Metal Additive Manufacturing Research Articles

A novel solid-state metal additive manufacturing process – Laser-induced Supersonic Impact Printing (LISIP): Exploration of process capability

Solid-state metal additive manufacturing (AM) techniques offer unique capabilities for direct printing of metallic materials towards a variety of applications. In this work, we developed a novel solid-state metal AM process, named laser-induced supersonic impact printing (LISIP), in which the laser shock-induced impact loading was utilized to trigger the adiabatic shearing phenomenon at metal-metal interfaces towards solid-state three-dimensional (3D) printing of metallic materials. The design of LISIP was inspired by cold spray, explosive welding, and laser impact welding. An experimental investigation was conducted to explore the process capability of LISIP, with a focus on 3D micro-lamination of metallic structure, AM of dissimilar materials, and printing-on-demand direct writing at various length scales from micrometer to centimeter. Steel, copper, aluminum, titanium, and magnesium alloys were used as foil and/or substate for experimentation. Moreover, the microstructure at bonding interfaces were characterized to understand the microstructure evolution as induced by adiabatic shearing. The bonding quality was evaluated using the lap shear test. The mechanisms involved in LISIP including the laser-matter interaction and adiabatic shearing bonding were investigated using first-principles modeling and finite element method simulation. In addition, the technical challenges, scientific knowledge gaps, future research directions, and potential applications of LISIP were deliberated. We envision that the findings and knowledge gained in this work will serve as the first milestone towards the establishment of LISIP for broader impacts.

Phased array-based nonlinear wave mixing technique: Application to lack-of-fusion porosity characterization in additively manufactured metals.

The objective of this research is to demonstrate the effectiveness of a phased array-based nonlinear wave mixing technique to characterize internal, localized microscale damage in an additively manufactured (AM) component. By using phased arrays for the generation of the incident waves, it is possible to produce a nonlinear wave mixing scanning technique without the need for immersion or changing coupling conditions. The phased arrays can be configured to generate incident waves in multiple directions that meet the resonance conditions required for nonlinear wave mixing at a variety of internal locations. This allows for the scanning of a specimen without the removal and re-coupling of the source transducers, leading to greater scanning speed and repeatability. To demonstrate the accuracy of this phased array wave mixing approach, measurements of acoustic nonlinearity in an AM component are first made with a bulk wave second harmonic generation through thickness measurement. Next, nonlinear wave mixing measurements are made with single element transducers to confirm the sensitivity of the proposed nonlinear wave mixing approach to lack-of-fusion porosity in AM metals. Finally, phased arrays are used to highlight the effectiveness of the proposed nonlinear wave mixing technique in these same AM components.

Pulsed directed energy deposition-arc technology for depositing stainless steel 309L: Microstructural, elements distribution, and mechanical characteristics

In recent years, additive manufacturing has increased in prominence as a primary method of manufacturing around the globe. Modern metal additive manufacturing presents an innovative approach to manufacturing complex structures for the aerospace, energy, and construction sectors, due to technological advancements. In the present study, the austenitic stainless steel 309L (SS-309L) thick wall component was manufactured employing pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding (PC-GTAW) WAAM technology. The metallurgical characteristics of the as-deposited SS-309L thick wall part were evaluated. The investigation of material characteristics in the manufactured areas encompasses a study of cross-sectional (CS) and transverse-sectional (TS) regional portions, specifically the upper, middle, and lower regions. The microstructures of the CS and TS planes showed austenite, columnar, and delta ferrite dendrites in the upper, middle, and lower regions, respectively. The CS sample reveals the greatest grain size at 159.4 μm, following the EBSD investigation. The average size of the grains across the TS is 127.09 μm. The thermal cycles in multi-layer production result in changes in grain size. The microhardness in the transverse sectional regions is higher than in the CS regions, measuring average values of 257 HV, 253 HV, and 251 HV for the upper, middle, and lower sections, respectively. The ultimate tensile strengths (UTS) in the cross-sectional parts are 656 MPa, whereas in the transverse regions it was 661 MPa for the topmost regions. This study investigates the correlation among the mechanical and metallurgical properties of wire arc additively fabricated SS-309L austenite steel material.

Laser line scanner based real-time geometry monitoring using Encoder-Decoder network during Directed Energy deposition

Directed Energy Deposition (DED) is a metal additive manufacturing technology that is gaining popularity for its ability to rapidly manufacture virtually any metal components no matter how complex the shapes and properties are. However, the current lack of real-time geometry monitoring and control is hindering the wider dissemination of DED in industries. This study developed and validated a geometry monitoring methodology which can achieve real-time inspection of the melt pool and newly solidified layer, and layer-wise inspection of the deposited layer during DED process. An encoder-decoder network was developed and applied to the profile images from the laser line scanner to obtain track profiles. A point cloud generation method was proposed to convert the obtained track profiles into 3D point cloud data using intrinsic/extrinsic calibration and printing position. Experiments have been successfully conducted to validate the proposed methodology by depositing multi-layer X-shape objects.

Physics-based modeling of metal additive manufacturing processes: a review

Physics-based modeling of metal additive manufacturing processes: a review

Mechanical Properties and Cooperation Mechanism of Corroded Steel Plates Retrofitted by Laser Cladding Additive Manufacturing under Tension.

As a metal additive manufacturing process, laser cladding (LC) is employed as a novel and beneficial repair technology for damaged steel structures. This study employed LC technology with 316 L stainless steel powder to repair locally corroded steel plates. The influences of interface slope and scanning pattern on the mechanical properties of repaired specimens were investigated through tensile tests and finite element analysis. By comparing the tensile properties of the repaired specimens with those of the intact and corroded specimens, the effectiveness of LC repair technology was assessed. An analysis of strain variations in the LC sheet and substrate during the load was carried out to obtain the cooperation mechanism between the LC sheet and substrate. The experimental results showed that the decrease in interface slope slightly improved the mechanical properties of repaired specimens. The repaired specimens have similar yield strength and ultimate strength to the intact specimens and better ductility as compared to the corroded specimen. The stress-strain curve of repaired specimens can be divided into four stages: elastic stage, substrate yield-LC sheet elastic stage, substrate hardening-LC sheet elastic stage, and plastic stage. These findings suggest that the LC technology with 316 L stainless steel powder is effective in repairing damaged steel plates in civil engineering structures and that an interface slope of 1:2.5 with the transverse scanning pattern is suitable for the repair process.

Anisotropy of Additively Manufactured Metallic Materials.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a technology that builds parts layer by layer. Over the past decade, metal additive manufacturing (AM) technology has developed rapidly to form a complete industry chain. AM metal parts are employed in a multitude of industries, including biomedical, aerospace, automotive, marine, and offshore. The design of components can be improved to a greater extent than is possible with existing manufacturing processes, which can result in a significant enhancement of performance. Studies on the anisotropy of additively manufactured metallic materials have been reported, and they describe the advantages and disadvantages of preparing different metallic materials using additive manufacturing processes; however, there are few in-depth and comprehensive studies that summarize the microstructural and mechanical properties of different types of additively manufactured metallic materials in the same article. This paper begins by outlining the intricate relationship between the additive manufacturing process, microstructure, and metal properties. It then explains the fundamental principles of powder bed fusion (PBF) and directed energy deposition (DED). It goes on to describe the molten pool and heat-affected zone in the additive manufacturing process and analyzes their effects on the microstructure of the formed parts. Subsequently, the mechanical properties and typical microstructures of additively manufactured titanium alloys, stainless steel, magnesium-aluminum alloys, and high-temperature alloys, along with their anisotropy, are summarized and presented. The summary indicates that the factors leading to the anisotropy of the mechanical properties of metallic AM parts are either their unique microstructural features or manufacturing defects. This anisotropy can be improved by post-heat treatment. Finally, the most recent research on the subject of metal AM anisotropy is presented.

A Detailed Properties Comparison of an Automotive Sealant Nozzle Produced Using Three Metal Additive Manufacturing Technologies.

Choosing the right metal AM equipment and material is a highly intricate process that forms a crucial part of every manufacturing company's strategic plan. This study undertakes a comprehensive comparison of the performance and material properties of three Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies: Powder Bed Fusion (PBF), Metal Filament Deposition Modeling (MFDM), and Bound Metal Deposition (BMD). An automotive nozzle was selected and manufactured using all three technologies and three metallic materials to understand their respective advantages and disadvantages. The samples were then subjected to a series of tests and evaluations, including dimensional accuracy, mechanical properties, microstructure, defects, manufacturability, and cost efficiency. The nozzle combinations were PBF in aluminum, MFDM in stainless steel, and BMD in hard tool steel. The results underscore significant differences in functionality, material characteristics, product quality, lead time, and cost efficiency, all of which are crucial factors in making equipment investment decisions. The conclusions drawn in this paper aim to assist automotive industry equipment experts in making informed decisions about the technology and materials to use for parts with characteristics like these. Future studies will delve into other technologies, automotive components, and materials to further enhance our understanding of the application of metal AM in manufacturing.

