Influence Of Process Parameters Research Articles

UV Nanoimprint Lithography—Impact of Coating Techniques on Pattern Quality

In this work, three different coating techniques are compared and their applicability for ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) is investigated. As UV-NIL is considered a suitable volume manufacturing production solution for various emerging applications, it is mandatory to consider environmental aspects such as operational energy use and material consumption as well as waste management. In this paper, spin coating, spray coating, and inkjet coating are used to coat both a high refractive index resin (n = 1.9) and a filler-free resin (n = 1.5), respectively. Variable Angle Spectroscopy Ellipsometry (VASE) was used to analyze the influence of different process parameters on the resin thickness as well as to compare the refractive index achieved from each coating technology. Finally, the applicability of the different coating methods for UV-NIL was investigated by imprinting the resin layers with different test structures. For the final imprints, the resolution, the surface roughness, and the pattern fidelity over 25 imprints was assessed using AFM. Finally, a comparison of the resin consumption and the process time was performed for each coating method.

Morphology analysis and process optimization of μ-SLA 3D manufactured micro-nano conic structure

PurposeThis paper is devoted to prepare micro-cone structure with variable cross-section size by Stereo Lithography Appearance (SLA)-based 3D additive manufacturing technology. It is mainly focused on analyzing the forming mechanism of equipment and factors affecting the forming quality and accuracy, investigating the influence of forming process parameters on the printing quality and optimization of the printing quality. This study is expected to provide a µ-SLA surface preparation technology and process parameters selection with low cost, high precision and short preparation period for microstructure forming.Design/methodology/approachThe µ-SLA process is optimized based on the variable cross-section micro-cone structure printing. Multi-index analysis method was used to analyze the influence of process parameters. The process parameter influencing order is determined and validated with flawless micro array structure.FindingsAfter the optimization analysis of the top diameter size, the bottom diameter size and the overall height, the influence order of the printing process parameters on the quality of the micro-cone forming is: exposure time (B), print layer thickness (A) and number of vibrations (C). The optimal scheme is A1B3C1, that is, the layer thickness of 5 µm, the exposure time of 3000 ms and the vibration of 64x. At this time, the cone structure with the bottom diameter of 50 µm and the cone angle of 5° could obtain a better surface structure.Originality/valueThis study is expected to provide a µ-SLA surface preparation technology and process parameters selection with low cost, high precision and short preparation period for microstructure forming.

The Effect of Process Parameters on the Temperature and Stress Fields in Directed Energy Deposition Inconel 690 Alloy.

Additive manufacturing (AM) technology has the advantages of designability, short process times, high flexibility, etc., making it especially suitable for manufacturing complex high-performance components for high-end industrial systems. However, the intensive temperature gradients caused by the rapid heating and cooling processes of AM can generate high levels of residual stresses, which directly affect the precision and serviceability of the components. Taking Inconel 690 alloy, which is widely used in nuclear power plants, as the research object, a thermo-coupled mechanical model of temperature field and residual stress field of directed energy deposition (DED) of Inconel 690 was established based on ABAQUS 2019 finite element software to study the influence of process parameters on the temperature history and the distribution of residual stresses in the DED process. The experimental results show that the peak temperature of each layer in the fabrication process increases with the increase in laser power and preheating temperature, and decreases with the increase in scanning speed and interlayer dwell time. Substrate preheating only has a large effect on the peak temperature of the first four layers. Residual stresses are mainly concentrated in the upper and middle parts, the bottom of the substrate, and the sides combined with the substrate, and the residual stresses increase with the increasing laser power and decrease with the increasing interlayer dwell time. Decreasing laser power, longer dwell time, higher preheating temperature, and appropriate scanning speed are beneficial for the reduction in residual stresses in Inconel 690 components. This research has important significance for the process design and residual stress modulation in the additive manufacturing of Inconel 690 alloy.

