Ingenieurwissenschaften und zugeordnete Tätigkeiten
Filtern
Erscheinungsjahr
Dokumenttyp
- Zeitschriftenartikel (95)
- Vortrag (92)
- Posterpräsentation (29)
- Beitrag zu einem Tagungsband (19)
- Forschungsdatensatz (4)
- Dissertation (2)
- Buchkapitel (1)
- Sonstiges (1)
Sprache
- Englisch (230)
- Deutsch (10)
- Mehrsprachig (2)
- Russisch (1)
Schlagworte
- Additive manufacturing (243) (entfernen)
Organisationseinheit der BAM
- 8 Zerstörungsfreie Prüfung (121)
- 9 Komponentensicherheit (98)
- 8.5 Röntgenbildgebung (91)
- 5 Werkstofftechnik (56)
- 9.4 Integrität von Schweißverbindungen (43)
- 9.3 Schweißtechnische Fertigungsverfahren (35)
- 8.0 Abteilungsleitung und andere (32)
- 9.6 Additive Fertigung metallischer Komponenten (25)
- 5.4 Multimateriale Fertigungsprozesse (21)
- 9.2 Versuchsanlagen und Prüftechnik (20)
Paper des Monats
- ja (2)
Eingeladener Vortrag
- nein (92)
Functional materials for energy conversion are important technology drivers needed for the implementation of low carbon energy. Therefore, researchers commonly focus on improving the intrinsic properties of a functional material. However, for applications, the extrinsic properties are at least as important as the intrinsic ones. Consequently, it is important to investigate and understand the external and internal structure of semi-finished products and especially defect dependent properties. The extrinsic properties may change during application and the life cycle of the material as well as through processing and molding steps.
Our studies show how X-ray tomographic (XCT) investigations can contribute to structure investigations in composites and massive samples using the example of magnetic materials for energy conversion. The components are tested non-destructively in 3D in order to localize and characterize cracks, pores, inclusions as well as other defects and their influence on the functional properties and also “in-time” during the life cycle of the material. Exsitu and in-situ experiments performed with non-destructive XCT are predestinated to follow damaging mechanisms of materials under certain load conditions, atmospheres or liquids, e.g. went through several working cycles of a functional material. By combining microtomography with other methods of magnetic and classical material characterization, unique statements about the structure and the functional properties can be made.
From the applications point of view, sometimes complex, three-dimensional geometries are needed to fully exploit the functional properties of the materials, e.g. to ensure a high surface area for heat exchange. Since many functional materials are brittle and difficult to form, shaping is often a big challenge. In principle, additive manufacturing processes offer the possibility to produce complex, porous components from poorly formable alloys.
If all stages of additive manufacturing are accompanied by X-ray tomographic imaging, the process of finding the optimal parameters for material processing can be significantly accelerated.
Based on the quality control of the initial powder material used and also investigations of the shape and arrangement of defects within the molten structure and their relationship with the melting path scanning strategy, Xray tomography has proven to be an ideal tool for additive manufacturing, even for functional materials. Overall, tomographic methods are important tools for the development of functional materials to application maturity.
In this paper we report on the characterization by X-ray computed tomography of calcium phosphate (CaP) and polycaprolactone (PCL) coatings on Ti-6Al-4V alloy scaffolds used as a material for medical implants. The cylindrical scaffold has greater porosity of the inner part than the external part, thus, mimicking trabecular and cortical bone, respectively. The prismatic scaffolds have uniform porosity. Surface of the scaffolds was modified with calcium phosphate (CaP) and polycaprolactone (PCL) by dip-coating to improve biocompatibility and mechanical properties. Computed tomography performed with X-ray and synchrotron radiation revealed the defects of structure and morphology of CaP and PCL coatings showing small platelet-like and spider-web-like structures, respectively.
Virtual-lab-based determination of a macroscopic yield function for additively manufactured parts
(2019)
This work aims for a yield function description of additively manufactured parts of S316L steel at the continuum-mechanical macro-scale by means of so-called virtual experiments using a crystal plasticity (CP) model at meso-scale. Additively manufactured parts require the consideration of the specific process-related microstructure, which prevents this material to be macroscopically treated as isotropic, because of crystallographic as well as topological textures. From virtual experiments, yield loci under various loading conditions are simulated. The scale bridging from meso- to macro-scale is realised by the identification of the simulated yield loci as a modified anisotropic Barlat-type yield model representation.
Virtual-lab-based determination of a macroscopic yield function for additively manufactured parts
(2019)
This work aims for an yield function description of additively manufactured (AM) parts of S316L steel at the continuum-mechanical macro-scale by means of so-called virtual experiments using a crystal plasticity (CP) model at meso-scale. Additively manufactured parts require the consideration of the specific process-related microstructure, which prevents this material to be macroscopically treated as isotropic, because of crystallographic as well as topological textures.
EBSD/CT-Scans from in-house additively manufactured specimen extract the unique microstructural topology which is converted to a representative volume element (RVE) with grain structure and crystal orientations.
Crystal plasticity model parameters on this RVE are calibrated and validated by means of mechanical testing under different texture angles. From virtual experiments on this RVE, yield loci under various loading conditions are simulated. The scale bridging from meso- to macro-scale is realised by the identification of the simulated yield loci as a modified anisotropic Barlat-type yield model representation.
Virtual-lab-based determination of a macroscopic yield function for additively manufactured parts
(2018)
This work presents a method for the yield function determination of additively manufactured parts of S316L steel. A crystal plasticity model is calibrated with test results and used afterwards to perform so-called virtual experiments, that account for the specific process-related microstructure including crystallographic and morphological textures. These simulations are undertaken on a representative volume element (RVE), that is generated from EBSD/CT-Scans on in-house additively manufactured specimen, considering grain structure and crystal orientations. The results of the virtual experiments are used to determine an anisotropic Barlat yield function, that can be used in a macroscopical continuum-sense afterwards. This scale-bridging approach enables the calculation of large-scale parts, that would be numerically too expensive to be simulated by a crystal plasticity model.
Virtual-lab-based determination of a macroscopic yield function for additively manufactured parts
(2018)
This work presents a method for the yield function determination of additively manufactured parts of S316L steel. A crystal plasticity model is calibrated with test results and used afterwards to perform so-called virtual experiments, that account for the specific process-related microstructure including crystallographic and morphological textures. These simulations are undertaken on a representative volume element (RVE), that is generated from EBSD/CT-Scans on in-house additively manufactured specimen, considering grain structure and crystal orientations. The results of the virtual experiments are used to determine an anisotropic Barlat yield function, that can be used in a macroscopical continuum-sense afterwards. This scale-bridging approach enables the calculation of large-scale parts, that would be numerically too expensive to be simulated by a crystal plasticity model.
Im Rahmen des Themenfeldprojektes „Process Monitoring of AM“ (ProMoAM) evaluiert die Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -Prüfung (BAM) gegenwärtig die Anwendbarkeit verschiedenster ZfP-Verfahren zur in-situ Prozessüberwachung in der additiven Fertigung (AM) von Metallen in Hinblick auf die Qualitätssicherung.
Einige der wichtigsten Messgrößen sind hierbei die Temperatur des Schmelzbades und die Abkühlrate, welche starken Einfluss auf das Gefüge und die Eigenspannung haben. Aufgrund der Zugänglichkeit zum Werkstück während des Bauprozesses bieten sich optische Verfahren zu Temperaturbestimmung an. Hierbei stellen jedoch u. a. die hohe Bandbreite der zu messenden Temperaturen, die Bestimmung der Emissivität und ihre Änderung bei Phasenübergängen der verwendeten Legierung große experimentelle Herausforderungen dar. Eine weitere Herausforderung stellt für die IR-Spektroskopie die Absorption durch das Schutzgas und weitere optische Elemente dar. Um diese auch in einem industriellen Umfeld kompensieren zu können, wurde eine Methode entwickelt, die das gemessene Spektrum bei der Verfestigung des Werkstoffes als Referenz nutzt. In diesem Beitrag wird die Anwendung dieser Methode für die IR-Spektrometrie als auch Thermografische Messungen beim Laser-Pulver-Auftragschweißen von 316L gezeigt, wobei beide Methoden weiterhin in Hinblick auf ihre individuellen Vor- und
Nachteile miteinander verglichen werden.
Using SXRR to Probe the Nature of Discontinuities in SLM Additive Manufactured Inconel 718 Specimens
(2020)
The utilization of additive manufacturing (AM) to fabricate robust structural components relies on understanding the nature of internal anomalies or discontinuities, which can compromise the structural integrity. While some discontinuities in AM microstructures stem from similar mechanisms as observed in more traditional processes such as casting, others are unique to the AM process. Discontinuities in AM are challenging to detect, due to their submicron size and orientation dependency. Toward the goal of improving structural integrity, minimizing discontinuities in an AM build requires an understanding of the mechanisms of formation to mitigate their occurrence. This study utilizes various techniques to evaluate the shape, size, nature and distribution of discontinuities in AM Inconel 718, in a non-hot isostatic pressed (HIPed) as-built, non-HIPed and direct age, and HIPed with two step age samples. Non-destructive synchrotron radiation refraction and transmission radiography (SXRR) provides additional information beyond that obtained with destructive optical microscopy. SXRR was able to distinguish between voids, cracks and lack of melt in, due to its sensitivity to the orientation of the discontinuity.
Additiv gefertigte Prüfkörper aus Polyamid 12 (Laser Sinter Verfahren) und Acrylnitril-Butadien-Styrol (Fused Layer Modeling Verfahren) wurden über 2000 Stunden künstlich bewittert und ihr Alterungsverhalten untersucht. Die Ergebnisse wurden anschließend mit denen von Prüfkörpern verglichen, welche auf dieselbe Weise künstlich bewittert, aber mittels konventionellem Kunststoff-Spritzguss hergestellt wurden.
Die Erkenntnisse dienen für die Entwicklung einer Strategie für eine Qualitätskontrolle von additiv gefertigten Kunststoffteilen.
Additive manufacturing (AM) of alkali-activated materials is a promising method for producing ceramic precursors, construction elements and other parts. A recently introduced AM process is laser-induced slip casting of lithium aluminate/microsilica slurries, which yields parts with excellent mechanical strengths. To clarify the underlying mechanisms, μ-Raman spectroscopy was applied to parts produced by the process, and the dissolution and hydration of lithium aluminate was studied inter alia using conventional and in-situ X-ray diffraction. The results show that significant dissolution of lithium aluminate occurs, particularly at increased temperatures during laser interaction, which leads to an increase of pH and precipitation of an akopovaite-like Li-Al-CO3 layered double hydroxide. The increase of the pH is likely to induce dissolution of the microsilica and possibly formation of a hydrous lithium aluminosilicate gel. These observations explain the strength evolution of the studied parts and can also aid the development and improvement of related AM methods.
The manufacturability of metallic alloys using laser-based additive manufacturing methods such as laser powder bed fusion has substantially improved within the last decade. However, local melting and solidification cause hierarchically structured and crystallographically textured microstructures possessing large residual stress. Such microstructures are not only the origin of mechanical anisotropy but also pose metrological challenges for the diffraction-based residual stress determination. Here we demonstrate the influence of the build orientation and the texture on the microstructure and consequently the mechanical anisotropy of as-built Inconel 718. For this purpose, we manufactured specimens with [001]/[011]-, [001]- and [011]/[111]-type textures along their loading direction. In addition to changes in the Young’s moduli, the differences in the crystallographic textures result in variations of the yield and ultimate tensile strengths. With this in mind, we studied the anisotropy on the micromechanical scale by subjecting the specimens to tensile loads along the different texture directions during in situ neutron diffraction experiments. In this context, the response of multiple lattice planes up to a tensile strain of 10% displayed differences in the load partitioning and the residual strain accumulation for the specimen with [011]/[111]-type texture. However, the relative behavior of the specimens possessing an [001]/[011]- and [001]-type texture remained qualitatively similar. The consequences on the metrology of residual stress determination methods are discussed.
