Patent ID: 7097687

Claim:
A process for fabricating metal spheres, comprising: generating a droplet from a molten metal mass; buffering the droplet by diminishing internal kinetic energy of the droplet without solidifying the droplet; and cooling the buffered droplet to the extent that the droplet solidifies into a metal sphere, wherein cooling the droplet includes enclosing the droplet in a gaseous medium; and controlling the temperature of the gaseous medium; collecting the metal sphere, wherein collecting the metal sphere includes receiving the metal sphere in a reservoir that holds a liquid; receiving the metal sphere and a volume of the liquid in a pipe; and delivering the metal sphere to a collection basket, wherein delivering the metal sphere to the collection basket includes pumping the metal sphere and the volume of the liquid to a level that is higher than a level of the liquid in the reservoir, and depositing the metal sphere and the volume of the liquid into the collection basket; wherein collecting the metal sphere further includes disposing the collection basket in a holding tank.