Corner cutting accuracy for thin-walled CFRPC parts using HS-WEDM

Carbon Fiber-Reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite parts with thin-walled corners are in great demand in aircraft, cars, and precision instruments. Nonetheless, the fabrication of these parts is difficult due to their low stiffness. High-speed WEDM is an advanced technique for cutting thin CFRP components as it is a non-contact method for removing materials. Nonetheless, testing results demonstrate an unavoidable deformation in the thin-walled corners of the CFRP composite. The objective of this study is to improve the accuracy of corners in thin-walled CFRP composite parts. The research utilized a Taguchi L16 orthogonal array to investigate the influence of various process parameters, including pulse-on duration (Pon), pulse-off duration (Poff), and input current (I), as well as the parameter CFRP plate thickness (T), on corner inaccuracy. The CFRP thickness varied between 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mm, and the corner angles examined were 30°, 60°, 90°, and 120°. Additionally, a second-order polynomial regression model was used to determine the correlation between the process parameters and corner inaccuracy at various corner angles. Also, a multi-response optimization technique using a composite desirability coupled with a generalized reduced gradient were used to find the optimal process combination across various CFRP thicknesses. According to the research findings, the most relevant process parameters impacting corner accuracy at different angles were the pulse-on duration and input current. To achieve accurate corners with different angles, the optimal process parameters were identified: Pon (40µs), Poff (15µs), and I (4A) for CFRP thicknesses 0.5 and 1.0mm, and Pon (45μs), Poff (30μs), and I (2A) for thicknesses 1.5 and 2.0mm.

Parametric analysis of additively manufactured polymer nanocomposites: A experimental and multiscale study

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) or Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a widely utilized additive manufacturing technology in a variety of sectors. However, voids, poor bonding between layers, and FDM parameters commonly affect the FDM-printed objects, altering their strength. Carbon nanotube (CNT) composites for FDM printing have been researched by researchers to improve their characteristics. This paper proposes an efficient three-scale computational model for predicting mechanical properties as well as a unique water-quenching process for preparing CNT-infused filaments. The influence of FDM process parameters on mechanical properties is revealed by extensive parametric analysis. When compared to pure ABS, the CNT-infused composite demonstrated better bonding and modulus. The experimental study showed that an increase in the layer height deteriorates the elastic modulus by 21.03 % and 27.92 %, for ABS and ABS-CNT, respectively. The infill density increases the modulus by 49.3 % and 69.6 % for pure ABS, from 100 % to 75 % and 50 %, respectively. For parts printed in 0–00 and 0–900 orientations, a 2.11 % and a 1.7 % decrease were found for pure ABS and nanocomposite, respectively. The computational results were in good agreement with the experimental findings, with the difference varying from 10.15 % to 5.5 % for 0.1 mm and 0.2 mm layer heights. For other parameters like the raster orientation, the difference for 0–00 and 0–900 was 5.3 % and 6.9 %, respectively. The computational results agree with the experimental results, making it a useful tool for optimizing FDM printing and exploiting CNTs to improve part performance.

Effect of energy density on quality and properties of 18Ni300 laser clad layers by laser cladding

By preparing the 18Ni300 laser clad layers at different energy densities, the pores of the laser clad layers were measured and analyzed by using the image method, and the effect of energy density on the porosity was explored by combining the experimental data. The experimental results show that the cross-sectional pores of the laser clad layers are regular in shape and do not intersect with each other, and most of the pores are gathered at the top edge of the fused cladding layer. The influence of process parameters on the morphology of the laser clad layer is obvious. The study shows that the influence of process parameters on porosity is in the order of laser power, scanning speed, and powder feeding voltage; combined with the analysis of variance table and response surface diagram, the interaction between the parameters is obvious, and combined with the change, it can achieve the purpose of reducing porosity. Porosity first increases and then decreases with the increase in the energy density, and the distribution of the energy density and porosity is divided into regions, and larger porosity can be avoided by selecting the regions. The hardness of the laser clad layer can be increased by the choice of energy density. The laser clad layer with good test results was observed to contain Co, α-Fe, and Fe7Ni3 intermetallic compounds. The microstructure is transformed from fine grains at the top to columnar dendrites at the bottom.

Three-Dimensional Characterization of Dry Particle Coating Structures Originating from the Mechano-fusion Process.

