The present disclosure discloses a preparation method of a powder metallurgy (PM) superalloy with high strength and plasticity. Under the multi-field coupling action of a thermal field and a force field, the PM superalloy is obtained in a high-temperature graphite mold by using the method of conducting heat preservation and oscillating-pressure sintering in two steps. Under the action of a circulating pressure, rearrangement of powders and discharge of pores are promoted, and therefore, the PM superalloy is sintered and formed. The present disclosure further discloses a PM superalloy prepared by using the method above. The PM superalloy has the characteristics of low grade of prior particle boundary defects, uniform grain refinement and high density. The sintered PM superalloy obtained in the present disclosure has a yield strength of 955 MPa, a tensile strength of 1,437 MPa and an elongation of 31.9%, and has high strength and plasticity.

A 3D printing apparatus is disclosed herein. The apparatus comprises a container, a build material extraction module, an energy source and a controller. The container is to receive a build volume comprising portions in which an un-cured thermally curable binder has been applied to define a 3D object to be generated and portions on which no binder has been applied. The build material extraction module is to remove part of the build material on which no binder has been applied. The energy source to heat the contents of the container. And the controller is to control the build material extraction module to remove part of the build material on which no binder has been applied; and control the energy source to heat the build material to thermally cure any binder in the container.

An additive manufacturing apparatus, a computing system, and a method for operating an additive manufacturing apparatus are provided. The method includes obtaining two or more images corresponding to respective build layers at a build plate, wherein each image comprises a plurality of data points comprising a feature and corresponding location at the build plate; removing variation between the features of the plurality of data points; and normalizing each feature to remove location dependence in the plurality of data points.

A three-dimensional PBF-AM apparatus includes a stage on which a powder material is spread, and a tubular build box disposed in a state of surrounding the stage. The build box includes a side wall portion having a first tubular member surrounding the stage and a second tubular member surrounding the stage with the first tubular member interposed therebetween and forming a space with the first tubular member, and moreover, a vacuum heat insulating layer can be formed inside the side wall portion by vacuuming the space.

A vacuum pump that evacuates an inside of a vacuum chamber and powder capturing devices disposed on an intake side of the vacuum pump are included. The powder capturing devices include a plurality of flow path forming units that form a continuous gas flow path from an intake unit located on the vacuum chamber side to an exhaust unit located on the vacuum pump side. The plurality of flow path forming units include a first flow path forming unit having a first catching unit that causes the powder sucked from the intake unit to collide and then catch the powder, and a second flow path forming unit having a second catching unit that causes the powder passing through the first flow path forming unit to collide and then catch the powder.

A cleaning system for an additively manufactured component includes a tank storing a cleaning fluid. A fluid circuit is operably coupled with the tank. A pump is coupled with the fluid circuit. A manifold is configured to receive fluid from the fluid circuit through the pump. At least one of a coupler defined by the manifold or a hose is coupled with the manifold. The at least one of the coupler defined by the manifold or the hose is further configured to couple with said additively manufactured component.

Methods for joining components, and apparatuses comprising components to be joined, are described. An apparatus in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure comprises a first component comprising a first feature having a first surface profile, and an additively-manufactured second component comprising a second feature having a second surface profile, wherein the second surface profile is generated at least in part from the first surface profile of the first interface, such that the first surface profile is configured to mate with the second surface profile.

An additive manufacturing system includes an energy source and a material delivery device. The energy source is configured to direct an energy beam toward a component to form a melt pool. The material delivery device is configured to feed a wire toward the melt pool to deposit material on the component. In some examples, the material delivery device is configured to discharge a current to the wire to disengage the wire from the melt pool. In some examples, the material delivery device is configured to measure an arc voltage between the wire and the component.

A build plate supported on a movable carriage of a 3D printing machine includes a plurality of clamping surfaces that are engageable by a mechanical clamping system that includes a plurality of clamp assemblies mounted on the movable carriage. Each of the clamp assemblies is associated with a corresponding clamping surface and includes a clamping arm configured to rotate and translate to selectively engage the corresponding clamping surface, a follower arm configured to rotate, and a conversion mechanism configured to convert rotation of the follower arm to rotation and translation of the clamping arm. An actuation mechanism includes an actuation face, corresponding to each follower arm. The actuation mechanism is arranged to simultaneously exert a force against the follower arm of each of the clamp assemblies to rotate the follower arm as the carriage moves from a working station to an unloading station of the 3D printing machine. The conversion mechanism then converts the rotation of the follower arm of each clamping assembly to rotation and translation of the respective clamping arm to selectively and simultaneously engage and disengage the clamping surfaces of the build plate.

An additive manufacturing system includes an energy source and a material delivery device. The energy source is configured to direct an energy beam toward a component to form a melt pool. The material delivery device is configured to feed a wire toward the melt pool to deposit material on the component. In some examples, the material delivery device is configured to discharge a current to the wire to disengage the wire from the melt pool. In some examples, the material delivery device is configured to measure an arc voltage between the wire and the component.