Seco Tools AB

Composite materials where a metallic matrix is reinforced with a second phase (e.g., ceramic particles, carbon nanotubes, diamond grains) to significantly enhance properties like hardness, wear resistance, stiffness, or strength, often used in cutting tools, wear parts, or structural applications.

Systems and methods for real-time sensing, modeling, and closed-loop control of additive manufacturing parameters to ensure part quality, consistency, and process efficiency. This includes thermal management, atmospheric regulation, and precise material deposition.

Systems and methods for uniquely identifying, tracking, and managing physical items using scannable codes (barcodes, QR codes) or wireless tags (RFID, IoT devices) to link physical objects to digital information, inventory, or services.

Methods and processes for fabricating ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), including preform creation, infiltration techniques, and densification to form complex shapes with enhanced properties.

Design and features of welding and soldering tools, fixtures, and accessories that enhance user safety, ergonomics, operational efficiency, and precise workpiece manipulation, including protective equipment and clamping mechanisms.

Application of protective layers to improve the durability and longevity of components by enhancing resistance to wear, oxidation, or chemical degradation in demanding operational environments.

Steel alloys designed to exhibit superior mechanical strength, toughness, and/or resistance to degradation at elevated temperatures, often achieved through precise control of alloying elements, microstructure (e.g., ferrite, martensite, bainite, retained austenite), and thermomechanical processing.

Integration of additive manufacturing with subtractive manufacturing (e.g., machining, cutting) or other traditional processes within a single system or workflow to create parts with improved features, surface finish, or material properties, or to enable new manufacturing paradigms.

Techniques for building three-dimensional metal objects layer-by-layer using metal powders, including powder bed fusion, binder jetting, and directed energy deposition. This theme encompasses process mechanics, equipment design, and operational control for AM systems.

Production of materials where properties vary continuously or discontinuously through the volume, often achieved by combining different powders or applying specialized coatings like thermal sprays to enhance surface hardness, wear resistance, or thermal properties.

Specialized welding or bonding techniques and apparatuses tailored for joining small-scale electronic components, integrated circuits, or semiconductor wafers, emphasizing precision, miniaturization, and electrical connectivity.