The Metallurgy of Additive Manufacturing: Potentials and Challenges towards Industrialisation

Abstract

The present paper discusses the potential and challenges of processing metallic materials using additive manufacturing. Particular focus is given to laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) and the use of traditional alloy powders such as Al alloys and Ni-based superalloys, as well as novel materials such as metal-matrix composites. The research includes the improvement of the processability of these alloys using PBF-LB/M and optimizing material properties such as strength, creep resistance, and thermal conductivity of printed parts for various applications. Another important aspect presented within this manuscript is the digital representation of advanced manufacturing systems to improve manufacturability and enable advanced quality control. Herein, the development of a digital twin through in-situ process monitoring for the direct energy deposition process of laser metal deposition is presented. In the last part, the future of materials development for additive manufacturing is discussed, focusing on applying material computational techniques. All demonstrated examples result from the successful cooperation between the Chair of Materials Engineering of Additive Manufacturing, TUM, and its industrial and research partners.