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Recent Advances in Metal Powder Based Additive Manufacturing

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Metals and Alloys".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 March 2024) | Viewed by 9917

Special Issue Editors

State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, China
Interests: additive manufacturing; biomedical materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
School of Engineering, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, UK
Interests: laser welding, laser material processing in body-in-white and lithium-ion battery manufacturing; additive manufacturing; digital manufacturing; advanced material joining technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry and Industrial Design, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ronda de Valencia, 3, 28012 Madrid, Spain
Interests: deformation micromechanics; creep; additive manufacturing; light alloys; materials characterisation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Metal-powder-based additive manufacturing (AM) consists of a number of emerging technologies, such as powder bed fusion or the direct deposition of powders by lasers or electron beams. These enable us to produce load-bearing components or structures with extremely complex geometries, as well as providing unique opportunities for the tailored microstructure and design of new materials. In contrast to conventional manufacturing technologies, such as casting, forging and hot rolling, AM offers much greater degrees of freedom in manufacturing and can also significantly reduce the production steps and material waste. However, conventional materials may not be suitable for AM processes, and the lack of processable materials has hindered its wider adoption. Understanding the evolution of microstructure and the resulting material’s behavior is key for developing novel materials for AM processes.

This Special Issue welcomes original research and high-quality comprehensive reviews on recent advances in metal-powder-based additive manufacturing. The focus of this topic includes the design of new alloy compositions, developing the understanding of microstructure evolution and the impacts on mechanical properties. Material systems of interest include, but are not limited to, structural materials, different types of steels, aluminium, titanium, nickel, copper, cobalt-based alloys, refractory metals, shape-memory alloys, high-entropy alloys, and bulk metallic glasses.

Contributing papers are solicited in the following fields:

  • Novel alloy design tailored for AM;
  • Novel metal powder AM processes;
  • Multi-materials processing in AM;
  • Microstructural evolution during the AM processes;
  • Microstructure and property relationships of AM components;
  • Microstructural response of AM components to post-processing conditions.

Prof. Dr. Hong Wu
Dr. Yingtao Tian
Dr. Alberto Orozco Caballero
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • metal powder materials
  • powder bed fusion
  • direct energy deposition
  • binder jetting
  • microstructures and properties
  • post-processing of AM components

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 174 KiB  
Editorial
Recent Advances in Metal Powder-Based Additive Manufacturing
by Hong Wu, Yaojia Ren, Yingtao Tian and Alberto Orozco Caballero
Materials 2023, 16(11), 3975; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16113975 - 26 May 2023
Viewed by 837
Abstract
Over the past two decades, laser additive manufacturing technology has evolved rapidly and has been applied in many industrial sectors [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Metal Powder Based Additive Manufacturing)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

