Structure and Mechanical Properties of AlSi10Mg Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting Additive Manufacturing (SLM-AM)

Additive manufacturing (AM) of metals is a relatively novel fabrication approach with growing interests in many industries. The AM process is based on building products originating from 3-D computer models, through localized melting of powder in a layered structure. The present research focused on the metallurgical investigation of AM AlSi10Mg parts fabricated by SLM-AM. The macrostructure of the product is a collage of solidified track segments, which were remelted several times by the adjacent neighboring tracks. The microstructure consists of fine cellular dendrites, which reflect high thermal gradients and rapid progression of the scanning laser during the AM process. The building strategy is crucial for the successful layer by layer additive process and the properties of the components. It was established that AM products yield higher mechanical properties than that for the parts fabricated by casting. Feasibility of AM parts joining by Electron Beam Welding (EBW) method is discussed.