Fabrication and control architecture of novel hybrid metal additive manufacturing incremental forming technology

Hybrid manufacturing processes redefine production dynamics by harnessing the synergistic interplay between process mechanisms, energy sources, and tools to impact manufacturing quality, productivity, and sustainability significantly. Accordingly, this article focuses on hybrid additive manufacturing incremental forming, where additive manufacturing and incremental forming are integrated in a unified setup, driven by a single power source. This integration opens avenues for innovative component and production design, capitalizing on the strengths of both methods while mitigating drawbacks. The fabrication of the hybrid additive manufacturing incremental forming setup involves crucial components like a hybrid extrusion forming unit, supporting plates, hopper-barrel assembly, band heaters, solenoid setup, and a comprehensive control architecture. Addressing challenges, particularly overheating in the hopper, and feeding zone, ensures effective material transformation with the hybrid extrusion forming unit. The subsequent section provides analytical analysis and validation of the hybrid extrusion unit. This technology enhances the entire process and addresses issues related to metal additive manufacturing, such as porosity and material shrinkage. The maximum tensile force sustained in hybrid additive manufacturing incremental forming before fracture demonstrates a notable enhancement of about 20% from 670 N in additive manufacturing to 805 N in hybrid additive manufacturing incremental forming. It also removes micro-cracks, and voids, and improves the inter-layer bonding, as observed through scanning electron microscopy. The results highlight hybrid additive manufacturing incremental forming's superior enhancement of mechanical properties and surface quality compared to traditional additive manufacturing approaches.

Experimental study of balling defect generation and audible sound analysis in directed energy deposition metal additive manufacturing

Experimental study of balling defect generation and audible sound analysis in directed energy deposition metal additive manufacturing

A Comparison Study on Detailed Strengthening mechanism analysis on micro structure and mechanical properties of 3 phases FGM Material with vibrational behavior analysis is fabricated using WAAM process and traditional method

Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques implement the surface thickness accumulating through the support of CAD/CAM model for improving the 3D (three dimensional) products. Metal Additive Manufacturing provides design versatility as well as the freedom in fabricating the materials. The preparation technology of the metal composites integrates pressure leaching, agitation casting, powder metallurgy and friction stirring. The strengthening mechanism of the metal composites comprises of ceramic particle, short fiber and whisker etc. The two common strengthening mechanism to attain the high performing material composite are ceramic particulate reinforced composites (CPRCs) and precipitation hardening (PH). Thus, the current study evaluates the strengthening mechanism of fabricated material along with vibrational behavior using Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM). The study fabricated three functionally graded material. The FGM materials are SS316L, SS316L+Inconel 625 + Ti6Al4V and SS316L+Inconel 625 + Inconel 718. The three phase FGM material is annealed at 700⁰C, 900⁰C and 1200⁰C for 60 min. Later, it have been air-cooled to the room temperature. The heating process strengthens the three phase FGM materials. The heating process of FGM material results in the precipitation which might not improve the mechanical properties. Nonetheless, the varied annealing temperature such as 900⁰C and 1200⁰C has enhanced the mechanical properties of the three phase FGM materials. As per the analysis, 60 % SS316L+20 % INCONEL 625+20 % Ti6Al4V material has been completely broken whereas 60 % SS316L+20 % INCONEL 625+20 % Inconel 718 has slight crack which show the increased strength of the material. The resonance frequency in conventional part is lower than the AM part. The resonance is oscillated with greater amplitude at certain frequencies. In damping, a higher resonance frequency is less vibrated in common frequencies. Thus, the study concludes that 60 % SS316L+20 % INCONEL 625+20 % Ti6Al4V and 60 % SS316L+20 % INCONEL 625+20 % Inconel 718 has significant strength compared to parent material SS316L. Moreover, AM has better vibration behavior compared to the conventional manufacturing.