12 pages, 5072 KiB  
Article
Tailored Time–Temperature Transformation Diagram for IN718 Alloy Obtained via Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing: Phase Behavior and Precipitation Dynamic
by Julio Cesar Franco-Correa, Enrique Martínez-Franco, Celso Eduardo Cruz-González, Juan Manuel Salgado-López and Jhon Alexander Villada-Villalobos
Materials 2023, 16(23), 7280; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16237280 - 22 Nov 2023
Viewed by 941
Abstract
Experimental and computational approaches were used to study the microstructure of IN718 produced via powder bed fusion additive manufacturing (PBF-AM). The presence, chemical composition, and distribution of stable and metastable phases (γ′′, δ, MC, and Laves) were also analyzed. The information obtained from [...] Read more.
Experimental and computational approaches were used to study the microstructure of IN718 produced via powder bed fusion additive manufacturing (PBF-AM). The presence, chemical composition, and distribution of stable and metastable phases (γ′′, δ, MC, and Laves) were also analyzed. The information obtained from the microstructural study was used to construct a tailored time–temperature transformation (TTT) diagram customized for additive manufacturing of IN718. Experimental techniques, including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), were employed to establish the morphological, chemical, and structural characteristics of the microstructure. The Thermo-Calc software and a Scheil–Gulliver model were used to analyze the presence and behavior of phase transformations during heating and cooling processes under non-thermodynamic equilibrium conditions, typical of AM processes. Unlike conventional TTT diagrams of this alloy, the diagram presented here reveals that the precipitation of γ′′ and δ phases occurs at lower temperatures and shorter times in AM-manufactured parts. Significantly, the superposition of γ′′ and δ phase curves in the proposed diagram underscores the interdependence between these phases. This TTT diagram is a valuable insight that can help in the development of heat treatment processes and quality control for IN718 produced via PBF-AM. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Metal Powder Based Additive Manufacturing)
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10 pages, 4194 KiB  
Communication
Fabricating Inner Channels in Laser Additive Manufacturing Process via Thin-Plate-Preplacing Method
by Junke Jiao, Shengyuan Sun, Zifa Xu, Jiale Wang, Liyuan Sheng and Jicheng Gao
Materials 2023, 16(19), 6406; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16196406 - 26 Sep 2023
Viewed by 534
Abstract
This paper presents a hybrid manufacturing process for the preparation of complex cavity structure parts with high surface quality. Firstly, laser precision packaging technology is utilized to accurately connect a thin plate to a substrate with microchannel. Secondly, Direct Metal Laser-Sintering (DMLS) technology [...] Read more.
This paper presents a hybrid manufacturing process for the preparation of complex cavity structure parts with high surface quality. Firstly, laser precision packaging technology is utilized to accurately connect a thin plate to a substrate with microchannel. Secondly, Direct Metal Laser-Sintering (DMLS) technology is utilized to completely shape the part. The morphology and microstructure of laser encapsulated specimens and DMLS molded parts were investigated. The results show that the thin plate and the substrate can form a good metallurgical bond. The lowest surface roughness of the DMLS molded parts was 1.18 μm. The perpendicularity between the top of the microchannel and the side wall was optimal when the laser power was 240 W. Consequently, the hybrid manufacturing process effectively solves the problems of poor surface quality and powder sticking of closed inner cavities. The method effectively eliminates the defects of adhesive powder in the inner cavity of the DMLS microchannel, improves the finish, and solves the problem that mechanical tools cannot be processed inside the microchannel, which lays the foundation for the research of DMLS high-quality microchannel process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Metal Powder Based Additive Manufacturing)
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21 pages, 8716 KiB  
Article
Mechanical and Surface Characteristics of Selective Laser Melting-Manufactured Dental Prostheses in Different Processing Stages
by Edgar Moraru, Alina-Maria Stoica, Octavian Donțu, Sorin Cănănău, Nicolae-Alexandru Stoica, Victor Constantin, Daniela-Doina Cioboată and Liliana-Laura Bădiță-Voicu
Materials 2023, 16(18), 6141; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16186141 - 09 Sep 2023
Viewed by 975
Abstract
Due to the expansion of the use of powder bed fusion metal additive technologies in the medical field, especially for the realization of dental prostheses, in this paper, the authors propose a comparative experimental study of the mechanical characteristics and the state of [...] Read more.
