Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Materials: Structures, Properties, and Methodologies

A special issue of Metals (ISSN 2075-4701). This special issue belongs to the section "Additive Manufacturing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2022) | Viewed by 26889

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Material Science and Engineering School, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: additive manufacturing; 3D printing; super-alloy; magnesium alloy; die steel; medical metal and memory alloy 3D printing and their applications

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Guest Editor
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
Interests: selective laser melting; additive manufacturing; porous structures; metal 3D printing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Institute of Metal Physics, Ekaterinburg, Russia
Interests: steel and alloys; phase transformation; structure; TEM; properties; additive technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Additive manufacturing is a major part of modern science and engineering. This Special Issue aims to present the latest advances in the AM of metallic materials, with a particular emphasis on novel structures, properties, methodologies, and applications.

The Special Issue collates research concerning different processes of metal AM, including wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF), directed energy deposition (DLD), binder jetting, sheet lamination, hybrid additive and subtractive manufacturing, multiple-energy-source-aided manufacturing, and large-scale manufacturing techniques. Research on metal production using both laser 3D printers and other laser machines will be presented, along with investigations into the additive manufacture  of high-density and porous materials, and protective coating obtained by atmospheric plasma spray. In addition to various AM steels, the Special Issue also includes research on AM alloys.

Potential topics include but are not limited to:

  • Multiscale and multiphysical field numerical simulation for metal additive manufacturing;

  • Design and modification of metallic materials in additive manufacturing;
  • Design and manufacture of lightweight metallic structures in additive manufacturing;
  • Process in situ monitoring and intelligent learning in metal additive manufacturing;
  • New testing and evaluation methods of component performance in metal additive manufacturing;
  • Problems of laser or electron beam 3D printing caused by steel powder and metal steel wire;
  • Post-printing treatments;
  • Structural evolution of 3D-printed steels and alloys after heat treatment and mechanical tests;
  • Martensitic and precipitation hardening in 3D steels and alloys;
  • Physical properties of 3D-printed steels and alloys;
  • Design of 3D-printed metal products.

Prof. Dr. Qingsong Wei
Dr. Changjun Han
Dr. Nataliya V. Kazantseva
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • metal additive manufacturing
  • numerical simulation
  • alloy
  • lightweight structures
  • in situ monitoring
  • intelligent learning
  • microstructures
  • mechanical properties

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 188 KiB  
Editorial
Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Materials: Structures, Properties and Methodologies
by Qingsong Wei, Changjun Han and Nataliya Kazantseva
Metals 2023, 13(7), 1258; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13071258 - 12 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1221
Abstract
Additive manufacturing (AM) is a crucial aspect of contemporary science and engineering, enabling the layer-by-layer production of components [...] Full article

