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Circumventing Solidification Cracking Susceptibility in Al-Cu Alloys Prepared by Laser Powder Bed Fusion
Lixia Xi1, Qiuyang Lu1, Dongdong Gu1
1Jiangsu Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Laser Additive Manufacturing of High-Performance Metallic Components, College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China.
3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing
|May 1, 2024
Summary
Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of aluminum-copper (Al-Cu) alloys can be prone to cracking. Optimizing laser power and scan speed is crucial for achieving dense, crack-free Al-Cu alloys with enhanced mechanical properties.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Additive Manufacturing
- Metallurgy
Background:
- Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of Al-Cu alloys is challenging due to wide solidification temperature ranges, leading to cracking.
- Understanding the influence of processing parameters on defect formation is critical for successful LPBF of these alloys.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of laser processing parameters on the densification and mechanical properties of LPBF-processed 2024 Al-Cu alloys.
- To analyze the solidification cracking susceptibility using finite element modeling.
- To identify optimal parameters for producing dense and crack-free 2024 Al-Cu alloy components.
Main Methods:
- Manufacturing of 2024 Al-Cu alloys using LPBF with varied laser power and scan speed.
- Analysis of porosity, cracks, and lack-of-fusion defects.
- Application of a finite element model to predict solidification cracking susceptibility.
- Mechanical property testing (hardness, tensile strength, elongation).
Main Results:
- Porosity increased with higher laser power; cracks and lack-of-fusion defects increased with higher scan speed.
- Optimal parameters (200 W laser power, 100 mm/s scan speed) yielded dense (>98.1%) and crack-free samples.
- Achieved high hardness (110±4 HV0.2), ultimate tensile strength (300±15 MPa), and elongation (~3%).
Conclusions:
- LPBF processing parameters significantly impact the densification, defect formation, and mechanical properties of 2024 Al-Cu alloys.
- Low laser power and low scan speed are identified as key for producing crack-free components.
- The findings provide a valuable reference for manufacturing high-performance Al-Cu alloys via LPBF.
