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Metals
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Advances in Laser Processing of Metals and Alloys
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Advances in Laser Processing of Metals and Alloys

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 2533

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Matija Jezeršek

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: laser welding; laser material processing; laser ablation; adaptive control of process parameters
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Laser processing of metals and alloys enables high precision, efficiency, and flexibility. At the same time, it enables innovative functionalities of workpieces that meet the current requirements of ecology and digitalization. These include welded lightweight car bodies, the welding of copper-based electrical components, the microstructuring of surfaces for high-strength and airtight hybrid components, and many others. All of these functionalities are the result of the unique properties of laser light, which can be focused on an extremely small area and achieve ultra-short interaction times.

This Special Issue aims to present research and development results in the fundamentals and applications of laser processing of metals and alloys. Topics of interest include laser processing of advanced materials for electromobility, energy storage, tribology, and medicine. It covers a wide range of technologies, such as proven welding, cutting, and drilling, as well as advanced laser-based 3D printing, micro- and nanostructuring, and cleaning processes. In addition, the development of new laser processing systems, process monitoring, and real-time control are also very welcome.

I am pleased to invite you to submit a manuscript to this Special Issue. Full papers, short communications, and reviews are very welcome.

Prof. Dr. Matija Jezeršek
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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

  • laser processing
  • laser microstructuring and nanostructuring
  • laser welding
  • laser cutting
  • laser drilling
  • laser-based 3D printing
  • laser-based cleaning
  • laser system
  • monitoring and control of laser processes
  • simulation and modeling of laser processes

