Net-shape manufacturing using hybrid selective laser melting/hot isostatic pressing
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop a manufacturing technology using hybrid selective laser melting/hot isostatic pressing (SLM/HIP) process to produce full density net-shape components more rapidly and at lower cost than processing by SLM alone.
Design/methodology/approach
Ti-6Al-4V powder was encapsulated in situ by the production of as-SLMed shell prior to the HIP process. After HIPping, the SLM shell is an integral part of the final component. Finite element (FE) modelling based on pure plasticity theory of porous metal coupled with an iterative procedure has been adopted to simulate HIPping of the encapsulated Ti-6Al-4V powder and SLMed shell. Two demonstrator parts have been modelled, designed, produced and experimentally validated. Geometrical analysis and microstructural characterisation have been carried out to demonstrate the efficiency of the process.
Findings
The FE model is in agreement with the measured data obtained and confirms that the design of the shell affects the resulting deformed parts. In addition, the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Electron backscatter diffraction EBSD (EBSD) of the interior and exterior parts reveal a considerably different grain structure and crystallographic orientation with a good bonding between the SLMed shell and HIPped powder.
Originality/value
An approach to improve SLM productivity by combining it with HIP is developed to further innovate the advanced manufacturing field. The possibility of the hybrid SLS/HIP supported by FEA simulation as a net shape manufacturing process for fabrication of high performance parts has been demonstrated.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The work shown in this paper is part of an AMAZE project (Additive Manufacturing Aiming towards Zero Waste and Efficient Production of High-Tech Metal Products) and was financially sponsored by the Seventh European Frame Programme (FP7), Grant No. NMP-SE-2012-0313781. It was also supported by the EPSRC grant (EP/M507672/1).
Citation
Hassanin, H., Essa, K., Qiu, C., Abdelhafeez, A.M., Adkins, N.J.E. and Attallah, M.M. (2017), "Net-shape manufacturing using hybrid selective laser melting/hot isostatic pressing", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 23 No. 4, pp. 720-726. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-02-2016-0019
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited