Melting Of Bed Research Articles

Controlling the crystal texture and microstructure of NiTi alloy by adjusting the thermal gradient of laser powder bed melting

The development of a favorable texture can enhance the recoverable strain of polycrystalline NiTi shape memory alloy. Nevertheless, texture tuning of NiTi alloy prepared through additive manufacturing presents more intricate challenges compared to alloys produced using traditional thermomechanical methods, as the solidification process is influenced by various factors. In this study, dense NiTi alloys were fabricated in laser powder bed melting (LPBF) technology. The optimal processing parameters were obtained including a hatching spacing of 24 μm, a forming angle of 90°, and a volume energy density of 139 J/mm3. A robust [001] texture has been developed in NiTi alloys by adjusting the thermal gradient through the precise control of hatching space and energy density. Alloys with this texture manifest a stable and fully recoverable strain of 4.82 %. A novel microstructure evolution mechanism has been proposed to elucidate the texture development during the LPBF manufacturing process under varying thermal gradients. Our findings provide insights into adjusting crystal texture in additive-manufactured NiTi parts through thermal gradient manipulation to achieve superior superelasticity.

Comparison on the Electrochemical Corrosion Behavior of Ti6Al4V Alloys Fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion and Casting.

The non-equilibrium solidification process in the additive manufacturing of titanium alloy leads to special microstructures, and the resulting changes in corrosion behavior are worthy of attention. In this paper, the microstructure and electrochemical corrosion behavior of Ti6Al4V alloys prepared using laser powder bed melting (LPBF) and casting are systematically compared. The results show that the LPBF-processed Ti6Al4V alloy is composed of dominant acicular α' martensite within columnar prior β phase, and less β disperses have also been discovered, which is significantly different from the α + β dual-phase structure of cast Ti6Al4V alloy. Compared to the as-cast Ti6Al4V alloy, LPBF-processed Ti6Al4V alloy has a thinner and unstable passive film, and exhibits slightly poorer corrosion resistance, which is mainly related to its higher porosity, a large amount of acicular α' martensite and less β phase compared to as-cast Ti6Al4V alloy. This result proves that suitable methods should be taken to control the relative density and phase composition of LPBF-processed Ti6Al4V alloys before application.

Additive manufacturing of Inconel 718/CuCrZr multi-metallic materials fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

The multi-metal structure combines the thermal stability and high-temperature resistance of Inconel 718 (IN718) with the excellent thermal conductivity of CuCrZr, making it highly valuable for applications in aero-engines. Nevertheless, it is challenging to fabricate high-strength multi-metallic interfaces due to their large thermophysical differences. In this paper, the interface between IN718 and CuCrZr was well bonded by laser powder bed melting technology and optimizing the process parameters. The effects of process parameters on the interfacial properties of the prepared IN718/CuCrZr were analyzed. The microstructure characteristics, element distribution, microhardness, tensile properties, and thermal conductivity of IN718/CuCrZr were studied. The melting behavior, interface characteristics, and formation mechanism of multi-metallic materials were discussed. The experimental results show that the volumetric energy density range of 209.88–404.76 J/mm3 is suitable for the formation of IN718/CuCrZr. The formation of interface characteristics is mainly attributed to Marangoni convection, which promotes the mixing of Ni and Cu elements, helps form a stable transition layer at the interface, and enables a natural transition between the two metal interfaces. This indicates that there is good metallurgical bonding at the IN718/CuCrZr interface. At the same time, the equiaxed grain structure and grain refinement were observed in the transition zone, which was also reflected in the longitudinal section hardness distribution of the IN718/CuCrZr interface. The tensile test results show the transverse of IN718/CuCrZr (IN718/CuCrZr (T)) and longitudinal of IN718/CuCrZr (IN718/CuCrZr (L)) exhibit different deformation mechanisms. The fracture of IN718/CuCrZr (T) occurs in the CuCrZr region, indicating that the interface is well bonded. The tensile properties of IN718/CuCrZr (L) are higher than that of CuCrZr and lower than that of IN718, and brittle fracture occurs at the interface. The tensile properties of IN718/CuCrZr (T) are dominated by CuCrZr and IN718/CuCrZr (L) is determined by both IN718 and CuCrZr. Compared with IN718, the thermal conductivity of IN718/CuCrZr multi-metallic structure is significantly improved. This will open up the possibility of multi-metallic materials additive manufacturing for the next generation of aerospace structures.