In the present study, in-situ observation of Hot Isostatic Pressure (HIP) procedure of laser powder bed fusion manufactured Ti-6Al-4V parts was performed to quantitatively estimate the densifcation rate of the material and the infuence of the defect initial size and shape on such rate. The observations were performed in-situ using the Ultrafast Tomography Paris-Edinburgh Cell and the combination of fast phase-contrast synchrotron X-ray tomography and energy dispersive difraction. With this strategy, we could quantify how the efectiveness of HIP depends on the characteristics of a defect. Smaller defects showed a higher densifcation rate, while the defect shape did not have signifcant efect on such rate.
Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion-manufactured (E-PBF) porous components with narrow pores or channels and rough walls or struts can be filled with trapped powder after the manufacturing process. Adequate powder removal procedures are required, especially for high-density porous structures. In the present research, sheetbased porous structures with different thicknesses based on triply periodic minimal surfaces fabricated by EPBF were subjected to different post-processing methods, including a traditional powder recovery system for EPBF, chemical etching and ultrasound vibration-assisted powder removal. Wall thickness, internal defects, microstructure and morphology features, powder distribution inside the specimens, mechanical properties and deformation modes were investigated. A powder recovery system could not remove all residual powder from dense structures. In turn, chemical etching was effective for surface morphology changes and subsurface layers elimination but not for powder removal, as it affected the wall thickness, considerably influencing the mechanical properties of the whole structure. The ultrasound vibration method was quite effective for the removal of residual powder from sheet-based TMPS structures and without a severe degradation of mechanical properties. 10.1016/j.msea.2022.144479 Ultrasound vibration also caused grain refinement.
Directed energy deposition (DED) has been in industrial use as a coating process for many years. Modern applications include the repair of existing components and additive manufacturing. The main advantages of DED are high deposition rates and low energy input. However, the process is influenced by a variety of parameters affecting the component quality. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) offer the possibility of mapping complex processes such as DED. They can serve as a tool for predicting optimal process parameters and quality characteristics. Previous research only refers to weld beads: a transferability to additively manufactured three-dimensional components has not been investigated. In the context of this work, an ANN is generated based on 86 weld beads. Quality categories (poor, medium, and good) are chosen as target variables to combine several quality features. The applicability of this categorization compared to conventional characteristics is discussed in detail. The ANN predicts the quality category of weld beads with an average accuracy of 81.5%. Two randomly generated parameter sets predicted as “good” by the network are then used to build tracks, coatings,walls, and cubes. It is shown that ANN trained with weld beads are suitable for complex parameter predictions in a limited way.
This study reports on the stress relaxation potential of stress-relieving heat treatments for laser powder bed fused 316L. The residual stress is monitored non-destructively using neutron diffraction before and after the heat treatment. Moreover, the evolution of the microstructure is analysed using scanning electron microscopy. The results show, that a strong relaxation of the residual stress is obtained when applying a heat treatment temperature at 900°C. However, the loss of the cellular substructure needs to be considered when applying this heat treatment strategy.
The industrial use of additive manufacturing for the production of metallic parts with high geometrical complexity and lot sizes close to one is rapidly increasing as a result of mass individualisation and applied safety relevant constructions. However, due to the high complexity of the production process, it is not yet fully understood and controlled, especially for changing (lot size one) part geometries.
Due to the thermal nature of the Laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF) process – where parts are built up layer-wise by melting metal powder via laser - the properties of the produced part are strongly governed by its thermal history. Thus, a promising route for process monitoring is the use of thermography. However, the reconstruction of temperature information from thermographic data relies on the knowledge of the surface emissivity at each position on the part. Since the emissivity is strongly changing during the process due to phase changes, great temperature gradients, possible oxidation, and other potential influencing factors, the extraction of real temperature data from thermographic images is challenging. While the temperature development in and around the melt pool, where melting and solidification occur is most important for the development of the part properties. Also, the emissivity changes are most severe in this area, rendering the temperature deduction most challenging.
A possible route to overcome the entanglement of temperature and emissivity in the thermal radiation is the use of hyperspectral imaging in combination with temperature emissivity separation (TES) algorithms. As a first step towards the combined temperature and emissivity determination in the L-PBF process, here, we use a hyperspectral line camera system operating in the short-wave infrared region (0.9 µm to 1.7 µm) to measure the spectral radiance emitted. In this setup, the melt pool of the L-PBF process migrates through the camera’s 1D field of view, so that the radiation intensities are recorded simultaneously for multiple different wavelength ranges in a spatially resolved manner. At sufficiently high acquisition frame rate, an effective melt pool image can be reconstructed. Using the grey body approximation (emissivity is independent of the wavelength), a first, simple TES is performed, and the resulting emissivity and temperature values are compared to literature values. Subsequent work will include reference measurements of the spectral emissivity in different states allowing its analytical parametrisation as well as the adaption and optimisation of the TES algorithms. An illustration of the proposed method is shown in Fig.1.
The investigated method will allow to gain a deeper understanding of the L-PBF process, e.g., by quantitative validation of simulation results. Additionally, the results will provide a data basis for the development of less complex and cheaper sensor technologies for L-PBF in-process monitoring (or for related process), e.g., by using machine learning.
Additive manufacturing (AM) opens the route to a range of novel applications.However, the complexity of the manufacturing process poses a challenge for the production of defect-free parts with a high reliability. Since process dynamics and resulting microstructures of AM parts are strongly influenced by the involved temperature fields, thermography is a valuable tool for process surveillance. The high process temperatures in metal AM processes allow one to use cameras usually operating in the visible spectral range to detect the thermally emitted radiation from the process. In our work, we compare the results of first measurements during the manufacturing processes of a commercial laser metal deposition (LMD) setup and a laser beam melting (LBM) setup using a MWIR camera with those from a VIS high-speed camera with band pass filter in the NIR range.
For metal-based additive manufacturing, sensors and measuring systems for monitoring of the energy source, the build volume, the melt pool and the component geometry are already commercially available. Further methods of optics, spectroscopy and non-destructive testing are described in the literature as suitable for in-situ application, but there are only a few reports on practical implementations.
Therefore, a new BAM project aims to develop process monitoring methods for the in-situ evaluation of the quality of additively manufactured metal components. In addition to passive and active thermography, this includes optical tomography, optical emission and absorption spectroscopy, eddy current testing, laminography, X-ray backscattering and photoacoustic methods. These methods are used in additive manufacturing systems for selective laser melting, laser metal deposition and wire arc additive manufacturing. To handle the sometimes huge amounts of data, algorithms for efficient preprocessing are developed and characteristics of the in-situ data are extracted and correlated to defects and inhomogeneities, which are determined using reference methods such as computer tomography and metallography. This process monitoring and fusion of data of different measurement techniques should result in a significant reduction of costly and time-consuming, destructive or non-destructive tests after the production of the component and at the same time reduce the production of scrap.
Here, first results of simultaneous measurements of optical emission spectroscopy and thermography during the laser metal deposition process using 316L as building material are presented. Temperature values are extracted from spectroscopic data by fitting of blackbody emission spectra to the experimental data and compared with results from a thermographic camera. Measurements with and without powder flow reveal significant differences between welding at a pristine metal surface and previously melted positions on the build plate, illustrating the significant influence of the partial oxidation of the surface during the first welding process on subsequent welding. The measurement equipment can either be mounted stationary or following the laser path. While first results were obtained in the stationary mode, future applications for online monitoring of the build of whole parts in the mobile mode are planned.
This research was funded by BAM within the focus area Material.
The influence of the support structure on residual stress and distortion in SLM Inconel 718 parts
(2018)
The effect of support structure and of removal from the base plate on the residual stress state in selective laser melted IN718 parts was studied by means of synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The residual stresses in subsurface region of two elongated prisms in as-built condition and after removal from the base plate were determined. One sample was directly built on a base plate and another one on a support structure. Also, the distortion on the top surface due to stress release was measured by contact profilometry. High tensile residual stress values were found, with pronounced stress gradient along the hatching direction. In the sample on support, stress redistribution took place after removal from the base plate, as opposed to simple stress relaxation for the sample without support. The sample on support structure showed larger distortion compared to sample without support. We conclude that the use of a support decreases stress values but stress-relieving heat treatments are still needed.
An ultrasonic vibration post-treatment procedure was suggested for additively manufac-tured lattices. The aim of the present research was to investigate mechanical properties andthe differences in mechanical behavior and fracture modes of Ti6Al4V scaffolds treated withtraditional powder recovery system (PRS) and ultrasound vibration (USV). Scanning electronmicroscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the strut surface and the fracture surface mor-phology. X-ray computed tomography (CT) was employed to evaluate the inner structure,strut dimensions, pore size, as well as the surface morphology of additively manufacturedporous scaffolds. Uniaxial compression tests were conducted to obtain elastic modulus,compressive ultimate strength and yield stress. Finite element analysis was performedfor a body-centered cubic (BCC) element-based model and for CT-based reconstructiondata, as well as for a two-zone scaffold model to evaluate stress distribution during elasticdeformation. The scaffold with PRS post treatment displayed ductile behavior, while USVtreated scaffold displayed fragile behavior. Double barrel formation of PRS treated scaffoldwas observed during deformation. Finite element analysis for the CT-based reconstructionrevealed the strong impact of surface morphology on the stress distribution in comparisonwith BCC cell model because of partially molten metal particles on the surface of struts,which usually remain unstressed.
Electron Beam Melting (EBM) as a means of Additive Manufacturing (AM), is of interest for the fabrication of intricate geometries for cellular materials in areas where complex architectures are needed, e.g. biomedical implants. Most studies have focused on specific geometries and so the effect of the structure on mechanical performance is not well understood. Many kinds of micro- and macro-scale defects can arise in additively manufactured components, so assessment of their influence on properties is needed. In this work, lattices of Ti-6Al-4V having a cubic structure have been manufactured by EBM, and the effect of heat treatments above and below the β-transus temperature on microstructure and compression response have been investigated. The former modifies only slightly the α + β structure and mechanical performance whereas the latter leads to coarse alternating α and β lamellae packets and α at the prior grain boundaries with a 10% loss in yield strength. The variation in the compressive yield stress with strut diameter is in good accord with simple models based on compressive deformation rather than shearing or buckling. Internal pores for struts aligned with the build direction are found around the edges of the solid form, in regions which seem to be associated with the EB scan pattern. Struts normal to the build direction show more significant defects but their redundancy means that they do not compromise the compressive performance in the build direction. Using a particle size in the range 45–100 μm minimum weld-track sizes were experimentally and numerically identified to be 176 and 148 μm in depth respectively with a depth-to-width ratio of 0.55. This produced a beam pass of the order of 300 μm oversizing small features (struts of 0.4 and 0.6 mm nominal diameter) when a contour around the strut periphery was applied.
Although layer-based additive manufacturing methods such as laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) offer an immense geometrical freedom in design, they are typically subject to a build-up of internal stress (i.e. thermal stress) during manufacturing. As a consequence, significant residual stress (RS) is retained in the final part as a footprint of these internal stresses. Furthermore, localized melting and solidification inherently induce columnar-type grain growth accompanied by crystallographic texture. Although diffraction-based methods are commonly used to determine the RS distribution in PBF-LB parts, such features pose metrological challenges in their application. In theory, preferred grain orientation invalidates the hypothesis of isotropic material behavior underlying the common methods to determine RS. In this work, more refined methods are employed to determine RS in PBF-LB/M/IN718 prisms, based on crystallographic texture data. In fact, the employment of direction-dependent elastic constants (i.e. stress factors) for the calculation of RS results in insignificant differences from conventional approaches based on the hypothesis of isotropic mechanical properties. It can be concluded that this result is directly linked to the fact that the {311} lattice planes typically used for RS analysis in nickel-based alloys have high multiplicity and less strong texture intensities compared with other lattice planes. It is also found that the length of the laser scan vectors determines the surface RS distribution in prisms prior to their removal from the baseplate. On removal from the baseplate the surface RS considerably relaxes and/or redistributes; a combination of the geometry and the scanning strategy dictates the sub-surface RS distribution.
This study investigates the room‐ and high‐temperature (650 °C) tensile and low‐cycle‐fatigue behavior of Inconel 718 produced by laser powder bed fusion (PBF‐LB/M) with a four‐step heat treatment and compares the results to the conventional wrought material. The microstructure after heat treatment is characterized on different length scales. Compared to the wrought variant, the elastic and yield properties are comparable at both test temperatures while tensile strength, ductility, and strain hardening capacity are lower. The fatigue life of the PBF‐LB/M variant at room temperature is slightly lower than that of the wrought material, while at 650 °C, it is vice versa. The cyclic stress response for both material variants is characterized by cyclic softening, which is more pronounced at the higher test temperature. High strain amplitudes (≥0.7%) at room temperature and especially a high testing temperature result in the formation of multiple secondary cracks at the transitions of regions comprising predominantly elongated grain morphology and columns of stacked grains with ripple patterns in the PBF‐LB/M material. This observation and pronounced crack branching and deflection indicate that the cracks are controlled by sharp micromechanical gradients and local crystallite clusters.
The complexity of any microstructural characterization significantly increases when there is a need to evaluate the icrostructural evolution as a function of temperature. To date, this characterization is primarily performed by undertaking elaborative ex-situ experiments where the material’s heating procedure is interrupted at different temperatures or times. Moreover, these studies are often limited to a region smaller than the representative elementary volume, which can lead to partial or even biased interpretations of the collected data. This limitation can be greatly overcome by using in-situ synchrotron X-ray refraction (SXRR).
Synchrotron based absorption edge tomography for the analysis of 3D printed polymer embedded MOF
(2019)
Absorption edge tomography, also known as differential tomography at absorption edges, is a method which exploits the sudden change of the attenuation coefficient, when the photon energy crosses the absorption edge of an element. Synchrotron radiation is the best source for absorption edge tomography, because of its small bandwidth, high intensity and easily adjustable photon energy. The synchrotron beamline BAMline at the synchrotron radiation facility BESSY II in Berlin, which is operated by the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), provides a monochromatized beam in a photon energy range from 5 keV up to 80 keV with a bandwidth of 2%, when the double multilayer monochromator is used. Together with the microtomography setup, this enables differential tomography with submicron resolution at the K edge of the elements from chromium up to the lanthanides, and up to uranium, when the L edges are used as well.
In this work, metal organic frameworks (MOFs) embedded in polymer are characterized using differential tomography. MOFs are microporous structures of metal ions, coordinated by organic linker molecules, that can be used in a broad field of applications, especially in gas storage and catalysis. In this work, polymer embedded MOFs were extruded into filaments, which were subsequently used for 3d-printing to profit from the specific properties of the MOFs in polymeric materials combined with the arbitrary shapes provided by 3d-printing. For the extrusion, different polymer classes like ABS, polyester- and polyetherurethanes, as well as different MOFs (ZIF-8, ZIF-67, HKUST-1) were used to create MOF containing filaments with a nominal diameter of 3.0 mm. Differential tomography at the edges of the Zn, Co, and Cu was then used to find the distribution of the corresponding MOF in the filament and to analyze the shape of the inclusions.
Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technique allows to produce parts with complex geometry. Due to the rapid solidification and heat gradient during production, SLM results in presence of residual stress. The present study shows the influence of manufacturing parameters on surface residual stress of Ti-6Al-4V SLM parts. High tensile stresses in the front surface are found. Heat Treatment conditions relax residual stresses almost to zero. High scanning speed during manufacturing results in higher tensile stresses in the surface.
The quality of additively manufactured components is significantly influenced by the process parameters used during production. Thus, sensors and measuring systems are already commercially available for process monitoring, at least in metal-based additive manufacturing. However, it is not yet possible to detect defects and inhomogeneities directly or indirectly during the building process. The aim of the project ProMoAM is to develop spectroscopic and non-destructive testing methods for the in-situ evaluation of the quality of additively manufactured metal components in laser- or arc-based AM processes. In addition to passive and active methods of thermography, this includes optical tomography, optical emission spectroscopy, eddy current testing, laminography (radiography), X-ray backscattering, particle emission spectroscopy and photoacoustic methods.
Synchrotron X-ray diffraction is a powerful non-destructive technique for the analysis of the material stress-state. High cooling rates and heterogeneous temperature distributions during additive manufacturing lead to high residual stresses. These high residual stresses play a crucial role in the ability to achieve complex geometries with accuracy since they can promote distortion of parts during manufacturing. Furthermore, residual stresses are critical for the mechanical performance of parts in terms of durability and safety.
In the present study, Ti-6Al-4V bridge-like specimens were manufactured additively by selective laser melting (SLM) under different laser scanning speed conditions in order to compare the effect of process energy density on the residual stress state. Subsurface residual stress analysis was conducted by means of synchrotron X-ray diffraction in energy dispersive mode for three conditions: as-built on base plate, released from base plate, and after heat treatment on the base plate. The quantitative residual stress characterization shows a correlation with the qualitative bridge curvature method. Computed tomography (CT) was carried out to ensure that no stress relief took place owing to the presence of porosity. CT allows obtaining spatial and size pores distribution which helps in optimization of the SLM process.
High tensile residual stresses were found at the lateral surface for samples in the as-built conditions. We observed that higher laser energy density during fabrication leads to lower residual stresses. Samples in released condition showed redistribution of the stresses due to distortion.
Synchrotron X-ray diffraction is a powerful non-destructive technique for the analysis of the material stress-state. High cooling rates and heterogeneous temperature distributions during additive manufacturing lead to high residual stresses. These high residual stresses play a crucial role in the ability to achieve complex geometries with accuracy since they can promote distortion of parts during manufacturing. Furthermore, residual stresses are critical for the mechanical performance of parts in terms of durability and safety.
In the present study, Ti-6Al-4V bridge-like specimens were manufactured additively by selective laser melting (SLM) under different laser scanning speed conditions in order to compare the effect of process energy density on the residual stress state. Subsurface residual stress analysis was conducted by means of synchrotron X-ray diffraction in energy dispersive mode for three conditions: as-built on base plate, released from base plate, and after heat treatment on the base plate. The quantitative residual stress characterization shows a correlation with the qualitative bridge curvature method. Computed tomography (CT) was carried out to ensure that no stress relief took place owing to the presence of porosity. CT allows obtaining spatial and size pores distribution which helps in optimization of the SLM process.
High tensile residual stresses were found at the lateral surface for samples in the as-built conditions. We observed that higher laser energy density during fabrication leads to lower residual stresses. Samples in released condition showed redistribution of the stresses due to distortion.
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.
Additive Manufacturing provides an important enabling technology for the digital transformation of the economy. As an emerging technology it has seen a remarkable development over the last three decades. Nevertheless, it is far from a broad adoption with several barriers to overcome yet. One of the major challenges is the lack of standards. The critical role of standardization for innovation is generally recognized, still the topic too often has been neglected in strategic roadmapping exercises for emerging technologies. Too little is known about the complex dynamics and interrelations of standardization and innovation. The anticipation of standardization needs and the timely and efficient implementation of standards is challenging. This paper aims at contributing to a better understanding of the role that standards play in the multi-dimensional system of innovation. It analyzes the trajectories of innovation in Additive Manufacturing in a systematic and holistic way, focusing on standardization activities with regard to coordination, stakeholders involved, the timing and types of standards developed. Putting standardization in context of the multi-dimensional innovation system of Additive Manufacturing the research shows where standards can support the diffusion of an emerging technology.
Large temperature gradients inherent to additive manufacturing (AM) processes induce large residual stress (RS) in the final part. Because RS can influence the tribological properties, this study focuses on the relationship between wear sliding properties and RS in IN718 coatings. Such coatings were deposited with a Laser metal deposition (LMD) machine using two different scanning strategies.
The wear resistance and RS state were investigated after surface milling. RS were measured before and after wear tests on a reciprocating sliding test apparatus.
Two different X-ray diffraction techniques were employed to measure the surface and subsurface state RS: Laboratory Energy Dispersive X-ray Diffraction (LEDXD) and Synchrotron X-ray Energy Dispersive Diffraction (SXEDD). Due to the milling process, the coatings show similar depth distributions of RS from 22 to 92 μm depth, but exhibit different magnitudes depending on the scanning strategy used. Reciprocating sliding wear tests induced high compressive residual stresses that erased the initial RS state, and a similar wear behavior was observed in the two samples. These samples possess similar texture and grain morphology. This demonstrates that the influence of RS on wear resistance is a second-order effect. Nevertheless, it was observed that RS can still impact the wear performance at the early testing stages of the repaired parts.
Ti-6Al-4V alloy is intensively used in the aerospace industry because of its high specific strength. However, the application of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) Ti-6Al-4V alloy for structurally critical load-bearing components is limited. One of the main limiting factors affecting the structural integrity, are manufacturing defects. Additionally, the high cooling rates associated with LPBF process result in the formation of large residual stress (RS) with complex fields. Such RS can cause cracking and geometrical distortions of the part even right after production. Also, the microstructure of LPBF Ti-6Al-4V in the as-built condition is significantly different from that of the conventionally produced alloy. All these factors affect the mechanical behavior of the material. Therefore, to improve the material performance it is important to evaluate the individual effect of RS, defects, and microstructure on fatigue life. To this aim Ti-6Al-4V LPBF material in as-built condition and subjected to different post-processing, including two heat treatments (for stress relief and microstructural modification) and Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP, for densification), were investigated.
Prior to fatigue tests at elevated temperature, the microstructure, the mesostructure, and subsurface RS on the fatigue samples were investigated. It was found that the fatigue performance of HIPped samples is similar to that of conventionally produced Ti-6Al-4V. The tensile RS found at the surface of as-built samples decreased the fatigue life compared to heat-treated samples. Additionally, the modification of the microstructure (by heat treatment) did not affect the fatigue performance in the regime of mostly elastic strain. This shows that in the absence of tensile RS the manufacturing defects solely control the failure of LPBF components and densification has the strongest effect on the improvement of the mechanical performance.
Manufacturing defects, high residual stress (RS), and microstructures affect the structural integrity of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) Ti-6Al-4V. In this study, the individual effect of these factors on fatigue performance at elevated temperature (300 °C) was evaluated. Material in as-built condition and subjected to post-processing, including two heat treatments and hot isostatic pressing, was investigated. It was found that in the absence of tensile RS, the fatigue life at elevated temperature is primary controlled by the defects; and densification has a much stronger effect than the considered heat treatments on the improvement of the mechanical performance.
