On the Process Development of Al-Mn-Sc based Alloy Produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion

Additive manufacturing (AM) of Aluminium alloys opened new possibilities for producing light complex components with tailored properties. This research developed the processing map for Al-Mn-Sc based alloy specific for AM. It established the processing window capable of achieving near fully-dense Al-Mn-Sc parts with ultrastrong mechanical properties. It investigated, for the first time, the local properties within the AM Al-Mn-Sc material. This provided fundamental insights into the underlying mechanisms with which the AM process affects the properties of AM Aluminium. The features of the process-induced ultrafine microstructure were identified to tailor the process parameters and microstructure of high strength AM Al-Mn-Sc alloy.