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Materials Science in Additive Manufacturing Quality of a 3D-printed steel part

used to selectively fuse specific regions of a powder bed.
This method is currently the most widely used for metal
3D printing. In these systems, a thin layer of metal powder
is spread across a build platform, and a cross-sectional
portion of the part is selectively melted within the powder
layer. For clarity, this study will refer exclusively to the
LPBF process, in accordance with ISO/ASTM 52900:2021,
5
despite the fact that alternate terminologies such as SLM,
LBM, and direct metal laser sintering have also been used
in the literature. When strictly adhering to the IST/ASTM
standard, the acronym PBF-LB/M specifically applies to
laser-based powder bed fusion of metals. Most powder
bed fusion systems utilize LPBF technology, where high-
powered lasers are used to fuse metal layers together. After
printing, an operator extracts the part(s) from the powder
bed, detaches them from the build plate, and carries out
post-processing. LPBF has become the industry standard
for metal AM, with the majority of companies in the field
now offering LPBF machines. Figure 1. TRUMPF TruPrint 1000 machine, advocated the most
productive machine in its class, providing all of the benefits of AM and
As the most mature form of metal 3D printing, LPBF laser metal fusion for complex, metallic components (top-left); printing
is frequently used as the benchmark against which other in progress of the demonstration tool steel part (top-right); the operating
technologies are measured. LPBF-printed parts are ideal principle of metal 3D printing explained in brief (bottom)
Source: TRUMPF (top left and bottom images)
for precise, geometrically complex components that would
be impossible to machine in any other way. They are used
in a wide variety of applications, ranging from dentistry to 1000 is capable of producing components in virtually any
aerospace. Build volumes range from very small (100 mm geometric shape. Even relatively complex shapes can be
3
3
cube) to very large (800 × 500 × 400 mm ), with a moderate converted from the CAD design to a 3D metallic component
print speed. Precision is determined by the laser beam quickly and easily and with excellent quality. The TruPrint
width and layer height of these machines. The majority of 1000 can be used to generate small industrial single parts
materials currently available for 3D printing can be used and series. In addition, you can achieve an increase in
on an LPBF machine. productivity of up to 80% and maximum flexibility when
processing customer orders with the multilaser option. The
While these machines are revolutionary, they are multiplate option extends the machine’s runtime for the
limited to industrial users due to a variety of facility and TruPrint 1000. It has a build cylinder that can accommodate
post-processing requirements. LPBF machines must be up to four substrate plates that change automatically without
operated by trained professionals. Due to the intricate interrupting the laser metal fusion process. TRUMPF is now
nature of the process, numerous components must be advocated to offer the most productive 3D printer system
printed and tweaked several times before results are for the dental sector, the TruPrint 1000, for the creation
obtained. Following printing, the majority of parts require of dental prostheses. In addition, the digital connection to
extensive post-processing and heat treatment. In addition, milling stations is a highlight. This enables the development
the metal powder that these machines utilize is extremely of novel, highly precise dental products. Truprint 1000 is
dangerous and costly to handle; the majority of fully baked capable of processing a variety of materials, including metal
LPBF machines cost upwards of $1 million to implement powders for welding, such as stainless steels, tool steels,
and require a dedicated technician to operate. aluminum, nickel-based alloys (maraging steel), cobalt-
In this study, we employed a TRUMPF TruPrint 1000 chrome, copper, titanium, and precious metal alloys, as well
LPBF system (TRUMPF, Germany) (Figure 1). The machine as amorphous metals. On request, the company provides
has a cylindrical build volume of 100 mm in diameter and the current availability of materials and their parameters.
100 mm in height, with a 100 W fiber laser and a beam Aluminum and titanium are only available with the addition
spot diameter of about 55 μm. It operates under an inert of a glove box and a high-resolution oxygen sensor.
argon atmosphere, and layer thicknesses can range from The AM process chain begins with the preparation of
20 to 50 μm. These features make it suitable for processing data for the 3D design and production program. Materialze’s
maraging steel and other metal powders. The TruPrint intuitive process chain, when combined with the TRUMPF

Volume 4 Issue 2 (2025) 4 doi: 10.36922/MSAM025040002