Microstructure and mechanical properties of a structurally refined Al–Mg–Si alloy for wire-arc additive manufacturing

Klein, Thomas; Arnoldt, Aurel; Lahnsteiner, Robert; Schnall, Martin

doi:10.1016/j.msea.2021.142318

Cited by 33 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…The as-built specimen’s Mg- and Si-rich regions are identified in electron micrographs [Figure 5(b)] and EDS mapping [Figure 5(c)] and disappear after the heat treatment, as illustrated in Figure 5(e) and 5(f), indicating the dissolution of Mg and Si during the solution heat treatment and the formation of the Mg 2 Si strengthening phase during artificial aging. The presence of Fe restricts the Si source in the Al–Fe–Si phase and prevents its contribution to precipitation hardening (Klein et al , 2022).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Extensive research has shown that introducing fine equiaxed microstructures can successfully suppress hot cracking (Hagenlocher et al , 2019; Klein et al , 2022; Martin et al , 2017; Opprecht et al , 2020; Sokoluk et al , 2019; Tang and Vollertsen, 2014; Zheng et al , 2022). Equiaxed grain growth promotes better liquid feeding and be accommodation of tensile stresses in the semi-solid state (Klein et al , 2022; Martin et al , 2017; Opprecht et al , 2020). In recent years, nanotreating, through the addition of a small volume fraction of nanoparticles in aluminum alloys, has shown success in reducing hot cracking susceptibility.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Besides the aforementioned process challenges in WAAM, the thermal gradient and solidification rate resulting from the relatively low heat input of the electric arc (Cunningham et al , 2018), in combination with the heat-sink effect of the substrate (Montevecchi et al , 2018), causes columnar grains to grow along the building direction. This textured microstructure results in anisotropic mechanical properties (Cunningham et al , 2018; Klein et al , 2022; Kok et al , 2018), which are undesirable for many engineering applications. Furthermore, during a layer-by-layer deposition in the WAAM process, the printed material experiences repeated thermal cycles, which cause both grain (Klein and Schnall, 2020) and secondary phase coarsening (Dong et al , 2020) and eventually affect the mechanical performance of the whole deposit (Jägle et al , 2016; Oyama et al , 2019; Rodrigues et al , 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) has attracted significant interest in industry and academia with promises of high design freedom, deposition rate and material efficiency (Cunningham et al , 2018; Klein et al , 2022; Williams et al , 2016). WAAM uses an electric arc as a heat source to melt wire feedstock and deposit a three-dimensional structure layer by layer.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) of nanotreated aluminum alloy 6061

Chi

Murali

Liu

et al. 2022

RPJ

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Purpose Additive manufacturing (AM) can achieve significant weight savings with only minor compromises in strength if high-performance wrought aluminum alloys are used as feedstock. Despite the advantages in strength that aluminum alloys (AA) 6061 offer, they cannot be manufactured via printing because of hot cracking and other solidification problems. The purpose of this study is to achieve high-quality printing of AA6061 with nanotreated wires. Design/methodology/approach Nanotreating was used to modify the AA6061 alloy composition by adding a small fraction of nanoparticles to enhance the alloy’s manufacturability and resultant properties. Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) was used to print the nanotreated AA6061 wire feedstock. The microstructure of the printed AA6061 was characterized by X-ray crystallography, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy mapping. The microhardness profile, tensile behavior and fracture surface were analyzed. Findings This work successfully used WAAM to print nanotreated AA 6061 components. The resulting AA6061 parts were crack-free, with exceptional grain morphology and superior mechanical properties. Owing to the excellent size control capabilities of nanoparticles, a homogeneous distribution of small grains was maintained in all deposited layers, even during repeated thermal cycles. Originality/value Previous studies have not successfully printed AA6061 using WAAM. Conventional WAAM products exhibit anisotropic mechanical properties. The nanotreated AA6061 was successfully printed to achieve homogeneous microhardness and isotropic tensile properties. The promising results of this study reflect the great potential of nanotech metallurgy as applied to the WAAM process.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) of nanotreated aluminum alloy 6061

Chi

Murali

Liu

et al. 2022

RPJ

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“…[17,18] The use of wire-fed DED for aluminum alloys is still in its nascent stages but has a promising future. [17,[19][20][21][22] The recently launched next-generation launch vehicle, Terran 1 by Relativity Space, was primarily manufactured via wire-fed DED, including its nine engines. [23] The launch of the first 3D-printed rocket affirms its structural viability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the Potential of Wire Fed Direct Energy Deposition of Aluminum–Boron Nitride Nanotube Composite: Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Properties

Mohammed,

Aleman,

John

et al. 2023

Adv Eng Mater

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Recent advancements have shown great promise in utilizing wire‐fed direct energy deposition (DED) for building aluminum alloy structures. However, utilizing the wire‐fed DED approach for fabricating metal matrix composite structures remains a significant challenge. This study used a wire‐based AM process to successfully produce a one‐dimensional boron nitride nanotube (BNNT)‐reinforced aluminum composite with high strength. An Al‐BNNT electrode was developed in‐house. The microstructural changes that occurred during layer‐by‐layer deposition were investigated. The grain morphology changed from equiaxed grains in the bottom layer to columnar grains in the top layer. BNNTs act as nuclei to promote the formation of equiaxed grains and interfacial compounds (AlN and AlB2) during solidification. This resulted in improved strength, with Al‐BNNT composite exhibiting a tensile strength of 47 MPa, 2.3 times higher than its pure Al. Higher strength was attributed to the retention and uniform distribution of BNNT reinforcement in the melt pool, leading to effective load transfer. This study demonstrates the potential of additive manufacturing for producing high‐performance metal matrix composites with novel 1D reinforcements and improved multifunctional properties.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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