Abstract
In this fact-pacing world of technological advancement, the rise of additive manufacturing (AM) has found immense applications of metallic alloys such as Ti6Al4V to manufacture key components in automotive, aerospace and healthcare sectors. However, fatigue characteristics of such additively manufactured metal alloys is noticeably weak, and as such requires post-processing. In this study, AM Ti6Al4V manufactured by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) was treated by Hydrodynamic Cavitation Abrasive Finishing (HCAF) and Laser Cavitation Peening (LCP) to observe the improvement in surface roughness as well as fatigue performance. Our investigations revealed a substantial improvement in surface quality post-HCAF processing. Notably, the surface roughness of AM Ti6Al4V specimens showed a significant reduction of about 91.2 %, post surface treatment. However, Laser Cavitation Peening (LCP) treated sample demonstrates a significantly enhanced fatigue strength of 393 ± 22 MPa at 107, which was 1.75 times better than that of as-built one, i.e., 224 ± 16 MPa. This difference can be attributed to the distinct surface modification mechanisms of each technique. LCP, utilizing laser-induced shock waves, likely induces large compressive residual stresses, leading to better fatigue resistance.
Published Version
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