Effect of Scanning Strategy on Surface Roughness of Directed Energy Deposited Inconel 718 Alloy

Abstract

The additive manufacturing method based on powder feed type laser Directed Energy Deposition (DED) is projected to be able to create objects with intricate structures. The intricate thermal history that occurs during DED causes variations in the top surface roughness, which is an important quality index for DED and has a significant impact on the lifespan of the samples. Surface quality is always desirable, mostly in the case of dynamic loading applications. This article presents a methodical investigation into the top surface roughness of the Inconel 718 alloy during various scanning strategies in the DED. This alloy is utilized extensively in the aerospace, automotive, and military industries. Multilayer cuboid samples are fabricated using four scanning strategies. Using different scan strategy, no significant changes in pore size and amount of porosity was observed, but significant changes were observed for the surface quality of printed Inconel alloy.