Microstructure and tensile properties of Ti-6Al-4V alloys manufactured by selective laser melting with optimized processing parameters

Selective laser melting (SLM) is a precise additive manufacturing process that the metallic powders without binder are melted layer by layer to complex components using a high bright fiber laser. In the paper, Ti-6Al-4V alloy was fabricated by SLM and its microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated in order to evaluate the SLM process. The results show that the microstructure exists anisotropy between the horizontal and vertical section due to the occurrence of epitaxial growth, and the former microstructure seems equal-axis and the latter is column. Moreover, there is little difference in tensile test between the horizontal and vertical sections. Furthermore, the tensile properties of fabricated Ti-6Al-4V alloy by SLM are higher than the forged standard ones. However, the fatigue results show that there are some scatters, which need further investigation to define the fatigue initiation. (paper)