Interplay of laser power and pore characteristics in selective laser melting of ZK60 magnesium alloys:A study based on in-situ monitoring and image analysis

This study offers significant insights into the multi-physics phenomena of the SLM process and the subsequent porosity characteristics of ZK60 Magnesium(Mg)alloys.High-speed in-situ monitoring was employed to visualise process signals in real-time,elucidating the dynamics of melt pools and vapour plumes under varying laser power conditions specifically between 40 W and 60 W.Detailed morphological analysis was performed using Scanning-Electron Microscopy(SEM),demonstrating a critical correlation between laser power and pore formation.Lower laser power led to increased pore coverage,whereas a denser structure was observed at higher laser power.This laser power influence on porosity was further confirmed via Optical Microscopy(OM)conducted on both top and cross-sectional surfaces of the samples.An increase in laser power resulted in a decrease in pore coverage and pore size,potentially leading to a denser printed part of Mg alloy.X-ray Computed Tomography(XCT)augmented these findings by providing a 3D volumetric representation of the sample internal structure,revealing an inverse relationship between laser power and overall pore volume.Lower laser power appeared to favour the formation of interconnected pores,while a reduction in interconnected pores and an increase in isolated pores were observed at higher power.The interplay between melt pool size,vapour plume effects,and laser power was found to significantly influence the resulting porosity,indicating a need for effective management of these factors to optimise the SLM process of Mg alloys.

High-strength and thermally stable TiB_(2)-modified Al-Mn-Mg-Er-Zr alloy fabricated via selective laser melting

To increase the processability and plasticity of the selective laser melting(SLM)fabricated Al-Mn-Mg-Er-Zr alloys,a novel TiB_(2)-modified Al-Mn-Mg-Er-Zr alloy with a mixture of Al-Mn-Mg-Er-Zr and nano-TiB_(2) powders was fabricated by SLM.The pro-cessability,microstructure,and mechanical properties of the alloy were systematically investigated by density measurement,microstruc-ture characterization,and mechanical properties testing.The alloys fabricated at 250 W displayed higher relative densities due to a uni-formly smooth top surface and appropriate laser energy input.The maximum relative density value of the alloy reached(99.7±0.1)%,demonstrating good processability.The alloy exhibited a duplex grain microstructure consisting of columnar regions primarily and equiaxed regions with TiB_(2),Al6Mn,and Al3Er phases distributed along the grain boundaries.After directly aging treatment at a high tem-perature of 400℃,the strength of the SLM-fabricated TiB_(2)/Al-Mn-Mg-Er-Zr alloy increased due to the precipitation of the secondary Al6Mn phases.The maximum yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the aging alloy were measured to be(374±1)and(512±13)MPa,respectively.The SLM-fabricated TiB_(2)/Al-Mn-Mg-Er-Zr alloy demonstrates exceptional strength and thermal stability due to the synergistic effects of the inhibition of grain growth,the incorporation of TiB_(2) nanoparticles,and the precipitation of secondary Al6Mn nanoparticles.

Effects of processing parameters on fabrication defects,microstructure and mechanical properties of additive manufactured Mg–Nd–Zn–Zr alloy by selective laser melting process

Mg–3Nd–0.2Zn–0.4Zr(NZ30K,wt.%)alloy is a new kind of high-performance metallic biomaterial.The combination of the NZ30K Magnesium(Mg)alloy and selective laser melting(SLM)process seems to be an ideal solution to produce porous Mg degradable implants.However,the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of the SLMed NZ30K Mg alloy were not yet studied systematically.Therefore,the fabrication defects,microstructure,and mechanical properties of the SLMed NZ30K alloy under different processing parameters were investigated.The results show that there are two types of fabrication defects in the SLMed NZ30K alloy,gas pores and unfused defects.With the increase of the laser energy density,the porosity sharply decreases to the minimum first and then slightly increases.The minimum porosity is 0.49±0.18%.While the microstructure varies from the large grains with lamellar structure inside under low laser energy density,to the large grains with lamellar structure inside&the equiaxed grains&the columnar grains under middle laser energy density,and further to the fine equiaxed grains&the columnar grains under high laser energy density.The lamellar structure in the large grain is a newly observed microstructure for the NZ30K Mg alloy.Higher laser energy density leads to finer grains,which enhance all the yield strength(YS),ultimate tensile strength(UTS)and elongation,and the best comprehensive mechanical properties obtained are YS of 266±2.1 MPa,UTS of 296±5.2 MPa,with an elongation of 4.9±0.68%.The SLMed NZ30K Mg alloy with a bimodal-grained structure consisting of fine equiaxed grains and coarser columnar grains has better elongation and a yield drop phenomenon.

Evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties in multi-layer 316L-TiC composite fabricated by selective laser melting additive manufacturing

In this study,the microstructure and mechanical properties of a multi-layered 316L-TiC composite material produced by selective laser melting(SLM)additive manufacturing process are investigated.Three different layers,consisting of 316L stainless steel,316L-5 wt%TiC and 316L-10 wt%TiC,were additively manufactured.The microstructure of these layers was characterized by optical microscopy(OM)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).X-ray diffraction(XRD)was used for phase analysis,and the mechanical properties were evaluated by tensile and nanoindentation tests.The microstructural observations show epitaxial grain growth within the composite layers,with the elongated grains growing predominantly in the build direction.XRD analysis confirms the successful incorporation of the TiC particles into the 316L matrix,with no unwanted phases present.Nanoindentation results indicate a significant increase in the hardness and modulus of elasticity of the composite layers compared to pure 316L stainless steel,suggesting improved mechanical properties.Tensile tests show remarkable strength values for the 316L-TiC composite samples,which can be attributed to the embedded TiC particles.These results highlight the potential of SLM in the production of multi-layer metal-ceramic composites for applications that require high strength and ductility of metallic components in addition to the exceptional hardness of the ceramic particles.

Selective Laser Melting of Novel SiC and TiC Strengthen 7075 Aluminum Powders for Anti-Cracks Application

The aerospace and military sectors have widely used AA7075, a type of 7075 aluminum alloy, due to its exceptional mechanical performance. Selective laser melting (SLM) is a highly effective method for producing intricate metallic components, particularly in the case of aluminum alloys like Al-Si-Mg. Nevertheless, the production of high-strength AA7075 by SLM is challenging because of its susceptibility to heat cracking and elemental vaporization. In this study, AA7075 powders were mechanically mixed with SiC and TiC particles. Subsequently, this new type of AA7075 powder was effectively utilized in green laser printing to create solid components with fine-grain strengthening microstructures consisting of equiaxial grains. These as-printed parts exhibit a tensile strength of up to 350 MPa and a ductility exceeding 2.1%. Hardness also increases with the increasing content of mixed powder, highlighting the essential role of SiC and TiC in SLM for improved hardness and tensile strength performance. .

Strength and plasticity improvement induced by strong grain refinement after Zr alloying in selective laser-melted AlSiMg1.4 alloy

In order to enhance the mechanical properties of the selective laser-melted(SLM) high-Mg content AlSiMg1.4 alloy,the Zr element was introduced.The influence of Zr alloying on the processability,microstructure,and mechanical properties of the alloy was systematically investigated through performing microstructure analysis and tensile testing.It was demonstrated that the SLM-fabricated AlSiMg1.4-Zr alloy exhibited high process stability with a relative density of over 99.5% at various process parameters.Besides,the strong grain refinement induced by the primary Al3Zr particle during the melt solidification process simultaneously enhanced both the strength and plasticity of the alloy.The values for the yield strength,ultimate tensile strength,and elongation of the SLM-fabricated AlSiMg1.4-Zr were(343±3) MPa,(485±4) MPa,and(10.2±0.2)%,respectively,demonstrating good strengthplasticity synergy in comparison to the AlSiMg1.4 and other Al-Si-based alloys fabricated by SLM.

