In-situ Reinforcement Processing for Laser Powder Bed Fused Ti64 Parts

The objective of this study was to investigate how the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V samples, fabricated using laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF), change when a predefined local double melting strategy is employed within each layer of the manufacturing process. The analysis primarily focused on evaluating microstructural aspects, defects, and grain size, along with the mechanical properties, specifically the Vickers hardness at various positions within the samples. The findings indicated that the integration of the predefined locally double melting scan in each layer had a significant influence on the microstructure, resulting in variations in grain size across different locations, as well as hardness values with variations of up to 10% across different areas. Moreover, these discoveries underscore the potential of employing the predefined locally double melting strategy in each layer to create fabricated components with distinctive behaviors, like composites, which could find applications in the aerospace industry.