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Production of Dense Cu-10Sn Part by Laser Powder Bed Fusion with Low Surface Roughness and High Dimensional Accuracy
Flaviana Calignano1,2, Diego Manfredi2,3,4, Silvia Marola4
1Department of Management and Production Engineering (DIGEP), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi, 24, 10129 Torino, Italy.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 20, 2022
Summary
This study optimized laser powder bed fusion for Cu-10Sn bronze, achieving fully dense parts with high accuracy and low surface roughness. Optimal parameters were identified, showing volumetric energy density is an oversimplified metric.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Additive Manufacturing
- Metallurgy
Background:
- Tin-bronze alloys, particularly Cu-10Sn, offer superior mechanical, wear, and corrosion resistance.
- Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) is a promising additive manufacturing technique for metal alloys.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify optimal LPBF process parameters for Cu-10Sn alloy production.
- To achieve fully dense samples with low surface roughness and high dimensional accuracy.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a design of experiment (DoE) approach with a 500W Yb:YAG laser.
- Characterized sample density using Archimedes' method and optical microscopy.
- Performed microhardness testing for mechanical evaluation.
Main Results:
- Identified a set of process parameters yielding fully dense Cu-10Sn samples.
- Achieved low surface roughness and high dimensional accuracy.
- Found Archimedes' method less reliable than optical microscopy for density determination.
Conclusions:
- Optimal LPBF parameters enable high-quality Cu-10Sn alloy production.
- Volumetric energy density is an insufficient parameter for predicting process outcomes.
- Further investigation into process-structure relationships is warranted.