Crack elimination and strength enhancement mechanisms of selective laser melted Si-modified Al−Mn−Mg−Er−Zr alloy

In order to increase the processability and process window of the selective laser melting(SLM)-fabricated Al−Mn−Mg−Er−Zr alloy,a novel Si-modified Al−Mn−Mg−Er−Zr alloy was designed.The effect of Si alloying on the surface quality,processability,microstructure,and mechanical properties of the SLM-fabricated alloy was studied.The results showed that introducing Si into the Al−Mn−Mg−Er−Zr alloy prevented balling and keyhole formation,refined the grain size,and reduced the solidification temperature,which eliminated cracks and increased the processability and process window of the alloy.The maximum relative density of the SLM-fabricated Si/Al−Mn−Mg−Er−Zr alloy reached 99.6%.The yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the alloy were(371±7)MPa and(518±6)MPa,respectively.These values were higher than those of the SLM-fabricated Al−Mn−Mg−Er−Zr and other Sc-free Al−Mg-based alloys.

Effects of heat input on layer heterogeneity of selective laser melting Ti-6Al-4V components

Due to the layer-by-layer manufacturing characteristics,metallurgical process of selective laser melting(SLM)is inherently dif-ferent in the building direction because of varying conditions,thereby resulting inter-layer heterogeneity.To mitigate such anisotropy,it is of great significance to understand the effects of processing parameters on the property evolution and thus metallurgy of fabrication process.This research proposes one-factor-at-a-time experiment to investigate the influences of laser power and scanning speed on the surface qual-ity,microstructures and mechanical properties of selective laser melted Ti-6Al-4V parts.Surface quality is assessed by roughness around the printings while mechanical properties are evaluated through microhardness and tensile strengths.Phases in microstructure are quantified by XRD to correlate with mechanical properties.Fracture morphology is analyzed to understand the effect of defects and microstructure on mechanical performance.The optimized parameter corresponding to best surface quality and mechanical properties has been found respect-ively in laser power of 190 W and scanning speed of 800 mm/s.After optimization,surface roughness has decreased by 44.47%for upper surface.Yielding strength,tensile strength and elongation rate have improved by 13.17%,43.34%and 64.51%,respectively,with similar hardness and Young’s modulus.In addition,heterogeneity of mechanical properties has great improvement by a range of 31.63%-92.68%.

Microstructure,Properties and Crack Suppression Mechanism of High-speed Steel Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting at Different Process Parameters

To enrich material types applied to additive manufacturing and enlarge application scope of additive manufacturing in conformal cooling tools,M2 high-speed steel specimens were fabricated by selective laser melting(SLM).Effects of SLM parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of M2 high-speed steel were investigated.The results showed that substrate temperature and energy density had significant influence on the densification process of materials and defects control.Models to evaluate the effect of substrate temperature and energy density on hardness were studied.The optimized process parameters,laser power,scan speed,scan distance,and substrate temperature,for fabricated M2 are 220 W,960 mm/s,0.06 mm,and 200℃,respectively.Based on this,the hardness and tensile strength reached 60 HRC and 1000 MPa,respectively.Interlaminar crack formation and suppression mechanism and the relationship between temperature gradient and thermal stress were illustrated.The inhibition effect of substrate temperature on the cracks generated by residual stresses was also explained.AM showed great application potential in the field of special conformal cooling cutting tool preparation.

Surface Integrity of Inconel 738LC Parts Manufactured by Selective Laser Melting Followed by High-speed Milling

This study is concerned with the surface integrity of Inconel 738LC parts manufactured by selective laser melting(SLM)followed by high-speed milling(HSM).In the investigation process of surface integrity,the study employs ultradepth three-dimensional microscopy,laser scanning confocal microscopy,scanning electron microscopy,electron backscatter diffractometry,and energy dispersive spectroscopy to characterize the evolution of material microstructure,work hardening,residual stress coupling,and anisotropic effect of the building direction on surface integrity of the samples.The results show that SLM/HSM hybrid manufacturing can be an effective method to obtain better surface quality with a thinner machining metamorphic layer.High-speed machining is adopted to reduce cutting force and suppress machining heat,which is an effective way to produce better surface mechanical properties during the SLM/HSM hybrid manufacturing process.In general,high-speed milling of the SLM-built Inconel 738LC samples offers better surface integrity,compared to simplex additive manufacturing or casting.

