Influence of processing parameters on the evolution of melt pool, porosity, and microstructures in Ti-6Al-4V alloy parts fabricated by selective laser melting

Selective laser melting involves melting and solidification of metal powder particles in a track-by-track and layer-by-layer method to fabricate 3D parts. The present investigation focuses on understanding the effect of laser power and scan speed on the evolution of melt pool, porosity and multiple thermal cycling effects on the microstructure in parts fabricated using selective laser melting. In this study, Ti-6Al-4V pre-alloyed powder was used to produce single-track deposits and bulk parts. Using different combinations of laser power and scan speeds, single-track deposits and bulk parts were produced. The cross-sections of the single-track deposits and bulk samples were prepared for metallographic observations and the melt pool shape and size and porosity were evaluated. When a low energy density was applied the un-melted powder particles produced irregularly shaped porosity, and a high energy density resulted in rounded porosity, which was due to keyhole effects. The samples produced with a proper combination of power and speeds were fully dense. Further, microstructural development under the influence of process condition was highlighted. Overall, the study demonstrates a good correlation between the single-track melt pool geometries, porosity in bulk parts and also demonstrates the microstructural inhomogeneity during deposition.