Rapid cooling rates and steep temperature gradients are characteristic of additively manufactured parts and important factors for the residual stress formation. This study examined the influence of heat accumulation on the distribution of residual stress in two prisms produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) of austenitic stainless steel 316L. The layers of the prisms were exposed using two different border fill scan strategies: one scanned from the centre to the perimeter and the other from the perimeter to the centre. The goal was to reveal the effect of different heat inputs on samples featuring the same solidification shrinkage. Residual stress was characterised in one plane perpendicular to the building direction at the mid height using Neutron and Lab X-ray diffraction. Thermography data obtained during the build process were analysed in order to correlate the cooling rates and apparent surface temperatures with the residual stress results. Optical microscopy and micro computed tomography were used to correlate defect populations with the residual stress distribution. The two scanning strategies led to residual stress distributions that were typical for additively manufactured components: compressive stresses in the bulk and tensile stresses at the surface. However, due to the different heat accumulation, the maximum residual stress levels differed. We concluded that solidification shrinkage plays a major role in determining the shape of the residual stress distribution, while the temperature gradient mechanism appears to determine the magnitude of peak residual stresses.
Hierarchically porous, high‐surface‐area silica materials are excellent candidates for multiple applications like catalysis and environmental remediation. Shaping these materials with additive manufacturing (AM) techniques, like robocasting, could enable their use with the benefit of on‐demand, customized shaping and maximizing performance. Herein, ordered mesoporous silica COK‐12 slurries were robocasted into monoliths, containing different ratios of uncalcined COK‐12 and sodium bentonite (0–25 wt.%). The rheology of the mixed slurries is characterized by lower flow indexes (0.69 vs. 0.32) and higher yield stresses (96 vs. 259 Pa) compared to pure COK‐12 ones. Monoliths were printed in woodpile structures and calcined at 600°C. Micro‐CT measurements showed a linear shrinkage of 25% after calcination. Mechanical characterization showed increased uniaxial strength (0.20 ± 0.07 to 1.0 ± 0.3 MPa) with increasing binder/solids ratio from 13 to 25%. The amorphous, mesoporous structure of COK‐12 was retained. The structures exhibited open porosities of 52 ± 4% and showed higher specific mesopore volumes, and increased average mesopore size (6 vs. 8 nm) compared to COK‐12. Small‐angle x‐ray scattering analysis revealed an increased lattice parameter (10.3 vs. 11.0 nm) and reduced wall thickness (3.1 nm vs. 4.1 nm) of the COK‐12 in the monoliths. These properties indicate suitability for their application as porous supports and adsorbents.
Often 3D‐printing and additive manufacturing are mentioned as the 3rd industrial revolution. In this conjunction this book provides a brief overview on additively manufactured metal pieces.
This book fulfills its intension to serve as an educational guide, providing a holistic picture encompassing science, technology and applications for the real‐life use of Metal Additive Manufacturing.
In the current study, the 3D nature of the melt pool boundaries (MPBs) in a 316 L austenitic steel additively manufactured by laser-based powder bed fusion (L-PBF) is investigated. The change of the cell growth direction and its relationship to the MPBs is investigated by transmission electron microscopy. A hitherto unreported modulated substructure with a periodicity of 21 nm is further discovered within the cell cores of the cellular substructure, which results from a partial transformation of the austenite, which is induced by a Ga+ focused ion beam. While the cell cores show the modulated substructure, cell boundaries do not. The diffraction pattern of the modulated substructure is exploited to show a thickness ≥200 nm for the MPB. At MPBs, the cell walls are suppressed, leading to continuously connecting cell cores across the MPB. This continuous MPB is described either as overlapping regions of cells of different growing directions when a new melt pool solidifies or as a narrow planar growth preceding the new melt pool.
Additive manufacturing (AM) of metallic alloys has gained momentum in the past decade for industrial applications. The microstructures of AM metallic alloys are complex and hierarchical from the macroscopic to the nanometer scale. When using laser-based powder bed fusion (L-PBF) process, two main microstructural features emerge at the nanoscale: the melt pool boundaries (MPB) and the solidification cellular substructure.
Here, details of the MPB are revealed to clearly show the three-dimensional nature of MPBs with changes of cell growth of direction and their relation to their surrounding cellular substructure, as investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for L-PBF 316L austenitic stainless steel (cf. Figure 1). A hitherto unknown modulated substructure with a period of 21 nm is further discovered within cells as the result of a partial Ga+-focused ion beam-induced ferritic transformation of the austenite. Cell cores and cell boundaries differ notably regarding the modulated substructure.
Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are experiencing an exceedingly rapid growth, driven by their potential through layer wise deposition for transformational improvements of engineering design, leading to efficiency and performance improvements. Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) is an Additive Manufacturing (AM) method which permits the fabrication of complex structures that cannot otherwise be produced via conventional subtractive manufacturing methods. Nevertheless, the rapid cooling rates associated with this process results in the formation of significant and complex residual stress (RS) fields. A large body of both experimental and simulation research has been dedicated in recent years to the control and mitigation of RS in AM. In order to validate simulations with the end goal of being able to model the residual stress state in AM components and to devise strategies for their reduction during manufacturing, experimental methods need to be able to accurately determine 3D residual stresses fields in complex geometries. Several destructive and non-destructive methods can be used to analyze the RS state, the choice of which depends on the geometry and the information required. Diffraction-based methods using penetrating neutron and synchrotron X-rays at large scale facilities offer the possibility to non-destructively spatially resolve both surface and bulk residual stresses in complex components and track their changes following applied thermal or mechanical loads. This presentation will overview the success stories of using large scale facilities by the BAM for the characterization of residual stresses in additively manufactured metallic alloys. In particular, the study of the influence of process parameters on the residual stress state and the relaxation of these stresses through heat treatment will be presented. However there remains challenges to overcome particularly of the hypotheses underlying the experimental determination of residual stresses, which will be discussed.
Metal Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies such as Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) enable the fabrication of complex structures, giving rise to potential improvements in component and manufacturing efficiency. However, the processes are typically characterized by the generation of high magnitude residual stress (RS) which can have detrimental consequences for subsequent applications. Therefore, the characterization of these RS fields and the understanding of their formation and mitigation through optimized processing is crucial for the wider uptake of the technology. Due to the potential complex nature and high value of components manufactured by LPBF, it is important to have suitable characterisation methods which can determine the spatial variations of RS in a non-destructive manner. Neutron diffraction is considered to be the best suited for these requirements. However, the microstructures developed in the complex thermal cycles experience in the production can pose challenges to the ND method for RS analysis. The BAM has conducted significant research over the past years to overcome these obstacles, enabling higher confidence in the RS determined in LPBF materials by neutron diffraction. This contribution will overview some of these advancements made recently at European neutron sources including on Stress-Spec at FRM2/MLZ.
The influence of the process gas, laser scan speed, and sample thickness on the build-up of residual stresses and porosity in Ti-6Al-4V produced by laser powder bed fusion was studied. Pure argon and helium, as well as a mixture of those (30% helium), were employed to establish process atmospheres with a low residual Oxygen content of 100 ppm O2. The results highlight that the subsurface residual stresses measured by X-ray diffraction were significantly lower in the thin samples (220 MPa) than in the cuboid samples (645 MPa). This difference was attributed to the shorter laser vector length, resulting in heat accumulation and thus in-situ stress relief. The addition of helium to the process gas did not introduce additional subsurface residual stresses in the simple geometries, even for the increased scanning speed. Finally, larger deflection was found in the cantilever built under helium (after removal from the baseplate), than in those produced under argon and an argon-helium mixture. This result demonstrates that complex designs involving large scanned areas could be subjected to higher residual stress when manufactured under helium due to the gas’s high thermal conductivity, heat capacity, and thermal diffusivity.
Residual stresses Analysis in Additively Manufactured alloys using neutron diffraction (L-PBF)
(2023)
An overview of recent progress at BAM of residual stress analysis in additively manufactured, in particular Laser Powder Bed Fusion of metallics materials, using neutron diffraction will be presented. This will cover important topics of the stress-free reference, the diffraction elastic moduli and principal stress determination.
The residual stress distribution in IN718 elongated prisms produced by Selective Laser Melting was studied by means of neutron (bulk) and laboratory X-ray (surface) diffraction.
Two deposition hatch lengths were considered. A horizontal plane near the top surface (perpendicular to the building direction) and a vertical plane near the lateral surface (parallel to the building direction) were investigated. Samples both in as-built (AB) condition and removed (RE) from the base plate were characterized.
While surface stress fields seem constant for AB condition, X-ray diffraction shows stress gradients along the hatch direction in the RE condition. The stress profiles correlate with the distortion maps obtained by tactile probe measurements.
Neutron diffraction shows bulk stress gradients for all principal components along the main sample directions. We correlate the observed stress patterns with the hatch length, i.e. with its effect on temperature gradients and heat flow. The bulk stress gradients partially disappear after removal from the baseplate.
Additive manufacturing (AM) processes enable the efficient production of advanced constructions. New developments in topology optimization are leading to weight-optimized designs of increasing complexity. Direct energy deposition processes (DED) such as wire and arc-based additive manufacturing are an important method of additive manufacturing. The wire filler metals enable a wide range of materials, while the arc process provides a high deposition rate compared to laser and powder-based processes. Combined with the use of high-strength steels, the thickness of walls or components can be significantly reduced in the context of lightweight construction, which results in significant savings in energy, costs, time and resources. Suitable high-strength steel filler metals are commercially available for DED-arc AM processes. However, guidelines and quantitative knowledge about welding stresses and cold cracking issues during component production and service are lacking. This limits the industrial application considerably. In a joint project of BAM and Chemnitz University of Technology, the main influences and complex interactions of material, production process, design and processing steps on the residual stress level are investigated. The aim is to develop processing recommendations and a cold cracking test for economical processing and stress-related design of high-strength steels with DED-arc. This study focuses on residual stress analysis by neutron diffraction (ND) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) on defined test specimens. The ND analysis were performed at the Paul Scherrer Institute- Villigen, Switzerland (PSI) and the XRD analysis at BAM. The study shows a quantitative and qualitative comparison of the residual stress magnitudes and distribution between the component bulk (ND) and surface (XRD) analyses. The ND analysis reveals that in DED-arc AM walls the residual stresses dominate in the direction of welding and are negligibly small in each case transverse to the direction of welding. The topology of the analyzed residual stresses shows almost identical residual stress maps compared to XRD. In addition, the residual stresses are significantly influenced by the solid phase transformation of the material due to low cooling times and less post heat treatment cycles of following AM layers in the area of the top layer.
The residual stress distribution of IN718 parts produced by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technique was studied by means of neutron diffraction.
Two deposition hatching lengths were considered in the fabrication. Both lateral (building direction) and top (finishing) near-surface regions were characterized. Measurements on samples in as-built condition and after release from the plate proved the presence of stress gradients both in-plane and along the building direction.
As-built samples presented in top region a longitudinal stress relief for large hatching, whereas small one showed tensile stresses around (200MPa) in the middle, evolving towards compression at the tip of the sample (down to -300MPa). Towards the lateral edge, longitudinal stresses shifted also to compression. The transverse stresses for large hatching were relief in the middle, whereas for small hatching shifted to compression at the edge. As for the normal component, this was more homogenous: stress-relief was proved for large hatching and, in contrast, was in compression (-200MPa) for small hatching. In the building direction (lateral region from base plate to top) of the sample with large hatching all stress components showed tensile values near the base plate (particularly high for normal component around 300MPa), decreasing towards compression to the top, where they were almost released.
