PBF-LB Process-Induced Regular Cavities for Lightweight AlSi10Mg Structures

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Additive Manufacturing
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Powder Bed Fusion with Laser Beam (PBF-LB) typically results in limited porosity (~13%) due to keyhole and lack-of-fusion defects.
• Existing defects are heterogeneously distributed, limiting their application in lightweight or damping designs.
• Digital pre-processing is currently required for targeted defect creation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel process-controlled method for manufacturing parts with controlled porosity.
• To demonstrate the use of the balling effect for targeted cavity formation.
• To achieve higher and regularly distributed porosity levels compared to conventional PBF-LB.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the balling effect in PBF-LB for controlled pore formation.
• Implementing a process-controlled strategy for reproducible manufacturing.
• Testing the method with AlSi10Mg material.

Main Results:

• Achieved reproducible manufacturing of solid parts with regularly distributed cavities.
• Reached up to 60% porosity in AlSi10Mg samples.
• Eliminated the need for time-consuming digital pre-processing.

Conclusions:

• The novel process-controlled method enables targeted and reproducible manufacturing of highly porous parts using the balling effect in PBF-LB.
• This technique offers a significant advancement over conventional methods, allowing for higher porosity levels and eliminating pre-processing steps.
• The developed approach opens new avenues for lightweight and damping applications in additive manufacturing.