Page 34 - MSAM-2-2

Materials Science in

Additive Manufacturing

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Preliminary investigation on tensile and fatigue

properties of Ti6Al4V manufactured by selected
laser melting

Zhen Lu , Sandra Leong Lai San , Ming Jen Tan *, Jia An , Yi Zhang ,
1
1,2
4
3
1
and Chee Kai Chua 3
1 Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Block N3.1-B2C-03, 639798, Singapore
2 SLM Solutions Singapore Pte. Ltd., #03-57, 25 International Business Park, 609916, Singapore
3 Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), 8 Somapah Road, Building 1, Level 3,
487372, Singapore
4 University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Shahe Campus: No.4, Section 2,
North Jianshe Road, 610054, China

Abstract

Selective laser melting (SLM) is a promising additive manufacturing method
that falls under the category of powder bed fusion (PBF) technology. It has many
advantages such as material versatility, efficiency, and the ability to print complex
parts without additional machining. However, its surface quality and fatigue
properties have been found to be inferior to traditional manufacturing methods.
Process-related defects such as pores, incomplete fusion, and un-melted powders
give rise to areas of stress concentrations, which lead to mechanical inferiority such
*Corresponding author:
Ming Jen Tan as poor fatigue strength. This study aims to investigate and optimize the printing
(mmjtan@ntu.edu.sg) process parameters for Ti6Al4V fabricated by SLM to reduce process-related defects
Citation: Lu Z, San SLL, Tan MJ, and to investigate their relative density, tensile, and fatigue properties. Ti6Al4V
et al., 2023, Preliminary investigation specimens were printed in both 30- and 130-μm layer thicknesses using SLM280
on tensile and fatigue properties of and subjected to tensile and fatigue testing according to ASTM standards. The
Ti6Al4V manufactured by selected
laser melting. Mater Sci Add Manuf, relative density of Ti6Al4V samples built by 30-μm layer thickness is 99.97 ± 0.02 %
2(2): 0912. (n = 8). The relative density of Ti6Al4V samples built by 130-μm layer thickness is
https://doi.org/10.36922/msam.0912 99.96 ± 0.02 % (n = 8). The average ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of specimens with
Received: May 5, 2023 30-μm layer thickness is 1152.8 ± 23.8 MPa (n = 4). The average UTS of specimens
with 130-μm layer thickness is 1075.5 ± 46.8 MPa (n = 4). S/N curve of the fatigue
Accepted: June 8, 2023
performance of Ti6Al4V samples printed by 30-μm layer thickness was also obtained.
Published Online: June 22, 2023 Possible factors impacting the tensile property of SLM-produced parts, such as
Copyright: © 2023 Author(s). layer thickness, build orientation, and post-process, are discussed in this paper.
This is an Open Access article Furthermore, crack propagation and surface quality were observed using optical
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution microscopes, laser scanning microscopes, and scanning electron microscopes. The
License, permitting distribution, findings of this study will contribute to the improvement of SLM-printed Ti6Al4V
and reproduction in any medium, parts, which can be potentially applied in the aerospace industry, where fatigue
provided the original work is
properly cited. strength is critical to ensuring safety.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with Keywords: Additive manufacturing; 3D printing; Selective laser melting; Fatigue
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional property; Ti6Al4V
affiliations.

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2023) 1 https://doi.org/10.36922/msam.0912