A concentric ring gas atomization nozzle with isolated gas supply manifolds is provided for manipulating the close-coupled atomization gas structure to improve the yield of atomized powders.

A system of 3D printing using a high temperature 3D print head that functions as a modified ink jet printer. The print head has the ability to print high temperature material such as metal, silicon carbide, and other high temperature material as opposed to inks or plastics. The print head is fabricated from a high temperature material to maintain structural integrity while operation at temperatures above the melting temperature for the material that is being printed.

The nozzles of a MHD liquid metal ejector/printhead can be clogged by contaminants in the liquid metal. Typically, these contaminants are in the form of small particles of aggregates of particles, such as metal oxides, that are insoluble in the liquid metal. Possible cleaning methods include mechanically removing the clogging material, such as by using a physical device to dislodge the clogging material and remove it; chemically removing the clogging material, such as by using selected chemicals/flux to chemically react with the clogging material; using ultrasound to break/remove the clogging material; and providing reversed and/or oscillating flow of material through the nozzle.

Atomization processes for manufacturing a metal powder or an alloy powder having a melting point comprising of about 50 Celsius to about 500 Celsius are provided herein. In at least one embodiment, the processes comprise providing a melt of a metal or an alloy having said melting point of about 50 Celsius to about 500 Celsius 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. In at least one embodiment, the processes provide a distribution of powder with an average particle diameter under 20 microns with geometric standard deviation of lower than about 2.0.

Devices, systems, and methods are directed to applying magnetohydrodynamic forces to liquid metal to eject liquid metal along a controlled pattern, such as a controlled three-dimensional pattern as part of additive manufacturing of an object. An electric current delivered to produce the magnetohydrodynamic forces can be controlled between a pulsed electric current and a direct electric current to change the rate of liquid metal ejection from a nozzle. For example, the electric current can be switched between a pulsed electric current and a direct electric current based at least in part on a position of the nozzle along the controlled pattern, providing accuracy of liquid metal deposition along portions of the pattern having more detail and providing speed of liquid metal deposition along portions of the pattern having less detail.

Devices, systems, and methods are directed to applying magnetohydrodynamic forces to liquid metal to eject liquid metal along a controlled pattern, such as a controlled three-dimensional pattern as part of additive manufacturing of an object. An electric current delivered to produce the magnetohydrodynamic forces can be controlled between a pulsed electric current and a direct electric current to change the rate of liquid metal ejection from a nozzle. For example, the electric current can be switched between a pulsed electric current and a direct electric current based at least in part on a position of the nozzle along the controlled pattern, providing accuracy of liquid metal deposition along portions of the pattern having more detail and providing speed of liquid metal deposition along portions of the pattern having less detail.

To provide an apparatus for producing a metal powder and a method of producing a metal powder capable of obtaining a metal powder having a finer particle size of excellent quality. A supersonic combustion flame is intensively injected into a downwardly supplied molten metal, the intensive combustion flame is jetted directly downwardly as a focused jet flow, the focused jet flow thrusts into a turning water flow formed along an inner peripheral surface of a pulverization cooling cylinder whose axis line is inclined from a vertical direction, and an intensive position of the combustion flame is in an open space above the turning water flow.

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 plasticizing apparatus for plasticizing a material to form a molten material includes a screw in a columnar shape having a groove formed face, in which a material flow channel including a groove portion to be supplied with the material is formed, and a barrel having a screw opposed face, which is a face opposed to the groove formed face, and in which a sending-out hole for sending out the molten material is formed at a center, and a heating portion heating the material. The material flow channel has a recess provided at a center of the groove formed face, and the groove portion extending in a spiral shape toward an outer circumference of the groove formed face from the recess, and a heat insulating portion having a lower thermal conductivity than an outer circumferential portion in the screw is provided in at least a part of an inner circumferential portion including the recess in the screw.

A metal powder production apparatus capable of easily preventing an oxide in a molten metal from entering a liquid nozzle is provided. The metal powder apparatus includes a first crucible heating and melting a melting material to generate molten metal, a first heating device heating and melting the metal in the first crucible, a stopper opening and closing a first opening provided on the bottom surface of the first crucible, an introduction pipe having one end connected to the first opening of the first crucible and leading a molten metal in the first crucible to the outside of the first crucible, a second crucible receiving the molten metal flowing out of the introduction pipe, a second heating device heating the second crucible, and a liquid nozzle provided on the bottom surface of the second crucible.