Design and Manufacture of Bionic Porous Titanium Alloy Spinal Implant Based on Selective Laser Melting(SLM)

In order to meet the clinical requirements of spine surgery,this paper proposed the exploratory research of computer-aided design and selective laser melting(SLM)fabrication of a bionic porous titanium spine implant.The structural design of the spinal implant is based on CT scanning data to ensure correct matching,and the mechanical properties of the implant are verified by simulation analysis and laser selective melting experiment.The surface roughness of the spinal implant manufactured by SLM without post-processing is Ra 15μm,and the implant is precisely jointed with the photosensitive resin model of the upper and lower spine.The surface micro-hardness of the implant is HV 373,tensile strengthσ_(b)=1238.7 MPa,yield strengthσ_(0.2)=1043.9 MPa,the elongation is 6.43%,and the compressive strength of porous structure under 84.60%porosity is 184.09 MPa,which can meet the requirements of the reconstruction of stable spines.Compared with the traditional implant and intervertebral fusion cage,the bionic porous spinal implant has the advantages of accurate fit,porous bionic structure and recovery of patients,and the ion release experiment proved that implants manufactured by SLM are more suitable for clinical application after certain treatments.The elastic modulus of the sample is improved after heat treatment,mainly because the microstructure of the sample changes fromα’phase toα+βdual-phase after heat treatment.In addition,the design of high-quality bionic porous spinal implants still needs to be optimized for the actual needs of doctors.

Topology optimization of microstructure and selective laser meltingfabrication for metallic biomaterial scaffolds

The precise design and fabrication of biomaterial scaffolds is necessary to provide a systematic study for bone tissue engineering. Biomaterial scaffolds should have sufficient stiffness and large porosity. These two goals generally contradict since larger porosity results in lower mechanical properties. To seek the microstructure of maximum stiffness with the constraint of volume fraction by topology optimization method, algorithms and programs were built to obtain 2D and 3D optimized microstructure and then they were transferred to CAD models of STL format. Ti scaffolds with 30% volume fraction were fabricated using a selective laser melting （SLM） technology. The architecture and pore shape in the metallic biomaterial scaffolds were relatively precise reproduced and the minimum mean pore size was 231μm. The accurate fabrication of intricate microstructure has verified that the SLM process is suitable for fabrication of metallic biomaterial scaffolds.

WE43镁合金SLM成形数值模拟及试验验证

目的研究WE43镁合金激光选区熔化(SLM)成形过程、成形后变形及应力分布的变化规律,得到SLM态WE43常温拉伸力学模型。方法采用SLM方法制备了WE43镁合金悬臂梁及拉伸试样,通过对比悬臂梁局部切割翘曲试验结果与数值模拟结果,得到WE43镁合金固有应变模型,实现WE43镁合金SLM成形过程的模拟及变形预测;对SLM态WE43镁合金开展拉伸试验,使用金相显微镜及扫描电镜进行微观组织及断口形貌观察;采用Normalized Cockcroft&Latham模型对拉伸试验进行模拟,实现SLM态WE43常温拉伸过程分析。结论常温SLM态WE43的抗拉强度为313 MPa,屈服强度为236 MPa,延伸率为7.6%,试样中存在不规则孔洞缺陷;在SLM成形过程中,WE43镁合金固有应变值exx、eyy、ezz分别为−0.0025、−0.0025、−0.0115,悬臂梁最大翘曲高度为1.99 mm,模拟结果显示未切割悬臂梁最大等效应力为12.3 MPa;当NC&L断裂准则临界损伤值为0.1时,WE43常温拉伸过程模拟结果与试验结果最为接近,预测准确率为93%。