Due to the expansion of the use of powder bed fusion metal additive technologies in the medical field, especially for the realization of dental prostheses, in this paper, the authors propose a comparative experimental study of the mechanical characteristics and the state of their microscale surfaces. The comparison was made from material considerations starting from two dental alloys commonly used to realize dental prostheses: Ni-Cr and Co-Cr, but also technologies for obtaining selective laser melting (SLM) and conventional casting. In addition, to compare the performances with the classical casting technology, for the dental prostheses obtained through SLM, the post-processing stage in which they are in a preliminary finishing and polished state was considered. Therefore, for the determination of important mechanical characteristics and the comparative study of dental prostheses, the indentation test was used, after which the hardness, penetration depths (maximum, permanent, and contact depth), contact stiffness, and contact surface were established, and for the determination of the microtopography of the surfaces, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used, obtaining the local areal roughness parameters at the miniaturized scale—surface average roughness, root-mean-square roughness (RMS), and peak-to-peak values. Following the research carried out, several interesting conclusions were drawn, and the superiority of the SLM technology over the classic casting method for the production of dental prostheses in terms of some mechanical properties was highlighted. At the same time, the degree of finishing of dental prostheses made by SLM has a significant impact on the mechanical characteristics and especially the local roughness parameters on a miniaturized scale, and if we consider the same degree of finishing, no major differences are observed in the roughness parameters of the surfaces of the prostheses produced by different technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Metal Powder Based Additive Manufacturing)
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16 pages, 6735 KiB  
Article
Microstructural Evolution, Mechanical Properties and Tribological Behavior of B4C-Reinforced Ti In Situ Composites Produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion
by Jingguang Du, Yaojia Ren, Xinyan Liu, Feng Xu, Xiaoteng Wang, Runhua Zhou, Ian Baker and Hong Wu
Materials 2023, 16(13), 4890; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16134890 - 07 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1042
Abstract
Based on the advantage of rapid net-shape fabrication, laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is utilized to process B4C-reinforced Ti composites. The effect of volumetric energy density (VED) on the relative density, microstructural evolution, tensile properties and wear behaviors of [...] Read more.
Based on the advantage of rapid net-shape fabrication, laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is utilized to process B4C-reinforced Ti composites. The effect of volumetric energy density (VED) on the relative density, microstructural evolution, tensile properties and wear behaviors of B4C-reinforced Ti composites were systematically investigated. The LPBF-ed samples with high relative density (>99%) can be achieved, while the pores and un-melted powders can be observed in the sample owing to the low energy input (33 J/mm3). The additive particulates B4C were transformed into needle-like TiB whiskers with nano-scale while C dissolved in the Ti matrix. Fine-scale grains (<10 μm) with random crystallographic orientation can be achieved and the residual stress shows a downtrend as the VED increases. Through the analysis of the tensile and wear tests, the sample at 61 J/mm3 VED showed a good combination of strength and wear performance, with an ultimate tensile strength of 951 MPa and a wear rate of 3.91 × 10−4 mm3·N−1m−1. The microstructural evolution in VED changes and the corresponding underlying strengthening mechanisms of LPBF-ed Ti + B4C composites are conducted in detail. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Metal Powder Based Additive Manufacturing)
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20 pages, 8487 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Co on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Ni-Based Superalloys Prepared via Selective Laser Melting
by Xiaoqiong Ouyang, Feng Liu, Lan Huang, Lin Ye, Heng Dong, Liming Tan, Li Wang, Xiaochao Jin and Yong Liu
Materials 2023, 16(7), 2926; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16072926 - 06 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1475
Abstract
In this work, two Ni-based superalloys with 13 wt.% and 35 wt.% Co were prepared via selective laser melting (SLM), and the effects of Co on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the additively manufactured superalloys were investigated. As the Co fraction increased [...] Read more.
In this work, two Ni-based superalloys with 13 wt.% and 35 wt.% Co were prepared via selective laser melting (SLM), and the effects of Co on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the additively manufactured superalloys were investigated. As the Co fraction increased from 13 wt.% to 35 wt.%, the average grain size decreased from 25.69 μm to 17.57 μm, and the size of the nano-phases significantly increased from 80.54 nm to 230 nm. Moreover, the morphology of the γ′ phase changed from that of a cuboid to a sphere, since Co decreased the γ/γ′ lattice mismatch from 0.64% to 0.19%. At room temperature, the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the 13Co alloy reached 1379 MPa and 1487.34 MPa, and those of the 35Co alloy were reduced to 1231 MPa and 1350 MPa, while the elongation increased by 52%. The theoretical calculation indicated that the precipitation strengthening derived from the γ′ precipitates made the greatest contribution to the strength. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Metal Powder Based Additive Manufacturing)
