Title: Cyclic elastoplastic behaviour, hardness and microstructural properties of Ti-6Al-4V manufactured through selective laser melting

Authors: Aroon Phaiboonworachat; Kyriakos I. Kourousis

Addresses: School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia ' Department of Mechanical, Aeronautical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Co. Limerick, Ireland; School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Abstract: Additive manufacturing methods have been increasingly attracting the attention of researchers and engineers due to offered advantages in this regard. Selective laser melting (SLM) is an additive manufacturing process which is used to produce complex shaped parts. Limited research has been reported so far on the cyclic elastoplastic response of SLM Ti-6Al-4V, a technologically significant phenomenon affecting the low and high cycle fatigue performance of the fabricated parts. This research presents preliminary results obtained from an in-progress mechanical characterisation campaign conducted on SLM Ti-6Al-4V specimens. Experimental data from uniaxial strain controlled tests are presented in conjunction with surface hardness measurements and an examination of the microstructural characteristics of the materials. Wrought material data, obtained from testing and the literature are utilised for comparison. Preliminary findings of ongoing research provide an insight in the elastoplastic behaviour anticipated for this class of metals.

Keywords: plasticity; titanium; strain hardening; additive manufacturing; SLM; elastoplastic behaviour; hardness; microstructure; aluminium; selective laser melting; Ti-6Al-4V; fatigue performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMATEI.2016.077324

International Journal of Materials Engineering Innovation, 2016 Vol.7 No.1, pp.80 - 87

Received: 03 Nov 2015
Accepted: 22 Nov 2015
Published online: 28 Jun 2016 *

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