming a part from the composite upon the shrinking platform and shrinking supports, forming an interior structure in at least one of the shrinking platform, the shrinking supports, and the part having a plurality of chambers with interconnections therebetween, forming from the shrinking platform, the sintering supports, and the part a portable assembly, and debinding the first matrix in the portable assembly to form a portable assembly in a brown state, wherein debinding the first matrix includes penetrating a fluid debinder into the interior structure of the at least one of the shrinking platform, the shrinking supports, and the part to debind the first matrix from within the interior structure.

A method of manufacturing a body of a fluid control apparatus using additive manufacturing, the method including forming an inner wall having an outside surface and an inside surface, an area surrounding an inlet, an area surrounding an outlet, and an area surrounding a fluid flow path, wherein the inner wall provides a fluid boundary and connects the inlet and the outlet. The method further including forming a portion of the inner wall that receives a valve seat, forming a portion of the inner wall that receives a control stem and a control element, and forming a lattice structure by depositing a solidifiable material onto the inner wall in a predetermined pattern, wherein the lattice structure is three-dimensional and includes a plurality of connected lattice members.

According to one aspect, embodiments herein provide a method comprising forming a shrinking platform of model material above a build plate, the model material including sinterable metal particles and a first binder, forming a support structure of the model material extending up from the shrinking platform, forming a first portion of the part from successive layers of the model material above the support structure, forming a release layer intervening between a surface of the part and an opposing surface of the support structure or between a surface of the shrinking platform and an opposing surface of the build plate, the release layer including a dispersed ceramic powder and a second binder, and supporting the part, the release layer, and the support structure upon the shrinking platform to form a platform-integrating part assembly, the support structure being configured to prevent the first portion from distorting from gravitational force during sintering.

A method comprising forming a shrinking platform of layers of a composite, the composite including a metal particulate filler in a first matrix, forming a shrinking support of layers of the composite upon the shrinking platform, forming a first release layer of a release material upon the shrinking support, the release material including a ceramic particulate and a second matrix, and forming a part of the composite upon the shrinking support to form a portable assembly from the combined shrinking platform, shrinking support, release layer and part, wherein substantially horizontal portions of the part are vertically supported by the shrinking platform, wherein the first release layer is configured, after sintering, to separate the part from the shrinking support and to allow the part to be readily removed from the shrinking support, and wherein the shrinking support is configured to prevent the part from distorting during sintering.

A method comprising depositing, in layers, a shrinking platform formed from a composite including metal particles embedded in a first matrix, depositing shrinking supports of the composite upon the shrinking platform, forming a separation clearance dividing at least one shrinking support into fragments, depositing, from the composite, a part upon the shrinking platform and shrinking supports, depositing a separation material intervening between the part and the shrinking supports, the separation material including a ceramic powder and a second matrix, and forming, from the shrinking platform, shrinking supports, separation material, and part, a portable platform assembly in a green state, wherein the shrinking support is configured to prevent the portable platform assembly from distorting from gravitational force during sintering of the metal particles of the assembly in a brown state, and wherein the ceramic powder of the separation material is configured to separate the shrinking support from the part following sintering.

A method for producing a piston may include forming a piston blank in a first forming tool such that the piston blank surrounds a ring carrier configured to receive a piston ring via positive engagement after producing the ring carrier by a sintering process. The piston blank, at least in a circumferential region disposed at a piston head, may be composed of a light metal alloy suitable for forging. The method may also include removing the piston blank from the first forming tool and placing the piston blank in a second forming tool, and inserting a holding-down tool into the second forming tool to hold the ring carrier down. The method may further include pressing a final forming punch into the second forming tool to deform the piston blank and form a piston.

A component is provided. The component includes a structure including a plurality of unit cells joined together, each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells having a mass density substantially similar to the mass density of every other unit cell of the plurality of unit cells. The plurality of unit cells includes a first portion of unit cells having a characteristic dimension and a first portion average stiffness, the characteristic dimension of the first portion of unit cells having a first value. The plurality of unit cells also includes a second portion of unit cells having the characteristic dimension and a second portion average stiffness, the characteristic dimension of the second portion of unit cells having a second value different from the first value, wherein the second portion average stiffness differs from the first portion average stiffness.

A component is provided. The component includes a structure including a plurality of unit cells joined together, each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells having a mass density substantially similar to the mass density of every other unit cell of the plurality of unit cells. The plurality of unit cells includes a first portion of unit cells having a characteristic dimension and a first portion average stiffness, the characteristic dimension of the first portion of unit cells having a first value. The plurality of unit cells also includes a second portion of unit cells having the characteristic dimension and a second portion average stiffness, the characteristic dimension of the second portion of unit cells having a second value different from the first value, wherein the second portion average stiffness differs from the first portion average stiffness.

A method of making a porous metal matrix composite is provided. The method includes mixing a metal powder, a plurality of inorganic particles, and a plurality of discontinuous fibers to form a mixture, wherein the metal powder comprises aluminum, magnesium, an aluminum alloy, or a magnesium alloy. The method further includes sintering the mixture to form the porous metal matrix composite. Typically, the inorganic particles comprise porous particles or ceramic bubbles or glass bubbles, and the inorganic particles and the discontinuous fibers are dispersed in the metal. The metal matrix composite has a lower density than the metal and an acceptable yield strength.