Dry particle coating processes are of key importance for creating functionalized materials. By a change in surface structure, initiated during coating, a surface property change and thus functionalization can be achieved. This study introduces an innovative approach employing 3D X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to characterize coated particles, consisting of spherical alumina particles (d50 = 45.64 μm), called hosts, surrounded by spherical polystyrene particles (d50 = 3.5 μm), called guests. The formed structures, hetero-aggregates, are generated by dry particle coating using mechano-fusion (MF). A deeper understanding of the influence of MF process parameters on the coating structures is a crucial step toward tailoring of coating structure, resulting surface property and functionalization. Therefore, the influence of rotational speed, process time, and total mechanical energy input during MF is explored. Leveraging micro-CT data, acquired of coated particles, enables non-stereologically biased and quantitative coating structure analysis. The guest's coating thickness is analyzed using the maximum inscribed sphere and ray method, two different local thickness measurement approaches. Particle-discrete information of the coating structure are available after a proper image processing workflow is implemented. Coating efficiency and guest's neighboring relations (nearest neighbor distance and number of neighbors inside search radius) are evaluated.

Prediction Method for High-Speed Laser Cladding Coating Quality Based on Random Forest and AdaBoost Regression Analysis.

The initial melting quality of a high-speed laser cladding layer has an important impact on its post-treatment and practical application. In this study, based on the repair of hydraulic support columns of coal mining machines, the influence of high-speed laser cladding process parameters on the quality of Fe-Cr-Ni alloy coatings was investigated to realize the accurate prediction of coating quality. The Taguchi orthogonal method was used to design the L25(56) test. The prediction models of the relationship between the cladding process and the coating quality were established using the Random Forest (RF) and AdaBoost (Adaptive Boosting, AB) algorithms, respectively. Then, the prediction accuracy of the two models was compared, and the process parameter features were screened for importance evaluation. The results show that the AB prediction model is more accurate than the RF prediction model and more sensitive to abnormal data. The importance evaluation based on the AdaBoost model shows that the scanning speed has a great influence on the height and surface roughness of the coating. On the other hand, the overlap rate is the most important factor in controlling the dilution ratio and near-surface grain size of high-speed laser melting coatings. In addition, the micro-hardness of the coating and the thermal effect of the substrate can be effectively enhanced by adjusting the laser power and scanning speed. Finally, it was verified that the AB prediction model could accurately estimate the quality indexes of the coating with a prediction error less than 6%. The results show that it is feasible to predict the quality of high-speed laser cladding with the AB algorithm. It provides a basis for the adjustment of process parameters in the subsequent quality control process of cladding.

Mechanical, metallurgical and corrosion analysis of forced cooling assisted laser bending of duplex-2205

Laser bending with a small bend angle poses challenges in manufacturing applications. Despite various proposed strategies, the achievable bend angle typically ranges from 0.1 to 2° per scan. This study focuses on enhancing the bend angle of duplex stainless steel by introducing forced cooling (FC). The application of FC aims to reduce the number of scans required, thereby saving time, cost, energy, and controlling material degradation due to excessive heating. The investigation compares the effects of process parameters under natural cooling (NC) and FC conditions. Metallurgical, mechanical, and corrosion properties of the bent specimens are investigated. Results indicate a significant enhancement in the bend angle with FC, showing an improvement of up to 1592 % for specific parameters and sheet geometries. For a 2 mm sheet thickness, the maximum bend angles achieved in five scans are 14.02° and 22.34° under NC and FC conditions, respectively. The influence of process parameters on the bend angle is significantly affected by FC compared to the NC condition. Additionally, the trend of bend angle increment in each scan is almost opposite in FC condition compared to NC. FC results in increased hardness and tensile strength of the bent specimens at the expense of ductility. Microstructural analysis reveals phase rearrangement and grain refinement. Corrosion resistance remains mostly unaffected, although a slight reduction in pitting potential is observed under FC, which is compensated by the formation of a passivation layer. Interestingly, the bend angle achieved in one scan was up to three times higher than the published literature, which could be beneficial for various industries.

Investigation of micro-electro-discharge machining process parameters during machining of M2 hardened die-steel