Research

Jump to: Editorial

17 pages, 7372 KiB  
Article
Effect of Cr, Mo, and V Elements on the Microstructure and Thermal Fatigue Properties of the Chromium Hot-Work Steels Processed by Selective Laser Melting
by Mei Wang, Bo You, Yan Wu, Bo Liang, Xianhui Gao, Wei Li and Qingsong Wei
Metals 2022, 12(5), 735; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12050735 - 26 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2096
Abstract
Thermal fatigue is the main failure mode for chromium hot-work steels. In this study, pre-alloyed chromium hot-work steel powders with three different Cr, Mo, and V addition levels (low content (LH), medium content (MH), and high content (HH)) were used for selective laser [...] Read more.
Thermal fatigue is the main failure mode for chromium hot-work steels. In this study, pre-alloyed chromium hot-work steel powders with three different Cr, Mo, and V addition levels (low content (LH), medium content (MH), and high content (HH)) were used for selective laser melting (SLM). The microstructure and thermal fatigue properties of these SLM-processed materials were investigated. After thermal fatigue tests, LH possessed the lowest hardness (approximately 573 HV5) and longest crack length, MH possessed the highest hardness (approximately 688 HV5) and HH (with the hardness of approximately 675 HV5) possessed the shortest crack length. It can be concluded that the increase of V content in MH is the main reason for the refined grains which result in an enhanced hardness and thermal fatigue resistance compared to LH. The further increase of the Cr and Mo content in HH leads to the grain coarsening and hardness decreasing, which is supposed to degrade the thermal fatigue resistant properties according to the conventional theory. However, HH exhibited an enhanced thermal fatigue resistance compared to MH. That is because the higher stored energy in MH deteriorated its thermal fatigue resistance compared to HH. Full article
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10 pages, 3758 KiB  
Article
Design against Fatigue of Super Duplex Stainless Steel Structures Fabricated by Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing Process
by Andrew Sales, Andrei Kotousov and Ling Yin
Metals 2021, 11(12), 1965; https://doi.org/10.3390/met11121965 - 7 Dec 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2979
Abstract
Additive manufacturing (AM) is increasingly used to make complex components for a wide spectrum of applications in engineering, medicine and dentistry. Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), as one of AM processes, utilises electric arc and metal wire to fabricate fully dense and heavy [...] Read more.
Additive manufacturing (AM) is increasingly used to make complex components for a wide spectrum of applications in engineering, medicine and dentistry. Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), as one of AM processes, utilises electric arc and metal wire to fabricate fully dense and heavy metal parts at relatively low costs and high-energy efficiencies. WAAM was successfully applied in the production of several welding-based metal structures. Recently, there was a growing interest in WAAM processing of super duplex stainless steels (SDSS) due to their high strength and excellent corrosion resistance, which make them the prime choice for load-bearing structures in marine applications. Although a number of studies investigated the microstructural and mechanical properties of WAAM-processed SDSS components, little is known regarding their fatigue performance, which is critical in engineering design. This study reports on the outcomes of fatigue tests and fracture surface fractography of WAAM-processed SDSS. The results obtained indicate a significant anisotropy of fatigue properties and fatigue crack initiations resulting from internal defects rather than surface flaws. Based on these experimental results, we suggest an effective design methodology to improve the fatigue life of the WAAM-fabricated SDSS components. We also indicate that post-manufacturing surface treatments should not be underlined for the enhanced fatigue resistance of WAAM-processed SDSS structures. Full article
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15 pages, 5862 KiB  
Article
WAAM-Fabricated Laminated Metal Composites
by Niclas Spalek, Jakob Brunow, Moritz Braun and Marcus Rutner
Metals 2021, 11(12), 1948; https://doi.org/10.3390/met11121948 - 2 Dec 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3504
Abstract
Laminated metal composites are a promising design since the hybrid design enables superior and tailorable material properties compared with bulk material. The article introduces for the first time, laminated metal composites consisting of multiple bilayers of alternating layers of ductile and high-strength steel [...] Read more.