Geometric Benchmarking of Metal Material Extrusion Technology: A Preliminary Study

Metal additive manufacturing technologies such as powder bed fusion (PBF) and direct energy deposition (DED) are experiencing fast development, due to the growing awareness of industries. However, high energy consumption, slow production processes, and high costs of both machines and feedstocks hamper their competitiveness, compared to conventional manufacturing techniques. Metal material extrusion (metal-MEX) can represent a cost- and energy-effective alternative for metal additive manufacturing. This article aims to assess the potential of such technology by addressing uncertainties related to product design and process stability through a preliminary geometric benchmarking study. The geometric tolerances and minimum achievable sizes of some simple geometries produced in 316L stainless steel were evaluated using geometric benchmark test artifacts (GBTAs). Process maps were also proposed to forecast the feasibility of achieving acceptable values of the investigated tolerances, based on the nominal dimensions of the features.

A method to assess the quality of additive manufacturing metal powders using the triboelectric charging concept

A new method to assess the quality of additive manufacturing (AM) metal powders using the triboelectric charging concept is demonstrated using CpTi, Ti6Al4V, AlSi10Mg, IN 738, and SS 316L powders. For each powder tested, the surface chemical composition was first analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to determine the composition of the passivation layer. Some modifications to the current GranuCharge™ setup, developed by GranuTools™, were then performed by incorporating a flow rate measuring tool to assess how tribocharging is affected as a function of flow rate. Variations in the tribocharging response have been found with the flow rate of CpTi, AlSi10Mg and SS 316L powders. Moreover, results suggest that the tribocharging behavior might not be the same even with powders fabricated with the same passivation process. Finally, the compressed exponential model of Trachenko and Zaccone was used to reproduce the tribocharging behavior of the powders. The models were found to work best when the stretch constant β = 1.5, which is identical to the value found in other systems such as structural glasses, colloidal gels, entangled polymers, and supercooled liquids, which experience jamming when motion of individual particles become restricted, causing their motion to slow down.

The Application, Challenge, and Developing Trends of Non-destructive Testing Technique for Large-scale and Complex Engineering Components Fabricated by Metal Additive Manufacturing Technology in Aerospace

The Application, Challenge, and Developing Trends of Non-destructive Testing Technique for Large-scale and Complex Engineering Components Fabricated by Metal Additive Manufacturing Technology in Aerospace

Wire-arc directed energy deposition of metal using a tendon-driven soft robotic gun: prototyping and conceptual validation

ABSTRACT Most directed energy deposition (DED) implementations employ a rigid end effector to deposit material layer-by-layer, which is insufficient in cases with space constraints. To enhance the flexibility, this paper proposes a novel soft-robotic gun (SRG) based DED technology. The ideology is to replace the rigid weld gun with a tendon-driven omnidirectional-steering continuum manipulator, which a computer can numerically control. To this end, both requirements and concepts of the SRG-DED are introduced. A prototype system is designed and implemented before dedicated kinematic modelling and trajectory planning mechanisms are presented. As demonstrated by the experimental results, the developed trajectory planning algorithm improves the computational efficiency of tendon variables and enhances the consistency of trajectory tracking. The prototype system can deposit a complex path on an inclined substrate and fabricate a thin-wall component within a pipeline. The validation work confirms the feasibility and applicability of the prototype system for metal additive manufacturing applications.

Surface crack detection on selective laser melting printed Inconel 718 using a laser generated ultrasound technique and phase space reconstruction

Abstract In the field of metallic additive manufacturing, Selective Laser Melting (SLM) has become a predominant technology due to its advantages of short production cycles, high precision, and low cost. It is frequently employed in the production of complex parts. This paper proposes the use of a scanning laser line source, in conjunction with the singular value decomposition method, to reconstruct phase space and identify surface cracks in SLM specimens. The scanning laser line source addresses the limitations of a single line source, which is often unable to accurately detect tiny cracks. By comparing experimental and simulation data, the results demonstrate that the scanning laser line source can effectively compensate for some of the detection deficiencies of a single line source.

Exploring the Effect of Heat Treatment on the Mechanical Performance of 17-4PH Stainless Steel Specimens Fabricated by Metal Additive Manufacturing

Exploring the Effect of Heat Treatment on the Mechanical Performance of 17-4PH Stainless Steel Specimens Fabricated by Metal Additive Manufacturing

Multi-material structures of Ti6Al4V and Ti6Al4V-B4C through directed energy deposition-based additive manufacturing

