An Evaluation of the Mechanical Behavior of Bronze-NI Composites Produced by Selective Laser Sintering

Mechanical properties of Bronze-Nickel composites produced by Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) were evaluated by constant displacement tension tests. These were studied as a function of SLS process parameters - laser power density, scan speed, scan spacing, scan direction and layer thickness. The strength data was then correlated to the microstructure and the part bulk density. To further enhance the part densities and the mechanical properties, post-SLS sintering was studied. The relationships between SLS process parameters, post-SLS sintering parameters and the resulting microstructures, part bulk density and the mechanical properties will be described.