The pore structure, the hardness and the mechanical properties of three-dimensional titanium models formed by the selective laser melting method with a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) pulsed laser are investigated. The optical and scanning electron micrographs show that pore structure depends on the peak power, the scan speed and the hatching pitch. The Vickers hardness of the laser formed specimens is around 240 HV (0.2 kgf), higher than that of the wrought material (125-160 HV). Depth profiling by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicates that oxygen pick-up occurs during laser forming of the titanium model processed in a closed chamber filled with argon. The fatigue strength of the titanium models formed by changing the hatching pitch and the laser power were measured. It is possible to improve the fatigue strength of the as-formed models by decreasing the hatching pitch or by hot isostatic pressing (HIP). The specimens after HIP have a fatigue strength comparable to the wrought material.
In order to evaluate the titanium model to be used for medical purposes in rapid prototyping with the selective laser melting process, the influence of forming conditions on the mechanical properties is investigated. The density and mechanical properties such as tensile and fatigue strengths of the model are measured. In the selective laser melting process, a pulsed yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) laser with average power of 50 W and maximum peak power of 3 kW is used. The specimens for measuring density and mechanical properties are made from commercial pure titanium powders (grade 1) in a controlled atmosphere with argon gas. It is found that the relative density of the model is higher than 92 per cent and some powder particles remain within the solidified model. The scan speed affects the tensile strength strongly and the tensile strength is around 120 per cent of the standard value of the solid pure titanium when the scan speed is appropriate. However, the fatigue strength is low, about 10 per cent of the solid one, which is still to be improved by post-processing.
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