基于医学CT与SLM技术的踝关节骨骼逆向建模与制备

基于医学CT与3D打印技术实现了骨骼重建与制造。通过对病人踝关节骨骼原始CT数据的采集,运用医学逆向工程软件Mimics及Geomagic软件对骨骼分别进行三维模型重建和骨骼曲面修复、优化,得到了骨面较为光滑平整的踝关节模型。通过对骨骼模型进行静力学分析,说明在人体结构生物力学条件下,所建立的踝关节三维模型满足力学要求。通过实验获得了TC4钛合金激光选区熔化(SLM)技术的优化工艺参数为激光功率240 W,扫描速度800 mm/s,扫描间距为0.12 mm,铺粉厚度为0.05 mm。采用该工艺参数和所建立的踝关节模型,实现了TC4钛合金踝关节3D打印逆向制造,所得制品的形状与组织成分优,满足医学使用要求。

基于离散元法的SLM刮刀倾角对粉末铺展行为的影响研究

刮刀倾角对选区激光熔化过程粉末铺展行为有重要影响.基于离散元法建立铺粉数值模型,对不同刮刀倾角的铺粉过程及粉层质量进行模拟研究.针对不同的刮刀倾角,提出一个量化指标对粉层铺展的致密度和均匀性进行综合评估,获得刮刀倾角对粉层质量的影响规律.根据颗粒分布及运动特征将粉堆颗粒体系划分为底层区、斜坡区、刮刀影响区和内部区4个区域.针对各区域进行铺粉过程动力学机理的深入研究,包括颗粒运动轨迹和速度场、刮刀前方剪切带、颗粒间力链分布及演化等.研究发现:刮刀倾角小于0时,颗粒体系难以形成完整的环流运动,剪切带较小,流向沉积层的颗粒较少,颗粒间强力链较少,刮刀间隙前方易形成力拱导致颗粒堵塞,进而形成空斑使得沉积层的致密度和均匀性较低.刮刀倾角大于0时,颗粒体系的环流运动较充分,剪切带较大,流向沉积层的颗粒增多,随倾角增大强力链增多,刮刀压实作用增强,有利于沉积层致密度和均匀性的提高.本研究为优化工艺参数、提高粉层沉积质量提供了理论基础.

SLM成形IN738LC合金的微动磨损行为及磨损机理

本文通过高精度微动摩擦磨损试验机(SRV-V),以球/平面点接触模式对选区激光熔化(SLM)技术制备的IN738LC合金进行切向微动磨损实验,系统研究了恒定载荷条件下(50 N),不同位移幅值(50、100、150、200μm)试样的微动磨损行为及其磨损机理。结果表明:随着位移幅值增加,试样的摩擦因数和磨损体积逐渐增大,微动磨损运行状态由混合区逐渐转变为完全滑移区,50μm试样的磨损机理为轻微氧化磨损和疲劳磨损,200μm试样的磨损机理转变为氧化磨损、疲劳磨损和磨粒磨损。此外,磨痕中的微裂纹分布强烈依赖于微动区类型,即微裂纹出现在黏着区域和滑移区域的交界位置及完全滑移区域内。由于磨痕边缘存在犁削作用,磨痕形状由圆形变为椭圆形。

基于激光重熔的SLM成形316L不锈钢温度场仿真及工艺优化

SLM成形过程中激光重熔可改善冶金质量和提高性能,但是目前激光重熔对温度场的影响尚不清楚。本工作利用有限元方法建立316L不锈钢模型,对比未重熔与激光重熔的温度场特征,分析不同重熔工艺参数下的温度结果和不同重熔工艺参数下所制备样品的致密度和孔隙尺寸。结果表明,激光重熔有较好的预热效果,单层成形最低温度提高了约69%,多层成形因热量扩散影响预热效果仅将温度提高10%。激光重熔工艺对激光第一次扫描的最高温度没有影响,但可提高第二次扫描的温度。重熔激光能量密度从29 J/m升至117 J/m,最高温度上升了36.40%,最低温度上升了12%。致密度的改善不明显,但孔隙尺寸有明显的减小。当激光重熔能量密度为50 J/m时,致密度高达99.95%,孔隙的深度和宽度下降了64.9%和35.2%。

