Items tagged with liquidmetal
Apple may be closer than previously thought to using Liquidmetal’s technology to manufacture casings for its mobile devices. In a patent filing, a company called “Crucible Intellectual Properties, LLC” (which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liquidmetal dedicated to Apple work) laid claim to a manufacturing process for creating “bulk amorphous alloy sheets”, also known as bulk metallic glass (BMG). The process, called “float glass”, involves two layers of molten metal, and the result is a glass-like metal that allegedly would be strong, incredibly lightweight, corrosion-resistant--and low cost. Further, the manufacturing process would ostensibly make it...
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It appears as though researchers at NC State have taken 3D printing a whole new level. A team has developed a way to print free-standing 3D structures out of liquid metal--at room temperature. “It’s difficult to create structures out of liquids, because liquids want to bead up,” said Dr. Michael Dickey, co-author of a paper describing the technology and process. “But we’ve found that a liquid metal alloy of gallium and indium reacts to the oxygen in the air at room temperature to form a ‘skin’ that allows the liquid metal structures to retain their shapes.” Here’s a video showing the 3D printing process in action. (We think the bit where they...
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When your average technology company buys another, smaller technology company, it doesn't always make the news. Or if it does, it's just a blip on the entire tech news radar. But when Apple, Microsoft or Google buys a company, big or small, everyone takes a minute to evaluate the situation and give their take on things. That is what's happening this week after the world found a nugget of information tucked away within Apple's recent 8-K filing with the SEC. Liquidmetal is a small company that makes a tough, unique metal alloy that can be used in a variety of products, including personal consumer electronics. In years past, it was actually used in a few SanDisk products (amongst others). The metal...
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