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EBAM technology is capable of making full-density, functional metallic components for numerous engineering applications; the technology is particularly advantageous in the aerospace, automotive, and biomedical industries where high-value, low-volume, custom-design productions are required. A key challenge in EBAM is overcoming deformation of overhangs that are the result of severe thermal gradients generated by the poor thermal conductivity of metallic powders used in the fabrication process. Conventional support structures (Figure 1a) address the deformation challenge; however, they are bonded to the component and need to be removed in post- processing using a mechanical tool. This process is laborious, time consuming, and degrades the surface quality of the product. The invented support design (Figure 1b) fabricates a support underneath an overhang by building the support up from the build plate and placing a support surface underneath an overhang with a certain gap (no contact with overhang). The technology deposits one or more layers of un-melted metallic powder in an elongate gap between an upper horizontal surface of the support structure and a lower surface of the overhang geometry. The support structure acts as a heat sink to enhance heat transfer and reduce the temperature and thermal gradients. Because the support structure is not connected to the part, the support structure can be removed freely without any post-processing step. Future work will compare experimental data with simulation results in order to validate process models as well as to study process parameter effects on the thermal characteristics of the EBAM process.

Bolt fasteners can be used to provide control of the attachment force but they are not typically viewed as providing a locking attachment unless they are torqued to a prescribed percentage of the yield strength of the bolt. Adhesives are often used as an alternative means of locking threaded bolts, but adhesives are not well suited to inspection, removal or replacement, nor are they well suited for use in the space environment. Enter the Threaded Pin-Lock Retaining Ring system. It comprises a retaining ring, a structural component, the component being retained, and the pin-lock mechanism. The threaded interfaces allow for components being retained to be clamped between the retaining ring and the structural component. The pin-lock mechanism may be designed specifically for a given application and can be applied to both male and female threaded applications. The Threaded Pin-Lock Retaining Ring is configured for applications having precision torque requirements, and could be applied to any system with axially rotating components such as those commonly found in aerospace, automotive, cycling, energy sector, imaging, manufacturing, maritime, and robotics industries.