Numerical study on migration and solidification behavior of molten droplets on structure surface and in debris voids during debris bed melting process

The melt migration and solidification behavior on the surface of metal structure and in the debris voids is a key phenomenon of debris bed melting, which has an important impact on the assessment of reactor pressure vessel damage and melt leakage. In this study, the moving particle semi-implicit (MPS) method with high-order discretization scheme was coupled with a surface tension model that was established based on interface reconstruction. The migration and solidification behavior of UO2–ZrO2 and Fe–Zr melts on the metal structure surface and in the debris voids were investigated with the improved MPS method. The effects of temperature, velocity, contact angle and droplet diameter on the melt migration and solidification were analyzed. The results showed that the molten UO2–ZrO2 droplet on the metal structure surface presented three stages with solidification rate decreasing, while the solidification rate of molten Fe–Zr droplet had little change. The maximum spread factor and solidification rate increased with the increase of droplet falling velocity, but the spread factor was independent of the melt type at the same velocity. The high-temperature molten droplet penetrated the voids formed by the debris with diameter of 5 mm more easily compared to the voids formed by the debris with diameter of 3 mm. The influence of contact angle on the migration of molten droplet with initial velocity was small, and the maximum difference in droplet mass fraction was about 6%. Three groups of molten droplets with different diameters penetrated the voids, and the average increments of penetration mass fraction were 2.3%, 2.7% and 5.8%, respectively, with the increase of velocity. Near the bottom of the debris bed, the molten droplet without initial velocity solidified and blocked the flow channel, but the molten droplet with initial velocity of 0.5 m/s penetrated through the debris voids. The droplet with initial velocity of 0.5 m/s had a faster solidification rate in the voids compared to the droplet without initial velocity, and the droplet solidification mass fraction was 96.27% when the initial melt temperature was 1410 K.

Effects of build direction and microstructure on fatigue crack growth behavior of Ti6Al4V fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

AbstractThis study compares the fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior of Ti6Al4V parts fabricated by laser powder bed melting (LPBF) with four build directions (0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°) and two heat treatments and analyzed the effect of build direction and microstructure on FCG. The results show that the build direction has a significant effect on the FCG rate. Particularly, specimens with 90° build direction have the best FCG resistance while the 0° specimens have the worst. Furthermore, the fragile deposition layer boundary is the main cause of the crack deflection. The microstructure shows that the columnar β grains have less effect on FCG. The increase in resistance to FCG after heat treatment is attributed to the lath‐like α grains consuming the energy for FCG. As compared to needle‐like α′ grains, the lath‐like α grains are more likely to initiate intergranular fracture and secondary cracking, leading to rugged crack tip paths.

Review on Laser Shock Peening Effect on Fatigue of Powder Bed Fusion Materials

The ability to manufacture parts with complex geometry by sending a model from CAD directly to the manufacturing machine has attracted much attention in the industry, driving the development of additive manufacturing technology. However, studies have shown that components manufactured using additive manufacturing technology have several problems, namely high tensile residual stresses, cracks, and voids, which are known to have a major impact on material performance (in service). Therefore, various post-treatment methods have been developed to address these drawbacks. Among the post-treatment techniques, laser shock peening (LSP) is currently considered one of the most efficient post-treatment technologies for improving the mechanical properties of materials. In practice, LSP is responsible for eliminating unfavorable tensile residual stresses and generating compressive residual stresses (CRS), which result in higher resistance to crack initiation and propagation, thus increasing component life. However, since CRS depends on many parameters, the optimization of LSP parameters remains a challenge. In this paper, a general overview of AM and LSP technology is first provided. It then describes which parameters have a greater influence during powder bed melting and LSP processing and how they affect the microstructure and mechanical properties of the material. Experimental, numerical, and analytical optimization approaches are also presented, and their results are discussed. Finally, a performance evaluation of the LSP technique in powder bed melting of metallic materials is presented. It is expected that the analysis presented in this review will stimulate further studies on the optimization of parameters via experimental, numerical, and perhaps analytical approaches that have not been well studied so far.

