Typical Additive Manufacturing Research Articles

Effect of Deep Cryogenic Treatment on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Fe50Mn30Co10Cr10 High Entropy Alloy Fabricated by Laser Metal Deposition

As a typical additive manufacturing technology, laser melting deposition (LMD) has been widely used to process high entropy alloy (HEA). However, deposited products usually have poor mechanical properties. In this study, deep cryogenic treatment (DCT) is proposed to enhance the mechanical performance of the laser melting deposited Fe50Mn30Co10Cr10 high entropy alloy. The tensile strength, hardness and strength-plasticity product of the HEA with 48hours of immersion by DCT processing were 901MPa, 286HV and 33.3GPa%, respectively. Compared to the as-deposited state, the HCP ε phase content and tensile strength of the DCTed sample increased by 2.2 times and 30.8%, respectively, while the average grain size decreased by 58.0%. Furthermore, the friction coefficient and wear rate of the DCTed samples reduced by 25.6% and 30.3%, respectively. The high temperature gradient soaking in liquid nitrogen induced dynamic recrystallization, refining the FCC γ grain structures in the HEA. Meanwhile, the samples contained more HCP ε phase due to the transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect triggered by thermal stress. The results indicate that the effects of fine-grain strengthening and second-phase particle dispersion strengthening are the reasons for the excellent mechanical performance. DCT processing provides a simple and effective way for overcoming the strength-ductility trade-off in the additive manufactured Fe50Mn30Co10Cr10 HEA.

Diamond machining of additively manufactured Ti6Al4V ELI: Newer mode of material removal challenging the current simulation tools

Single point diamond machining (SPDM) produces smooth machined surfaces that other production methods cannot match. While the mechanics of machining of cast alloys with SPDM is well-explored, the realm of SPDM for additively manufactured parts remains largely uncharted. This work reveals new insights into the surface generation process of an additively manufactured titanium alloy, specifically, a Ti6Al4V Extra Low Interstitials (ELI) alloy workpiece. Our examination of the chip morphology unveiled a distinct mode of chip removal, previously unrecorded in existing literature. During SPDM of additively made Ti6Al4V ELI workpiece, identification of numerous pores and discontinuities in the chips flowing on the tool rake face, indicating periodic intermittent cracking during the material's plastic flow was seen. To examine this phenomenon, a finite element analysis (FEA) model was developed. While the FEA model can well explain the machining mechanics and chip morphology of SPDM of cast Ti6Al4V ELI reported in the literature, it failed to describe the chip morphology that are obtained during machining of additively made workpiece in this work. This disparity underscores the need for innovative simulation approaches tailored for additively manufactured components. The experimental observations in this study highlight a unique form of chip formation in contrast to conventional Ti6Al4V alloy machining processes. At lower feeds, there was a presence of short, discontinuous chip formation with tearing at the outer periphery. Conversely, at higher feeds, a long, continuous ribbon-like chip formation was observed. In addition, some typical additive manufacturing defects appear on the machined surface and chips. Through optimisation of the SPDT parameters, a surface roughness (Ra) value of about 11.8 nm was achieved on additively manufactured Ti6Al4V ELI workpiece. This work provides a fresh perspective on the mechanics of SPDM for additively manufactured components, offering a stepping stone for subsequent studies.

Feature-based energy consumption quantitation strategy for complex additive manufacturing parts

Additive manufacturing (AM) has significant advantages, including design freedom, mass customization, and complex-structure manufacturing capabilities. As reducing the manufacturing energy is challenging in terms of the industrial sustainability, the AM energy consumption must be further explored. Existing energy consumption quantitation methods for AM require complex models that considering the energy characteristics of equipment. Therefore, we propose a feature-based energy consumption quantitation method for complex AM parts using simple models and suitable for different AM technologies. First, a feature segmentation method is proposed to divide complex AM parts into typical AM features. Then, the energy consumption model for each AMF is developed for energy consumption quantification during part fabrication. Finally, the energy consumption of a typical mechanical part manufactured via three different AM processes is investigated using the proposed method and measured experimentally. The results show that the proposed method can effectively and rapidly predict the energy consumption of AM processes with an accuracy of more than 95 %. Furthermore, the efficiency of the three AM processes is compared and discussed to address suitable efficiency improvement methods. In general, the proposed method can be integrated into three-dimensional AM models, providing a reference for the structural optimization of AM parts and sustainable manufacturing.

A fast simulation method for thermal management in wire arc additive manufacturing repair of a thin-walled structure

Ensuring first-time-right on-site repair of critical structures is a key challenge for additive manufacturing (AM)–based repair solutions. Fast thermal simulations are thus needed to plan efficient and error-free AM processes. This paper addresses a fast thermal simulation method for a novel subsea wire arc additive manufacturing (SWAAM) repair procedure. Current commercial finite element (FE) codes for typical welding and AM are computationally expensive and slow. The presented 2D finite difference approach can be used to simulate SWAAM on a damaged plate with around 70 times acceleration compared to real welding times, without the use of parallelization. Although not being able to accurately represent the temperature in close vicinity of the welding torch, the approach shows excellent correspondence with FE simulations and experiments in regions of the plate where the temperature has assumed a distribution that is largely two-dimensional. Compared with FE simulations, the approach is experimentally verified to be accurate to 10 °C within 7 s after the welding torch has passed a point on the plate. Thus, the approach can provide a measure of the global temperature field in a thin-walled structure during repair. The thermal simulation is preceded by a welding path planner, which generates appropriate paths based on slicing of a 3D surface scan of the damage that is to be repaired. Damages to equipment or non-ideal welding conditions are prevented by automatically pausing the welding if the calculated temperature in the path ahead of the welding torch exceeds a predefined interpass temperature limit.

The Mechanical and Functional Behaviors of Mn–15 wt%Cu Alloy Produced by Selective Laser Melting

Mn–Cu‐based alloys possess excellent mechanical and functional properties (damping capacity and shape memory effect). This work utilizes a typical additive manufacturing technique, selective laser melting (SLM), to fabricate Mn–15 wt%Cu alloys to explore the mechanical and functional behaviors. The results indicate that the γ‐(Mn, Cu) and a small amount of γ′‐(Mn, Cu) phase are the main phase compositions in the as‐SLMed Mn–15 wt%Cu alloy, as well as twins and second‐phase precipitation particles. The microstructure shows a fine cellular γ‐(Mn, Cu) dendrite with primary dendrite spacing of ≈0.9 μm in the columnar grains with a size of ≈8 μm. The martensitic transformation start temperature (MS) and phase transformation hysteresis are ≈132.6 and ≈5.1 °C, respectively. The existing nanoscale chemical segregations of Mn and Cu are attributed to the spinodal decomposition of γ‐(Mn, Cu). A compositional modulation is observed with a wavelength of ≈20 nm and an amplitude fluctuation of Mn (55–85 wt%) and Cu concentrations (15–45 wt%). Finally, the as‐SLMed Mn–15 wt%Cu alloy boasts good tensile properties (359, 268 MPa, and 3.6%), damping (internal friction of 0.032 when the strain amplitude is 9 × 10−4), and shape memory performances (one‐way ηow = 37–48%, and two‐way ηtw = 16–20% under the pre‐deformation strain of 2–3%).

Additive Manufacturing in Australian Small to Medium Enterprises: Vat Polymerisation Techniques, Case Study and Pathways to Industry 4.0 Competitiveness

The advent of additive manufacturing (AM) in Australian small and medium-sized enterprises offers the direct benefits of time-saving and labour cost-effectiveness for Australian manufacturing to be highly competitive in global markets. Australian local businesses can tailor their products to a diverse range of customers with a quicker lead time on the sophisticated design and development of products under good quality control in the whole advanced manufacturing process. This review outlines typical AM techniques used in Australian manufacturing, which consist of vat polymerisation (VP), environmentally friendly AM, and multi-material AM. In particular, a practical case study was also highlighted in the Australian jewellery industry to demonstrate how manufacturing style is integrated into their manufacturing processes for the purpose of reducing lead time and cost. Finally, major obstacles encountered in AM and future prospects were also addressed to be well positioned as a key player in the revolutionised Industry 4.0.

Online monitoring of direct laser metal deposition process by means of infrared thermography

Direct laser metal deposition (LMD–DED) is an additive manufacturing (AM) process that is used to build up and repair high-quality metal components. It works by overlapping layers of powder material and melting them with a laser. To get a stable process without defects and to reach, at the same time, high mechanical properties, a robust assessment and control of the process parameters, and above all of their combination, is required. The ideal goal is to assure the online control, to stop or correct the process in case of unexpected anomalies. In this work, a robust online monitoring of the laser metal deposition (LMD–DED) process based on the use of infrared thermography was developed and proposed. After choosing the suitable process parameters, a customized design of experiments (DOE) was set, and the statistical analysis of different thermal features was carried out to develop the most robust models that correlate them with the input process parameters (laser power, scanning speed, and powder flow rate). The proposed procedure was based on the extraction of different thermal features from suited regions of interest (ROI), performing statistical analyses by means of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and building regression models to correlate the process parameters with the thermal behavior. The obtained results demonstrated the possibility to control the process by means of the chosen thermal features, independent of the position of the ROI. Moreover, the possibility to use the models to detect typical AM defects, and anomalies, online directly during the process, has been proved and verified by destructive macrographs carried out on the manufactured coupons.

A study of selective laser melting process for pure zinc and Zn10mg alloy on process parameters and mechanical properties

PurposeThe selective laser melting (SLM) technique, as a typical additive manufacturing process, is widely used for the fabrication of metallic biomedical components. In terms of biodegradability, zinc and its alloys represent an emerging generation of metallic materials for biomedical implants. The purpose of this paper is to obtain the Zn and Zn10Mg alloys with high mechanical properties using the SLM technology. The relationship between the processing parameters and the porosity of pure Zn and Zn10Mg alloy samples was investigated.Design/methodology/approachThe samples were fabricated using SLM technology working in an inert gas closed chamber. Preliminary experiments were conducted to analyze the laser power and gas flow on evaporation, single track form and porosity. To evaluate the influence of factors on relative density, the response surface methodology was applied.FindingsThe satisfactory results of the proposed method were achieved, in which the relative density of the components reached up to 99.63%, and compression strength reached 214 ± 13 MPa under optimal processing conditions.Originality/valueZinc is categorized by its low melting and boiling point, which leads to the high porosity of the components. It is difficult to prepare the Zn alloy samples with high relative density using SLM technology. This work successfully achieved dense Zn and Zn10Mg samples and investigated their microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion behavior.

Effect of printing parameters on extrusion-based additive manufacturing using highly filled CuSn12 filament

Typical additive manufacturing (AM) processes for producing metal and ceramic parts are highly energy-consuming and expensive to install and maintain. On the other hand, material extrusion AM (MEAM) technologies are conventionally used to produce polymeric parts but only marginally to process metallic materials. A feasible alternative is to process polymeric filaments loaded with metal particles. Debinding and sintering processes are then required to join the metal particles and obtain the final parts. In recent years, highly filled metal filaments consisting of a polymer loaded with a high concentration of metal powder have been commercialized for this purpose. In this study, the printability of a commercial CuSn12 filament was investigated by evaluating the influence of the process parameters on the density, shrinkage, porosity, and mechanical properties of the additively manufactured samples using a low-cost desktop 3D printer. Parameters such as the flow rate and ironing had the greatest influence on the density of the green samples. The correct selection of these parameters may reduce shrinkage after sintering. Furthermore, the obtained bronze had a notable ultimate tensile strength (mean value of 107 MPa), high stiffness (E values range from 38 to 50 GPa), and a greater elongation at break (mean value of 13%) than that of cast bronze of the same CuSn12 type. In this case, the extrusion pattern and ironing had the most significant influence on the final mechanical performance. The study provides insights into the use of highly filled bronze filaments combined with MEAM to produce functional parts for engineering applications.

Microstructural Evaluation and Tensile Properties of Al-Mg-Sc-Zr Alloys Prepared by LPBF

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is a typical additive manufacturing technology that offers significant advantages in the production of complex components. With the rapid heating and cooling characteristics of LPBF, a large amount of solid solution of alloying elements in the matrix can be achieved to form supersaturated solid solutions, thus enhancing the properties of LPBF alloys. For the unique microstructure, the heat treatment process needs to be adjusted accordingly. In this work, a Zr/Sc-modified Al-Mg alloy processed by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) with relatively low cost and good mechanical properties was investigated. The fine microstructure was obtained under rapid solidification conditions. The nanoscale Al3(Sc,Zr) particles precipitated at the molten pool boundary during solidification. These particles, as effective heterogeneous nucleators, further refined the α-Al grains and improved the mechanical properties of the alloy. As a result, the alloy exhibited a heterogeneous microstructure consisting of columnar grains in the center of the molten pool and equiaxed grains at the boundaries. The rapid solidification resulted in the supersaturation of solute atoms in the α-Al matrix, which significantly enhanced the solid solution strengthening effect. With the LPBF processing parameters of a combination of a laser power of 250 W, a laser scanning speed of 833 mm/s, and stripe scanning mode, the tensile strength of the alloy reached 401.4 ± 5.7 MPa, which was significantly higher than that of the cast alloys with aging treatment (281.1 ± 1.3 MPa). The heat treatment promoted the formation of secondary Al3(Sc,Zr), Mn/Mg-rich phases. The ultimate tensile strength and elongation at fracture after aging at 325 °C for 2 h were 536.0 ± 1.7 MPa and 14.8 ± 0.8%, respectively. The results provide insight into the preparation of aluminum alloys with relatively low cost and excellent mechanical properties.

