TY - INPR A1 - Grad, Marius A1 - Haag, Lydia A1 - Hahn, Konstantin A1 - Schultheiß, Ulrich A1 - Esper, Lukas A1 - Noster, Ulf T1 - Influence of carbon content on the formation of TiC at diffusion bonded titanium-steel interface N2 - Hot pressing of pure Ti and various carbon steels in a temperature range of 950 – 1050 °C creates an up to 9 μm thick compound layer of TiC at the Ti/ steel interface. The calculation of the activation energy for layer formation is 126.5 - 136.7 kJ/mol, independent of the steels carbon content. As the carbon content of the steel increases, the layer thickness also increases, which provides enormous potential for the surface modification of Ti/ Ti-alloys. Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4261928 PB - Elsevier ER - TY - INPR A1 - Burger, Moritz A1 - Bartsch, Alexander A1 - Grad, Marius A1 - Esper, Lukas A1 - Schultheiß, Ulrich A1 - Noster, Ulf A1 - Schratzenstaller, Thomas T1 - Enhancement of laser cut edge quality of ultra-thin titanium grade 2 sheets by applying in-process approach using modulated Yb:YAG continuous wave fibre laser N2 - Titanium is used in many areas due to its excellent mechanical, biological and corrosion-resistant properties. Implants often have thin and filigree structures, providing an ideal application for laser fine cutting. In literature, the main focus is primarily on investigating and optimizing the parameters for titanium sheet thicknesses greater than 1 mm. Hence, in this study, the basic manufacturing parameters of laser power, cutting speed and laser pulsing of a 200 W modulated fibre laser are investigated for 0.15 mm thick titanium grade 2 sheets. A reproducible, continuous cut could be achieved using 90 W laserpower and 2 cutting-speed. Pulse pause variations between 85–335 μs in 50 μs steps and fixed pulse duration of 50 μs show that a minimum kerf width of 23.4 μm, as well as a minimum cut edge roughness Rz of 3.59 μm, is achieved at the lowest pulse pause. An increase in roughness towards the laser exit side, independent of the laser pulse pause, was found and discussed. The results provide initial process parameters for cutting thin titanium sheets and thus provide the basis for further investigations, such as the influence of cutting gas pressure and composition on the cut edge. Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2520041/v1 N1 - Erschienen in der Zeitschrift: Discover Mechanical Engineering, https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-oth-regensburg/frontdoor/index/index/docId/6564 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Esper, Lukas A1 - Noster, Ulf A1 - Schultheiss, Ulrich A1 - Bund, Andreas T1 - Quasi-in-Situ Analysis of Electropolished Additively Manufactured Stainless Steel Surfaces T2 - ECS Meeting Abstracts, F01: Advances in Industrial Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Engineering N2 - Progress in additive manufacturing is leading to the emergence of new areas of application. Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) is increasingly used for the development of metallic medical implants, but for high-risk implants like vascular support structures (stents), surface quality is critical to ensure successful implantation without harming the surrounding tissue and ensure the patients’ health. Therefore, enhancing the surface quality is crucial. Electropolishing is a method for removing surface roughness by smoothing out micro-peaks and valleys. However, L-PBF structures have a high surface roughness due to metal particles adhering on the surface. To achieve a smooth surface for additively manufactured implants like stents using electropolishing, the removal of these particles needs to be studied in more detail. The objective of this study is to examine the electropolishing mechanism of 316L stainless steel samples additively manufactured through Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF). The main objective is to investigate the removal properties and surface characteristics during electropolishing. To achieve this, various surfaces were characterized for morphology and roughness during Hull cell experiments. Markings are utilized on the Hull cell sample surfaces to identify points of interest during quasi-in-situ measurements. The surfaces are then analyzed after multiple time steps, applying different currents to investigate particle dissolution. The surface characteristics are analyzed through scanning electron microscopy, and surface roughness is analyzed using laser scanning microscopy. The results show that the electropolishing process preferentially removes the adhering particles present on the surface of the samples. Increasing the current density results in faster particle dissolution and a smoother surface (see Figure 1a and b). The mechanism of material removal of various surface features, as shown in Figure 1 (red circle, yellow arrow and red square), was assessed based on the experimental results of the surface structures seen on the SEM images. It was found that different surface features were removed during the experiment at different polishing times and current densities. The amount of charge flowed was found to correlate with surface morphology. Based on the obtained results, various surface features (such as large adherent particles, agglomerates of smaller particles, and valleys) and their changes with increasing test duration and current density were observed by quasi-in situ analyses. A reduction in the diameter of round particles adhering to the surface was observed at both low and higher current densities (see Figure 1a red circle a). Increasing the polishing time resulted in leveling of both large particles and valleys (see Figure 1b red square). Also, dissolution of agglomerates of smaller particles occurred at different polishing times as a function of current density and polishing time (see Figure 1a yellow arrow) are observed. Smoothed surface structures can be observed in regions with equivalent surface charge density (see Figure 2). As a result, comparable surface morphologies may appear at the same area charge density, irrespective of a specific current density. So, it may be adequate to only consider the amount of charge flowed to describe the electropolishing of additive materials. In conclusion, comprehending the dissolution characteristics of particles on L-PBF surfaces is essential for attaining satisfactory surface finish in electropolishing. The results of this study offer valuable perspectives into the electropolishing mechanism of additively manufactured 316L stainless steel and can guide future investigations on surface finishing and polishing of additive manufactured implants like stents. Figure 1 KW - General Earth and Planetary Sciences KW - General Environmental Science Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1149/MA2023-02241342mtgabs SN - 2151-2043 VL - MA2023-02 SP - 1342 EP - 1342 PB - The Electrochemical Society ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Esper, Lukas A1 - Schultheiss, Ulrich A1 - Grad, Marius A1 - Noster, Ulf A1 - Bund, Andreas T1 - Application of the Hull Cell for Identifying Electropolishing Parameters to Adjust Surface Morphology in Additive Manufacturing JF - ECS Advances N2 - Additively processed materials are increasingly used to manufacture customized parts, e.g. medical implants. Implant surfaces often require a smooth finish, which can be achieved by post-processing and well-defined process parameters. In this study, the effects of electropolishing of metal parts produced by laser powder bed fusion are investigated using Hull cell experiments and a three-electrode setup. Current density voltage curves were measured with the three-electrode setup to identify the regimes for electropolishing. Subsequently different constant-currents were applied and Hull cell experiments were conducted. The surface roughness (Sz, Sa) and the mass removal were analysed. Surface morphologies were assessed using laser scanning and scanning electron microscopy. A reduction of the initial surface roughness of more than 90% to Sa < 0.3 μm has been achieved. Considering the passed electrical charge during electropolishing, results from Hull cell experiments are systematically correlated with current-controlled electropolishing. This approach enables the precise tailoring of polishing parameters to achieve surfaces with defined roughness. Furthermore, the study demonstrates the suitability of Hull cells in determining electropolishing parameters for additive materials and highlights their contribution to post-processing in additive manufacturing. Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-86295 SN - 2754-2734 N1 - Corresponding author der OTH Regensburg: Lukas Esper VL - 4 IS - 4 PB - The Electrochemical Society ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gersch, Sebastian A1 - Noster, Ulf A1 - Schulz, Carsten A1 - Bagdahn, Jörg T1 - Influence of the Process-Related Surface Structure of L-PBF Manufactured Components on Residual Stress Measurement Using the Incremental Hole Drilling Method JF - Applied Sciences N2 - Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) parts combine geometric freedom with process-induced rough surfaces that challenge residual-stress metrology. We evaluated the accuracy of the incremental hole-drilling (IHD) method with electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) by applying defined stresses via four-point bending to stress-relieved AlSi10Mg coupons, rather than measuring unknown process stresses. Flat specimens (2 mm, thin per ASTM E837) were analyzed on up-skin, side-skin, and CNC-milled surfaces; thin-specimen calibration coefficients were used. After a preliminary inter-specimen check (three specimens per surface; spread < 8 MPa), one representative specimen per surface was tested with three drill sites to assess intra-specimen uniformity. Measured IHD–ESPI stresses agreed best at 70 MPa: deviations were ~4.1% (up-skin), 6.0% (side-skin), and 6.24% (CNC-milled). At 10 MPa the relative errors increased (23.6%, 18.4%, and 1.40%), consistent with reduced ESPI signal-to-noise and fixture compliance in the low-stress regime. At 140 MPa, deviations rose again (21.1%, 14.3%, and 13.1%), reflecting operation near the ~60% Rp0.2 elastic limit of hole-drilling and potential local plasticity. Surface-dependent artifacts also mattered as follows: the side-skin required no coating and performed comparably to CNC-milled, whereas the up-skin’s roughness plus matting spray introduced fringe distortions and chip/coating debris near the hole. This controlled study indicates that IHD–ESPI can provide reliable results on L-PBF AlSi10Mg in the mid-stress range when surface preparation, coating, and rig compliance are carefully managed. Limitations include excluding down-skin surfaces and testing only one specimen per condition; thus, results should be generalized cautiously. KW - L-PBF KW - residual stress KW - hole drilling method KW - surface roughness KW - surface condition KW - AlSi10Mg Y1 - 2025 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-84929 SN - 2076-3417 VL - 15 IS - 18 PB - MDPI ER -