A Review of Additive Manufacturing Techniques and Post-Processing for High-Temperature Titanium Alloys

Owing to excellent high-temperature mechanical properties, i.e., high heat resistance, high strength, and high corrosion resistance, Ti alloys can be widely used as structural components, such as blades and wafers, in aero-engines. Due to the complex shapes, however, it is difficult to fabricate these components via traditional casting or plastic forming. It has been proved that additive manufacturing (AM) is an effective method of manufacturing such complex components. In this study, four main additive manufacturing processes for Ti alloy components were reviewed, including laser powder bed melting (SLM), electron beam powder bed melting (EBM), wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), and cold spraying additive manufacturing (CSAM). Meanwhile, the technological process and mechanical properties at high temperature were summarized. It is proposed that the additive manufacturing of titanium alloys follows a progressive path comprising four key developmental stages and research directions: investigating printing mechanisms, optimizing process parameters, in situ addition of trace elements, and layered material design. It is crucial to consider the development stage of each specific additive manufacturing process in order to select appropriate research directions. Moreover, the corresponding post-treatment was also analyzed to tailor the microstructure and high-temperature mechanical properties of AMed Ti alloys. Thereafter, to improve the mechanical properties of the product, it is necessary to match the post-treatment method with an appropriate additive manufacturing process. The additive manufacturing and the following post-treatment are expected to gradually meet the high-temperature mechanical requirements of all kinds of high-temperature structural components of Ti alloys.

Effect of process induction on densification behavior, microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of Ti-5Al-2.5Sn ELI fabricated by laser powder bed melting

In this paper, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn ELI α titanium alloy was prepared by laser powder bed fusion. The effects of heat treatment and HIP process on the densification behavior, microstructure evolution, low-temperature mechanical properties, and fracture behavior of Ti-5Al-2.5Sn ELI titanium alloy were analyzed. The experimental results show that the density of Ti-5Al-2.5Sn ELI titanium alloy is improved after HIP treatment. Complete recrystallization occurred in the deposited microstructure, and the recrystallized α grains coarsened with the increase in holding time. After heat treatment, the tensile strength decreases gradually, while the elongation increases with the increase of holding time. Compared with 300 K, the ultimate tensile strength and yield strength of the sample at 77 K were improved, but the elongation decreased. Ti-5Al-2.5Sn ELI titanium alloy annealed at 850 °C/4 h exhibits mixed ductile-brittle fracture morphology at 77 K and obtains ultrahigh strength and ductility. At the same time, Ti-5Al-2.5Sn ELI titanium alloy exhibits unit slip deformation behavior at 300 K, while at 77 K, it mainly exhibits the coupling of dislocation slip and twin deformation behavior. These findings lay a foundation for the rapid preparation of high-strength α-titanium alloy products with good ductility.

Transient heat transfer and crust evolution during debris bed melting process in the hypothetical severe accident of HPR1000

In the late in-vessel phase of a nuclear reactor severe accident, the internal heat transfer and crust evolution during the debris bed melting process have important effects on the thermal load distribution along the vessel wall, and further affect the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) failure mode and the state of melt during leakage. This study coupled the phase change model and large eddy simulation to investigate the variations of the temperature, melt liquid fraction, crust and heat flux distributions during the debris bed melting process in the hypothetical severe accident of HPR1000. The results indicated that the heat flow towards the vessel wall and upper surface were similar at the beginning stage of debris melting, but the upward heat flow increased significantly as the development of the molten pool. The maximum heat flux towards the vessel wall reached 0.4 MW/m2. The thickness of lower crust decreased as the debris melting. It was much thicker at the bottom region with the azimuthal angle below 20° and decreased rapidly at the azimuthal angle around 20–50°. The maximum and minimum thicknesses were 2 and 90 mm, respectively. By contrast, the distribution of upper crust was uniform and reached stable state much earlier than the lower crust, with the thickness of about 10 mm. Moreover, the sensitivity analysis of initial condition indicated that as the decrease of time interval from reactor scram to debris bed dried-out, the maximum debris temperature and melt fraction became larger, the lower crust thickness became thinner, but the upper crust had no significant change. The sensitivity analysis of in-vessel retention (IVR) strategies indicated that the passive and active external reactor vessel cooling (ERVC) had little effect on the internal heat transfer and crust evolution. In the case not considering the internal reactor vessel cooling (IRVC), the upper crust was not obvious.

