The invention relates to a method of producing elongate metal strands or fibres with a crucible, the method comprising the steps of; directing molten metal through a nozzle having a nozzle direction in a deposition direction at a regulated pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the crucible; depositing said molten metal from said nozzle on a rotating planar surface having an axis of rotation; entraining said molten metal in one plane via said rotating planar surface to form elongate metal strands, wherein said rotating surface is aligned at an alignment angle, to the deposition direction during the entraining of the molten metal; cooling said elongate metal strands to form solidified metal strands; and guiding said metal strands to collecting means to collect the solidified metal strands formed on the rotating planar surface.

The metal powder production apparatus includes: a spray tank; and a plurality of spray nozzles each including a molten metal nozzle that lets molten metal flow down into the spray tank and a gas injection nozzle that injects gas from a plurality of injection holes to the molten metal flowing down from the molten metal nozzle. The sectional area A1 [mm.sup.2] of the spray tank has a value obtained by multiplying the number n (n is an integer equal to or greater than 2) of the spray nozzles by a predetermined area value c1.

The metal powder producing apparatus includes: a first gas jet nozzle that includes jet holes disposed in a bottom surface of a gas jet device so as to form first rings each, and jets gas against molten metal flowing down through the liquid nozzles; a second gas jet nozzle that includes jet holes disposed in the bottom surface of the gas jet device so as to form second rings each on an outer side of a corresponding one of the first rings, and jets gas to prevent scatter of metal particles; and a third gas jet nozzle that includes jet holes disposed in the bottom surface of the gas jet device so as to form a third ring on an outer side of the second gas jet nozzle, and jets gas against an inner wall surface of the spray chamber.

A metal powder producing apparatus includes a spray tank, and a plurality of spray nozzles that spray a molten metal into the spray tank. Each of the plurality of spray nozzles includes a molten metal nozzle allowing the molten metal to flow down into the spray tank, and a gas jet nozzle having a plurality of jet holes that are disposed in a periphery of the molten metal nozzle and jet a gas to the molten metal flowing down from the molten metal nozzle. Each of center axes of the plurality of jet holes is deviated to either one of left side and right side relative to a center axis of the molten metal nozzle. Each of the center axes of the plurality of jet holes and the center axis of the molten metal nozzle are located at skew positions.

A three-dimensional magnetic printer includes at least one induction head assembly including an induction heater to heat magnetic material to form an alloy melt and at least one nozzle operable to eject the alloy melt, a coating apparatus, and a base aligned with the at least one nozzle. The induction head assembly deposits at least one alloy melt layer and the coating apparatus forms at least one insulating layer onto the base in accordance with a predetermined pattern to form a three-dimensional article.

A caster assembly configured to process and store a material includes a reaction chamber, a storage assembly configured to store material processed in the reaction chamber, and a blower configured to process and store the material. The reaction chamber includes a vessel configured to hold the material in a melted state prior to processing and a powder generating assembly configured to receive the material from the melting vessel. The powder generating assembly includes a feeding chamber and a feeding device disposed at least partially within the feeding chamber. The feeding device includes at least one nozzle configured to inject inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two into the feeding chamber and a material inlet through which the material is configured to flow into the feeding chamber to be exposed to the inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two.

There are provided high melting point metal or alloy powder atomization manufacturing processes comprising providing a melt of the high melting point metal or alloy through a feed tube; diverting the melt at a diverting angle with respect to a central axis of the feed tube to obtain a diverted melt; directing the diverted melt to an atomization area; and providing at least one atomization gas stream to the atomization area. The atomization process can be carried out in the presence of water within an atomization chamber used for the atomization process.

An atomizer nozzle includes: a molten metal nozzle extending in a vertical direction and which allows a molten metal to flow downward from a lower end thereof; and a gas nozzle including a chamber having an inner peripheral surface surrounding an outer periphery of the molten metal nozzle, a blow portion which introduces a gas to the chamber toward a circumferential direction of the molten metal nozzle, and a cover extending from the chamber to a position below the lower end of the molten metal nozzle while surrounding the molten metal nozzle, wherein the cover is provided with a tapered inner peripheral surface connected to the inner peripheral surface of the chamber and of which diameter is decreased as close to a lower end portion of the tapered inner peripheral surface.

An atomization device for preparing metal alloy powder which includes a main body provided with an atomization chamber, the atomization chamber is provided with an inlet and an atomization zone, the inlet is configured to introduce metal alloy liquid; a high-pressure inert gas pipeline system that is configured to provide a high-pressure inert gas introduced into an atomization zone of the atomization chamber, to atomize the metal alloy liquid; and an oxygen-containing gas pipeline system that is configured to transfer oxygen-containing gas to the atomization zone.

A metal powder manufacturing device includes: an atomization tank; a crucible in which a molten metal is stored; a molten metal nozzle that allows the molten metal stored in the crucible to flow downward into the atomization tank; and a fluid spraying nozzle including a plurality of spraying holes that spray a fluid to an atomization tank side end part of the molten metal nozzle to pulverize a molten metal flow flowing downward from the molten metal nozzle. The molten metal nozzle includes a molten metal nozzle body and an orifice part having an inside diameter equal to or smaller than an inside diameter of the molten metal nozzle body, and a material of the orifice part is harder than a material of the molten metal nozzle body.