The influence of a process interruption on tensile properties of AlSi10Mg samples produced by selective laser melting

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of a process interruption on the tensile properties of AlSi10Mg samples produced by selective laser melting (SLM). Design/methodology/approach Using identical processing parameters, cylindrical samples were produced in either a continuous or interrupted SLM build operation. The tensile properties and microstructure of the samples were determined as a function of process type as well as orientation. Findings All samples produced in this paper displayed superior tensile properties to those produced in high pressure die casting. In general, the samples produced in the continuous build process had higher strengths and microhardness than those produced in the interrupted process. However, while most samples displayed random failure locations, the vertical samples produced in the interrupted build process showed a strong tendency for localized failure in the vicinity of the stoppage plane. Originality/value This paper demonstrated that samples produced in an interrupted build process tend to have poorer mechanical properties than those produced in a continuous process. Together, these observations highlight the importance of a suitable technique for restarting and completing an interrupted build process to ensure the production of high quality components.