After release, in the top region, the longitudinal stress component for small hatching showed high compressive stresses in the central part (down to -250MPa). In contrast, for large hatching a stress relief was found. In the transversal direction, this behavior was inverted: a small hatching released stresses more effectively, while a large hatching presented high tensile stresses (around 200MPa). As for the normal component (i.e., building direction), the sample with small hatching was found in compression, while that with large hatching was stress-released or slightly in tension (around 100MPa). In the lateral surface region, all components showed similar behavior: a small hatching promoted high compressive stresses along the building direction, whereas a large hatching showed small tensile values at the bottom, which balance towards the top region. There is an overall shift of stresses in 3 directions towards tension when compared with as-built condition for top region. In contrast, the lateral region is stress-relief or shifted towards compression after cutting from baseplate.
In conclusion, hatching length parameter strongly influenced the 3D distribution of residual stress in SLM produced parts.
High-strength steels offer potential for weight optimization due to reduced wall thicknesses in modern constructions. Additive manufacturing processes such as Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) enable the resource-efficient production of structures. In the case of defects occurring in weld seams orWAAM components due to unstable process conditions, the economical solution is local gouging or machining and repair welding. It is important to understand the effects of machining steps on the multiaxial stress state in conjunction with the design-related shrinkage restraints. Research into how welding and slot milling of welds andWAAM structures affects residual stresses is still lacking. For this reason, component-related investigations with high-strength steels with yield strengths ≥790 MPa are carried out in our research. In-situ digital image correlation (DIC) and ex-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to analyze the stresses and strains induced on specimens during and after milling. The systematic analyses revealed a significant interaction of the stiffness and microstructure of the specimens with the initial residual stresses induced by welding. Subsequent repair welds can result in significantly higher residual stresses.
Additive Manufacturing (AM) by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) offers ample scope for producing geometrically complex parts as compared to the traditional subtractive manufacturing strategies. However, the residual stresses developed during the processing can reduce the load bearing capacity as well as induce unwanted distortion, limiting the application of SLM parts.
IN718 manufactured by SLM process can show high tensile residual stresses in the surface as high as the yield strength of the wrought alloy. On the other hand, residual stresses in the bulk Show considerably lower stress values, even in compression, indicating a stress re-distribution during deposition of the SLM layers.
Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) features high deposition rates and, thus, allows production of large components that are relevant for aerospace applications. However, a lot of aerospace parts are currently produced by forging or machining alone to ensure fast production and to obtain good mechanical properties; the use of these conventional process routes causes high tooling and material costs. A hybrid approach (a combination of forging and WAAM) allows making production more efficient. In this fashion, further structural or functional features can be built in any direction without using additional tools for every part. By using a combination of forging basic geometries with one tool set and adding the functional features by means of WAAM, the tool costs and material waste can be reduced compared to either completely forged or machined parts. One of the factors influencing the structural integrity of additively manufactured parts are (high) residual stresses, generated during the build process. In this study, the triaxial residual stress profiles in a hybrid WAAM part are reported, as determined by neutron diffraction. The analysis is complemented by microstructural investigations, showing a gradient of microstructure (shape and size of grains) along the part height. The highest residual stresses were found in the transition Zone (between WAAM and forged part). The total stress range showed to be lower than expected for WAAM components. This could be explained by the thermal history of the component.
Additive Manufacturing (AM) by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) offers ample scope for producing geometrically complex parts in comparison to the traditional subtractive manufacturing strategies. Developing during the manufacturing process, residual stresses may limit the application of SLM parts by reducing the load bearing capacity as well as induce unwanted distortion depending on the boundary conditions specified in manufacturing.
The present study aims to evaluate the bulk residual stresses in SLM parts by using neutron diffraction measurements performed at E3 line -BER II neutron reactor- of Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie (HZB) Berlin. Together with microstructure characterization and distortion measurements, it is possible to describe the stress state throughout the whole sample. The sample was measured in as-build condition (on a build plate) and after releasing from the build plate. The used material is the nickel based superalloy 718. This alloy is widely used in aerospace and chemical industries due to its superior corrosion and heat resistant properties.
Obtained results indicated different residual stress states for each of the transversal, longitudinal and normal component. The normal and transversal component exhibits a rather compressive behavior while the longitudinal was tensile in the center part of the sample and became compressive towards the tip. As expected, the absolute values of all stress components decreased after releasing the sample from the building plate. A surface scan utilizing a coordinate-measuring machine (CMM) allowed us to present top surface distortion before and after releasing. The top surface showed a distortion around ±80µm after releasing. Microstructure evolution in the scanning-building cross-section is largely dominated by columnar grains. In addition, many small random orientated grains are prominent in the regions of a laser overlap during SLM.
In summary, for the sample of superalloy 718 manufactured by SLM, a small distortion occurred when removing the sample from the build plate whereby the residual stress state decreases. Moreover, the observed columnar grains in the building direction could give a reason for the lowest stress values in that normal direction. However, the most important parameter controlling the residual stresses is the temperature gradient. Hence, future investigations are planned for a different scan strategy to distribute the laser impact in a more homogenous manner.
The round robin test investigated the reliability users can expect for AlSi10Mg additive manufactured specimens by laser powder bed fusion through examining powder quality, process parameter, microstructure defects, strength and fatigue. Besides for one outlier, expected static material properties could be found. Optical microstructure inspection was beneficial to determine true porosity and porosity types to explain the occurring scatter in properties. Fractographic analyses reveal that the fatigue crack propagation starts at the rough as-built surface for all specimens. Statistical analysis of the scatter in fatigue using statistical derived safety factors concludes that at a stress of 36.87 MPa the fatigue limit of 107 cycles could be reached for all specimen with a survival probability of 99.999 %.
Additive manufacturing (AM) has revolutionized the manufacturing industry, offering a new paradigm to produce complex geometries and parts with customized properties. Among the different AM techniques, the wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) process has gained significant attention due to its high deposition rate and low equipment cost. However, the process is characterized by a complex thermal history, dynamic metallurgy, and mechanical behaviour that make it challenging to simulate it in real-time for online process control and optimization.
In this context, a reduced order model (ROM) using the proper generalized decomposition (PGD) method is proposed as a powerful tool to overcome the limitations of conventional numerical methods and enable the real-time simulation of the temperature field of WAAM processes. Though, the simulation of a moving heat source leads to a hardly separable parametric problem, which is handled by applying a novel mapping approach. Using this procedure, it is possible to create a simple separated representation of the model, also allowing to simulate multiple layers.
In this contribution, a PGD model is derived for the WAAM procedure simulating the temperature field. A good agreement with a standard finite element method is shown. The reduced model is further used in a stochastic model parameter estimation using Bayesian inference, speeding up calibrations and ultimately leading to a calibrated real-time simulation.
The project ProMoAM is presented. The goal of the project is to evaluate which NDT techniques or combination of techniques is suited for in-situ quality assurance in additive manufacturing of metals. To this end, also 3d-data fusion and visualization techniques are applied. Additional ex-situ NDT-techniques are used as references for defect detection and quantification. Feasability studies for NDT-techniques that are presently not applicable for in-situ use are performed as well.
The presentation gives a brief overview of the whole project and the different involved NDT-techniques.
Additive manufacturing (AM) opens the route to a range of novel applications. However, the complexity of the manufacturing process poses a challenge to produce defect-free parts with a high reliability. Since process dynamics and resulting microstructures of AM parts are strongly influenced by the involved temperature fields and cooling rates, thermography is a valuable tool for process monitoring. Another approach to monitor the energy input into the part during process is the use of optical tomography.
Common visual camera systems reach much higher spatial resolution than infrared thermography cameras, whereas infrared thermography provides a much higher temperature dynamic. Therefore, the combined application increases the depth of information. Here, we present first measurement results using a laser beam melting setup that allows simultaneous acquisition of thermography and optical tomography from the same point of view using a beam splitter. A high-resolution CMOS camera operating in the visible spectral range is equipped with a near infrared bandpass filter and images of the build plate are recorded with long-term exposure during the whole layer exposing time. Thus, areas that reach higher maximum temperature or are at elevated temperature for an extended period of time appear brighter in the images. The used thermography camera is sensitive to the mid wavelength infrared range and records thermal videos of each layer exposure at an acquisition rate close to 1 kHz.
As a next step, we will use computer tomographic data of the built part as a reference for defect detection.
This research was funded by BAM within the focus area Materials.
Undetected and undesired microstructural variations in components produced by laser powder bed fusion are a major challenge, especially for safety-critical components. In this study, an in-depth analysis of the microstructural features of 316L specimens produced by laser powder bed fusion at different levels of volumetric energy density and different levels of inter layer time is reported. The study has been conducted on specimens with an application relevant build height
(>100 mm). Furthermore, the evolution of the intrinsic preheating temperature during the build-up of specimens was monitored using a thermographic in-situ monitoring set-up. By applying recently determined emissivity values of 316L powder layers, real temperatures could be quantified. Heat accumulation led to preheating temperatures of up to about 600 °C. Significant differences in the preheating temperatures were discussed with respect to the individual process parameter combinations, including the build height. A strong effect of the inter layer time on the heat accumulation was observed. A shorter inter layer time resulted in an increase of the preheating temperature by more than a factor of 2 in the upper part of the specimens compared to longer inter layer times. This, in turn, resulted in heterogeneity of the microstructure and differences in material properties within individual specimens. The resulting differences in the microstructure were analyzed using electron back scatter diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Results from chemical analysis as well as electron back scatter diffraction measurements indicated stable conditions in terms of chemical alloy composition and austenite phase content for the used set of parameter combinations. However, an increase of the average grain size by more than a factor of 2.5 could be revealed within individual specimens. Additionally, differences in feature size of the solidification cellular substructure were examined and a trend of increasing cell sizes was observed. This trend was attributed to differences in solidification rate and thermal gradients induced by differences in scanning velocity and preheating temperature. A change of the thermal history due to intrinsic preheating could be identified as the main cause of this heterogeneity. It was induced by critical combinations of the energy input and differences in heat transfer conditions by variations of the inter layer time. The microstructural variations were directly correlated to differences in hardness.
Additive manufacturing is well established for plastics and metals, and it gets more and more implemented in a variety of industrial processes. Beside these well-established material platforms, additive manufacturing processes are highly interesting for ceramics, especially regarding resource conservation and for the production of complex three-dimensional shapes and structures with specific feature sizes in the µm and mm range with high accuracy. The usage of ceramics in 3D printing is, however, just at the beginning of a technical implementation in a continuously and fast rising field of research and development. The flexible fabrication of highly complex and precise 3D structures by means of light-induced photopolymerization that are difficult to realize using traditional ceramic fabrication methods such as casting and machining is of high importance. Generally, slurry-based ceramic 3D printing technologies involve liquid or semi-liquid polymeric systems dispersed with ceramic particles as feedstock (inks or pastes), depending on the solid loading and viscosity of the system. This paper includes all types of photo-curable polymer-ceramic-mixtures (feedstock), while demonstrating our own work on 3D printed alumina toughened zirconia based ceramic slurries with light induced polymerization on the basis of two-photon absorption (TPA) for the first time. As a proven exemplary on cuboids with varying edge length and double pyramids in the µm-range we state that real 3D micro-stereolithographic fabrication of ceramic products will be generally possible in the near future by means of TPA. This technology enables the fabrication of 3D structures with high accuracy in comparison to ceramic technologies that apply single-photon excitation. In sum, our work is intended to contribute to the fundamental development of this technology for the representation of oxide-ceramic components (proof-of-principle) and helps to exploit the high potential of additive processes in the field of bio-ceramics in the medium to long-term future.
