The interplay between vapour, liquid, and solid phases in laser powder bed fusion.

ABSTRACT: The capability of producing complex, high performance metal parts on demand has established laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) as a promising additive manufacturing technology, yet deeper understanding of the laser-material interaction is crucial to exploit the potential of the process. By simultaneous in-situ synchrotron x-ray and schlieren imaging, we probe directly the interconnected fluid dynamics of the vapour jet formed by the laser and the depression it produces in the melt pool. The combined imaging shows the formation of a stable plume over stable surface depressions, which becomes chaotic following transition to a full keyhole. We quantify process instability across several parameter sets by analysing keyhole and plume morphologies, and identify a previously unreported threshold of t

SUBMITTER: Bitharas I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9135709 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature