Abstract
Selective laser melting (SLM) is one of the most reliable and efficient procedures for Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) due to the capability to produce components with high standards in terms of dimensional accuracy, surface finish, and mechanical behavior. In the past years, the SLM process has been utilized for direct manufacturing of fully functional mechanical parts in various industries, such as aeronautics and automotive. Hence, it is essential to investigate the SLM procedure for the most commonly used metals and alloys. The current paper focuses on the impact of crucial process-related parameters on the final quality of parts constructed with the Inconel 718 superalloy. Utilizing the SLM process and the Inconel 718 powder, several samples were fabricated using various values on critical AM parameters, and their mechanical behavior as well as their surface finish were examined. The investigated parameters were the laser power, the scan speed, the spot size, and their output Volumetric Energy Density (VED), which were applied on each specimen. The feedstock material was inspected using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis, and Particle-size distribution (PSD) measurements in order to classify the quality of the raw material. The surface roughness of each specimen was evaluated via multi-focus imaging, and the mechanical performance was quantified utilizing quasi-static uniaxial tensile and nanoindentation experiments. Finally, regression-based models were developed in order to interpret the behavior of the AM part’s quality depending on the process-related parameters.
Highlights
IntroductionAdditive Manufacturing (AM) has been developed into one of the most rapidly evolved and studied manufacturing process [1]
Over the last decade, Additive Manufacturing (AM) has been developed into one of the most rapidly evolved and studied manufacturing process [1]
The chemical composition of the material demonstrates an essential role in final quality, as a compromised chemical composition of the material could lead to several defects on the 3D-printed components
Summary
Additive Manufacturing (AM) has been developed into one of the most rapidly evolved and studied manufacturing process [1]. The selective laser melting (SLM) additive manufacturing technique belongs to Powder Bed. Fusion (PBF) AM classification and is one of the most reliable methods for producing metal components. SLM is an AM technique that utilizes a laser beam to fully melt the feedstock material in the form of a metal powder to manufacture a product. The building platform descends for a layer height and the procedure is repeated until the entire part is built [8] This technique is employed for a wide range of metal and alloy materials such as stainless steels, titanium alloys, superalloys, etc. It is essential to establish a process map that demonstrates the performance of the quality factors depending on the applied parameters in order to facilitate the trade-offs that have to be employed to manufacture a high-quality metal component
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