Additively manufactured (AM) metallic sheet-based Triply Periodic Minimal Surface Structures (TPMSS) meet several requirements in both bio-medical and engineering fields: Tunable mechanical properties, low sensitivity to manufacturing defects, mechanical stability, and high energy absorption. However, they also present some challenges related to quality control. In fact, the optimization of both the AM process and the properties of TPMSS is impossible without considering structural characteristics as manufacturing accuracy, internal defects, and as well as surface topography and roughness. In this study, the quantitative non-destructive analysis of TPMSS manufactured from Ti-6Al-4V alloy by electron beam melting was performed by means of laboratory X-ray computed tomography (XCT).
Additively manufactured (AM) triply periodic metallic minimum surface structures (TPMSS, from the English Triply Periodic Minimum Surface Structures) fulfill several requirements in both biomedical and engineering fields: tunable mechanical properties, low sensitivity to manufacturing defects, mechanical stability, and high energy absorption. However, they also present some quality control challenges that may prevent their successful application. In fact, optimization of the AM process is impossible without considering structural features such as manufacturing accuracy, internal defects, and surface topography and roughness. In this study, quantitative nondestructive analysis of Ti-6Al-4V alloy TPMSS was performed using X-ray computed tomography (XCT). Several new image analysis workflows are presented to evaluate the effects of buildup direction on wall thickness distribution, wall degradation, and surface roughness reduction due to chemical etching of TPMSS. It is shown that the fabrication accuracy is different for the structural elements printed parallel and orthogonal to the fabricated layers. Different strategies for chemical etching showed different powder removal capabilities and thus a gradient in wall thickness. This affected the mechanical performance under compression by reducing the yield stress. A positive effect of chemical etching is the reduction of surface roughness, which can potentially improve the fatigue properties of the components. Finally, XCT was used to correlate the amount of powder retained with the pore size of the TPMSS, which can further improve the manufacturing process.
The most successful additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are based on the layer-by-layer deposition of a flowable powder. Although considered as the third industrial revolution, one factor still limiting these processes to become completely autonomous is the often necessary build-up of support structures. Besides the prevention of lateral shifts of the part during the deposition of layers, the support assures quality and stability to the built process. The loose powder itself surrounding the built object, or so-called powder-bed, does not provide this sustenance in most existent technology available. Here we present a simple but effective and economical method for stabilizing the powder-bed, preventing distortions in the geometry with no need for support structures. This effect, achieved by applying an air flow through the powder-bed, is enabling an entirely autonomous generation of parts and is a major contribution to all powder-based additive manufacturing technologies. Moreover, it makes powder-based AM independent of gravitational forces, which will facilitate crafting items in space from a variety of powdery materials.
Abstract of the event: 'The area of New Space is a vastly growing and dynamic field with a high innovative potential and many exciting ideas. After decades where activities in space were dominated and funded mainly by governmental agencies, a new industry is forming and new business models are being developed around ideas like satellite-based internet, space travel, space mining, geo-monitoring etc. For space applications, lightweight design is crucial to keep the costs at a minimum. This Innovation Day will introduce the field of New Space and present the variety of exciting opportunities that arise for composites based on their excellent lightweight potential.' Another research area is now arising in the field of 3D printing or additive manufacturing of fiber composite materials in space. At the event, we presented on the opportunities and our experiences of using a powder based additive manufacturing process for in-space manufacturing applications.
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.
Thermal transient problems, essential for modeling applications like welding and additive metal manufacturing, are characterized by a dynamic evolution of temperature. Accurately simulating these phenomena is often computationally expensive, thus limiting their applications, for example for model parameter estimation or online process control. Model order reduction, a solution to preserve the accuracy while reducing the computation time, is explored. This article addresses challenges in developing reduced order models using the proper generalized decomposition (PGD) for transient thermal problems with a specific treatment of the moving heat source within the reduced model. Factors affecting accuracy, convergence, and computational cost, such as discretization methods (finite element and finite difference), a dimensionless formulation, the size of the heat source, and the inclusion of material parameters as additional PGD variables are examined across progressively complex examples. The results demonstrate the influence of these factors on the PGD model’s performance and emphasize the importance of their consideration when implementing such models. For thermal example, it is demonstrated that a PGD model with a finite difference discretization in time, a dimensionless representation, a mapping for a moving heat source, and a spatial domain non-separation yields the best approximation to the full order model.
The Global Exploration Strategy of the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) describes a timeframe of 2020 and beyond with the ultimate aim to establish a human presence on Mars towards the 2040ies. The next steps lie on the Moon with a focus on the coming 10 years. Early lunar surface missions will establish a capability in support of lunar science and prepare and test mission operations for subsequent human exploration of Mars and long-duration human activities on the Moon.
Given the extreme costs involved in the shipping of material from Earth, a prerequisite for future human exploration is the manufacturing of elements directly on the Moon’s surface. Unlike the equipment, which at the beginning will have to be brought from Earth, raw materials and energy could be available following the concept of In-Situ Resource Utilization. The ESA OSIP PAVING THE ROAD (PAVER) study investigates the use of a laser to sinter regolith into paving elements for use as roadways and launch pads thus mitigating dust issues for transport and exploration vehicles.
The ESA-funded study examines the potential of using a laser (12 kW CO2 laser with spot beam up to 100 mm) for layer sintering of lunar and martian regolith powders to manufacture larger 3D elements and provide know-how for the automatic manufacture of paving elements in the lunar environment. The project contributes to the first step toward the establishment of a lunar base and will lead to the construction of equipment capable of paving areas and manufacturing 3D structures.
PAVER project sets the starting point for an examination of the larger context of lunar exploration. Mission scenarios will look at different phases of lunar exploration: Robotic Lunar Exploration, Survivability, Sustainability, and Operational Phase. A proposed Technology Roadmap investigates the mission scenario and analyses how, and to which extent, laser melting/sintering will play a role in the various phases of exploration. The paper contextualizes laser sintering within selected mission scenarios and discusses the different kinds of infrastructure that can be produced at each phase of the mission. The outcome of the study includes the detailing of the TRL steps in the project and an outline of a timeline for the different elements. Covered aspects include terrain modelling such as operation pads, roadways, or towers, non-pressurized building structures to protect machinery, and habitat envelopes, to protect and shield humans against dust, micrometeoroids, and radiation.
The Global Exploration Strategy of the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) describes a timeframe of 2020 and beyond with the ultimate aim to establish a human presence on Mars towards the 2040ies. The next steps lie on the Moon with a focus on the coming 10 years. Early lunar surface missions will establish a capability in support of lunar science and prepare and test mission operations for subsequent human exploration of Mars and long-duration human activities on the Moon.
Given the extreme costs involved in the shipping of material from Earth, a prerequisite for future human exploration is the manufacturing of elements directly on the Moon’s surface. Unlike the equipment, which at the beginning will have to be brought from Earth, raw materials and energy could be available following the concept of In-Situ Resource Utilization. The ESA OSIP PAVING THE ROAD (PAVER) study investigates the use of a laser to sinter regolith into paving elements for use as roadways and launch pads thus mitigating dust issues for transport and exploration vehicles.
The ESA-funded study examines the potential of using a laser (12 kW CO2 laser with spot beam up to 100 mm) for layer sintering of lunar and martian regolith powders to manufacture larger 3D elements and provide know-how for the automatic manufacture of paving elements in the lunar environment. The project contributes to the first step toward the establishment of a lunar base and will lead to the construction of equipment capable of paving areas and manufacturing 3D structures.
PAVER project sets the starting point for an examination of the larger context of lunar exploration. Mission scenarios will look at different phases of lunar exploration: Robotic Lunar Exploration, Survivability, Sustainability, and Operational Phase. A proposed Technology Roadmap investigates the mission scenario and analyses how, and to which extent, laser melting/sintering will play a role in the various phases of exploration. The paper contextualizes laser sintering within selected mission scenarios and discusses the different kinds of infrastructure that can be produced at each phase of the mission. The outcome of the study includes the detailing of the TRL steps in the project and an outline of a timeline for the different elements. Covered aspects include terrain modelling such as operation pads, roadways, or towers, non-pressurized building structures to protect machinery, and habitat envelopes, to protect and shield humans against dust, micrometeoroids, and radiation.
The contour scan strategies in laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of Ti-6Al-4V were studied at the coupon level. These scan strategies determined the surface qualities and subsurface residual stresses. The correlations to these properties were identified for an optimization of the LPBF processing. The surface roughness and the residual stresses in build direction were linked: combining high laser power and high scan velocities with at least two contour lines substantially reduced the surface roughness, expressed by the arithmetic mean height, from values as high as 30 μm to 13 μm, while the residual stresses rose from ~340 to about 800 MPa. At this stress level, manufactured rocket fuel injector components evidenced macroscopic cracking. A scan strategy completing the contour region at 100 W and 1050 mm/s is recommended as a compromise between residual stresses (625 MPa) and surface quality (14.2 μm). The LPBF builds were monitored with an in-line twin-photodiode-based melt pool monitoring (MPM) system, which revealed a correlation between the intensity quotient I2/I1, the surface roughness, and the residual stresses. Thus, this MPM system can provide a predictive estimate of the surface quality of the samples and resulting residual stresses in the material generated during LPBF.
Photopolymer derived carbon grows in popularity, yet the range in available feature sizes is limited. Here we focus on expanding the field to low surface to volume ratio (SVR) structures. We describe a high temperature acrylic photopolymerizable precursor with FTIR and DSC and develop a thermal inert-gas treatment for producing architected carbon in the mm scale with SVR of 1.38 x10-3 μm-1. Based on TGA and MS, we distinguish two thermal regimes with activation energies of ~79 and 169 kJ mol-1, which we reason with mechanisms during the polymer’s morphologic conversion between 300 - 500 °C. The temperature range of the major dimensional shrinkage (300-440 °C, 50%) does not match the range of the largest alteration in elemental composition (440-600 °C, O/C 0.25-0.087%). The insights lead to an optimized thermal treatment with an initial ramp (2 °C min-1 to 350 °C), isothermal hold (14h), post hold ramp (0.5 °C min-1 to 440 °C) and final ramp (10 °C min-1 to 1000 °C). The resulting carbon structures are dimensionally stable, non-porous at the μm scale, and comprise an unprecedented variation in feature sizes (from mm to μm scale). The findings shall advance architected carbon to industrially relevant scales.
Nickel alloys are cost intensive materials and generally classified as difficult-to-cut material. However, machining of these materials is needed especially in case of alloy 36 (1.3912), which is commonly used in mould construction for the production of fibre-reinforced composites. With regard to repair, modification and manufacturing of such components, additive manufacturing offers significant economic advantages. Nevertheless, subsequent machining steps are needed to achieve the final component contour and defined surface conditions. Dependent on the material and machining process conditions, detrimental tensile residual stresses may be the result on the machined surface, having negative impact on the component performance and safety. In this investigation, machining experiments were carried out on wire arc additive manufactured components made of alloy 36, varying the cutting speed and the feed rate. In addition, the conventional milling process (CM) was compared with a modern, hybrid machining process, the ultrasonic-assisted milling (US). The cutting forces and the surface-near residual stresses were analysed using X-ray diffraction. A significant improvement of the machinability as well as the surface integrity by using the ultrasonic assistance was observed, especially at low cutting speeds. The CM induced mainly tensile residual stresses, the US mainly compressive residual stresses.
