Influence of carrier gas flow rate and particle size of AISI M2 in the laser-directed energy deposition process

Abstract

© 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.Additive manufacturing (AM) is a rapid prototyping technology that offers many advantages over conventional manufacturing processes. However, to make the most of the AM advantages, some requirements need to be met, such as the adjustment of process parameters and quality of the feedstock. This work assessed the influence of carrier gas flow rate and particle size of AISI M2 in the laser-directed energy deposition process (L-DED). Different carrier gas flow rates were tested for two powders with particle size of 53–150 µm (larger range) and 20–53 µm (lower range). The variation of carrier gas flow rate and particle size was assessed in single lines and layers. The results show that increasing the carrier gas flow rate provides better powder convergence in the region where there is interaction with the laser beam and faster particle velocity. The lower range tends to have greater efficiency in the deposition of single lines and layers. Regarding geometric characteristics, the aspect ratio did not show a well-defined trend as a function of the carrier gas flow rate and particle size, however, the layer height tends to be greater for the lower range, while the dilution tends to be greater for the larger range.

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