Improved Process Efficiency in Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion of Nanoparticle Coated Maraging Tool Steel Powder
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. PBF-LB/M Process of Composite Powder
1.2. Laser Absorption of Metal Powders
1.3. Determination of Process Parameters for PBF-LB/M
- Irregular and pre-balling shape
- Regular but occasionally broken shape
- Regular and thin shape
- Regular and thick shape
- Does a change of surface properties of the metallic powder particles due to surface modification by nanoparticles lead to an increase in absorption? What is the reason for a change in absorption behavior?
- An increased absorption rate indicates that more photons per time are introduced into the powder material. Does this simultaneously enable more efficient process control for the manufacturing of dense components/microstructures or do other influencing material properties have to be taken into account?
- A systematic for qualifying exposure parameters was developed to ensure reproducibility and transferability. Can this system be used to manufacture dense components?
- Both, the as-built and heat-treated specimens are analyzed regarding the microstructure and the hardness. What are the effects of the nanoparticles on the final part quality?
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Feedstock Material
2.2. Additive Formulation and Coating Process of the Feedstock Material
2.3. Laser Reflectance Measurement of the Feedstocks
2.4. Processing
2.4.1. PBF-LB/M-System
2.4.2. Single Tracks
2.4.3. Cuboid Specimens
2.4.4. Heat-Treatment
2.5. Metallography and Microscopy
2.6. Hardness Testing
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Powder Feedstock Properties
Laser Reflectance of the Feedstocks
3.2. PBF-LB/M Single Track Scans
- Low energy density (<3.75 J/mm2)
- Medium energy density (3.75–15 J/mm2)
- High energy density (>15 J/mm2)
3.3. Properties of the PBF-LB/M Densified Tool Steel
3.3.1. PBF-LB/M Densification of the Used Tool Steel Powders
3.3.2. Microstructure of the PBF-LB/M Processed Tool Steel
3.3.3. Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of the PBF-LB/M Processed Tool Steel in the Heat-Treated Condition
4. Conclusions
- After nanoparticle coating of the metallic powder particles, increased absorption behavior is observed. One the one hand, the nanoparticles on the surface of individual metal powder particles lead to increased surface roughness. This in turn leads to increased beam traps and multiple scattering of laser radiation within the powder bed. On the other hand, there is a correlation between the resulting darker coloration of the powder particles and the reduced reflection at the utilized wavelength of 1064 nm as an additional attribute.
- Based on DRIFTS analysis, IOB/1.2709 exhibits the lowest reflectance values. However, the relative density analysis of PBF-LB/M produced samples reveals the smallest process window for this composite powder. In addition to the reflectance, a homogeneous powder bed is of great importance. In this case, its inferior flowability led to voids during powder application. The coating with FLG enables build rates allowing a relative density of over 99.9%, which exceeds those of the original feedstock by approximately 18%. The combination of low reflectance and increased thermal conductivity represents favorable conditions for the PBF-LB/M process. Thus, the improvement of the absorption behavior cannot be used as the sole factor to qualify more efficient process parameters.
- A relative density of 99.9% was achieved with all material combinations. The generation of single tracks, which are exposed over 25 layers, represents a process-oriented and transferable qualification methodology due to the consideration of heat balance, real layer thickness and consistent diffusion process without the influence of the build platform material.
- The microstructure of the all specimens shows a cellular substructure in the as-built condition. Furthermore, presented precipitations seem to be enlarged and occur more frequently for the PBF-LB/M sample made from powder FLG/1.2709 due to a C enrichment inside the seam areas. After solution annealing and subsequent aging, the fine cellular microstructure which is typical for PBF-LB/M processed steel, is diminished for all investigated samples, either additivated or non-additivated. Nevertheless, the IOB coating tends to promote the formation of oxides. Considering the hardness testing, FLG/1.2709 maintains the hardness of the additively manufactured and heat-treated 1.2709 feedstock material. The conventionally performed solution annealing could be omitted.
5. Outlook
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Tool Steel | C | Ni | Co | Mo | Ti | Cr | Si | Mn | P | S | O | Fe |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominal | ≤0.03 | 17.00–19.00 | 8.50–10.00 | 4.50–5.20 | 0.80–1.20 | ≤0.25 | ≤0.10 | ≤0.15 | ≤0.01 | ≤0.01 | - | bal. |
Used powder | 0.01 | 17.36 | 9.31 | 5.59 | 1.18 | 0.14 | 0.05 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | bal. |
Background Measurement | Aluminum Mirror |
---|---|
MCT/A detector range | 4000 to 11,000 cm−1 |
Scans per measurement | 64 |
Spectral resolution | 4 cm−1 |
Environment | Room temperature |
Further characteristics | XT-KBr beam splitter white light source |
Laser power, PL | 100–140 W |
Hatch distance, hd | Individual |
Layer thickness, DS | 20 µm |
Scan speed, vS | 600–1400 mm/s |
Volume energy density, EV | Individual |
Scan strategy | 90° alternating |
Focal diameter | 30 µm |
Wavelength | 1064 nm |
Inert gas atmosphere | N2 |
Gas flow rate | 3 m/s |
Recoating speed | 80 mm/s |
Coater type | Rubber x-profile |
Powder Material | Particle Size (µm) | Span | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
x10,3 | x50,3 | x90,3 | (-) | |
1.2709 | 19.9 | 31.8 | 49.7 | 0.94 |
1 vol.% SiC/1.2709 | 20.9 | 32.6 | 50.0 | 0.89 |
1 vol.% IOB/1.2709 | 20.2 | 32.0 | 49.7 | 0.92 |
0.75 vol.% FLG/1.2709 | 20.1 | 31.8 | 49.5 | 0.92 |
C | Ni | Co | Mo | Ti | Cr | Si | Mn | O | Fe | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.2709 | 0.01 | 17.36 | 9.31 | 4.59 | 1.18 | 0.14 | 0.05 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 67.32 |
SiC/1.2709 | 0.11 | 17.28 | 9.27 | 4.57 | 1.17 | 0.14 | 0.40 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 67.02 |
FLG/1.2709 | 0.15 | 17.34 | 9.30 | 4.58 | 1.18 | 0.14 | 0.05 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 67.23 |
IOB/1.2709 | 0.01 | 17.28 | 9.26 | 4.56 | 1.17 | 0.14 | 0.05 | 0.01 | 0.17 | 67.34 |
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Pannitz, O.; Großwendt, F.; Lüddecke, A.; Kwade, A.; Röttger, A.; Sehrt, J.T. Improved Process Efficiency in Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion of Nanoparticle Coated Maraging Tool Steel Powder. Materials 2021, 14, 3465. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14133465
Pannitz O, Großwendt F, Lüddecke A, Kwade A, Röttger A, Sehrt JT. Improved Process Efficiency in Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion of Nanoparticle Coated Maraging Tool Steel Powder. Materials. 2021; 14(13):3465. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14133465
Chicago/Turabian StylePannitz, Oliver, Felix Großwendt, Arne Lüddecke, Arno Kwade, Arne Röttger, and Jan Torsten Sehrt. 2021. "Improved Process Efficiency in Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion of Nanoparticle Coated Maraging Tool Steel Powder" Materials 14, no. 13: 3465. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14133465