Systems and methods directed fabrication using multi-material and precision alloy droplet jetting.

An assembly and method for producing powder are provided. The assembly includes a melting chamber, an atomizing vessel, and a powder processing device. The melting chamber includes a crucible, a tundish, and a filtering device. The crucible is arranged for melting a material. The crucible and tundish are configured for providing a flow path for the melted material from the crucible into the tundish. The filtering device is arranged in the flow path. The tundish is connected to an atomizing nozzle. The atomizing nozzle is configured to direct molten material from the tundish towards and into the atomizing vessel. The atomizing vessel comprises an outlet which is configured to extract solidified, atomized particles of the formerly molten material from the atomizing vessel. The powder processing device includes one or more separation units which are arranged for outputting one or more powders from the atomized particles.

A deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system includes a foundry module containing a metallurgical system configured to convert a raw material into an alloy powder, and an additive manufacturing (AM) module containing an additive manufacturing system configured to form the alloy powder into metal parts. The deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system can also include a machining module containing a machining system configured to machine the metal parts into machined metal parts, and a quality conformance (QC) module containing an inspection and evaluation system configured to inspect and evaluate the metal parts. A process for manufacturing metal parts includes the steps of providing the deployable manufacturing center (DMC) system; deploying the (DMC) system to a desired location; forming an alloy powder from a raw material using the deployable foundry module; and then forming the metal parts from the alloy powder using the additive manufacturing (AM) module.

A problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an alloy that is suitable for a sputtering target material and easy to be produced by an atomization method, and, in order to solve the problem. The present invention provides an alloy containing: at least one selected from Co and Fe; B; C; and the balance being unavoidable impurities. A concentration of C in the alloy is 50 ppm or more and 950 ppm or less, and where a composition of Co, Fe and B, excluding C and the unavoidable impurities, in the alloy is represented by the general formula: (Co.sub.X-Fe.sub.100-X).sub.100-Y-B.sub.Y, where X is 0 or more and 100 or less, and Y is 10 or more and 65 or less.

A problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an alloy that is suitable for a sputtering target material and easy to be produced by an atomization method, and, in order to solve the problem. The present invention provides an alloy containing: at least one selected from Co and Fe; B; C; and the balance being unavoidable impurities. A concentration of C in the alloy is 50 ppm or more and 950 ppm or less, and where a composition of Co, Fe and B, excluding C and the unavoidable impurities, in the alloy is represented by the general formula: (Co.sub.X-Fe.sub.100-X).sub.100-Y-B.sub.Y, where X is 0 or more and 100 or less, and Y is 10 or more and 65 or less.

A multi-stage gas atomization preparation method of titanium alloy spherical powder for a 3D printing technology includes the following steps: bar preparation and machining step, multi-stage gas atomization powder preparation step through vacuum induction, and powder screening step. The collision probability of the metal droplets at the gas atomization stage is reduced by controlling the gas atomization pressure and the feeding speed of the titanium alloy electrode bar in a hierarchical manner, so that the collaborative control of the particle size and the surface quality of the titanium alloy 3D printing powder in the gas atomization preparation process is realized.

A method of manufacturing powder from a first and a second materials for use in additive manufacturing, the manufacturing process including melting the first and second materials by an electric arc; spraying the melted materials so as to form droplets; cooling the droplets by a carrier gas so as to form solid particles; separating the solid particles from the carrier gas and collecting the solid particles so as to form the powder; and enriching the droplets and/or the particles by means of an active substance.

A method of manufacturing powder from a first and a second materials for use in additive manufacturing, the manufacturing process including melting the first and second materials by an electric arc; spraying the melted materials so as to form droplets; cooling the droplets by a carrier gas so as to form solid particles; separating the solid particles from the carrier gas and collecting the solid particles so as to form the powder; and enriching the droplets and/or the particles by an active substance.

A method for producing metal powders by gas atomization is provided, including providing a metal charge; melting the metal charge inside an electric-arc furnace, controlling its composition until a molten metal bath having a desired composition is obtained; tapping the bath from the furnace, collecting it inside a ladle; refining the bath under controlled atmosphere, vacuum, or overpressure condition; atomizing the refined bath by feeding it into a gas atomizer, inside which a molten metal bath flow is produced, and impinging the molten metal bath flow with an atomization inert gas stream for the atomization of the molten metal bath into metal powders; and extracting the obtained metal powders from the gas atomizer.

A nickel-based superalloy for three-dimension (3D) printing and a powder preparation method thereof are provided. The method of preparing the nickel-based superalloy and its powder includes: RE microalloying combined with vacuum melting, degassing, refining, atomization with reasonable parameters, and a sieving process. The new method significantly reduces the cracking sensitivity of the “non-weldable” PM nickel-based superalloys, and broadens the 3D printing process window. The as-printed part has no cracks, and good mechanical properties. In addition, the powder prepared by the new method has higher sphericity and better flowability, and less irregular powders. The yield of fine powders with a particle size of 15-53 μm and medium-sized powders with a particle size of 53-106 μm that are required for 3D printing is greatly improved, which meet the requirements for 3D printing of high-quality, low-cost nickel-based superalloy powder.