Modulated Structure Formation in Dislocation Cells in 316L Stainless Steel Fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion

Metal additive manufacturing enables producing complex geometric structures with high accuracy and breaks the design constraints of traditional manufacturing methods. Laser powder bed fusion, a typical additive manufacturing process, presents a challenge in experimentally understanding the nano-scaled microstructure-process relationship regarding the wide range of process parameters. In this study, we aim to reveal the novel nanoscale structural features by advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy to clarify the formation mechanisms in 316L stainless steel by laser powder bed fusion. Here we show that the slender columnar grains were confined to the centreline of the melt pool along the build direction, and the columnar cell structure at the side branching of the melt pool grew along orthogonal directions to follow drastic changes in thermal gradient across adjacent melt pools. Novel nano-scaled modulated structures have been observed in the dislocation cells parallel to the laser scan direction, which were mainly caused by the elastic strain involving the thermal gradient inside the melt pool and across adjacent melt pools as well as the effective strain field in the dislocation cell interiors. An in-depth understanding of microstructure developments is worthy of fabricating high-performance materials by controlling the additive manufacturing process.

Large eddy simulations of fully developed turbulent flows over additively manufactured rough surfaces

In the last decade, with the growing demand for efficient and more sustainable products that reduce our CO2 footprint, progresses in Additive Manufacturing (AM) have paved the way for optimized heat exchangers, whose disruptive design will heavily depend on predictive numerical simulations. Typical AM rough surfaces show limited resemblance to the artificially constructed rough surfaces that have been the basis of most prior fundamental research on turbulent flow over rough walls. Hence, current wall models used in steady and unsteady three-dimensional (3D) Navier–Stokes simulations do not consider such characteristics. Therefore, a high-fidelity Large Eddy Simulation (LES) database is built to develop and assess novel wall models for AM. This article investigates the flow in rough pipes built from the surfaces created using AM techniques at Siemens based on Nickel Alloy IN939 material. We developed a code to generate the desired rough pipes from scanned planar surfaces. We performed high-fidelity LES of turbulent rough pipe flows at Reynolds number, Re = 11 700, to reveal the influence of roughness parameters on turbulence, mainly the average roughness height and the effective slope. The equivalent sand-grain roughnesses, ks, of the present AM rough surfaces are predicted using the Colebrook correlation. The main contributors to the skin friction coefficient are found to be turbulence and drag forces. In the present study, the existence of a logarithmic layer is marked even for high values of ks. The mean flow, the velocity fluctuations, and the Reynolds shear stresses show turbulence's strong dependence on the roughness topography. Profiles of turbulence statistics are compared by introducing an effective wall-normal distance defined as zero-plane displacement. The effective distance collapses the shear stresses and the velocity fluctuations outside the roughness sublayer; thus, Townsend's similarity of the streamwise mean velocity is marked for the present roughnesses. Furthermore, a mixed scaling is introduced to improve the collapse of turbulence statistics in the roughness sublayer. In addition, an attempt to investigate the impact of surface roughness on flow physics using the acquired LES results based on quadrant analysis of the Reynolds shear stresses and anisotropy of turbulence is made.

Measurement of additively manufactured freeform artefacts: The influence of surface texture on measurements carried out with optical techniques

Quality control of additively manufactured parts is a crucial topic, since it includes the measurement of freeform geometries, i.e. lattice structures, and parts characterized by surface topographies several times more rough than conventional machining. Freeform surfaces and their related measurands can be effectively assessed via areal optical scanning techniques and X-ray-based systems, while it is still of great interest to evaluate the effect of the surface quality on their measuring performance.In this work, an experimental investigation about the influence of a typical additive manufacturing surface texture on optical measurements was conducted. As test object, the geometry of a standard freeform artefact developed by the NPL Institute was considered and it was realized by using a Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing (MEX) technology and micro-milling. By comparing results coming from the two realized artefacts, it was possible to evaluate the influence of the AM surface texture on the conducted measurements.

