Pores in additive manufactured metal parts occur due to different reasons and affect the part Quality negatively. Few investigations on the origins of porosity are available, especially for Ni-based super alloys. This paper presents a new study to examine the influence of common processing Parameters on the Formation of pores in parts built by laser metal Deposition using Inconel 718 powder. Further, a comparison between the computed tomography (CT) and the Archimedes method was made. The Investigation Shows that CT is able to identify different kinds of pores and to give further Information about their distribution. The identification of some pores as well as their shape can be dependent on the Parameter Setting of the Analysis tool. Due to limited measurement Resolution, CT is not able to identify correctly pores with Diameters smaller than 0.1 mm, which leads to a false decrease on Overall porosity. The applied Archimedes method is unable to differentiate between gas porosity and other Kinds of holes like internal cracks or lack of Fusion, but it delivered a proper value for Overall porosity. The method was able to provide suitable data for the statistical Evaluation with design of Experiments, which revealed significant Parameters ont he Formation of pores in LMD.
The process of laser metal deposition can be applied in many ways. Mostly, it is relevant to coating, for repair welding and for additive manufacturing. To increase the effectiveness and the productiveness, a good process understanding is necessary. Statistical test planning is effectual and often used for this purpose. For financial and temporal reasons, a restriction of the test space is reasonable. In this case, it is recommended to use a D-optimal experimental design which is practically applied to extend existing test plans or if process Limits are known. This paper investigates the applicability of a D-optimum experimental design for the laser metal deposition. The results are compared to the current results of a full factorial test plan.
Known restrictions are used for the limitation of the test space. Ti6Al4 is utilized as Substrate material and powder. Comparable results of the D-optimal experimental design and of the full factorial test plan can be demonstrated. However, 80 % of time can be saved by the experimental procedure. For this reason, the application of D-optimal experimental design for laser metal deposition is recommend.
The process of laser cladding has become more important during recent years because of its broad application for cladding, repair or additive manufacturing. In the field of mechanical engineering, one use is the repair of turbine blades. For high quality and reliability of the repaired components, it is necessary to adjust the weld bead geometry to the specific repair task. The bead geometry influences the metallurgical bonding and the degree of dilution as well as the formation of defects like pores or cracks. Therefore, it is important to know the effects of the different parameters on the welding bead. A valuable tool to meet this industrial challenge is the design of experiments (DoE). In this context, the user can choose between a huge number of test plans. Greater Profit of information is expected by a larger test range. In order to confirm the acceptance, a five-step full factorial test plan is compared to a central composite design in this paper. Moreover, the limits of the experimental range are indicated and restrictions can be derived. As the results show, the essential effects are detected with a full factorial test plan as well as with a central composite design. Merely the effect strength could not always be specified unambiguously. On this account and in consideration of cost efficiency, the use of central compound design is recommended in industrial applications.
Laser GMA hybrid welds, producing partial penetration, were conducted on stiff tubes made of S460NH. Experiments, using a design-of-experiments plan were conducted to examine the influence of the welding parameters on the occurrence of solidification cracks. Results say that cracks diminish, when high levels of arc power are applied, while their number increases with rising laser beam power. The weld velocity had no measurable impact.
Microcrack formation during gas metal arc welding of high-strength fine-grained structural steel
(2014)
The recent development of high-performance-modified spray arc processes in gas metal arc welding due to modern digital control technology and inverter power sources enables a focused spray arc, which results in higher penetration depths and welding speed. However, microcracks occurred in the weld metal while approaching the process limits of the modified spray arc, represented by a 20-mm double layer DV-groove butt-weld. These cracks were detected in structural steel exhibiting a yield strength level of up to 960 MPa and are neither dependent on the used weld power source nor a consequence of the modified spray arc process itself. The metallographic and fractographic investigations of the rather exceptional fracture surface lead to the classification of the microcracks as hot cracks. The effects of certain welding parameters on the crack probability are clarified using a statistical design of experiment. However, these microcracks do not impact the design specification for toughness in the Charpy V-notch test (absorbed energy at -40 °C for the present material is 30 J).
Design of experiments for laser metal deposition in maintenance, repair and overhaul applications
(2013)
Modern and expensive parts lead to an increasing demand for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) technologies. Instead of part replacement, MRO technologies are economically advantageous throughout the life cycle. Laser metal deposition as modern MRO technology can be used to repair cracks or protect damaged surfaces with a hard facing layer. It is necessary to adjust weld bead profile to the specific task. For this purpose, Design of Experiment (DoE) has a high potential to decrease experimental effort. In this paper, a full factorial design is used to determine the effect of process parameters on the geometric dimensions of the weld bead. The paper is of interest to engineers working with laser metal deposition as well as DoE methods.