Effects of scanning methods on cracking, microstructures and microhardness of Inconel 625 parts formed by direct laser metal deposition

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the effects of scanning methods on the stress distribution and microstructures of Inconel 625 thin-walled part fabricated by direct laser metal deposition. The results showed that with the single direction scanning (SDS) method, the residual stress at both the ends of the thin wall was relatively high while the stress at the middle was smaller with a stress difference of about 1800 MPa. In contrast, with the reverse direction scanning (RDS) method, the residual stress in the thin wall was distributed relatively evenly, with a stress difference of about 350 MPa between both the ends and the center. The experimental results showed that, in the SDS method, cracks occurred at both ends and in the middle of the thin wall, whereas in the RDS method, warping and cracks phenomena were eliminated. The microstructure of the Inconel 625 in the forming layer is characterized by a columnar crystal structure that has a small length and grows perpendicularly to the scanning direction. This growth is continuous between the forming layers. In both cases, the microhardness increases with the height of the formed layers. The microhardness values are relatively uniform with values ranging from 420 to 450 HV.