Investigating the Use of Differential Scanning Calorimetry in the Prediction of Part Properties in the High-Speed Sintering Process

Abstract

High-speed sintering (HSS) is an additive manufacturing (AM) technique with high potential for end-use products. Previous research has identified differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as being a viable method for evaluating the mechanical performance of parts manufactured using the (similar) laser sintering (LS) process through the determination of the degree of particle melt (DPM). This research expands this to demonstrate the applicability of DPM measurement to the HSS process, demonstrating a clear linear correlation between tensile properties and DPM. The DPM increased from 64.9% to 75.8% as sinter speed was reduced from 180 mm/s to 140 mm/s (a slower speed providing a higher energy input), with the ultimate tensile strength approximately doubling over this range. High coefficients of determination (>0.9) indicate that the DPM is a strong indicator of tensile properties, demonstrating the potential for DPM measurements as quality assessment tools for the HSS process.