Development of high strength high plasticity refractory high entropy alloy based on Mo element optimization and advanced forming process

Refractory high entropy alloy is a potential substitute material for high temperature structures because of its excellent mechanical properties of high temperature resistance. In this paper, three kinds of refractory high-entropy alloys, M0, M10 and M20, were designed by adjusting the content of Mo element and formed by Laser powder bed melting(LPBF) technology. The solidification thermodynamics, microstructure and mechanical properties of the three kinds of alloys were analyzed. The effect of Mo content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the three kinds of alloys was studied. With the increase of Mo element content, the grain size of the alloy becomes smaller and smaller, the yield strength increases greatly, and the plasticity of the alloy decreases continuously. The compressive yield strength of high strength M20 alloy is up to 1285 MPa, the ultimate strength is 2447 MPa, and the elongation is 27%. The high plasticity M0 alloy exhibits compressive superplasticity. The tensile yield strength and ultimate strength of M10 alloy are 1184 MPa and 1403 MPa, and the elongation is 5.1%. In this paper, the matching problem between plasticity and strength of refractory high-entropy alloys at room temperature is solved by combining alloy composition optimization and LPBF forming technology, which lays a foundation for the industrial application of refractory high-entropy alloys.

Effect of Production Parameters on Impact Energy of Ti-6Al-4V samples Produced by Additive Manufacturing

Powder bed melting is an important additive manufacturing process. The process variants are gaining more and more space in the industry: especially in the industry that produces products made of special alloys with additive manufacturing. Selective laser melting is one variant of powder bed fusion processes. In this paper experimental study on impact energy of test specimens made from Ti-6Al-4V alloy, manufactured by selective laser melting is presented. Parameter setup of experiments are defined by design of experiment method, and an empirical formula is fitted to measured data. It is pointed out that impact energy is highly sensitive to manufacturing parameters studied here, and strong interactions are also observed. A formula is derived for costrained optimization on isoenergetic surfaces. Results can be applied for control of an important material property, impact strength of parts manufactured by selective laser melting.

Residual Heat Effect on the Melt Pool Geometry during the Laser Powder Bed Fusion Process

The continuous back-and-forth melting of the powder bed during the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process leads to the development of residual heat, which affects the melt pool geometry as the laser scan progresses. The magnitude of the residual heat depends on the scan length, hatch spacing, location on the track, etc. In this regard, back-and-forth raster scanning was performed to investigate the effect of the scan length and hatch spacing on the melt pool size at different locations along the laser travel direction. Multi-track specimens with different scan lengths (0.5 mm, 1 mm, and 1.5 mm) were fabricated using 195 W laser power, three scan speeds (375 mm/s, 750 mm/s, and 1500 mm/s), and two hatch spacings (80 µm and 120 µm). A white light interferometer was used to analyze the surface morphologies of the fabricated samples, and metallography was performed to observe the melt pool boundary. The melt pool boundary obtained at different locations revealed that the effect of the residual heat was maximal in the laser-turn region. In addition, a powder scale numerical model was developed to investigate the effect of temperature distribution on the melt pool geometry. The numerical results show that the laser-turn region was most affected by the residual heat, as the melt pool from the two tracks merged. The depth of the melt pool increased with increasing track numbers, while the track height decreased. The addition of a second layer of powder showed that the inherent surface variation in the first layer leads to the difference in the actual layer thickness of the second layer.

A proposed mechanism for solid bed encapsulation: Based on comparing three dimensional and one‐dimensional screw melting models

AbstractThis paper describes how the initial melt generation physics with differing pressure generation dynamics lead to either conventional melting or one dimensional (1D) melting. An historic review of the development of single screw melting models is presented. First, a review of the classic model is briefly presented. Second, after an analysis of literature melting data developed using the Maddock solidification procedure, a screw rotation concept melting model is presented that correlates very well with the melting analysis. Third, a new 1D film melting model is developed to analyze melting when the melt film does not encapsulate the solid bed. This physical model provides for the first time a quantitative model for the initiation and ultimate solid bed melting of the 1D melting process. Finally, a new concept and resulting model demonstrate that Reynold's barring concept for pressure generation in the initial melt film at the barrel interface may provide the mechanism that relates to whether the solid bed is or is not encapsulated.

