Description
Selective Laser Melting (SLM), as a leading metal-based Additive Manufacturing technology, has constantly evolved in the past years, but it is still a cost-intense manufacturing technology. One of the major reasons for this is the slow build rate for parts produced by SLM machines. To address this problem, this study presents advanced parameters for the processing of 316L stainless steel which increase the build rate.At first, the cost structure of SLM process was analyzed and the build time as a main cost driver soon could be identified. Different scenarios where selected to simulate the influence of relevant scanning parameters on the build time. Promising sets of scanning parameters were found and test samples were fabricated. To evaluate their properties, the relative density, surface roughness and microstructure were investigated. The results indicate that the scanning parameter influence the build time significantly. The build time was reduced up to 45 % depending on the chosen scenario whereas the relative density stayed at high ranges of above 98 %. In addition, the inclination angle as a further characteristic value in SLM processing could be enhanced by 15°, which reduces the amount of necessary support structures and its work -intensive removal as a consequence. The results showed that the use of optimized scanning parameters is an effective method to improve the cost efficiency of the SLM process.
| Period | 27 Nov 2019 |
|---|---|
| Event title | Metal Additive Manufacturing Conference 2019 |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Örebro, SwedenShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |
Fields of Expertise
- Mobility & Production