ADDRESSING CHALLENGES IN ENHANCING STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND PERFORMANCE THROUGH ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF METAL ALLOYS

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of additive manufacturing (AM) process parameters on the structural integrity and mechanical performance of titanium and aluminum alloys. Using selective laser melting (SLM), specimens were produced under varying laser power and scanning speed conditions to assess their ultimate tensile strength (UTS), yield strength, fatigue resistance, and fracture toughness. The results revealed that higher laser power significantly improved the UTS of titanium alloys but led to a reduction in elongation, indicating a trade-off between strength and ductility. In contrast, the scanning speed had a more pronounced effect on aluminum alloys, where slower speeds resulted in stronger materials. The fatigue life of materials improved considerably after post-processing heat treatment while the aluminum alloys demonstrated specific advantages through enhanced cycle performances.  The strength of fractures proved better following heat treatment as aluminum alloys demonstrated outstanding toughness improvements above raw specimens.  The AM processing conditions allowed titanium alloys to produce fewer defects than aluminum alloys when analyzed via microstructural evaluations.  The finite element analysis (FEA) predicted both temperature distributions and cooling rate patterns which validated against experimental results while demonstrating how cooling speed affects residual stresses as well as defect distribution during AM processing.  Post-processing techniques and suitable processing parameters function as essential elements for enhancing both reliability and performance characteristics of AM metal alloys according to the study outcomes.  The research presented viable insights for improving the quality of components from additive manufacturing which are particularly essential for aerospace and medical products.  Research in the future should work on enhancing the optimization techniques and studying extended performance behavior of components manufactured using AM technology.