Feedback-assisted rapid discharge heating and forming of metallic glasses

A rapid discharge heating and forming (RDHF) apparatus comprising:

• an electrical circuit comprising:
• a source of electrical energy;
• a sample of metallic glass;
• at least two electrodes connecting the source of electrical energy to a sample of metallic glass feedstock disposed in a feedstock barrel;
• a feedback control loop comprising:
• a temperature-monitoring device disposed in temperature monitoring relationship with the sample configured to generate a signal indicative of the temperature of the sample, the temperature-monitoring device coupled to a fiber-optic feedthrough across the feedstock barrel;
• a computing device in signal communication with the temperature-monitoring device configured to convert the signal from the temperature-monitoring device to a sample temperature T, compare T to a predefined temperature value To, and generate a current terminating signal when T substantially matches T0;
• and
• a current interrupting device electrically connected with the source of electrical energy and in signal communication with the computing device, and where the current interrupting device is configured to terminate the electrical current generated by the source of electrical energy when the current terminating signal is received from the computing device;
• and
• a shaping tool disposed in forming relation to the sample.