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 5620 KB  
Article
Influence of Build Orientation and Heat Treatment on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of SUS316L Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting
by Yujin Lim, Chami Jeon, Yoon-Seok Lee and Ilguk Jo
Metals 2025, 15(9), 971; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15090971 (registering DOI) - 30 Aug 2025
Viewed by 37
Abstract
Additive manufacturing (AM) via selective laser melting (SLM) is increasingly deployed in aerospace, biomedical, and tooling applications where complex geometries and high performance are required. Yet, process-induced anisotropy and microstructural heterogeneity can strongly affect mechanical and tribological behavior. This study systematically evaluates the [...] Read more.
Additive manufacturing (AM) via selective laser melting (SLM) is increasingly deployed in aerospace, biomedical, and tooling applications where complex geometries and high performance are required. Yet, process-induced anisotropy and microstructural heterogeneity can strongly affect mechanical and tribological behavior. This study systematically evaluates the combined effects of build orientation (0°, 45°, and 90° relative to the build plate) and post-build heat treatment (as-built, 600 °C, and 860 °C) on the phase constitution, microstructure, hardness, tensile response, and dry sliding wear of SLM-fabricated 316L stainless steel. X-ray diffraction indicated a fully austenitic (γ-fcc) structure without detectable secondary phases across all conditions. Orientation-dependent substructures were observed: ~1 µm equiaxed cellular features at 0°, finer 0.3–0.5 µm cells at 45°, and 1–2 µm elongated features at 90°. Microhardness varied with orientation; relative to 0°, 45° specimens were ~15 HV higher, whereas 90° specimens were ~10 HV lower. Heat treatment at 600 °C promoted refinement and recovery of the cellular network, most pronounced in the 45° orientation, while treatment at 860 °C largely erased melt pool boundary contrast, producing a more homogeneous particle-like microstructure. Tensile fractography revealed dimpled rupture in all cases; the 90° orientation showed finer dimples and lower hardness, consistent with a ductile failure mode under reduced constraint. Dry sliding wear tests identified adhesive wear, intensified by the build-up of transferred fragments, as the dominant mechanism in both as-built and 600 °C conditions. Changes to melt pool morphology after 860 °C heat treatment correlated with altered wear track widths, with the 0° condition showing a notable narrowing relative to the 600 °C state. These results highlight processing pathways for tailoring anisotropy, strength–ductility balance, and wear resistance in SLM 316L. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Laser Processing of Metals and Alloys)
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18 pages, 4208 KB  
Article
Experimental Study and Defect Control in Picosecond Laser Trepanning Drilling of Superalloy
by Liang Wang, Yefei Rong, Long Xu, Changjian Wu and Kaibo Xia
Metals 2025, 15(8), 893; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15080893 - 10 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 356
Abstract
Picosecond laser trepanning is a key technology for fabricating film cooling holes in aero-engine turbine blades, overcoming the limitations of conventional machining such as severe tool wear and thermal damage. However, optimizing this advanced process to achieve consistent, high-quality results remains a challenge. [...] Read more.
Picosecond laser trepanning is a key technology for fabricating film cooling holes in aero-engine turbine blades, overcoming the limitations of conventional machining such as severe tool wear and thermal damage. However, optimizing this advanced process to achieve consistent, high-quality results remains a challenge. This study therefore systematically investigates the influence of key laser parameters (power, scanning speed, defocusing distance, and number of scans) on the geometric quality (diameter, taper, and roundness) of holes trepanned in GH4169 superalloy. The experimental results revealed that laser power and defocusing distance are the dominant factors controlling hole diameter and taper. Furthermore, a critical trade-off was identified concerning the number of scans: while more scans improved exit roundness, they also detrimentally increased entrance diameter and taper due to heat accumulation. Based on these findings, we propose a defect control strategy prioritizing a lower number of scans in the initial phase to effectively suppress molten material formation and preserve surface integrity. This work provides a valuable technological reference and theoretical foundation for the low-damage, high-reliability laser manufacturing of high-performance aerospace components. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Laser Processing of Metals and Alloys)
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13 pages, 3086 KB  
Article
Laser-MIG Hybrid Welding–Brazing Characteristics of Ti/Al Butt Joints with Different Groove Shapes
by Xin Zhao, Zhibin Yang, Yonghao Huang, Taixu Qu, Rui Cheng and Haiting Lv
Metals 2025, 15(6), 625; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15060625 - 31 May 2025
Viewed by 442
Abstract
TC4 titanium alloy and 5083 aluminum alloy with different groove shapes were joined by laser-MIG hybrid welding–brazing using ER4043 filler wire. The effects of groove shape on the weld formation, intermetallic compounds and tensile property of the Ti/Al butt joints were investigated. The [...] Read more.
TC4 titanium alloy and 5083 aluminum alloy with different groove shapes were joined by laser-MIG hybrid welding–brazing using ER4043 filler wire. The effects of groove shape on the weld formation, intermetallic compounds and tensile property of the Ti/Al butt joints were investigated. The welds without obvious defects could be obtained with grooves of I-shape and V-shape on Ti side, while welds quality with grooves of V-shape on Al side and V-shape on both sides were slightly worse. The interfacial intermetallic compounds (IMCs) on the brazing interface were homogeneous in the joints with groove of V-shape on Ti side, and V-shape on both sides, which had similar thickness and were both composed of TiAl3. Unlike the IMCs mainly composed of TiAl3 at the I-shape groove interface, TiAl3, TiAl, and Ti3Al constituted the IMCs at the V-shape on Al side interface. The average tensile strength of Ti/Al joints with groove of I-shape was the highest at 238 MPa, and was lowest at 140 MPa with groove of V-shape on Al side. The tensile samples mainly fractured at IMCs interface and the fractured surfaces all exhibited mixed brittle–ductile fracture mode. Based on the above research results, I-shape groove was recommended for laser-arc hybrid welding–brazing of 4 mm thick Ti/Al dissimilar butt joints. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Laser Processing of Metals and Alloys)
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25 pages, 15725 KB  
Article
Columnar-to-Equiaxed Transition on Laser Powder Bed Fusion Ultra-Precision Additive Manufacturing Accuracy and Surface Roughness for Solidified 316L Micro-Lattice Structure
by Chenxu Li, Zhanqiang Liu, Xiaoliang Liang, Jinfu Zhao, Yukui Cai and Bing Wang
Metals 2025, 15(3), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/met15030267 - 28 Feb 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1128
Abstract
The improvement of PBF manufacturing accuracy has been an urgent problem to solve. The columnar-to-equiaxed transition of rapid solidification during laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) has been reported, while its influence on the accuracy and surface roughness of fabricated 316L micro-lattice structures remains [...] Read more.
The improvement of PBF manufacturing accuracy has been an urgent problem to solve. The columnar-to-equiaxed transition of rapid solidification during laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) has been reported, while its influence on the accuracy and surface roughness of fabricated 316L micro-lattice structures remains to be studied. This study presents a novel fully coupled finite volume method for cellular automata (CA), integrated with response surface methodology (RSM), which is applied to investigate the columnar-to-equiaxed transition influence on the accuracy and surface roughness of ultra-precision additive manufactured 316L lattice structure by L-PBF. It is proven that the higher overlap is identified as the optimal strategy for improving both surface quality and dimensional accuracy. Both the CA model prediction and the experimental results reveal that the effect of latent heat releases from the grain refinement on the adhesion of the surrounding powder is an increment of the surface roughness, while the decrement of the surface quality and accuracy. The overlap strategy is promoted to be the most suitable measure to achieve both high surface quality and manufacturing accuracy. The surface roughness Ra (SP) can rapidly decrease by 68.6%, and the mean diameters decrease by 18.7% under the overlap strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Laser Processing of Metals and Alloys)
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