The influence of laser power and scan speed on the dimensional accuracy of Ti6Al4V thin-walled parts manufactured by selective laser melting

Abstract

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) technologies such as Selective Laser Melting (SLM) are being increasingly considered as viable production routes. This paradigm change demands an in-depth understanding of the fabrication process and variables, as previous studies have shown that energy density calculation alone is insufficient, because parts fabricated using similar energy density, but using different combinations of parameters, can display significantly different properties and dimensions. Thin-walled parts are particularly influenced by processing parameters; in this sense, this study explores the influence of laser power and scan speed on the dimensions of Ti6Al4V thin-walled tubes. Predictive models for manufacturing Ti6Al4V thin-walled tubes were developed using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), and the most influential (single and combined) factors were determined using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Three models were obtained: for the wall melt zone thickness, the total wall thickness, and the hole width.