Fabrication of filigree parts via laser powder bed fusion: From melt spots to stents

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Konrad Kosiba - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Wayne King - , The Barnes Global Advisors LLC (Author)
  • Junhee Han - , Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (Author)
  • Birgit Paul - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Denys Y. Kononenko - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Martin Otto - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, Freiberg University of Mining and Technology (Author)
  • Dmitry Chernyavsky - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Jeroen van den Brink - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Sergio Scudino - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Julia K. Hufenbach - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, Freiberg University of Mining and Technology (Author)

Abstract

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) faces challenges when fabricating intricate structures with thin elements, comparable to the laser beam size, and thus requires precise deposition of melt spots. We devised a method for creating a Fe-15Mn-0.8C filigree structure via LPBF with a pulsed Gaussian laser beam. Initially, single melt spots were deposited to determine the optimal exposure time depending on laser power and laser spot size. Arrays of single melt tracks were then deposited, varying laser spot size, power, and point distance between spots, with the depth and width of each melt pool quantified. Through correlation analyses, key parameters were identified: exposure time and laser power for uniform melt spots, and laser power and point distance for melt pool depth. Utilizing the normalized enthalpy criterion, optimal parameter values were determined. We successfully LPBF-fabricated fully dense, 80 µm diameter pillars representing the simplest filigree structures and finally a complex stent structure with 99.5 % relative density. This approach can be adapted to other materials and additive manufacturing technologies using pulsed laser beams, streamlining experimentation.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number111485
JournalOptics and Laser Technology
Volume180
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2025
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

Keywords

  • Additive manufacturing, Austenitic steel, Biomaterial, Laser beam adjustment, Laser powder bed fusion, Stent