Additive-based electroforming manufacturing methods for producing turbomachine components and other metallic articles are provided, as are metallic articles manufactured utilizing such manufacturing methods. In various embodiments, the method includes providing a sacrificial tooling structure having a component-defining surface region. A metallic body layer or shell is deposited over the component-defining surface region utilizing an electroforming process. The tooling structure is removed, while the metallic body layer is left substantially intact. After tooling structure removal, the metallic body layer is further processed to complete fabrication of the metallic component.

Embodiments are directed to fuel injectors for internal combustion engines (e.g. engines with reciprocating pistons and with compression-ignition or spark-ignition, Wankel engines, turbines, jets, rockets, and the like) and more particularly to improved nozzle configurations for use as part of such fuel injectors. Other embodiments are directed to enabling fabrication technology that can provide for formation of nozzles with complex configurations and particularly for technologies that form structures via multiple layers of selectively deposited material or in combination with fabrication from a plurality of layers where critical layers are planarized before attaching additional layers thereto or forming additional layers thereon. Other embodiments are directed to methods and apparatus for integrating such nozzles with injector bodies.

A liquefier tube for an additive manufacturing system, the liquefier tube including a body provided with a feed channel including a feeding portion having a first diameter, an outlet portion having a second diameter, the first diameter being larger than the second diameter, a transitional portion interconnecting the feeding portion and the outlet portion. The transitional portion has a monotonically decreasing third diameter from the feeding portion to the outlet portion and the third diameter as function of a longitudinal position of the feed channel in the transitional portion between the feeding portion and the outlet portion and at a transition between the transitional portion and the outlet portion is differentiable. Methods of manufacturing the liquefier tube.

A method for producing a hollow structure useful as a base material for a heat sink or the like which increases a heat dissipation property of devices mounted in various kinds of electronic apparatuses, without sacrificing downsizing, thinning, weight reduction, and multifunctionality, and provides a hollow structure. The method including: producing a plated composite by coating a surface of a core made of aluminum to form a copper plating layer; cutting off part of the plated composite to expose cut surfaces of the core; and turning a part corresponding to the core into a hollow part by immersing the plated composite in a sodium solution which dissolves aluminum but does not dissolve copper and selectively dissolving and removing only the aluminum, thereby producing a hollow structure whose skeletal part is composed of all copper plating layers.

A method for producing a hollow structure useful as a base material for a heat sink or the like which increases a heat dissipation property of devices mounted in various kinds of electronic apparatuses, without sacrificing downsizing, thinning, weight reduction, and multifunctionality, and provides a hollow structure. The method including: producing a plated composite by coating a surface of a core made of aluminum to form a copper plating layer; cutting off part of the plated composite to expose cut surfaces of the core; and turning a part corresponding to the core into a hollow part by immersing the plated composite in a sodium solution which dissolves aluminum but does not dissolve copper and selectively dissolving and removing only the aluminum, thereby producing a hollow structure whose skeletal part is composed of all copper plating layers.

A method of forming a component by an electroforming process using an electroforming apparatus is presented. The electroforming apparatus includes an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte including a metal salt. The method includes receiving a set of training electroforming process parameters; training a machine learning algorithm based on at least a subset of the set of training electroforming process parameters; generating a set of updated operating electroforming parameters from the trained machine learning algorithm; and operating the electroforming apparatus based on the set of updated operating electroforming parameters. The step of operating the electroforming apparatus includes applying an electric current between the anode and the cathode in the presence of the electrolyte and depositing a plurality of metal layers on a cathode surface to form the component. A system of forming a component is also presented.

Additive-based electroforming manufacturing methods for producing turbomachine components and other metallic articles are provided, as are metallic articles manufactured utilizing such manufacturing methods. In various embodiments, the method includes the step or process of additively manufacturing a sacrificial tooling structure having a component-defining surface region. A metallic body layer or shell is deposited over the component-defining surface region utilizing an electroforming process such that a geometry of the component-defining surface region is transferred to the body layer. The tooling structure is chemically dissolved, thermally decomposed, or otherwise removed, while the metallic body layer is left substantially intact. After tooling structure removal, the metallic body layer is further processed to complete fabrication of the metallic component. In certain implementations, the method may further include the step or process of depositing an electrically-conductive base coat over the component-defining surface region of the tooling structure for usage in the subsequently-performed electroforming process.

Additive-based electroforming manufacturing methods for producing turbomachine components and other metallic articles are provided, as are metallic articles manufactured utilizing such manufacturing methods. In various embodiments, the method includes the step or process of additively manufacturing a sacrificial tooling structure having a component-defining surface region. A metallic body layer or shell is deposited over the component-defining surface region utilizing an electroforming process such that a geometry of the component-defining surface region is transferred to the body layer. The tooling structure is chemically dissolved, thermally decomposed, or otherwise removed, while the metallic body layer is left substantially intact. After tooling structure removal, the metallic body layer is further processed to complete fabrication of the metallic component. In certain implementations, the method may further include the step or process of depositing an electrically-conductive base coat over the component-defining surface region of the tooling structure for usage in the subsequently-performed electroforming process.

A thin-walled metal part, and a method to fabricate such a part out of various alloys. A plurality of layers are formed, each of the layers being formed on a polymer template or on a previously formed layer. A homogenizing heat treatment is used to cause chemical elements in the layers to interdiffuse, to form a single continuous layer with a substantially uniform alloy composition.

A thin-walled metal part, and a method to fabricate such a part out of various alloys. A plurality of layers are formed, each of the layers being formed on a polymer template or on a previously formed layer. A homogenizing heat treatment is used to cause chemical elements in the layers to interdiffuse, to form a single continuous layer with a substantially uniform alloy composition.