Influence of interlayer time on the microstructural state of CoCrMo coatings applied by selective laser melting on an iron-based substrate for different numbers of layers

The Selective Laser Melting process was used to perform cobalt-based alloy coatings on a C35 steel substrate. The relationships between interlayer times, iron dilution, crystalline structures, and micro-hardness were studied for different numbers of layers with an initial lased powder layer of 50 µm thickness. Reducing the interlayer time increased the temperature reached in the melting bed and promoted matter transport from the substrate. The coating thickness consisted of a Co-Cr-Fe mixture, divided into two zones: a transition zone near the interface and a stabilized zone towards the substrate. The real coating thickness was found to be always greater when the interlayer time was reduced. For an interlayer time equal to 11 s (series 2), the iron dilution was always higher than for an interlayer time ranging between 42 s and 16 s (series 1), leading to a higher coating thickness. The microstructural state was also dependent on the interval time between successive layers. The coating microstructure was always cellular because of the high cooling rate. XRD analysis of the surface showed that this microstructure is essentially composed of two non-equilibrium phases: FCC and α’ BCC. The high hardness is due to the high content of iron which induces a martensite phase (series 2). Starting from 5 layers for series 1 and from 6 layers for series 2, the α’ BCC phase disappeared if the iron content on the coating surface was reduced by more than 45% content in weight. The mean coating hardness decreased with an increasing number of layers because of the decrease in the iron content. Finally, the micro-hardness of the FCC phase, for its part, was found to be dependent on the iron content in solution in the Co matrix.

Three-Body Abrasion-Corrosion Behavior of As-Printed and Solution-Annealed Additively Manufactured 316L Stainless Steel

Selective laser melting (SLM) or powder bed fusion is a type of additive manufacturing technology with applications in, e.g., the orthopedics, energy, and aerospace industries. Several studies investigated the localized corrosion behavior of SLM-fabricated Type 316L (UNS S31603) stainless steel. However, little is known about the effects of tribocorrosive conditions on the response of stainless steels fabricated by SLM. In this study, the effects of third-body abrasive particles on the tribo-electrochemical behavior of SLM 316L stainless steel produced by SLM were investigated and compared with wrought counterparts (including UNS S31703, 317W) in 0.6 M NaCl. It was found that the presence of Mo played a more decisive role in the tribocorrosion behavior than the manufacturing method, i.e., 317W revealed the best tribocorrosion behavior vis-a-vis wrought 316L and the SLM-fabricated specimens. The improved tribocorrosion behavior contrasted with the much higher breakdown potential of the SLM-fabricated samples. Nano-scale secondary ion mass spectroscopy was used to investigate the effects of Mo on passivity. The implications of passivity and tribocorrosion behavior are discussed.

Effect of Process Induction on Densification Behavior, Microstructure Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Ti-5al-2.5sn Eli Fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Melting

Effect of Process Induction on Densification Behavior, Microstructure Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Ti-5al-2.5sn Eli Fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Melting

Influence of the particle size distribution of monomodal 316L powder on its flowability and processability in powder bed fusion

Powder bed fusion (PBF) is the most commonly adopted additive manufacturing process for fabricating complex metal parts via the layer-wise melting of a powder bed using a laser beam. However, the qualification of PBF-manufactured parts remains challenging and expensive, thereby limiting the broader industrialization of the technology. Powder characteristics significantly influence part properties, and understanding the influencing factors contributes to effective quality standards for PBF. In this study, the influence of the particle size distribution (PSD) median and width on powder flowability and part properties is investigated. Seven gas-atomized SS316L powders with monomodal PSDs, a median particle size ranging from 10 μm to 60 μm, and a distribution width of 15 μm and 30 μm were analyzed and subsequently processed. The PBF-manufactured parts were analyzed in terms of density and melt pool dimensions. Although powder flowability was inversely related to the median particle size, it was unrelated to the distribution width. An inverse relationship between the median particle size and the part density was observed; however, no link was found to the distribution width. Likely, the melt pool depth and width fluctuation significantly influence the part density. The melt pool depth decreases and the width fluctuation increases with an increasing median particle size.

