Additive Manufacturing of Metal Matrix Composites

This chapter helps the students to understand the concept of Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs), and to learn about applications of additive manufacturing (AM) technology in the fabrication of MMCs and possible challenges. There is a wide variety of manufacturing techniques available for MMCs. Based on the processing temperature of the matrix material, the conventional techniques of MMCs are generalized into four as follows: liquid‐phase methods, solid‐phase methods, solid/liquid dual‐phase methods, and deposition methods. The chapter emphasizes the fabrication of MMCs through powder‐based AM techniques. The method of composite manufacturing using AM can be accomplished through either the material deposition or a hybrid process, where the mixture of various materials can be done before AM. The chapter presents various particulate reinforced ferrous, titanium, aluminum, and nickel matrix composites manufactured through AM techniques. The most common manufacturing methods of ceramic particle‐strengthened t aluminum matrix composites are mechanical alloying, powder metallurgy, and stir casting.