Micro-electro-discharge machining (micro-EDM) is a well-known micromachining method to create microstructures on hard-to-cut materials. To further exploit the capability of micro-EDM, the present research work investigates the effect of various important micro-EDM process parameters on the material removal rate (MRR), tool wear rate (TWR), and overcut (OC) during micro-cavity machining of M2-hardened die-steel. A Taguchi experimental design was used to study the effects of three process parameters namely pulse-on-time (Ton), peak current (Ip), and gap voltage (Vg). The experimental results showed that the most influencing process parameter in the present experimental investigation is peak current, Ip followed by pulse-on-time, Ton and gap voltage, Vg. Furthermore, a recent and effective method i.e. Measurement of Alternatives and Ranking according to COmpromise Solution (MARCOS) has been successfully employed to determine optimal process parametric combination for micro-EDM process to achieve maximum MRR and minimum TWR and OC during machining of micro-cavity on M2-hardened die-steel. From the present research investigation, the optimal micro-EDM process parametric combinations obtained for higher MRR, lower TWR and OC are found as 1 A of peak current, 30 μs pulse-on time and gap voltage of 60 V. Furthermore, through various scanning electron microscope micrographs of micro-cavities and micro-machined surfaces, analysis has been done to find out the micro-cavity with best geometrical accuracy and surface feature to validate the best and most ideal combinations of micro-EDM input parameters for micromachining operations. The results of this study show that micro-EDM is a promising process for machining M2-hardened die-steel. The optimization of process parameters using the MARCOS methodology can further improve the machining efficiency and accuracy of micro-EDM.

Understanding the role of laser processing parameters and position-dependent heterogeneous elastocaloric effect in laser powder bed fused NiTi thin-walled structures

To reduce the driving load and enhance the heat exchange capacity and elastocaloric refrigeration efficiency, increasing interests in porous structure design and laser-based additive manufacturing (LAM) of NiTi materials with a large specific surface area have been emerging. As a type of characteristic unit of porous components, we mainly focused on the LAM process optimization and elastocaloric effect of NiTi-based thin-walled structures (TWSs) in this work. Firstly, we systemically studied the influence of laser processing parameter on the forming quality and phase transformation behavior of NiTi-based TWS samples. Results showed that high relative density (>99.0%) was inclined to be obtained in a range of 67–133 J mm−3 (laser energy density). Besides, the transformation temperatures (TTs) and enthalpy change roughly showed a positive linear relationship with the applied laser energy density. At an optimized parameter (P = 100 W and v = 1000 mm s−1), the sample exhibited a high relative density (99.88%), good dimensional accuracy, and the lowest TTs. Then, this work emphatically unveiled the position-dependence of phase transformation behavior and elastocaloric effect (eCE) in a NiTi-based TWS sample. It was found that both the TTs and enthalpy change monotonously decreased along the building direction, while the transformation strain kept an increase trend. As a result, the middle portion of the sample exhibited the largest adiabatic temperature change which reached 6.5 K at the applied stain of 4%. The variation in TTs and eCE could be attributed to the heterogeneous solidification microstructure induced by the thermal cycle nature of LAM process.

Investigation of microstructural and mechanical properties in AA2024-T351 multi-layer friction surfacing

This study on multi-layer friction surfacing (MLFS) as a process for additive manufacturing focuses on the influence of process parameters on the resulting microstructural properties for the precipitation-hardenable Al-Cu-Mg alloy AA2024. The energy input, which is determined by the process parameters, is correlated with the process temperature, which has a direct influence on the microstructure and mechanical properties. At higher process temperatures, e.g. at 450.1∘C, larger average grain sizes, i.e. 2.5 μm, were observed in the deposited material compared to lower temperatures, i.e. 1.2 μm at 380.6∘C. At the same time, hardness (109.2 HV0.1 ↔ 115.7 HV0.1) and ultimate tensile strength (360.8 MPa ↔ 423.3 MPa) were lower at higher temperatures, in particular due to a pronounced overaging. In terms of overall mechanical behavior, the interfaces between the first layer and the substrate are the weak points of MLFS, as they exhibit lower tensile strength compared to the interfaces between the layers. Within the MLFS, the interfaces have a slightly higher hardness, which can be attributed to locally smaller grains.

Supercritical enhanced atomization induced particle entrapment for continuous production of injectable micro and nano-suspensions

