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.

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. .

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.

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.

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.

Metal-ceramic Bond Mechanism of the Co-Cr Alloy Denture with Original Rough Surface Produced by Selective Laser Melting

The porcelain fracture caused by low metal-ceramic bond strength is a critical issue in porcelain fused to metal（PFM） restorations. Surface roughening methods, such as sand blasting, acid etching and alkaline degreasing for the metal matrix are used to increase bond strength. However, the metal matrix of PFM processed by selective laser melting（SLM） has natural rough surface. To explore the effect of the original roughness on metal-ceramic bond strength, two groups of specimen are fabricated by SLM. One group of specimen surface is polished smooth while another group remains the original rough surface. The dental porcelain is fused to the specimens＇ surfaces according to the ISO 9693：1999 standard. To gain the bond strength, a three-point bending test is carried out and X ray energy spectrum analysis（EDS）, scanning electron microscope（SEM） are used to show fracture mode. The results show that the mean bond strength is 116.5 16 MPa of the group with rough surface（Ra= 17.2）, and the fracture mode is cohesive. However, when the surface is smooth （Ra =3.8）, the mean bond strength is 74.5 MPa _＋ 5 MPa and the fracture mode is mixed. The original surface with prominent structures formed by the partly melted powder particles, not only increases surface roughness but also significantly improves the bond strength by forming strong mechanical lock effect. Statistical analysis （Student＇s t-test） demonstrates a significant difference （p〈0.05） of the mean value of bond strength between the two groups. The experiments indicate the natural rough surface can enhance the metal-ceramic bond strength to over four times the minimum value （25 MPa） of the ISO 9693：1999 standard. It is found that the natural rough surface of SLM-made PFM can eliminate the porcelain collapse defect produced by traditional casting method in PFM restorations.

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.

Defect Formation Mechanisms in Selective Laser Melting:A Review

Defect formation is a common problem in selective laser melting （SLM）. This paper provides a review of defect formation mechanisms in SLM. It sum- marizes the recent research outcomes on defect findings and classification, analyzes formation mechanisms of the common defects, such as porosities, incomplete fusion holes, and cracks. The paper discusses the effect of the process parameters on defect formation and the impact of defect formation on the mechanical properties of a fabri- cated part. Based on the discussion, the paper proposes strategies for defect suppression and control in SLM.

Development of Micro Selective Laser Melting:The State of the Art and Future Perspectives

Additive manufacturing(AM)is gaining traction in the manufacturing industry for the fabrication of components with complex geometries using a variety of materials.Selective laser melting(SLM)is a common AM technique that is based on powder-bed fusion(PBF)to process metals;however,it is currently focused only on the fabrication of macroscale and mesoscale components.This paper reviews the state of the art of the SLM of metallic materials at the microscale level.In comparison with the direct writing techniques that are commonly used for micro AM,micro SLM is attractive due to a number of factors,including a faster cycle time,process simplicity,and material versatility.A comprehensive evaluation of various research works and commercial systems for the fabrication of microscale parts using SLM and selective laser sintering(SLS)is conducted.In addition to identifying existing issues with SLM at the microscale,which include powder recoating,laser optics,and powder particle size,this paper details potential future directions.A detailed review of existing recoating methods in powder-bed techniques is conducted,along with a description of emerging efforts to implement dry powder dispensing methods in the AM domain.A number of secondary finishing techniques for AM components are reviewed,with a focus on implementation for microscale features and integration with micro SLM systems.

In uence of Particle Size on Laser Absorption and Scanning Track Formation Mechanisms of Pure Tungsten Powder During Selective Laser Melting

A three-dimensional laser absorption model based on ray tracing was established to describe the coupled interaction of a laser beam with particles in the powder layers of pure tungsten(W)material processed by selective laser melting(SLM).The influence of particle size on the powder-to-laser absorptivity and underlying absorption behavior was investigated.An intrinsic relationship between the absorption,distribution of absorbed irradiance within the powder layers,and surface morphology and geometric characteristics(e.g.,contact angle,width and height of tracks,and remelted depth)of the laser scanning tracks is presented here.Simulation conclusions indicate that the absorptivity of the powder layers considerably exceeds the single powder particle value or the dense solid material value.With an increase in particle size,the powder layer absorbs less laser energy.The maximum absorptivity of theWpowder layers reached 0.6030 at the particle size of 5 lm.The distribution of laser irradiance on the particle surface was sensitive to particle size,azimuthal angle,and the position of the powder particles on the substrate.The maximum irradiance in the powder layers decreased from 1.117×10^–3 to 0.85×10^–3W·μm^-2 and the contour of the irradiance distribution in the center of the irradiated area gradually contracted when the particle size increased from 5 to 45 lm.An experimental study on the surface morphologies and cross-sectional geometric characteristics of SLM-fabricated W material was performed,and the experimental results validated the mechanisms of the powder-to-laser-absorption behavior that were obtained in simulations.This work provides a scientific basis for the application of the ray-tracing model to predict the wetting and spreading ability of melted tracks during SLM additive manufacturing in order to yield a sound laser processability.