SLM制备Ti6Al4V合金表层组织的均质化及腐蚀行为研究

采用激光选区熔化(SLM)增材制造工艺制备致密度为97.5%的Ti6Al4V合金,并利用高能喷丸与退火处理复合工艺对垂直建造方向的XOY面及平行建造方向的XOZ面进行均质化处理,然后对原始打印件、喷丸处理以及喷丸+退火处理的3种状态的试样进行电化学性能测试。研究结果表明:经喷丸处理后,原始打印件XOY面和XOZ面的组织趋于均质化,同时组织明显细化;喷丸既不改变衍射峰的位置,也不产生新的衍射峰,但可使衍射峰宽化;对于喷丸后经不同温度退火处理的样品,随退火温度的升高,XOY面和XOZ面的晶粒逐渐长大,在780℃退火后,二者均可获得α+β双相组织。对于原始打印件,XOY面和XOZ面的电化学腐蚀行为存在明显的差异,其中,XOY面的腐蚀倾向更小,耐蚀性能更优。经喷丸+退火处理后,这种差异明显减小,同时耐蚀性能进一步提高,经综合考虑可得喷丸+780℃退火为最佳工艺。

Selective laser melted AZ91D magnesium alloy with superior balance of strength and ductility

In the context of global carbon neutrality, the application of lightweight magnesium alloys is becoming increasingly attractive. In this study, selective laser melting(SLM) was employed to achieve nearly full dense and crack-free AZ91D components with fine equiaxed grain structure. The formation mechanism of typical pore defects(gas pore, lack-of-fusion pore and keyhole pore) and melting modes(keyhole mode and conduction mode) were systematically studied by varying the laser power and scanning speed. The morphology and volume fraction of the pores under different processing conditions were characterized. A criterion based on the depth-to-width ratio of the melt pool was established to identify different melting modes. The strength and ductility(tensile strength up to 340 MPa and uniform elongation of 8.9%)of the as deposited AZ91D are far superior to those of the casting components and are comparable to those of its wrought counterparts.The superior balance of strength and ductility of SLMed AZ91D, as well as the negligible anisotropic properties are mainly ascribed to the extremely fine equiaxed grain structure(with average grain size of ~1.2 μm), as well as the discontinuous distribution of β-Al_(12)Mg_(17) phases. It thus provides an alternative way to fabricate high-strength magnesium alloys with complex geometry.

SLM成形IN718合金高温持久各向异性影响因素

为研究激光选区熔化(selective laser melting,SLM)成形IN718持久各向异性的影响因素,对其打印态分别进行固溶时效(solution treatment and aging,SA)和直接时效(direct aging,DA)处理,采用X射线衍射、扫描电子显微镜及电子背散射衍射对两种状态试样xOy面及yOz物相、显微组织和织构进行表征,并在690 MPa,650℃下对两种状态的横向/纵向试样进行持久性能测试,测试后对断口和截面裂纹进行了表征分析量化研究.研究表明,DA态试样很大程度保持了打印态的显微组织,有明显熔池痕迹.晶粒尺寸几乎没有变化.显微组织中有大量偏析,XRD显示有衍射强度微弱的MC相的峰.而SA态试样晶粒尺寸及分布与DA态试样类似,同时存在大范围的δ相析出.横向/纵向试样的高温持久性能的差异随着加载时裂纹萌生点数量差异的减小而减小.垂直于应力加载轴向的熔池结构及晶界结构的差异是影响其高温持久各向异性的关键因素.