Characterisation and Monitoring of Ti6al4v (Eli) Powder Used in Different Selective Laser Melting Systems

Abstract

The characterisation and monitoring of Ti6Al4V (ELI) feedstock powder is an essential requirement for the full qualification of medical implants and aerospace components produced in selective laser melting systems. Virgin and reused samples of this powder were characterised by determining their physical and chemical properties through techniques complying with international standards. This paper presents the results obtained for Ti6Al4V (ELI) powder of two different particle size distributions received from the same supplier. The characteristics of these powders after several reuse cycles in two different selective laser melting systems are also presented and discussed. OPSOMMINGDie karakterisering en kontrolering van Ti6Al4V voermateriaalpoeier is ʼn kernvereiste vir die kwalifisering van mediese implantate en ruimtevaartkomponente wat deur middel van selektiewe laser smelt stelsels produseer word. Nuwe en herbruikte monsters van hierdie poeier is gekarakteriseer deur hul fisiese en chemiese eienskappe te bepaal deur tegnieke wat aan internasionale standaarde voldoen. Die resultate vir Ti6Al4V poeiers met verskillende partikelgrootteverdelings van dieselfde verskaffer word hier voorgehou. Die karakteristieke van hierdie poeiers na etlike hergebruik siklusse in twee verskillende selektiewe laser smelt stelsels word ook voorgehou en bespreek.

Comparison between Virgin and Recycled 316L SS and AlSi10Mg Powders Used for Laser Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing

“…This is in contrast with the agglomerates in recycled 316L SS, in which much smaller spherical or near-spherical powder particles are attached to the larger powder particles with similar morphologies. These can be ascribed to the higher tendency of fine particle sizes with narrow size distribution to agglomerate, compared to those possessing comparatively larger particle sizes and wider size distribution, as is the case for the AlSi10Mg and 316L SS powders in this study, respectively [78,79].…”

Reuse of Grade 23 Ti6Al4V Powder during the Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion Process

“…Oxygen and nitrogen are alpha stabilisers in Ti6Al4V parts and may increase the rate of martensitic transformation [2]. Therefore reduced levels of oxygen and nitrogen content associated with Grade 23, allows for improved ductility and fracture toughness properties desired for biomedical and cryogenic applications [4].…”

“…Metals 2020, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 14 parts and may increase the rate of martensitic transformation [2]. Therefore reduced levels of oxygen and nitrogen content associated with Grade 23, allows for improved ductility and fracture toughness properties desired for biomedical and cryogenic applications [4]. Components fabricated by L-PBF are manufactured in a layer-on-layer manner, from a predetermined computer-aided design (CAD) model.…”

Standard method for microCT-based additive manufacturing quality control 4: Metal powder analysis

“…X-ray micro computed tomography [15] was used in this study using optimization procedures as described in [16]. Metal powder was acquired from a recent study of powders used in different commercial systems [17], with the two demonstrated here originating from commercial supplier TLS Technik GmbH with large size fraction (LENS powder, 40–100 μm) and the other with small particle size distribution (<40 μm) for a DMLS AM machine. These cover the typical size ranges of powders in use commercially in AM systems.…”