Ni alloys are cost intensive materials and generally classified as difficult-to-cut materials. However, machining of these materials is needed especially in case of alloy 36 (1.3912), which is commonly used in mould construction for the production of fibre-reinforced composites. With regard to repair, modification and manufacturing of such components, additive manufacturing offers significant economic advantages. Nevertheless, subsequent machining steps are needed to achieve the final component contour and defined surface conditions. Dependent on the material and machining process conditions, detrimental tensile residual stresses may be the result on the machined surface, having negative impact on the component performance and safety. Recent studies exhibited that hybrid machining processes, such as ultrasonic-assisted milling (USAM), are suitable for achieving favourable residual stress states at the surface of difficult-to-cut Ni-Cr alloys. In this investigation, wire arc additive manufactured (WAAM) specimens of alloy 36 were finish milled under different milling conditions. In addition to the machined surfaces condition and topology, the surface-near residual stresses were analysed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Especially for low cutting speeds, significantly improved surface properties, roughness parameters and lower mechanical and microstructural degradations were found for the specimen machined with USAM compared to conventional milling. The improved surface integrity could furthermore be observed by a significant reduction of the tensile residual stresses in the surface boundary area.
Ni alloys are cost intensive materials and generally classified as difficult-to-cut materials. However, machining of these materials is needed especially in case of alloy 36 (1.3912), which is commonly used in mould construction for the production of fibre-reinforced composites. With regard to repair, modification and manufacturing of such components, additive manufacturing offers significant economic advantages. Nevertheless, subsequent machining steps are needed to achieve the final component contour and defined surface conditions. Dependent on the material and machining process conditions, detrimental tensile residual stresses may be the result on the machined surface, having negative impact on the component performance and safety. Recent studies exhibited that hybrid machining processes, such as ultrasonic-assisted milling (USAM), are suitable for achieving favourable residual stress states at the surface of difficult-to-cut Ni-Cr alloys. In this investigation, wire arc additive manufactured (WAAM) specimens of alloy 36 were finish milled under different milling conditions. In addition to the machined surfaces condition and topology, the surface-near residual stresses were analysed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Especially for low cutting speeds, significantly improved surface properties, roughness parameters and lower mechanical and microstructural degradations were found for the specimen machined with USAM compared to conventional milling. The improved surface integrity could furthermore be observed by a significant reduction of the tensile residual stresses in the surface boundary area.
The capability to produce complexly and individually shaped metallic parts is one of the main advantages of the laser powder bed fusion (PBF LB/M) process. Development of material and machine specific process parameters is commonly based on results acquired from small cubic test coupons of about 10 mm edge length. Such cubes are usually used to conduct an optimization of process parameters to produce dense material. The parameters are then taken as the basis for the manufacturing of real part geometries. However, complex geometries go along with complex thermal histories during the manufacturing process, which can significantly differ from thermal conditions prevalent during the production of simply shaped test coupons. This may lead to unexpected and unpredicted local inhomogeneities of the microstructure and defect distribution in the final part and it is a root cause of reservations against the use of additive manufacturing for the production of safety relevant parts. In this study, the influence of changing thermal conditions on the resulting melt pool depth of 316L stainless steel specimens is demonstrated. A variation of thermo-graphically measured intrinsic preheating temperatures was triggered by an alteration of inter layer times and a variation of cross section areas of specimens for three distinct sets of process parameters. Correlations between the preheating temperature, the melt pool depth, and occurring defects were analyzed. The limited expressiveness of the results of small density cubes is revealed throughout the systematic investigation. Finally, a clear recommendation to consider thermal conditions in future process parameter optimizations is given.
The capability to produce complexly and individually shaped metallic parts is one of the main advantages of the laser powder bed fusion (PBF LB/M) process. Development of material and machine specific process parameters is commonly based on results acquired from small cubic test coupons of about 10 mm edge length. Such cubes are usually used to conduct an optimization of process parameters to produce dense material. The parameters are then taken as the basis for the manufacturing of real part geometries. However, complex geometries go along with complex thermal histories during the manufacturing process, which can significantly differ from thermal conditions prevalent during the production of simply shaped test coupons. This may lead to unexpected and unpredicted local inhomogeneities of the microstructure and defect distribution in the final part and it is a root cause of reservations against the use of additive manufacturing for the production of safety relevant parts. In this study, the influence of changing thermal conditions on the resulting melt pool depth of 316L stainless steel specimens is demonstrated. A variation of thermo-graphically measured intrinsic preheating temperatures was triggered by an alteration of inter layer times and a variation of cross section areas of specimens for three distinct sets of process parameters. Correlations between the preheating temperature, the melt pool depth, and occurring defects were analyzed. The limited expressiveness of the results of small density cubes is revealed throughout the systematic investigation. Finally, a clear recommendation to consider thermal conditions in future process parameter optimizations is given.
The determination of residual stresses becomes more complicated with increasing complexity of the structures investigated. Additive manufacturing techniques generally allow the production of ‘lattice structures’ without any additional manufacturing step. These lattice structures consist of thin struts and are thus susceptible to internal stress-induced distortion and even cracks. In most cases, internal stresses remain locked in the structures as residual stress.
The determination of the residual stress in lattice structures through nondestructive neutron diffraction is described in this work. It is shown how two difficulties can be overcome: (a) the correct alignment of the lattice structures within the neutron beam and (b) the correct determination of the residual stress field in a representative part of the structure. The magnitude and the direction of residual stress are discussed. The residual stress in the strut was found to be uniaxial and to follow the orientation of the strut, while the residual stress in the knots was more hydrostatic. Additionally, it is shown that strain measurements in at least seven independent directions are necessary for the estimation of the principal stress directions. The measurement directions should be chosen according to the sample geometry and an informed choice on the possible strain field. If the most prominent direction is not measured, the error in the calculated stress magnitude increases considerably.
Additive manufacturing (AM) processes such as laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) are rapidly gaining popularity in repair applications. Gas turbine components benefit from the hybrid repair process as only damaged areas are removed using conventional machining and rebuilt using an AM process. However, hybrid repair is associated with several challenges such as component fixation and precise geometry detection. This article introduces a novel fixturing system, including a sealing concept to prevent powder sag during the repair process. Furthermore, a high-resolution camera within an industrial PBF-LB/M machine is installed and used for object detection and laser recognition. Herein, process related inaccuracies such as PBF-LB/M laser drift is considered by detection of reference objects. This development is demonstrated by the repair of a representative gas turbine blade. The final offset between AM build-up and component is analysed. An approximate accuracy of 160 μm is achieved with the current setup.
Additive manufacturing (AM) processes such as laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) are rapidly gaining popularity in repair applications. Gas turbine components benefit from the hybrid repair process as only damaged areas are removed using conventional machining and rebuilt using an AM process. However, hybrid repair is associated with several challenges such as component fixation and precise geometry detection. This article introduces a novel fixturing system, including a sealing concept to prevent powder sag during the repair process. Furthermore, a high-resolution camera within an industrial PBF-LB/M machine is installed and used for object detection and laser recognition. Herein, process related inaccuracies such as PBF-LB/M laser drift is considered by detection of reference objects. This development is demonstrated by the repair of a representative gas turbine blade. The final offset between AM build-up and component is analysed. An approximate accuracy of 160 μm is achieved with the current setup.
Safety-critical applications of products manufactured by laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) are still limited to date. This is mainly due to a lack of knowledge regarding the complex relationship between process, structure, and resulting properties. The assurance of homogeneity of the microstructure and homogeneity of the occurrence and distribution of defects within complexly shaped geometries is still challenging. Unexpected and unpredicted local inhomogeneities may cause catastrophic failures. The identification of material specific and machine specific process parameter windows for production of fully dense simple laboratory specimens is state of the art. However, the incorporation of changing thermal conditions that a complexly shaped component can be faced with during the manufacturing process is often neglected at the stage of a process window determination. This study demonstrates the tremendous effect of changing part temperatures on the defect occurrence for the broadly used stainless steel alloy AISI 316L. Process intrinsic variations of the surface temperature are caused by heat accumulation which was measured by use of a temperature adjusted mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) camera. Heat accumulation was triggered by simple yet effective temporal and geometrical restrictions of heat dissipation. This was realized by a variation of inter layer times and reduced cross section areas of the specimens. Differences in surface temperature of up to 800 K were measured. A severe development of keyhole porosity resulted from these distinct intrinsic preheating temperatures, revealing a shift of the process window towards unstable melting conditions. The presented results may serve as a warning to not solely rely on process parameter optimization without considering the actual process conditions a real component is faced with during the manufacturing process. Additionally, it motivates the development of representative test specimens.
Safety-critical applications of products manufactured by laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) are still limited to date. This is mainly due to a lack of knowledge regarding the complex relationship between process, structure, and resulting properties. The assurance of homogeneity of the microstructure and homogeneity of the occurrence and distribution of defects within complexly shaped geometries is still challenging. Unexpected and unpredicted local inhomogeneities may cause catastrophic failures. The identification of material specific and machine specific process parameter windows for production of fully dense simple laboratory specimens is state of the art. However, the incorporation of changing thermal conditions that a complexly shaped component can be faced with during the manufacturing process is often neglected at the stage of a process window determination. This study demonstrates the tremendous effect of changing part temperatures on the defect occurrence for the broadly used stainless steel alloy AISI 316L. Process intrinsic variations of the surface temperature are caused by heat accumulation which was measured by use of a temperature adjusted mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) camera. Heat accumulation was triggered by simple yet effective temporal and geometrical restrictions of heat dissipation. This was realized by a variation of inter layer times and reduced cross section areas of the specimens. Differences in surface temperature of up to 800 K were measured. A severe development of keyhole porosity resulted from these distinct intrinsic preheating temperatures, revealing a shift of the process window towards unstable melting conditions. The presented results may serve as a warning to not solely rely on process parameter optimization without considering the actual process conditions a real component is faced with during the manufacturing process. Additionally, it motivates the development of representative test specimens.
Nickel-iron-alloy modification to enhance additively welded microstructure for subsequent milling
(2021)
The aerospace industry uses nickel-iron-alloys to create moulding tools for composite materials because of the low coefficient of thermal expansion. These tools have a large-sized and complex structure, making them cost-intensive and difficult to manufacture. Therefore, the focus is set on additive manufacturing, which can additionally enable the repair of components in order to eliminate local defects. However, the process usually results in a heterogeneous microstructure and anisotropic mechanical properties. As there is a high demand for a precise and exact fit of the precision moulds and thus the surface quality, the welded components must be subsequently machined. Nickel-iron alloys are difficult to machine and an inhomogeneous microstructure also leads to unstable cutting forces.
Consequently, a refinement and homogenisation of the microstructure morphology is achieved through specific alloy modifications in order to stabilise and improve the subsequent machining process. Studies on the refinement of FeNi 36 based on vacuum arc melting furnaces are used as a starting point. Therefore, titanium and niobium are chosen as modification elements with a maximum 1 % weight percent and are added to nickel-iron base alloy. The elements are alloyed and build-up welded by using plasma-transferred-arc welding. The resulting microstructure morphology of the welded wall structure and the machining properties are then determined. Furthermore, the influence on the coefficient of thermal expansion is investigated in connection with the modification and the welding process itself. It can be shown that even small amounts of niobium have a significant influence on the structural morphology of the welded layers during plasma-transferred-arc welding.
Using non-optimum combination of manufacturing parameters in selective laser melting (SLM) may lead to reduction of quality of component: defects generation, distortion of geometry and even cracking. Usually, the optimization of parameters is performed by changing volumetric energy density (Ev) and selecting parameters giving low porosity values. However, not only low porosity but also stable microstructure and low residual stresses will help to achieve advanced mechanical behavior of the component.
