Properties of aluminum metal matrix composites manufactured by selective laser melting

2021 ◽  
Vol 112 (7) ◽  
pp. 552-564
Author(s):  
Christian Felber ◽  
Florian Rödl ◽  
Ferdinand Haider
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Aluminum Alloys ◽  
Selective Laser Melting ◽  
Metal Matrix ◽  
High Hardness ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Laser Melting ◽  
Scanning Calorimetry ◽  
Particle Reinforcement ◽  
The Matrix

Abstract The most promising metal processing additive manufacturing technique in industry is selective laser melting, but only a few alloys are commercially available, limiting the potential of this technique. In particular high strength aluminum alloys, which are of great importance in the automotive industry, are missing. An aluminum 2024 alloy, reinforced by Ti-6Al-4V and B4C particles, could be used as a high strength alternative for aluminum alloys. Heat treating can be used to improve the mechanical properties of the metal matrix composite. Dynamic scanning calorimetry shows the formation of Al2Cu precipitates in the matrix instead of the expected Al2CuMg phases due to the loss of magnesium during printing, and precipitation processes are accelerated due to particle reinforcement and additive manufacturing. Strong reactions between aluminum and Ti-6Al-4V are observed in the microstructure, while B4C shows no reaction with the matrix or the titanium. The material shows high hardness, high stiffness, and low ductility through precipitation and particle reinforcement.

Fabrication of flapping-wing micromechanism assembly using selective laser melting and aerodynamic performance measures

2021 ◽  
pp. 146442072110354
Author(s):  
Surendar Ganesan ◽  
Balasubramanian Esakki ◽  
Lung-Jieh Yang ◽  
D Rajamani ◽  
M Silambarsan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Selective Laser Melting ◽  
Electrical Discharge Machining ◽  
Weight Ratio ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Manufacturing Technology ◽  
Al Alloy ◽  
Laser Melting ◽  
Additive Manufacturing Technology

The development of a flapping wing microaerial vehicle mechanism with a high strength-to-weight ratio to withstand high flapping frequency is of significant interest in aerospace applications. The traditional manufacturing methods such as injection moulding and wire-cut electrical discharge machining suffer from high cost, labour intensiveness, and time-to-market. However, the present disruptive additive manufacturing technology is considered a viable replacement for manufacturing micromechanism components. Significantly to withstand high cyclic loads, metal-based high strength-to-weight ratio flapping wing microaerial vehicle components are the need of the hour. Hence, the present work focused on the fabrication of flapping wing microaerial vehicle micromechanism components using selective laser melting with AlSi10Mg alloy. The manufactured micromechanism components attained 99% of dimensional accuracy, and the total weight of the Evans mechanism assembly is 4 g. The scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed the laser melting surface characteristics of the Al alloy. The assembled mechanism is tested in static and dynamic environments to ensure structural rigidity. Aerodynamic forces are measured using a wind tunnel setup, and 7.5 lift and 1.2 N thrust forces are experienced that will be sufficient enough to carry a payload of 1 g camera on-board for surveillance missions. The study suggested that the metal additive manufacturing technology is a prominent solution to realize the micromechanism components effortlessly compared to conventional subtractive manufacturing.

scholarly journals Research progress on selective laser melting (SLM) of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs): a review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peilei Zhang ◽  
Jie Tan ◽  
Yingtao Tian ◽  
Hua Yan ◽  
Zhishui Yu
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Selective Laser Melting ◽  
Metallic Glasses ◽  
Complex Geometry ◽  
Bulk Metallic Glasses ◽  
Functional Materials ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Laser Melting ◽  
The Future

AbstractBulk metallic glasses (BMGs) are a subject of interest due to their superior specific properties such as low coefficient of friction, high strength, large ductility in bending, high elastic modulus, high microhardness, and high resistance to corrosion, oxidation, wear, and so on. However, BMGs are difficult to apply in industry due to their difficulty in manufacturing and secondary operation. In the past few decades, many efforts have been carried out to overcome the defects in the manufacturing of BMGs. It is difficult to fabricate complex structures with the whole amorphous alloy owing to the limit of crystallization and critical cooling rate. Additive manufacturing (AM), such as selective laser melting (SLM), can obtain relatively high cooling rates during the “layer-by-layer” process, which makes it possible to surpass the dimensional limitation of metallic glass. In the SLM process, the high-speed cooling of molten pool and the avoidance of secondary processing are very beneficial to the production and application of amorphous alloys. In this paper, based on the research of SLM additive manufacturing BMGs in recent years, the factors affecting crystallization and forming ability are discussed from many aspects according to different material systems. The status and challenges of SLM manufacturing BMGs including Fe-based, Zr-based, Al-based, and some composite-based BMGs will be presented. Mechanical properties and physicochemical properties were introduced. This review aims to introduce the latest developments in SLM additive manufacturing BMGs, especially on the development of process parameters, structure formation, simulation calculation, fracture mechanism, and crystallization behavior. With the traditional fabricating methods, BMGs were mainly used as a structure material. It will provide another alternative to use BMGs as a functional material by introducing SLM technology in amorphous preparation with complex geometry. This review summarizes the technical difficulty and application prospects of BMGs preparation by SLM and discusses the challenges and unresolved problems. This review identifies key issues that need to be addressed in this important field in the future. These problems are related to the application of BMGs as high-strength structural materials and new functional materials in the future.