The production of micro- and nanosized dry powder formulations of pharmaceutical drugs by spraying methods with high yields and desired rheological characteristics is typically challenging from laboratory up to commercial scales. In this work, supercritical CO2 was used in a supercritical enhanced atomization (SEA) process as a bottom-up method to create micro- and nanoparticles, with an enhanced control over their physicochemical properties, to produce injectable aqueous suspensions of itraconazole (ITZ). The existing drying chamber design was optimized to significantly improve the SEA process product yield. Additionally, a novel set-up was integrated for the continuous production of ITZ particles directly collected in an aqueous stabilizer media by the supercritical enhanced atomization-induced particle entrapment into suspension (SEA-PES) process. To evaluate the influence of various SEA-PES processing parameters on the particle size, morphology, residual solvent, and particle collection yield of each experimental run utilising the in-house built continuous set-up, a solvent screening study followed by a design of experiments (DoE) was carried out. Based on the given output parameters, tetrahydrofuran (THF) was selected as the optimum solvent for ITZ. The best excipient/s for stabilising ITZ micro- and nanoparticles in suspension, respectively, have previously been discovered to be vitamin E TPGS (0.5% w/w) in combination with PVP K30 (0.5% w/w). Using both the SEA and SEA-PES methods, homogeneous ITZ micro- and nanosuspensions (solid content of 200 mg/g) with D50 0.23 ± 0.06 μm and 3.5 ± 0.2 μm were produced, respectively. These suspensions were stable and resuspendable after 365 days of storage at 25 °C. Finally, utilising a newly developed discriminatory dissolution method, the in vitro release characteristics of ITZ micro- and nanosuspensions were evaluated. There was no significant difference between the SEA and SEA-PES methods to generate the drug micro- and nanosuspensions, according to both solid-state and in vitro release profiles analysis. This work provides proof of concept for establishing a cost-effective experimental platform for the continuous production of injectable micro-and nanosuspensions of ITZ.

Impact Fracture Resistance of Fused Deposition Models from Polylactic Acid with Respect to Infill Density and Sample Thickness

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is widely employed in prototyping due to its cost-effectiveness, speed, and ability to produce detailed and functional prototypes using a variety of materials. Simultaneously, consideration for the use of biodegradable polymers and a general reduction in their usage while enhancing the production of polymer-based products is at the forefront of sustainable practices and environmental consciousness. This study investigates the impact fracture resistance of FDM models fabricated from Polylactic Acid (PLA), examining the influence of infill density (50% and 100% infill) and sample thickness (2 mm, 3 mm, and 5 mm). Optical microscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and SEM analysis of PLA filament and fractured FDM PLA surfaces in impacted samples were conducted to ascertain the influence of process parameters on impact damage and failure mechanisms. The results indicate that a 100% infill profile with a 2 mm thickness should be avoided due to unpredictable behavior under impact. Conversely, a 5 mm thickness demonstrates significantly higher durability in comparison to a 50% infill profile. Optimal impact strength is observed in samples with a 3 mm thickness, suggesting potential material savings with 50% infill without compromising mechanical properties. The findings contribute valuable insights for refining FDM parameters and advancing the understanding of material behaviors in sustainable manufacturing practices.

Influence of process parameters on tribological behavior of Hemp powder reinforced epoxy composites

Influence of process parameters on tribological behavior of Hemp powder reinforced epoxy composites

Peningkatan Kuat bentur Produk 3D Printing Fused Deposition Modeling menggunakan Filamen Polypropylene

In the world of manufacturing technology there is the latest breakthrough called 3D Printing which is based on layer manufacturing. In making products, a method of adding material in layers is used, usually called additive manufacturing. The principle used in this manufacturing process technology is layered modeling, by converting 3D data directly from computer-aided design (CAD) into a physical model. Many manufacturing technologies have been developed to make prototypes according to needs, for example FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling). Setting factors and experimental levels is an important step in maximizing the quality of research level products referring to transparent materials formed from polypropylene filaments. The factors that vary are Nozzle Temperature, Bed Temperature, Print Speed, and Layer Height. This research design uses the Taguchi method. This research uses an L9 orthogonal matrix with 3 levels. Based on the results of the research carried out, we can conclude that in the impact strength test there is an increase in the results of the impact strength test with the most influential process parameters, respectively, namely Print Speed (35mm/s), Layer Height (0.3mm), Bed Temperature (97 °C) and Nozzle Temperature (215°C) using Polypropylene filament. So the strongest impact strength test value is in experiment no. 2 with an average value of 0.03370 Joules and the weakest is in experiment no. 1 with an average value of 0.02959 Joules.