In present work, we investigated cuboid-shaped Ti-6Al-4V samples produced with different manufacturing parameters. The parameters leading to the same Ev were considered as well as parameters which are not included in Ev. Residual stresses in subsurface region were investigated by synchrotron X-ray diffraction, which allows to penetrate around 100 µm from the surface therefore overcome the problem of high roughness of SLM components without additional sample preparation. Only tensile stresses were found along the building direction, that can play critical role especially during cyclic loading. The pore shape and spatial distribution obtained by computed tomography varied for samples produced with the same Ev. However, by using some process parameters it was possible to decrease residual stresses and obtain uniform α+β Ti microstructure and relatively low porosity. Additionally, it was found that not included in Ev (e.g., base plate position, focus distance) should be considered as additional manufacturing parameters during SLM process.
While the volumetric energy density is commonly used to qualify a process parameter set, and to quantify its influence on the microstructure and performance of additively manufactured (AM) materials and components, it has been already shown that this description is by no means exhaustive. In this work, new aspects of the optimization of the selective laser melting process are investigated for AM Ti-6Al-4V. We focus on the amount of near-surface residual stress (RS), often blamed for the failure of components, and on the porosity characteristics (amount and spatial distribution). First, using synchrotron x-ray diffraction we show that higher RS in the subsurface region is generated if a lower energy density is used. Second, we show that laser de-focusing and sample positioning inside the build chamber also play an eminent role, and we quantify this influence. In parallel, using X-ray Computed Tomography, we observe that porosity is mainly concentrated in the contour region, except in the case where the laser speed is small. The low values of porosity (less than 1%) do not influence RS.
The overview of the activity of group 8.5 Micro-NDT (BAM, Belin, Germany) in the field of additively manufacturing material characterization will be presented. The challenges in the residual stress analysis of AM components are discussed on the basis on the show studies performed in BAM. Also, the synchrotron X-ray refraction technique, available in BAM, is presented, showing example of in-situ heating test of Al10SiMg AM material.
Due to increasing requirements relating to the efficiency of highly stressed components in turbine or plant construction, the use of cost-intensive, difficult to process materials is increasingly necessary today. In this context, cobalt-chromium alloys in particular are highly resistant to thermal and mechanical stress, as well as to corrosive and abrasive loads. Moreover, increasingly complex structures and the optimisation of resource efficiency also require additive manufacturing steps for the production or repair of components in many sectors. In order to realise a homogeneous and isotropic microstructure, alloy modifications are made to the alloy CoCr26Ni9Mo5W. For this purpose, hafnium and zirconium are added at 1 % and 0,33 % by mass each, as these elements are supposed to have a positive effect on the microstructure morphology. Plasma-Transferred-Arc is used for the welding tests. Wall structures are welded by multiple single-layer, overlapping welding beads on low-alloyed steel substrate (S355). The results show that the alloying elements hafnium and zirconium have a clear influence on the microstructure. Hardness measurements were also carried out. With each modification, the hardness is increased compared to the original material. The machining analyses show a reduction in cutting forces using ultrasonic assisted milling for high cutting speed and low feed rate.
This study addressed a 7017 Al-alloy tailored for powder bed fusion – laser beam (PBF-LB) process. The alloy was prepared by mixing 3 wt% Zr and 0.5 wt% TiC powder to standard pre-alloyed 7017 grade aluminium powder. This made printing of the alloys possible avoiding solidification cracking in the bulk and achieving high relative density (99.8 %). Such advanced alloys have significantly higher Young’s modulus (>80 GPa) than conventional Al-alloys (70–75 GPa), thus making them attractive for applications requiring high stiffness. The resulting microstructure in as-printed condition was rich in particles originating from admixed powders and primary precipitates/inclusions originating from the PBF-LB process. After performing a T6-like heat treatment designed for the PBF-LB process, the microstructure changed: Zr-nanoparticles and Fe- or Mg/Zn- containing precipitates formed thus providing 75 % increase in yield strength (from 254 MPa to 444 MPa) at the cost of decreasing ductility (∼20 % to ∼9 %). In-situ tensile testing combined with SXCT, and ex-situ tensile testing combined with fracture analysis confirmed that the fracture initiation in both conditions is highly dependent on defects originated during printing. However, cracks are deflected from decohesion around Zr-containing inclusions/precipitates embedded in the Al-matrix. This deflection is seen to improve the ductility of the material.
The laser-based direct energy deposition (DED) as a technology for additive manufacturing allows the production of near net shape components. Industrial applications require a stable process to ensure reproducible quality. Instabilities in the manufacturing process can lead to faulty components which do not meet the required properties.
The DED process is adjusted by various parameters such as laser power, velocity, powder mass flow and spot diameter, which interact with each other. A frequently used comparative parameter in welding is the energy per unit length and is calculated from the laser power and the velocity in laser welding. The powder per unit length comparative parameter in the DED process has also be taken into account, because this filler material absorbs energy in addition to the base material.
This paper deals with the influence of mass energy as a comparative parameter for determining the properties of additively manufactured parts. The same energy per unit length of 60 J/mm as well as the same powder per unit length of 7.2 mg/mm can be adjusted with different parameter sets. The energy per unit length and the powder per unit length determine the mass energy. The laser power is varied within the experiments between 400 W and 900 W. Energy per unit length and powder per unit length are kept constant by adjusting velocity and powder mass flow. Using the example of Inconel 718, experiments are carried out with the determined parameter sets. In a first step, individual tracks are produced and analyzed by means of micro section. The geometry of the tracks shows differences in height and width. In addition, the increasing laser power leads to a higher dilution of the base material. To determine the suitability of the parameters for additive manufacturing use, the individual tracks are used to build up parts with a square base area of 20x20 mm². An investigation by Archimedean principle shows a higher porosity with lower laser power. By further analysis of the micro sections, it can be seen that at low laser power, connection errors occur between the tracks.
The results show that laser power, velocity and powder mass flow have to be considered in particular, because a constant mass energy can lead to different geometric as well as microscopic properties.
Due to the advantages of additive manufacturing (AM), it has been increasingly integrated into many industrial sectors.
The application of AM materials for safety-critical parts requires the detailed knowledge about their microstructure stability under thermo-mechanical or mechanical load and knowledge on ageing process mechanisms. Ageing processes are characterized by change of the material microstructure that is to be initially investigated. This work deals with the Investigation of 316L stainless steel manufactured by selective laser melting (SLM). Describing Parameters must be defined and applied on the microstructure of these materials in their initial state and after loads were applied. The findings of this work form the basis for the investigation of AM material ageing.
Microstructure characterisation of advanced materials via 2D and 3D X-ray refraction techniques
(2018)
3D imaging techniques have an enormous potential to understand the microstructure, its evolution, and its link to mechanical, thermal, and transport properties. In this conference paper we report the use of a powerful, yet not so wide-spread, set of X-ray techniques based on refraction effects. X-ray refraction allows determining internal specific surface (surface per unit volume) in a non-destructive fashion, position and orientation sensitive, and with a nanometric detectability. We demonstrate showcases of ceramics and composite materials, where microstructural parameters could be achieved in a way unrivalled even by high-resolution techniques such as electron microscopy or computed tomography. We present in situ analysis of the damage evolution in an Al/Al2O3 metal matrix composite during tensile load and the identification of void formation (different kinds of defects, particularly unsintered powder hidden in pores, and small inhomogeneity’s like cracks) in Ti64 parts produced by selective laser melting using synchrotron X-ray refraction radiography and tomography.
The micromechanical behavior of an annealed Ti-6Al-4V material produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion was characterized by means of in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction during a tensile test. The lattice strain evolution was obtained parallel and transversal to the loading direction. The elastic constants were determined and compared with the conventionally manufactured alloy. In the plastic regime, a lower plastic anisotropy exhibited by the lattice planes was observed along the load axis (parallel to the building direction) than in the transverse direction.
Also, the load transfer from α to β phase was observed, increasing global ductility of the material. The material seems to accumulate a significant amount of intergranular strain in the transverse direction.
Additive manufacturing (AM) offers an effective solution to the medical sector. It enables the production, on demand, of customised implants which match the patient’s anatomy, with grafts that promote bone growth, as well as surgical guides that help the surgeons.
The objective of this project is to provide a comprehensive basis to enable the safe use of medical AM products with traceable and reliable dimensionalmeasurements. This will guarantee the reliability of medical AM products to notified bodies and facilitate acceptance of AM in the medical sector for a better quality of life.
Additive manufacturing (AM) offers an effective solution to the medical sector. It enables the production, on demand, of customised implants which match the patient’s anatomy, with grafts that promote bone growth, as well as surgical guides that help the surgeons. The objective of this project is to provide a comprehensive basis to enable the safe use of medical AM products with traceable and reliable dimensionalmeasurements. This will guarantee the reliability of medical AM products to notified bodies and facilitate acceptance of AM in the medical sector for a better quality of life.
Additively manufactured metallic materials have already started to find application in safety-relevant components. However, this has only happened for certain materials and specific applications and loading conditions, since there is still an extensive lack of knowledge as well as of historical data regarding their mechanical behaviour. This contribution aims to address this lack of understanding and historical data concerning the creep behaviour of the austenitic stainless steel 316L manufactured by Laser-Powder-Bed-Fusion (L-PBF) and the low-cycle-fatigue behaviour of the titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V manufactured by Laser-Metal-Deposition (LMD). Furthermore, it aims to assess their mechanical behaviour against their conventional counterparts. With that in mind, specimens from conventional and additive materials are tested and their mechanical behaviour analysed based on characteristic curves. To understand the damage behaviours the materials are characterized by destructive and non-destructive techniques before and after failure.
The underlying cause of mechanical anisotropy in additively manufactured (AM) parts is not yet fully understood and has been attributed to several different factors like microstructural defects, residual stresses, melt pool boundaries, crystallographic and morphological textures.
To better understand the main contributing factor to the mechanical anisotropy of AM stainless steel 316L, bulk specimens were fabricated via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF).
Tensile specimens were machined from these AM bulk materials for three different inclinations relative to the build plate. Dynamic Young's modulus measurements and tensile tests were used to determine the mechanical anisotropy. Some tensile specimens were also subjected to residual stress measurement via neutron diffraction, porosity determination with X-ray micro-computed tomography, and texture analysis with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). A crystal plasticity model was used to analyze the elastic anisotropy and the anisotropic yield behavior of the AM specimens, and it was able to capture and predict the experimental behavior accurately. Overall, it was shown that the mechanical anisotropy of the tested specimens was mainly influenced by the crystallographic texture.
Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies such as Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) are characterized by layer wise construction, which enable advancements of component design, with associated potential gains in performance and efficiency. However, high magnitude residual stresses (RS) are often a product of the rapid thermal cycles typical of the layerwise process. Therefore, a deep understanding of the formation of RS, the influence of process parameters on their magnitude and the impact on mechanical performance is crucial for widespread application. The experimental characterisation of these RS is essential for safety related engineering application and supports the development of reliable numerical models. Diffraction-based methods for RS analysis using neutrons and high energy X-rays enable non-destructive spatially resolved characterisation of both surface and bulk residual stresses in complex components. This presentation will provide an overview of recent research by the BAM at large scale facilities for the characterization of residual stresses in LPBF metallic alloys as a function of process parameters. In addition, the challenges posed by the textured and hierarchical microstructures of LPBF materials on diffraction-based RS analysis in AM materials will be discussed. This will include the question of the d0 reference lattice spacing and the appropriate choice of the diffraction elastic constants (DECs) to calculate the level of RS in LPBF manufactured alloys.