Laminated metal composites are a promising design since the hybrid design enables superior and tailorable material properties compared with bulk material. The article introduces for the first time, laminated metal composites consisting of multiple bilayers of alternating layers of ductile and high-strength steel processed by wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). The layup of the laminated metal composites is built up by alternating deposits made of ductile steel and high-strength steel type wires. Governing parameters in the fabrication process affecting the material properties, such as dilution, are discussed. Enhanced material properties of the laminated metal composites fabricated by WAAM are investigated under static tensile, impact and tension-tension high-cycle-fatigue loading and compared to the relating homogenous weld metal. Potential reasons for the retardation of crack propagation in laminated metal composites fabricated by WAAM compared to findings in roll-bonded laminated metal composites are discussed. WAAM is conducted by a collaborative robot providing a high level of flexibility in respect to geometry and scalability. Tailorability of material properties through WAAM-fabricated laminated metal composites adds an important layer of flexibility which has not been explored yet. Full article
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10 pages, 6928 KiB  
Article
Micromechanisms of Deformation and Fracture in Porous L-PBF 316L Stainless Steel at Different Strain Rates
by Nataliya Kazantseva, Pavel Krakhmalev, Mikael Åsberg, Yulia Koemets, Maxim Karabanalov, Denis Davydov, Igor Ezhov and Olga Koemets
Metals 2021, 11(11), 1870; https://doi.org/10.3390/met11111870 - 21 Nov 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1730
Abstract
The process of an unstable plastic flow associated with the strain rate sensitivity of mechanical properties was studied in porous 316L austenitic steel samples manufactured by laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF). Different micromechanisms of deformation and fracture of porous samples dependent on strain [...] Read more.
The process of an unstable plastic flow associated with the strain rate sensitivity of mechanical properties was studied in porous 316L austenitic steel samples manufactured by laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF). Different micromechanisms of deformation and fracture of porous samples dependent on strain rate were found. It was found that despite the porosity, the specimens showed high strength, which increased with the loading rate. Porosity led to lower ductility of the studied specimens, in comparison with literature data for low porous 316L L-PBF samples and resulted in de-localization of plastic deformation. With an increase in strain rate, nucleation of new pores was less pronounced, so that at the highest strain rate of 8 × 10−3 s−1, only pore coalescence was observed as the dominating microscopic mechanism of ductile fracture. Full article
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16 pages, 13827 KiB  
Article
Self-Supporting Microchannel Liquid-Cooled Plate for T/R Modules Based on Additive Manufacturing: Study on Its Pass Design, Formation Process and Boiling Heat Transfer Performance
by Bo Qian, Hongri Fan, Gang Liu, Jianrui Zhang and Pei Li
Metals 2021, 11(11), 1731; https://doi.org/10.3390/met11111731 - 29 Oct 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1482
Abstract
The additive manufacturing technology of laser-based powder bed fusion (L-PBF), which is used to produce boiling heat transfer structures, offers a high processing flexibility and can provide lattice structures with a high surface-to-volume ratio. As an important part of the phased array radar, [...] Read more.
The additive manufacturing technology of laser-based powder bed fusion (L-PBF), which is used to produce boiling heat transfer structures, offers a high processing flexibility and can provide lattice structures with a high surface-to-volume ratio. As an important part of the phased array radar, the plentiful transmit/receive (T/R) modules can generate considerable heat. Targeting this local overheating problem, this study discusses the pass design, the optimal formation process, and boiling heat transfer performance of microchannel liquid-cooled plates based on L-PBF additive manufacturing technology. The optimum design and process parameters were obtained by performing basic channel experiments. On this basis, the design and formation experiments of the microchannel structure were performed, and then the porosity and pore morphology of microchannel liquid-cooled plate samples were analysed. The boiling heat transfer experiments were conducted with deionised water, and the boiling heat transfer characteristics were compared with the saturated boiling curve of a traditional copper-tube liquid-cooled plate. The average wall temperature of the designed samples decreased by 4% compared with that of the traditional liquid-cooled plate under the same heat flow density the value reduced from 111.9 °C to 108.2 °C. Furthermore, within the same optimal boiling temperature range, the average heat flow densities of all the prepared samples increased by >60% compared with those of the traditional liquid-cooled plate the value increased from minimum 16 W∙cm−2 to maximum 34 W∙cm−2. The self-supporting microchannel structure can considerably improve the heat dissipation effect of T/R modules and solve the local overheating problem. Full article
