Characteristics of Laser-Fabricated Metal Structures

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Abstract
Laser-aided direct fabrication technology is developed to produce three-dimensional metal alloy structures directly from the constituent elements. The shapes of the structures are designed using Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools and are fabricated as real parts by fusing powders with a laser beam. In this study, alloy structures of simple plate like geometry were produced by mixing stainless steel (SS 316) powder with either copper or aluminum powder. The thickness of the component is related to the process parameters through an energy balance equation, which is verified against experimental data. Material properties such as hardness, strength and conductivity are analyzed and optical micrographs are presented to exhibit the microstructure of the alloy. The results show improved hardness at certain locations in the alloy, higher thermal conductivity of stainless steel. However, the structures broke due to brittle failure under tensile loads.