A process to spatially control the fraction of SS420 and bronze phases in binder jet infiltrated parts

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a useful tool to fabricate components with unique spatial control over material composition, phases, and geometry. However, spatially controlling the material phases in AM metals typically requires changing powder during the printing process or using multiple nozzles, and most methods only offer control in one dimension. This requires a significant printer hardware upgrade. This paper presents a method that exploits the binder jet additive manufacturing process to spatially control the fraction of stainless steel 420 (SS420) and infiltrated bronze. In our method, we modify the CAD file of the binder jet part to include completely enclosed voids within the printed part, which result in enclosed regions of loose steel powder without binder. This process does not induce extra porosity, nor require hardware modifications. Post-sintering, we use optical microscopy to show that zones of enclosed SS420 without binder contain up to a 25 % increase in SS420 phase compared to the zones printed using the conventional method (i.e., with binder). To understand the mechanisms behind the spatial distribution of phase fraction, we employ the method to print parts with higher SS420 concentration channels of different thicknesses in horizontal and vertical directions. Results show that the relative phase fraction of SS420 and bronze depends on channel size, channel orientation, and sintering direction. Further, the SS420 percentage can be uniform or spatially graded inside the channels depending on the sintering direction relative to the printing directions. We hypothesize that the underlying mechanisms of phase fraction variation in this method are powder spreading, packing during the print process as well as the effect of gravity on loose powder during sintering step. To establish a possible application of the method, the spatial variation of Rockwell B hardness was measured in selected samples. The hardness results show that our method obtains spatial variation of mechanical properties, and qualitatively corroborate the phase fraction variation obtained from optical microscopy. Although here we show phase fraction control over two dimensions, the method could be applied to obtain a 3D phase fraction control. The method only requires changes in the CAD model of the printed part, without any hardware or software modifications of the typical binder jet AM process.

Extra-wide deposition in extrusion additive manufacturing: A new convention for improved interlayer mechanical performance

Recent studies have contested long-standing assumptions that mechanical anisotropy is caused by weak interlayer bonding and demonstrated that microscale geometry (the groove between extruded filaments) is the major cause of anisotropy in extrusion additive manufacturing (AM). Inspired by those finding, this study investigates the potential for a new convention for print-path design to improve mechanical properties by setting extrusion width to be at least 250 % of nozzle diameter. The new convention enabled an almost 50 % improvement in mechanical performance, which was supported by finite element analysis data, whilst simultaneously reducing the printing time by 67 %. Whereas a typical extrusion AM part uses several side-by-side extrusions, here, three 0.4-mm-wide extrusions are replaced with a single extra-wide 1.2-mm extrusion; two 0.6-mm-wide extrusions are also studied. The contact area between layers of the extra-wide extrusion was 90 % as opposed to 63 % for the conventional approach. The improved contact area led to a 40–48 % enhancement of strength, strain-at-fracture and toughness. This study presents a compelling case for a methodological shift to extra-wide extruded-filament deposition and explains the underlying cause of anisotropic strength observed in previous studies. Two case studies demonstrate practical applicability for a print run of 1000 nylon visors and lower-limb polylactide prosthetic sockets, for which extra-wide filaments more than doubled load-bearing capabilities. Polylactide material was used for most of the study; potential for translation to other materials is discussed.

Static assessment of flawed thin AlSi10Mg parts produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion

Several factors must be considered within the assessment of parts produced by Additive Manufacturing (AM) such as, for example, heterogeneous microstructure, process-induced defects, surface quality, residual stresses, and dependence on the material’s properties with the building orientation. All these factors severely affect the resistance to static and fatigue loadings of AMed components. Among the possible failure mechanisms, the failure promoted by static loadings when cracks are present is one of the most important failure conditions, in particular for the as-built parts, which might have reduced fracture toughness and ductility compared to the wrought alloy counterpart. In this work, we present a comprehensive approach to the static assessment of AlSi10Mg parts manufactured by Laser Powder Bed Fusion. Two benchmark fracture geometries were designed to investigate the typical AM geometrical features: i) thin walls in tension and ii) notched components in bending. Finite Element analyses of the benchmark specimens showed that an approach based on elastic–plastic fracture mechanics parameters is needed to correctly predict the experimental failures, despite the quasi-brittle behaviour shown by the AlSi10Mg alloy. In view of these results, this paper explores the applicability of the Failure Assessment Diagram (FAD), a tool used for conventional ductile materials, to static assessment of AMed parts. The results show that the assessment approach based on the FAD makes it possible to properly predict the experimental failures of the benchmark specimens.