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15 pages, 2848 KiB  
Article
Preparation of Cu-Cr-Zr Alloy by Laser Powder Bed Fusion: Parameter Optimization, Microstructure, Mechanical and Thermal Properties for Microelectronic Applications
by Xiangyao Fang, Weisheng Xia, Qingsong Wei, Yiping Wu, Weiwen Lv and Wentao Guo
Metals 2021, 11(9), 1410; https://doi.org/10.3390/met11091410 - 6 Sep 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2458
Abstract
Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology is beneficial for the fabrication of thermal conductive materials, integrating with the predesigned structure, which shows a great potential for high heat dissipation applications. Here, a Cu–Cr–Zr alloy with relative density of 98.53% is successfully prepared by [...] Read more.
Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology is beneficial for the fabrication of thermal conductive materials, integrating with the predesigned structure, which shows a great potential for high heat dissipation applications. Here, a Cu–Cr–Zr alloy with relative density of 98.53% is successfully prepared by LPBF after process optimization. On this basis, microstructure, phase identification, precipitates, mechanical and thermal properties are investigated. The results demonstrate that the surface morphology of microstructure is affected by laser energy density, the α-Cu is the main phase of the LPBF sample and the virgin powder, the size of Cr spherical precipitates in some areas is about 1 μm, and the tensile fracture mode is a mixed ductile–brittle mode. Furthermore, the Vickers hardness of the LPBF Cu–Cr–Zr sample is 70.7 HV to 106.1 HV, which is higher than that of LPBF Cu and a wrought C11000 Cu, and the difference in Vickers hardness of different planes reflects the anisotropy. Ultimately, the two types of Cu–Cr–Zr alloy heat sinks are successfully fabricated, and their heat transfer coefficients are positively correlated with the volume flow. The heat dissipation performance of the cylindrical micro-needle heat sink is better, and its maximum heat transfer coefficient is 3887 W/(m2·K). Full article
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20 pages, 22309 KiB  
Article
Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, and Galvanic Corrosion of 10CrNi3MoV Fabricated by Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing
by Gen Tian, Xiaoming Wang, Wenyu Wang, Qing Chang, Yang Zhao, Guofeng Han, Zhiqiang Ren and Sheng Zhu
Metals 2021, 11(8), 1235; https://doi.org/10.3390/met11081235 - 4 Aug 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2197
Abstract
Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) technology is widely used in the fields of aerospace, shipbuilding, and automobile industry due to the advantages of fast forming speed, high material utilization and low production cost. WAAM is extremely sensitive to parameters, and different processes and [...] Read more.
Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) technology is widely used in the fields of aerospace, shipbuilding, and automobile industry due to the advantages of fast forming speed, high material utilization and low production cost. WAAM is extremely sensitive to parameters, and different processes and materials produce different deposition effects and properties. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the WAAM formability of various materials. Herein, the microstructure, mechanical properties, and galvanic corrosion behavior of the low-carbon high-strength steel (10CrNi3MoV) fabricated by cold metal transfer (CMT) WAAM technology were investigated. The single-channel multilayer deposition parts were prepared by reciprocating deposition, and the forming parts were divided into six zones by observing the different positions of the structure: matrix, heat-affected zone, remelting zone, initial deposition zone, interlayer zone, and interlayer bonding zone. Electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) analysis showed that the amount of recrystallization and substructure in the deposition layer had no obvious change, and the texture phenomenon was the most obvious in the initial deposition zone of the pole map reaction. The texture phenomenon gradually weakened with the increase of the deposition layers. The microhardness from the matrix to the deposition stable zone was tested. The hardness of the matrix changed smoothly, that of the heat-affected zone was the largest, and that of the deposition layer was 221–282 HV0.2. The tensile properties were tested in different directions and angles, and the yield strength and tensile strength of the deposited layer were more than 550 MPa and 760 MPa, respectively. The galvanic corrosion behavior between the deposited layer and the matrix was investigated, and the polarization curve showed that the corrosion potential of the deposited layer was lower than that of the matrix, and the corrosion current density of the deposited layer was higher than that of the matrix. Full article
