On the Possibility of Selective Laser Melting of Quartz Glass

Abstract

Quartz glass is considered as model ceramic material for selective laser melting (SLM). Single beads of fused powder bonded with a continuous substrate of the same material are obtained. Neither the beads nor the substrates near them are cracked. Low closed porosity in the beads and detachment of the bead borders from the substrate are observed. The quality of the obtained beads is estimated to be sufficient for fabrication of three-dimensional parts by SLM. Comparison with calculations of heat transfer and evaporation reveals that the mass and the energy losses by evaporation are considerable and that the substrate surface should be locally heated up to 1600 K for strong bonding with the bead. Decreasing the thickness of the deposited powder layer is proposed to improve the adhesion between the bead and the substrate with the minimum loss in the productivity of the process. Finer powder is expected to decrease the residual closed porosity in the bead and to make the pores finer too.