Influence of Process Parameters on Selected Properties of Ti6Al4V Manufacturing via L-PBF Process

• Published in: Materials Vol. 17; no. 17; p. 4384
• Main Authors: Kluczyński, Janusz, Sarzyński, Bartłomiej, Dražan, Tomáš, Łuszczek, Jakub, Kosturek, Robert, Szachogłuchowicz, Ireneusz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 05.09.2024
• Subjects: additive manufacturing; Beds (process engineering); Corrosion resistance; Laser beam melting; Lasers; Manufacturing; Mechanical properties; Microhardness; Microstructure; Military technology; Optimization; Parameter identification; PBF-LB/M; Porosity; Powder beds; Process parameters; Software; Ti6Al4V; titanium; Titanium alloys; Titanium base alloys; Velocity; Germany; additive manufacturing; microstructure; metal alloys; porosity; titanium; PBF-LB/M; vanadium; microhardness; aluminum; Ti6Al4V
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma17174384

This study investigates the microstructural effects of process parameters on Ti6Al4V alloy produced via powder bed fusion (PBF) using laser beam melting (LB/M) technology. The research focuses on how variations in laser power, exposure velocity, and hatching distance influence the final material's porosity, microhardness, and microstructure. To better understand the relationships between process parameters, energy density, and porosity, a simple mathematical model was developed. The microstructure of the alloy was analyzed in the YZ plane using a confocal microscope. The study identified optimal parameters-302.5 W laser power, 990 mm/s exposure velocity, and 0.14 mm hatching distance-yielding the lowest porosity index of 0.005%. The material's average hardness was measured at 434 ± 18 HV0.5. These findings offer valuable insights for optimizing printing parameters to produce high-quality Ti6Al4V components using PBF-LB/M technology, shedding light on the critical relationship between process parameters and the resulting microstructure.