Microstructure and Tensile Performance of Graphene-Reinforced Inconel 718 Alloy Via Selective Laser Melting and Post-Treatments

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yachao Wang ◽  
Jing Shi
Keyword(s):  
Selective Laser Melting ◽  
Inconel 718 ◽  
Metal Matrix ◽  
Load Transfer ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Solution Temperature ◽  
Strengthening Effect ◽  
Laser Melting ◽  
Inconel 718 Alloy ◽  
Dense Microstructure

Abstract Graphene is an ideal reinforcement material for metal matrix composites (MMCs) owing to its high strength, high ductility, light weight, as well as good bonding with metal matrix. In this study, graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) reinforced Inconel 718 composites are fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) technique and processed under various postheat treatment schemes. It is found that the fabrication of GNPs-reinforced MMC using the SLM technique is a viable approach. The obtained composite possesses dense microstructure and enhanced tensile strength. Postheat treatments at two levels of solution temperature (980 and 1220 °C) for 1 h followed by two-step aging are carried out. The experimental results indicate that the addition of GNPs into Inconel 718 matrix results in significant strength improvement. Under the as-built condition, the ultimate tensile strengths (UTSs) of SLM Inconel 718 materials are 997 and 1447 MPa, respectively, at 0 and 4.4 vol % GNP content. The strengthening effect of GNPs is most prominent under the as-built condition, and the strength of as-built GNPs-reinforced Inconel 718 is higher than that of unreinforced Inconel 718 under any processing conditions. The formation of γ′ and γ″ precipitates is suppressed in the GNPs-reinforced composite under the aging condition due to the formation of metallic carbide (MC) carbide and the depletion of Nb. GNPs effectively inhibits grain growth during postheat treatment. Quantitative investigation of the various strengthening effects demonstrates that load transfer effect is dominating among all contributors.

Melting and Solidification Behavior of High-Strength Aluminum Alloy during Selective Laser Melting

2018 ◽  
Vol 941 ◽  
pp. 1300-1305
Author(s):  
Hideki Kyogoku ◽  
Kohei Yamamoto ◽  
Toshi Taka Ikeshoji ◽  
Kazuya Nakamura ◽  
Makiko Yonehara
Keyword(s):  
Aluminum Alloy ◽  
Aluminum Alloys ◽  
Selective Laser Melting ◽  
High Speed ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Solidification Cracking ◽  
Solidification Behavior ◽  
Laser Melting ◽  
Scan Speed ◽  
Melting And Solidification

Additive manufacturing (AM) technology has been dramatically attracted attention because of advantages in building free-shaped parts and simplification of manufacturing process. Recently the most relevant alloys, such as TiAl6V4, Inconel 718, AlSi10Mg and so on, are able to manufacture the parts using metal AM technology. However high-strength 2024, 6061 and 7075 aluminum alloys are difficult to fabricate using selective laser melting (SLM) owing to solidification cracking during solidification. In this research, the melting and solidification behaviors of AlSi10Mg alloy during SLM process were observed under various fabrication conditions of laser power and scan speed using a high-speed camera. It was found that the melting and solidification behavior of the alloy is greatly different by the fabrication conditions. And also the mechanism of solidification cracking in 2024 and 6061 aluminum alloys is investigated by the observation of the surface morphology and microstructure of the alloys using OM, SEM and EDS, comparing with Al10SiMg alloy. As a result, crack-free 2024 and 6061 aluminum alloy parts can be obtained by fabrication at the higer enrgy density.

scholarly journals Improving surface quality in selective laser melting based tool making

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filippo Simoni ◽  
Andrea Huxol ◽  
Franz-Josef Villmer
Keyword(s):  
Surface Roughness ◽  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Surface Quality ◽  
Selective Laser Melting ◽  
Melting Process ◽  
Laser Remelting ◽  
Laser Melting ◽  
Great Cost ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Processing Techniques

AbstractIn the last years, Additive Manufacturing, thanks to its capability of continuous improvements in performance and cost-efficiency, was able to partly replace and redefine well-established manufacturing processes. This research is based on the idea to achieve great cost and operational benefits especially in the field of tool making for injection molding by combining traditional and additive manufacturing in one process chain. Special attention is given to the surface quality in terms of surface roughness and its optimization directly in the Selective Laser Melting process. This article presents the possibility for a remelting process of the SLM parts as a way to optimize the surfaces of the produced parts. The influence of laser remelting on the surface roughness of the parts is analyzed while varying machine parameters like laser power and scan settings. Laser remelting with optimized parameter settings considerably improves the surface quality of SLM parts and is a great starting point for further post-processing techniques, which require a low initial value of surface roughness.

scholarly journals Directionally-Dependent Mechanical Properties of Ti6Al4V Manufactured by Electron Beam Melting (EBM) and Selective Laser Melting (SLM)

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3603
Author(s):  
Tim Pasang ◽  
Benny Tavlovich ◽  
Omry Yannay ◽  
Ben Jakson ◽  
Mike Fry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Surface Roughness ◽  
Tensile Strength ◽  
Electron Beam ◽  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Selective Laser Melting ◽  
Electron Beam Melting ◽  
Rolling Direction ◽  
Laser Melting ◽  
Plate Rolling

An investigation of mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V produced by additive manufacturing (AM) in the as-printed condition have been conducted and compared with wrought alloys. The AM samples were built by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Electron Beam Melting (EBM) in 0°, 45° and 90°—relative to horizontal direction. Similarly, the wrought samples were also cut and tested in the same directions relative to the plate rolling direction. The microstructures of the samples were significantly different on all samples. α′ martensite was observed on the SLM, acicular α on EBM and combination of both on the wrought alloy. EBM samples had higher surface roughness (Ra) compared with both SLM and wrought alloy. SLM samples were comparatively harder than wrought alloy and EBM. Tensile strength of the wrought alloy was higher in all directions except for 45°, where SLM samples showed higher strength than both EBM and wrought alloy on that direction. The ductility of the wrought alloy was consistently higher than both SLM and EBM indicated by clear necking feature on the wrought alloy samples. Dimples were observed on all fracture surfaces.

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