Influence of residual pressure on the melting of a powder bed induced by a laser beam

The laser beam melting (LBM) process is a powder-based additive manufacturing able to produce parts layer-by-layer in a hermetic chamber. Selection of the appropriate process parameters and fabrication conditions plays a fundamental role in the final properties. Investigating the interaction between the laser and the powder bed helps to understand the melt-pool behavior. In fact, even if additive manufacturing processes offer appreciable advantages, some processing parameters have to be studied to improve the properties of the products. The conventional LBM process is carried out in a chamber filled with an inert gas, at approximately atmospheric pressure. During the melting of a metal powder, gas can be caught in the liquid and may cause pores to form. This work investigates the effect of vacuum pressure in the chamber (up to 10−2 mbar) on avoiding oxidation and improving the quality of the welding of stainless steel 316L. However, by modifying the residual pressure of the chamber, physical phenomena such as surface tension, Marangoni convection, and recoil pressure are amplified, creating more instabilities in the melt pool. This paper presents an initial analysis of the behavior of the powder under combinations of different residual pressures and laser speeds/powers. High-speed image acquisition brings to light the evolution of the spatters in vacuum compared to atmospheric pressure. Particle recovery coupled with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses shows the organization and morphologies of the ejections. Then, sectional views of single scan tracks are compared and related to the spattering. A considerable evolution in the results of the melting is found as one passes from atmospheric pressure to residual pressure. Hence, a powder pre-sintering solution is investigated in order to remedy the instabilities in vacuum and improve the process.

Modeling layer-by-layer laser melting and solidification of binary alloy powder bed

A model for simulating layer-by-layer melting and solidification of a binary alloy powder bed due to a moving laser source is presented in this paper. The model uses a modified enthalpy-porosity approach to capture simultaneous melting and solidification of a powder bed. The effects of surface tension driven Marangoni convection and thermal and solutal buoyancy driven convection are incorporated in the model. Multiple layer formation is modeled by shifting the domain in the vertical direction to include the new layer. Simulations are performed for Al-Cu alloy to see the effect of different process parameters on the melt pool evolution, solute transport and segregation, and thermal transport with the primary focus on quantifying the nonhomogeneity in the final species distribution. Fixed melt pool results show that the effect of Marangoni convection is dominant resulting in considerably increased segregation in the solidified region. Simulation of layer-by-layer melting and solidification of the entire domain show that the solidified region can be divided into three zones based on solute distribution—initial low concentration zone, middle zone with slightly higher concentration, and the final zone with very high concentration. Subsequently, parametric studies are done that show that the nonuniformity in solute distribution can be reduced by reducing the laser power, increasing the laser spot radius, increasing the initial solute concentration, or decreasing the layer thickness.

Characterization of carbide particle-reinforced 316L stainless steel fabricated by selective laser melting

In this study, we have fabricated a TiC particle strengthened 316L stainless steel metal matrix composite using selective laser melting and characterized the microstructure with a particular focus on the TiC carbides in terms of their crystallography and orientation relationship with the austenitic matrix. Two families of TiC carbides are found to form in the SLM fabricated microstructure – firstly, the carbides that form along the high angle grain boundaries and secondly, those that form in the grain interior. The latter is primarily nano-crystalline TiC that are believed to precipitate out from the melt pool following a cube-on-cube orientation relationship with the f.c.c. austenitic matrix. Under this crystal registry, due to the differences in lattice parameters, a lattice mismatch between two phases occurs. The formation of TiC carbides and their morphology and distribution have been explained on the basis of melting of the powder bed under laser beam and strong melt pool dynamics during SLM process. Finally, the contribution of coherent nano-sized TiC precipitates on the overall strength of SLMed 316L-TiC metal matrix composite has been discussed wherein the TiC precipitates were found to contribute to ~50% of the strength increment in comparison to SLMed pure 316L. • Selective laser melting of 316L-TiC nanocomposite was conducted. • Nanoprecipitation of TiC was observed homogeneously within the sample. • The TiC nanoprepitates showed a cube-on-cube orientation relationship with austensite. • The formation of cuboidal TiC described by SLM meltpool dynamics. • The contribution of TiC precipitates to overall strength increment was discussed.