Selective laser melting of Al–Si–10Mg alloy: microstructural studies and mechanical properties assessment

Abstract

Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique is widely recognized by aerospace sectors for its potential to fabricate complex shape components directly from a Computer-Aided Model data (CAM). Selective Laser Melting (SLM) is an innovative method high degree of adaptability among different AM techniques. SLM is one of the AM techniques adopted to produce the three-dimensional complex shape components. Current research work focuses on fabricating an Al–Si–10Mg aluminium alloy by SLM process which is studied for the influence of scanning speed and build orientation on the mechanical strength and surface finish of the as built component compared with as casted specimen. The importance of the sample studied for the scanning speed and built direction is relatively essential exclusively for dynamic applications. The as-built samples surface micrographs was surprisingly refined with a progressively reduced grain size diameter from 7.2 μm to 5.5 μm by increasing scanning speed compared to that of AlSi10Mg parts (∼9.1 μm). The mean layer thickness increased from 20 μm to 30 μm by decreasing the scanning speed from 500 mm/s to 200 mm/s. Attractive advantage of the Orowan mechanism, fine grain strengthening, and the graded interfacial layer, a considerably-high microhardness (135 ± 3.1HV), and enhanced mechanical properties were achieved.

Keywords

• Additive manufacturing
• Selective laser melting (SLM)
• Aluminum alloys
• Surface finish
• Microhardness
• Strength validation