The demand for advanced materials has driven innovation in titanium alloy design, particularly in the aerospace, automotive, and biomedical sectors. Additive manufacturing (AM) enables the construction of multi-material structures, offering potential improvements in mechanical properties such as wear resistance and high-temperature capabilities, thus extending the service life of components such as Ti6Al4V. Directed energy deposition (DED)-based metal AM was used to manufacture radial multi-material structures with a Ti6Al4V (Ti64) core and a Ti6Al4V-5 wt.% B4C composite outer layer. X-ray diffraction analysis and microstructural observation suggest that distinct B4C particles are strongly attached to the Ti6Al4V matrix. The addition of B4C increased the average hardness from 313 HV for Ti6Al4V to 538 HV for the composites. The addition of 5 wt.% B4C in Ti6Al4V increased the average compressive yield strength (YS) to 1440 MPa from 972 MPa for the control Ti6Al4V, i.e., >48% increase without any significant change in the elastic modulus. The radial multi-material structures did not exhibit any changes in the compressive modulus compared to Ti6Al4V but displayed an increase in the average compressive YS to 1422 MPa, i.e., >45% higher compared to Ti6Al4V. Microstructural characterization revealed a smooth transition from the pure Ti6Al4V at the core to the Ti64-B4C composite outer layer. No interfacial failure was observed during compressive deformation, indicating a strong metallurgical bonding during multi-material radial composite processing. Our results demonstrated that a significant improvement in mechanical properties can be achieved in one AM build operation through designing innovative multi-material structures using DED-based AM.

Effects of process parameters on the surface characteristics of laser powder bed fusion printed parts: machine learning predictions with random forest and support vector regression

Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) fuses metallic powder using a high-energy laser beam, forming parts layer by layer. This technique offers flexibility and design freedom in metal additive manufacturing (MAM). However, achieving the desired surface quality remains challenging and impacts functionality and reliability. L-PBF process parameters significantly influence surface roughness. Identifying the most critical factors among numerous parameters is essential for improving quality. This study examines the effects of key process parameters on the surface roughness of AlSi10Mg, a widely used aluminum alloy in high-tech industries, fabricated by L-PBF. Part orientation, laser power, scanning speed, and layer thickness were identified as crucial parameters via cause-and-effect analysis. To systematically examine their effects, the Taguchi method was employed within the framework of the design of experiment (DoE). Experimental results and statistical analysis revealed that laser power, scanning speed, and layer thickness significantly influence surface roughness parameters: arithmetic mean (Ra) and root mean square (Rq). Main effect plots and energy density analyses confirmed their impact on surface quality. Microscopic investigations identified surface flaws such as spattering, balling, and porosity contributing to poor quality. Given the complex interplay between parameters and surface quality, accurately predicting their effects is challenging. To address this, machine learning models, specifically random forest regression (RFR) and support vector regression (SVR), were used to predict the effects on surface roughness. The RFR model’s R2 values for predicting Ra and Rq are 97% and 85%, while the SVR model’s predictions are 85% and 66%, respectively. Evaluation metrics demonstrated that the RFR model outperformed SVR in predicting surface roughness.

Computationally guided alloy design and microstructure-property relationships for non-equiatomic Ti–Zr–Nb–Ta–V–Cr alloys with tensile ductility made by laser powder bed fusion

Single-phase body-centered cubic refractory complex concentrated alloys (RCCAs), exhibit strength retention at temperatures above the melting points of conventional Ni-based superalloys. However, their lack of room temperature tensile ductility leads to cracks during processing and/or premature failure under mechanical loading when fabricated by laser-based metals additive manufacturing (AM). We present an alloy design framework for tensile ductility in non-equimolar RCCAs amenable to AM processing within the Ti–V–Cr–Nb–Zr–Ta system. First, density functional theory (DFT) and machine learning informed screening of alloy compositions were used to down-select ∼106 alloys with potential for tensile ductility. Next, Scheil solidification modeling was used to eliminate compositions most at risk for micro-segregation and solidification cracking based on the estimated freezing range of each alloy. This led to the design of two new, representative alloys: Ti0.4Zr0.4Nb0.1Ta0.1 and Ti0.486V0.375Ta0.028Cr0.111. These alloys were evaluated for rapid solidification defect formation using in-situ synchrotron melt pool imaging, fabricated via laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) AM, and then characterized for processing defects, microstructure, and mechanical properties. Overall, both alloys achieved tensile yield strengths >800 MPa and failure strains >5 %. However, the occurrence of un-melted powders of high melting point elements likely resulted in premature failure during tensile straining. Considerations about mitigating this defect source are discussed and the role of local micro-segregation on ductility are elucidated. Overall, these results highlight the success of our framework, and show potential for laser-based AM-RCCAs with tensile ductility.