A review of particulate-reinforced aluminum matrix composites fabricated by selective laser melting

Selective laser melting(SLM)is an emerging layer-wise additive manufacturing technique that can generate complex components with high performance.Particulate-reinforced aluminum matrix composites(PAMCs)are important materials for various applications due to the combined properties of Al matrix and reinforcements.Considering the advantages of SLM technology and PAMCs,the novel SLM PAMCs have been developed and researched in recent years.Therefore,the current research progress about the SLM PAMCs is reviewed.Firstly,special attention is paid to the solidification behavior of SLM PAMCs.Secondly,the important issues about the design and fabrication of high-performance SLM PAMCs,including the selection of reinforcement,the influence of parameters on the processing and microstructure,the defect evolution and phase control,are highlighted and discussed comprehensively.Thirdly,the performance and strengthening mechanism of SLM PAMCs are systematically figured out.Finally,future directions are pointed out on the advancement of high-performance SLM PAMCs.

Anisotropy in mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of 316L stainless steel fabricated by selective laser melting

The corrosion behavior and mechanical properties of 316 L stainless steel(SS) fabricated via selective laser melting(SLM) were clarified by potentiodynamic polarization measurements, immersion tests, and tensile experiments. The microstructural anisotropy of SLMed 316 L SS was also investigated by electron back-scattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The grain sizes of the SLMed 316 L SS in the XOZ plane were smaller than those of the SLMed 316 L SS in the XOY plane, and a greater number of low-angle boundaries were present in the XOY plane, resulting in lower elongation for the XOY plane than for the XOZ plane. The SLMed 316 L was expected to exhibit higher strength but lower ductility than the wrought 316 L, which was attributed to the high density of dislocations. The pitting potentials of the SLMed 316 L samples were universally higher than those of the wrought sample in chloride solutions because of the annihilation of MnS or(Ca,Al)-oxides during the rapid solidification. However, the molten pool boundaries preferentially dissolved in aggressive solutions and the damage of the SLMed 316 L in FeCl3 solution was more serious after long-term service, indicating poor durability.

Enhanced mechanical properties and formability of 316L stainless steel materials 3D-printed using selective laser melting

This study is conducted to develop an innovative and attractive selective laser melting(SLM)method to produce 316 L stainless steel materials with excellent mechanical performance and complex part shape.In this work,the subregional manufacturing strategy,which separates the special parts from the components using an optimized process,was proposed.The results showed that produced 316 L materials exhibited superior strength of^755 MPa and good ductility.In the as-built parts,austenite with preferred orientation of the(220)plane,δ-ferrite,and a small amount of CrO phases were present.In addition,the crystal size was fine,which contributed to the enhancement of the parts’mechanical properties.The structural anisotropy mechanism of the materials was also investigated for a group of half-sized samples with variable inclination directions.This technique was used to fabricate a set of impellers with helical bevels and high-precision planetary gears,demonstrating its strong potential for use in practical applications.

Effect of Nb additions on microstructure and properties of γ-TiAl based alloys fabricated by selective laser melting

The γ-TiAl based Ti.Al.Mn.Nb alloys with different Nb additions were fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) on the TC4 substrate. The effects of Nb content on microstructure and properties of the alloys were investigated. The results reveal that the alloys consist of γ-TiAl phase with tetragonal lattice structure and α2-Ti3Al phase with hcp lattice structure, and show a sequential structure change from near full dendrite to near lamellar structure with the increase of Nb addition. Owing to the higher Nb content in γ-TiAl phase and the formation of near lamellar structure, the alloy with 7.0 at.% Nb addition has the best combination of properties among the studied alloys, namely, not only a high hardness of HV 2000, a high strength of 1390 MPa and a plastic deformation of about 24.5%, but also good tribological properties and high-temperature oxidation resistance.

Microstructure and properties of Ag/SnO2 functional material manufactured by selective laser melting

Ag/SnO2,as a promising and environment-friendly electrical contact material,is widely applied in low-voltage apparatus.But the properties of Ag/SnO2 composites is difficult to improve due to the poor distribution phases and difficult component design.In this work,the Ag/SnO2 composites are prepared by selective laser melting.To get better performance,Ag/SnO2 composites with different energy density were studied.The microstructure was observed by field emission scanning electron microscope.In addition,reinforced SnO2 phase was characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope.The results indicated that the microstructure,relative density and hardness of are influenced by energy density,while Ag/SnO2 composites with homogeneous microstructure,high relative density,higher hardness and lower electrical resistivity can be obtained by proper energy density(E?68 J/mm^3).