Author:

Keywords:

Selective Laser Melting, Material Properties, Additive Manufacturing, Residual Stress, Titanium alloys, Steels, Nickel alloys, Tungsten, Aluminum alloys, Tantalum

Abstract:

Selective laser melting (SLM) is characterized by highly localized heat input and short interaction times, which lead to large thermal gradients. In this research, nine different materials are processed via SLM and compared. The resulting microstructures are characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Residual stresses are measured qualitatively using a novel deflection method and quantitatively using X-ray diffraction. Microcracking, surface oxidation and the anisotropy of the residual stress are discussed. The different phenomena interacting with the buildup of residual stress make it difficult to distinguish the possible correlations between material parameters and the magnitude of residual stresses.