Coaxial electrospinning of polycaprolactone – A design of experiments approach

Coaxial electrospinning is a commonly used technique in pharmaceutical sciences that allows producing polymeric nano- or microfibers with core-shell structure. In addition to process parameters such as voltage and flow rate of the polymer solutions, the properties of such fibers are influenced by solution properties including the total polymer concentration and the polymer ratio between fiber core and shell. As these parameters are typically changed empirically during development of electrospinning methods, there is a lack of structured studies that determine the optimal settings for the production of homogeneous, mechanically stable fibers. Therefore, we used a design of experiments approach to systematically address the coaxial electrospinning process of polycaprolactone, a polymer for biomaterials applied to the skin, for instance in the form of patches for wound healing or the treatment of skin cancer. We set out to investigate the influence of different process parameters on the fiber morphology (diameter and size distribution) as well as their mechanical properties as these properties are decisive determinants for handling and pharmaceutical efficacy of such patches. The investigated process parameters were the polymer concentration in the electrospinning solution and the ratio of polymer between fiber core and shell. We additionally investigated the impact of the presence of the model drug hydrocortisone in the fiber core on the electrospinning outcome and the drug release. The experiments revealed that the fiber diameter increases with increasing total polymer concentration, correlating with a narrower fiber size distribution. In addition, our results show that a higher ratio of polymer content in core and shell leads to more mechanically stable fibers (higher tensile strength, higher Young’s modulus). Taken together, the results obtained in this study contribute to a better understanding of the electrospinning process of polycaprolactone.

Studying the API Distribution of Controlled Release Formulations Produced via Continuous Twin-Screw Wet Granulation: Influence of Matrix Former, Filler and Process Parameters.

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is a preferred hydrophilic matrix former for controlled release formulations produced through continuous twin-screw wet granulation. However, a non-homogeneous API distribution over sieve fractions with underdosing in the fines fraction (<150 µm) was previously reported. This could result in content uniformity issues during downstream processing. Therefore, the current study investigated the root cause of the non-homogeneous theophylline distribution. The effect of process parameters (L/S-ratio and screw configuration) and formulation parameters (matrix former and filler type) on content uniformity was studied. Next, the influence of the formulation parameters on tableting and dissolution behavior was investigated. Altering the L/S-ratio or using a more aggressive screw configuration did not result in a homogeneous API distribution over the granule sieve fractions. Using microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as filler improved the API distribution due to its similar behavior as HPMC. As excluding HPMC or including a hydrophobic matrix former (Kollidon SR) yielded granules with a homogeneous API distribution, HPMC was identified as the root cause of the non-homogeneous API distribution. This was linked to its fast hydration and swelling (irrespective of the HPMC grade) upon addition of the granulation liquid.

Enhancing the grinding performance of RB-SiC ceramic using abrasive water jet dressed diamond grinding wheels

Reaction-bonded silicon carbide (RB-SiC) is regarded as difficult-to-machine ceramic materials with extremely high strength and hardness. The work focuses on the grinding performance evaluation of RB-SiC ground by the dressing diamond grinding wheel with AWJ. Orthogonal experiments studied the influence of processing parameters on grinding force and 3D surface roughness, with the response surface method identifying optimal parameters. Explanation of the ground surface topography and 3D surface roughness in a comprehensive manner shows that an erosion of the bonding material by micro-cutting but diamond grains are being pulled out rather than cut. Results reflect a correlation between surface topography and diamond wheel dressing. The results are of great significance for future formulating an appropriate grinding process to machine RB-SiC ceramics.

Pure niobium manufactured by Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion: influence of process parameters and supports on as-built surface quality

Niobium (Nb) is a transition metal commonly used as an alloying element for increasing strength, toughness, corrosion resistance, and other properties of steel and superalloys. Pure Nb, however, is a very interesting metal for its excellent superconductivity. This makes it suitable for producing superconducting magnets and devices for particle acceleration systems and particle physics research (e.g., superconducting resonant cavities). In this work, the production of Nb by the Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB/M, also known as Laser Powder Bed Fusion or LPBF) process was examined. Manufacturing parameters were investigated to achieve additively manufactured parts with a relative density higher than 99.5% and showing a down-skin surface roughness in the range of 20–70 μm, depending on the inclination angle. Studies related to the limiting angle of self-supported Nb parts were also conducted, and innovative non-contact supporting structures were successfully developed. These allowed to creation of parts with very small overhang angles, without compromising the downward-facing surfaces; indeed at the same time, the as-built surface finish was improved.