Abstract
Additive manufacturing (AM) offers customization of the microstructures and mechanical properties of fabricated components according to the material selected and process parameters applied. Selective laser melting (SLM) is a commonly-used technique for processing high strength aluminum alloys. The selection of SLM process parameters could control the microstructure of parts and their mechanical properties. However, the process parameters limit and defects obtained inside the as-built parts present obstacles to customized part production. This study investigates the influence of SLM process parameters on the quality of as-built Al6061 and AlSi10Mg parts according to the mutual connection between the microstructure characteristics and mechanical properties. The microstructure of both materials was characterized for different parts processed over a wide range of SLM process parameters. The optimized SLM parameters were investigated to eliminate internal microstructure defects. The behavior of the mechanical properties of parts was presented through regression models generated from the design of experiment (DOE) analysis for the results of hardness, ultimate tensile strength, and yield strength. A comparison between the results obtained and those reported in the literature is presented to illustrate the influence of process parameters, build environment, and powder characteristics on the quality of parts produced. The results obtained from this study could help to customize the part’s quality by satisfying their design requirements in addition to reducing as-built defects which, in turn, would reduce the amount of the post-processing needed.
Highlights
Additive manufacturing (AM) is considered one of the leading sectors of the upcoming industrial revolution “Industry 4.0” [1]
The selection of the selective laser melting (SLM) process parameters plays an essential role in controlling the material and mechanical properties of products customized according to their function and design requirements
The melt pool shape geometry of the AS7 sample is enlarged compared to the AS8 sample due to a diminishing solidification rate together with an energy density increase
Summary
Additive manufacturing (AM) is considered one of the leading sectors of the upcoming industrial revolution “Industry 4.0” [1]. The AM of Al alloys could produce high-performance lightweight components with relatively high material quality, mechanical properties, and design flexibility. The selection of the SLM process parameters plays an essential role in controlling the material and mechanical properties of products customized according to their function and design requirements. Prashanth et al [10] reported that the selected strategy of hatch spacing and contour parameters could significantly affect the microstructure and mechanical properties of the AlSi12 parts fabricated using SLM. Their results showed that applying the contour parameters negatively affects the ductility of parts due to residual stresses along the Materials 2019, 12, 12; doi:10.3390/ma12010012 www.mdpi.com/journal/materials
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