ALUMINUM ALLOY PRODUCTS, AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME

1 . A method for producing an aluminum alloy product, the method comprising:

first gathering a first feedstock from a first powder supply of an additive manufacturing system;

second gathering a second feedstock from a second powder supply of the additive manufacturing system;

wherein at least one of the first feedstock and the second feedstock includes particles having aluminum therein;

combining the first and second feedstocks, thereby producing a metal powder blend having aluminum therein;

providing the metal powder blend to a build space of the additive manufacturing system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first gathering comprises mechanically pushing the first feedstock via a roller, and wherein the second gathering comprises mechanically pushing the second feedstock via the roller.

3 . The method of claim 2 , comprising:

pushing the first feedstock towards the second feedstock via the roller.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the providing step comprises:

pushing the metal powder blend from downstream of the second powder supply to the build space.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first gathering step comprises:

adjusting a height of a platform of the first powder supply, thereby providing a first volume of the first feedstock for the first gathering step.

6 . The method of claim 5 , comprising:

after the first gathering step, moving the height of the platform, thereby providing a third feedstock, wherein the third feedstock is a second volume of the first feedstock.

7 . The method of claim 6 , comprising:

third gathering the third feedstock from the first powder supply;

fourth gathering a second feedstock from the second powder supply; and

combining the third feedstock and the second feedstock.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the second gathering and the fourth gathering steps gather an equivalent volume of the second feedstock.

9 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

producing a tailored 3-D aluminum-based product in the build space of the additive manufacturing system using the metal powder blend.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the 3-D aluminum-based product is an oxide dispersion strengthened 3-D aluminum alloy product having M-O particles therein, wherein M is a metal and O is oxygen.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the oxide dispersion strengthened 3-D aluminum alloy product comprises a sufficient amount of the M-O particles to facilitate oxide dispersion strengthening, and wherein the oxide dispersion strengthened 3-D aluminum alloy product comprises not greater than 10 wt. % of the M-O particles.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the M-O particles are selected from the group consisting of Y 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , La 2 O 3 , and combinations thereof.

13 . An additive manufacturing system, comprising:

a first powder supply having a first powder reservoir for distributing a first powder feedstock;

a second powder supply downstream of the first powder supply, wherein the second powder supply has a second powder reservoir for distributing a second powder feedstock;

a powder spreader configured to:

(a) gather the first powder feedstock from the first powder supply;

(b) gather the second powder feedstock from the second powder supply;

(c) move at least from the first powder supply to the second powder supply;

(d) move from at least one of the first and second powder supplies to a build space for building an additive manufacturing product, wherein the build space is downstream of the second powder supply, and wherein the build space comprises a build reservoir for receiving powder feedstock.

14 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 13 , comprising:

a distribution surface associated with the first powder supply, the second powder supply and the build space;

wherein the powder spreader is configured to move along the distribution surface with at least one of the first and second powder feedstocks.

15 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 14 , wherein the first powder supply comprises:

a first platform disposed within the first powder reservoir, wherein the first platform is configured to move longitudinally up and down within the first powder reservoir;

wherein the first powder reservoir is configured to contain the first powder feedstock;

wherein the first platform is controllable by a controller to provide a controlled volume of the first powder feedstock relative to the distribution surface.

16 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 15 , wherein the distribution surface is disposed above the first platform.

17 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 16 , wherein the powder spreader is configured to move along the distribution surface from the first powder reservoir to the second powder reservoir.

18 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 17 , wherein the powder spreader is configured to move along the distribution surface from the second powder reservoir to the build reservoir.

19 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 17 , comprising a vibratory apparatus disposed between the second powder reservoir and the build reservoir.

20 . The additive manufacturing system of claim 14 , wherein the distribution surface is planar and defines an upper working surface for the powder spreader.