Comprehensive Study of the 3D Printing of Single Tracks and Cubic Samples by Selective Laser Melting of AlSi10MgCu Alloy

Microstructure and Strength of Ti-6Al-4V Samples Additively Manufactured with TiC Heterogeneous Nucleation Site Particles

“…Fracture surfaces for tensile testing were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) fractographs. To study the effects of TiC heterogeneous nucleation site particles on the formation of gas pores and balling, a single-track test [8,9] was also carried out. Two types of samples were used.…”

“…After the single-track test, each track was observed using a digital microscope camera (VK-X1100, KEYENCE, Osaka, Japan) to observe the formation behavior of the balling. To study the effects of TiC heterogeneous nucleation site particles on the formation of gas pores and balling, a single-track test [8,9] was also carried out. Two types of samples were used.…”

“…It is reported that this mechanism may be associated with the insufficient melting of the substrate material and its poor wetting [9]. The substrate remained non-melted, while the melted particles preferred to coalesce into tiny droplets and then rapidly consolidate into individual balls.…”

“…One of the possible reasons for better formability with the addition of TiC particles during the additive manufacture of a Ti-6Al-4V sample is not by suppression of metal droplet formation but by decreasing the size of metal droplets. It is reported that this mechanism may be associated with the insufficient melting o the substrate material and its poor wetting [9]. The substrate remained non-melted, while the melted particles preferred to coalesce into tiny droplets and then rapidly consolidate into individual balls.…”

“…The Ti-6Al-4V samples with and without 0.3 vol%TiC heterogeneous nucleation site particles are fabricated under optimal parameters. Since the PBF process is a layer-by-layer sequential addition process, in which each layer is formed with the combination of single-scan tracks, a single-track test [8,9] was also performed to obtain a good understanding of the suppression of gas pores and balling formation with the addition of TiC heterogeneous nucleation site particles. As will be described later, it was found that the formation of gas pores and balling was suppressed with the addition of heterogeneous nucleation site particles within the metallic powder.…”