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18 pages, 8068 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Direct Laser Deposition of a Martensitic Steel Powder (Metco 42C) on 42CrMo4 Steel
by André A. Ferreira, Roya Darabi, João P. Sousa, João M. Cruz, Ana R. Reis and Manuel F. Vieira
Metals 2021, 11(4), 672; https://doi.org/10.3390/met11040672 - 20 Apr 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2856
Abstract
In this study, the deposition of martensitic stainless-steel (Metco 42C) powder on 42CrMo4 structural steel by direct laser deposition (DLD) was investigated. Clads were produced by varying the laser power, scanning speed, feed rate, and preheating. The effect of these processing variables on [...] Read more.
In this study, the deposition of martensitic stainless-steel (Metco 42C) powder on 42CrMo4 structural steel by direct laser deposition (DLD) was investigated. Clads were produced by varying the laser power, scanning speed, feed rate, and preheating. The effect of these processing variables on the microstructure and microhardness of the clads was analyzed, as well as their soundness, yield (measured by dilution), and geometric characteristics (height, width, and depth). The complex interaction of the evaluated processing variables forced the application of complex parameters to systematize their effect on the clads. A genetic optimization algorithm was performed to determine the processing conditions warranting high-quality clads, that is, sound clads, metallurgically bonded to the substrate with required deposition yield. Full article
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18 pages, 7289 KiB  
Article
Influence of Atmospheric Plasma Spray Parameters (APS) on the Mechanical Properties of Ni-Al Coatings on Aluminum Alloy Substrate
by Miriam Lorenzo-Bañuelos, Andrés Díaz, David Rodríguez, Isidoro I. Cuesta, Adrian Fernández and Jesus M. Alegre
Metals 2021, 11(4), 612; https://doi.org/10.3390/met11040612 - 9 Apr 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2891
Abstract
Thermal spray is one of the most widely used coating techniques to improve wear, surface fatigue or corrosion properties. In the atmospheric plasma spray (APS) process, a powdered material is melted by hydrogen and argon combustion and is propelled at high speed onto [...] Read more.
Thermal spray is one of the most widely used coating techniques to improve wear, surface fatigue or corrosion properties. In the atmospheric plasma spray (APS) process, a powdered material is melted by hydrogen and argon combustion and is propelled at high speed onto the target substrate. The high impact energy of the particles produces a dense and resistant coating layer. Mechanical and surface properties of the obtained coating depend on various spraying parameters, such as gas flow, traverse speed and spraying distance, among others. In this research, the influence of these manufacturing parameters on the thickness, hardness and resistance of the coating obtained from a Ni-Al alloy sprayed onto an aluminum alloy substrate was studied. In order to analyze the effect of these parameters on the coating properties, an extensive experimental program was carried out. A metallographic analysis, hardness and strength measurements were carried out using the small punch test to locally study the mechanical properties of the coating surface. The design of experiments and the response surface methodology facilitate the assessment of the optimal set of spraying parameters. Full article
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11 pages, 6648 KiB  
Article
Influence of Duty Ratio and Current Mode on Robot 316L Stainless Steel Arc Additive Manufacturing
by Ping Yao, Hongyan Lin, Wei Wu and Heqing Tang
Metals 2021, 11(3), 508; https://doi.org/10.3390/met11030508 - 19 Mar 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2192
Abstract
Wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is usually for fabricating components due to its low equipment cost, high material utilization rate and cladding efficiency. However, its applications are limited by the large heat input decided by process parameters. Here, four 50-layer stainless steel [...] Read more.
Wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is usually for fabricating components due to its low equipment cost, high material utilization rate and cladding efficiency. However, its applications are limited by the large heat input decided by process parameters. Here, four 50-layer stainless steel parts with double-pulse and single-pulse metal inert gas (MIG) welding modes were deposited, and the effect of different duty ratios and current modes on morphology, microstructure, and performance was analyzed. The results demonstrate that the low frequency of the double-pulse had the effect of stirring the molten pool; therefore, the double-pulse mode parts presented a bigger width and smaller height, finer microstructure and better properties than the single-pulse mode. Furthermore, increasing the duty ratio from 35% to 65% enlarged the heat input, which then decreased the specimen height, increased the width, and decreased the hardness and the tensile strength. Full article
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