Abstract
The Laser-based Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) process uses a laser beam to selectively melt powder particles deposited in a layer-wise fashion to manufacture components derived from Computer-Aided Design (CAD) information. During laser processing, material is ejected from the melt pool and is known as spatter. Spatter particles can have undesirable geometries for the L-PBF process, thereby compromising the quality of the powder for further reuse. An integral step in any powder replenishing and reuse procedure is the sieving process. The sieving process captures spatter particles within the exposed powder that have a diameter larger than a defined mesh size. This manuscript reports on Ti6Al4V (Grade 23) alloy powder that had been subjected to seven reuse iterations, focusing on the characterisation of powder particles that had been captured (i.e., removed) by the sieving processes. Characterisation included chemical composition focusing upon interstitial elements O, N and H (wt.%), particle morphology and particle size analysis. On review of the compositional analysis, the oxygen contents were 0.43 wt.% and 0.40 wt.% within the 63 µm and 50 µm sieve-captured powder, respectively. Additionally, it was found that a minimum of 79% and 63% of spatter particles were present within the captured powder removed by the 63 µm and 50 µm sieves, respectively.
Highlights
The Laser-based Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) process is an Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique that produces components in a layer-upon-layer manner by using a highenergy laser beam to selectively melt powder particles that had been pre-coated onto the surface of the substrate material
The results of the oxygen content within the Extra-low Interstitial (ELI) Ti6Al4V powder at various stages throughout the sieving process are presented within Figure 5
The measured oxygen content within the 63 μm sievecaptured and 50 μm sieve-captured powder was 0.43 wt.% and 0.40 wt.%, respectively. Both these values exceed the maximum threshold for both the ELI grade (Grade 23)
Summary
The Laser-based Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) process is an Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique that produces components in a layer-upon-layer manner by using a highenergy laser beam to selectively melt powder particles that had been pre-coated onto the surface of the substrate material. 0.1 mm) and a powder particle size typically not exceeding 70 μm, allows highly intricate components to be manufactured [1]. Extra-low Interstitial (ELI) Ti6Al4V, referred to as Grade 23, is an α + β titanium alloy that exhibits excellent corrosion resistance, biological compatibility and good strength-to-weight properties. These associated mechanical properties make Ti6Al4V one of the most popular titanium alloy used within industry
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