Multi-Objective Optimization of Selective Laser Melting Processes for Minimizing Energy Consumption and Maximizing Product Tensile Strength

As a sustainable manufacturing technology, selective laser melting (SLM) is a typical additive manufacturing (AM) method with high flexibility and material efficiency. However, SLM is intrinsically energy-intensive than conventional machining processes. By contrast, part quality, especially the tensile strength, is critical for applying SLM technology. Therefore, this study aims to minimize the process energy consumption and maximize the part tensile strength by optimizing three essential process parameters, namely laser power, scan speed, and overlap rate. First, single track and single layer experiments are applied to determine the constraints of process parameters. Then, analytical and statistical models are used to calculate energy consumption and part tensile strength. Finally, the process parameters to achieve compromised optimal solutions are located using the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II). A case study of a waveguide part manufactured via the SLM process is employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Results showed that both energy consumption and part tensile strength could be improved moderately using the proposed method. This study can potentially guide the process parameter selection for new material AM processes and improve the AM product quality.

Regionalization of microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V transition area fabricated by WAAM-LMD hybrid additive manufacturing

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) and laser melting deposition (LMD) are two typical additive manufacturing technologies that fabricate large components and small complex structures. However, the composite manufacturing process of these two technologies is rarely reported. WAAM-LMD hybrid additive manufacturing is a feasible method to satisfy the dual requirements of production efficiency and structural accuracy in today's aerospace field. In this study, a 10-mm-thick wall structure was manufactured by this process. The microstructure in different areas was characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electron backscattered diffraction to elucidate the formation mechanism of the interfacial microstructure. Meanwhile, the tensile properties were tested in different directions and regions of the component. The results indicate that the combined effect of WAAM and LMD areas lacks obvious defects. The average grain size of the bonding region is closer to the bottom of the LMD region and smaller than that of the WAAM region. Clear grain preference orientations and variant orientations were observed from the bottom to the top of the transition zone, which is affected by different thermal histories between the arc and the laser. In addition, equiaxed crystals and columnar crystals coexist in the remelting zone under the combined action of two factors: the epitaxial growth with columnar crystals and the high cooling rate of the molten pool. The properties of tensile specimens in different directions have few differences. However, the elongation obviously changes in the binding zone. Furthermore, the cleavage fracture gradually transforms into ductile fracture from the bottom to the top in the transition area.

The properties of stainless steel 17-4PH produced by a low-cost additive manufacturing technique, the Markforged MetalX™

The lower capital and running cost of the Markforged Metal X™ platform, in comparison to competing metal additive manufacturing systems, makes it a highly attractive proposition for several industries. The unusual print, then sinter, process also has the potential to avoid many of the metallurgy issues that can arise using more typical additive manufacturing, which relies on melting to bind the material. However, the mechanical properties of the material produced must be well understood. In this paper, the properties of 17-4PH stainless steel samples produced by the Metal X™ are documented following a systematic testing program, involving standard mechanical testing as well as material characterisation techniques. Significant differences were observed between the samples tested in differing orientations. This is thought to be due to the deposition process used to lay the material prior to sintering, which results in voids and surface stress concentrations that reduce the strength of the material. Heat treatments and surface machining were both found to improve the tensile properties of the material.

Direct ink writing of 3D piezoelectric ceramics with complex unsupported structures

Piezoelectric ceramic, as a typical smart material, shows great potential in applications of sensing & actuation, smart structure and energy harvesting. However, the use of traditional methods to fabricate complex and high-precision piezoelectric ceramic devices faces huge technical difficulties and high molding costs. Direct ink writing is a typical additive manufacturing technology, but has limited capabilities when preparing ceramic products with complex unsupported structures. In this work, a combined process of direct ink writing (DIW) and secondary shaping of flexible ceramic green body has been developed and proved to produce complex piezoelectric ceramics. The PZT ink shows shear thinning behavior and appropriate viscoelasticity such as moderate viscosity and high storage modulus. The printed green body can be flexibly deformed and the samples after polarization show good piezoelectric properties, with an average d33 up to 265 pC/N. This work demonstrates an attractive method for geometrically complex piezoceramic with unique macro structure due to its simplicity and low cost, and provides a solution to the key problems in the existing manufacturing technology of 3D ceramics.