In this study, AlSi10Mg powders with average diameters of 44 μm are additively manufactured into bulk samples using a selective laser melting (SLM) process. Post-heat treatment to reduce residual stress in the as-synthesized sample is performed at different temperatures. From the results of a tensile test, as the heat-treatment temperature increases from 270 to 320°C, strength decreases while elongation significantly increases up to 13% at 320°C. The microstructures and tensile properties of the two heat-treated samples at 290 and 320°C, respectively, are characterized and compared to those of the as-synthesized samples. Interestingly, the Si-rich phases that network in the as-synthesized state are discontinuously separated, and the size of the particle-shaped Si phases becomes large and spherical as the heat-treatment temperature increases. Due to these morphological changes of Si-rich phases, the reduction in tensile strengths and increase in elongations, respectively, can be obtained by the post-heat treatment process. These results provide fundamental information for the practical applications of AlSi10Mg parts fabricated by SLM.

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• Wear behavior of aluminum-matrix particle (TiH2 and ZrH2)-reinforced composite foam additively manufactured using directed energy deposition
  Hwa-Jeong Kim, Gwang-Yong Shin, Ki-Yong Lee, Do-Sik Shim
  Journal of Materials Research and Technology.2023; 25: 222.     CrossRef
• Effect of Microstructural Evolution on Mechanical Properties and Fracture Modes of AlSi10Mg Blocks Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting after Stress Relief Annealing
  Jianzhu Li, Yujie Li, Zhe Wang, Changguang Li, Hai Yuan, Yun Hao
  Advanced Engineering Materials.2022;[Epub]     CrossRef

The directed energy deposition (DED) process of metal 3D printing technologies has been treated as an effective method for welding, repairing, and even 3-dimensional building of machinery parts. In this study, stainless steel 316L (STS316L) and Inconel 625 (IN625) alloy powders are additively manufactured using the DED process, and the microstructure of the fabricated STS316L/IN625 sample is investigated. In particular, there are no secondary phases in the interface between STS316L and the IN625 alloy. The EDS and Vickers hardness results clearly show compositionally and mechanically transient layers a few tens of micrometers in thickness. Interestingly, several cracks are only observed in the STS 316L rather than in the IN625 alloy near the interface. In addition, small-sized voids 200–400 nm in diameter that look like trapped pores are present in both materials. The cracks present near the interface are formed by tensile stress in STS316L caused by the difference in the CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) between the two materials during the DED process. These results can provide fundamental information for the fabrication of machinery parts that require joining of two materials, such as valves.

Aluminum (Al) - based powders have attracted attention as key materials for 3D printing because of their excellent specific mechanical strength, formability, and durability. Although many studies on the fabrication of 3Dprinted Al-based alloys have been reported, the influence of the size of raw powder materials on the bulk samples processed by selective laser melting (SLM) has not been fully investigated. In this study, AlSi10Mg powders of 65 μm in average particle size, prepared by a gas atomizing process, are additively manufactured by using an SLM process. AlSi10Mg powders of 45 μm average size are also fabricated into bulk samples in order to compare their properties. The processing parameters of laser power and scan speed are optimized to achieve densified AlSi10Mg alloys. The Vickers hardness value of the bulk sample prepared from 45 μm-sized powders is somewhat higher than that of the 65 μm-sized powder. Such differences in hardness are analyzed because the reduction in melt pool size stems from the rapid melting and solidification of small powders, compared to those of coarse powders, during the SLM process. These results show that the size of the powder should be considered in order to achieve optimization of the SLM process.

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• Laser Soldering Process Optimization of MEMS Probe of Probe Card for Semiconductor Wafer Test
  Myeongin Kim, Won Sik Hong, Mi-Song Kim
  Journal of Welding and Joining.2022; 40(3): 271.     CrossRef
• Investigation on Interfacial Microstructures of Stainless Steel/Inconel Bonded by Directed Energy Deposition of alloy Powders
  Yeong Seong Eom, Kyung Tae Kim, Soo-Ho Jung, Jihun Yu, Dong Yeol Yang, Jungho Choe, Chul Yong Sim, Seung Jun An
  Journal of Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute.2020; 27(3): 219.     CrossRef

In this study, Al-Si-Mg alloys are additively manufactured using a selective laser melting (SLM) process from AlSi10Mg powders prepared from a gas-atomization process. The processing parameters such as laser scan speed and laser power are investigated for 3D printing of Al-Si-Mg alloys. The laser scan speeds vary from 100 to 2000 mm/s at the laser power of 180 and 270W, respectively, to achieve optimized densification of the Al-Si-Mg alloy. It is observed that the relative density of the Al-Si-Mg alloy reaches a peak value of 99% at 1600 mm/s for 180W and at 2000 mm/s for 270W. The surface morphologies of the both Al-Si-Mg alloy samples at these conditions show significantly reduced porosities compared to those of other samples. The increase in hardness of as-built Al-Si-Mg alloy with increasing scan speed and laser power is analyzed due to high relative density. Furthermore, it was found that cooling conditions after the heat-treatment for homogenization results in the change of dispersion status of Si phases in the Al-Si matrix but also affects tensile behaviors of Al-Si-Mg alloys. These results indicate that combination between SLM processing parameters and post-heat treatment should be considered a key factor to achieve optimized Al-Si alloy performance.

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• Fabrication and mechanical properties of Al–Si-based alloys by selective laser melting process
  Yeong Seong Eom, Kyung Tae Kim, Dong Won Kim, Soo ho Jung, Jung Woo Nam, Dong Yeol Yang, Jungho Choe, Ji Hun Yu, Injoon Son
  Powder Metallurgy.2021; 64(3): 198.     CrossRef
• Investigation on Interfacial Microstructures of Stainless Steel/Inconel Bonded by Directed Energy Deposition of alloy Powders
  Yeong Seong Eom, Kyung Tae Kim, Soo-Ho Jung, Jihun Yu, Dong Yeol Yang, Jungho Choe, Chul Yong Sim, Seung Jun An
  Journal of Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute.2020; 27(3): 219.     CrossRef
• Influence of Powder Size on Properties of Selectively Laser-Melted- AlSi10Mg Alloys
  Yeong Seong Eom, Dong Won Kim, Kyung Tae Kim, Sang Sun Yang, Jungho Choe, Injoon Son, Ji Hun Yu
  Journal of Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute.2020; 27(2): 103.     CrossRef