The number of available materials for Laser Powder Bed Fusion is still limited due to the poor processability of many standard alloys. In particular, the lack of high-strength aluminium alloys, widely used in aerospace and automotive industries, remains a big issue for the spread of beam-based additive manufacturing technologies. In this study, a novel high-strength aluminium alloy for high temperature applications having good processability was developed. The design of the alloy was done based on the chemical composition of the widely used EN AW 2618. This Al-Cu-Mg-Ni-Fe alloy was modified with Ti and B in order to promote the formation of TiB2 nuclei in the liquid phase able to stimulate heterogeneous nucleation of grains and to decrease the hot cracking susceptibility of the material. The new Al alloy was manufactured by gas atomisation and processed by Laser Powder Bed Fusion. Samples produced with optimised parameters featured relative density of 99.91%, with no solidification cracks within their microstructure. After aging, the material revealed upper yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of 495 MPa and 460 MPa, respectively. In addition, the alloy showed tensile strength higher than wrought EN AW 2618 at elevated temperatures.

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Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), one of the laser powder bed additive manufacturing technologies produces solid metal parts from 3-D CAD data, layer by layer, by melting/sintering and bonding metal powders with a focused laser beam. In these processes isn't complete melting of powder particles in micro melt pools as well as selective laser melting (SLM) and electron beam melting (EBM). Thus some different stress conditions and defects occur depending on the temperature changes during manufacturing. In this study, this problem is investigated aspect cooling rate. Cooling rate affects the solidification process in the melting (sintering) process such as casting, welding, laser assisted processes. Therefore, it also affects part quality and properties. In the scope of study, it is tried to explain how occurring the internal stresses and distortions differ depending on the cooling rates of geometrically different parts in additive manufacturing. The residual stresses and deformations are analysed by FEA to see relation with geometry (volume, area) to cooling rate for Ti6Al4V materials. Cube shaped samples at 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mm edge dimensions have analysed by using FEA. Besides 10mm cube sample is manufactured as solid and verified both as experimental and numerical. Based on the FEA results, cooling rate values are changed from 1.67 to 16.67. In conclusion, the reasons of the problems occurring during laser powder bed fusion are investigated in terms of the cooling rate in relation with the samples geometry.