Effect of forming parameters on electron beam Surfi-Sculpt protrusion for Ti–6Al–4V

Highlights: • Optimised forming parameters were obtained for the largest protrusion growth rate. • Protrusion were found to contain a mixture of primary α, α′ and β phases. • The micro-hardness within the heat-affected zone (HAZ) was increased due to high density of martensite. - Abstract: The development of electron beam Surfi-Sculpt enables many types of protrusions in a wide range of metallic materials to be tailored. The effect of forming parameters, including heat input and scanning frequency on the quality of protrusions and microstructure evolution was studied. The micro-hardness of heat affected zone was greater than that of the molten zone and parent material. Forming parameters were optimised by comparing the height of the protrusion. This study can provide guidance for an optimum protrusion design