Thermal conductivity of SLM deposited H13 steel

Hot-worked H13 tool steel was deposited using selective laser melting (SLM) process in different deposition conditions. The samples were deposited in 2 different directions: parallel and perpendicular to the base plate of SLM device. Thermal conductivity of the deposited samples was calculated on the base of laser flash measurements up to 700°C. Furthermore, the thermal expansion, specific heat, and thermal diffusivity of the deposited samples and their variations with different deposition conditions are also presented. To explain the measured differences in thermal properties, some metallographic studies together with porosity investigation are also provided. It was shown that all measured thermal properties of the samples are affected by temperature and that the microstructural defects play an important role for the resulting thermo-physical properties.