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15 pages, 8773 KiB  
Article
Structure and Mechanical Properties of Cu–Al–Mn Alloys Fabricated by Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing
by Evgeny Moskvichev, Nikolay Shamarin and Alexey Smolin
Materials 2023, 16(1), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16010123 - 22 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1388
Abstract
In this work, the method of electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM) was used to fabricate a Cu-based alloy possessing a shape memory effect. Electron beam additive technology is especially relevant for copper and its alloys since the process is carried out in a [...] Read more.
In this work, the method of electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM) was used to fabricate a Cu-based alloy possessing a shape memory effect. Electron beam additive technology is especially relevant for copper and its alloys since the process is carried out in a vacuum, which makes it possible to circumvent oxidation. The main purpose of the study was to establish the influence of the printing parameters on the structure of the obtained products, their phase composition, mechanical properties, dry friction behavior, and the structure-phase gradient that formed in Cu–Al–Mn alloy samples during electron beam layer-by-layer printing. The results of the study allowed us to reveal that the structure-phase composition, the mechanical properties, and the tribological performance of the fabricated material are mainly affected by the magnitude of heat input during electron beam additive printing of Cu–Al–Mn alloy. High heat input values led to the formation of the β1′ + α decomposed structure. Low heat input values enabled the suppression of decomposition and the formation of an ordered 1 structure. The microhardness values were distributed on a gradient from 2.0 to 2.75 GPa. Fabricated samples demonstrated different behaviors in friction and wear depending on their composition and structure, with the value of the friction coefficient lying in the range between 0.1 and 0.175. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Metal Powder Based Additive Manufacturing)
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20 pages, 4546 KiB  
Article
Programmable Density of Laser Additive Manufactured Parts by Considering an Inverse Problem
by Mika León Altmann, Stefan Bosse, Christian Werner, Rainer Fechte-Heinen and Anastasiya Toenjes
Materials 2022, 15(20), 7090; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15207090 - 12 Oct 2022
Viewed by 1593
Abstract
In this Article, the targeted adjustment of the relative density of laser additive manufactured components made of AlSi10Mg is considered. The interest in demand-oriented process parameters is steadily increasing. Thus, shorter process times and lower unit costs can be achieved with decreasing component [...] Read more.
In this Article, the targeted adjustment of the relative density of laser additive manufactured components made of AlSi10Mg is considered. The interest in demand-oriented process parameters is steadily increasing. Thus, shorter process times and lower unit costs can be achieved with decreasing component densities. Especially when hot isostatic pressing is considered as a post-processing step. In order to be able to generate process parameters automatically, a model hypothesis is learned via artificial neural networks (ANN) for a density range from 70% to almost 100%, based on a synthetic dataset with equally distributed process parameters and a statistical test series with 256 full factorial combined instances. This allows the achievable relative density to be predicted from given process parameters. Based on the best model, a database approach and supervised training of concatenated ANNs are developed to solve the inverse parameter prediction problem for a target density. In this way, it is possible to generate a parameter prediction model for the high-dimensional result space through constraints that are shown with synthetic test data sets. The presented concatenated ANN model is able to reproduce the origin distribution. The relative density of synthetic data can be predicted with an R2-value of 0.98. The mean build rate can be increased by 12% with the formulation of a hint during the backward model training. The application of the experimental data shows increased fuzziness related to the big data gaps and a small number of instances. For practical use, this algorithm could be trained on increased data sets and can be expanded by properties such as surface quality, residual stress, or mechanical strength. With knowledge of the necessary (mechanical) properties of the components, the model can be used to generate appropriate process parameters. This way, the processing time and the amount of scrap parts can be reduced. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Metal Powder Based Additive Manufacturing)
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