Analysis of the Part Distortions for Inconel 718 SLM: A Case Study on the NIST Test Artifact

The present paper evaluates the misalignment and geometry distortion of the standard National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) test artifact in Inconel 718 alloy, when several layers with and without supports are employed to manufacture it by the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process. To this end, a coordinate-measuring machine (CMM) is used to measure the geometrical distortion in each manufacturing configuration, following the same measurement protocol. The results show that the laser path strategy favors a thermal gradient which, consequently, induces geometrical distortions in the part. To prove this hypothesis, a numerical simulation is performed to determine the thermal gradient and the pattern of the residual stresses. It was found that the geometrical distortion certainly depends on the position of the feature position and laser strategy, where thermal cycles and residual thermal stresses had an impact in the end-part geometry, especially if a high strength-to-weight ratio commonly used in aeronautics is present.