Types of spatter and their features and formation mechanisms in laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing process

Zachary A. Young, Qilin Guo, Niranjan D. Parab, Cang Zhao, Minglei Qu, Luis I. Escano, Kamel Fezzaa, Wes Everhart, Tao Sun, Lianyi Chen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

159 Scopus citations

Abstract

Spatter causes defect formation, powder redistribution and contamination in laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing process. It is critical to distinguish different types of spatter and understand their features and formation mechanisms. This work reveals the features and formation mechanisms of five unique types of spatter during the LPBF process by in-situ high-speed, high-energy x-ray imaging. Spatters observed during LPBF testing are quantified by their speed, size, and direction. Distinct quantifiable characteristics for each type of spatter are identified. Effects of the laser power, scan speed, and ambient pressure on spatter formation and features are unraveled. A spatter formation map for AlSi10Mg alloy is constructed.

Original languageEnglish
Article number101438
JournalAdditive Manufacturing
Volume36
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2020
Externally publishedYes

Funding

This work is funded by Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies (FM&T) and National Science Foundation (Award Number: 2002840). The authors would like to thank Alex Deriy at the APS for his help on the beamline experiments. This research used resources of the Advanced Photon Source, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility operated for the DOE Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. All data prepared, analyzed and presented has been developed in a specific context of work and was prepared for internal evaluation and use pursuant to that work authorized under the referenced contract. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government, any agency thereof or Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, LLC. This publication has been authored by Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies under Contract No. DE-NA0002839 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a nonexclusive, paid up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for the United States Government purposes.

FundersFunder number
Alex Deriy
United States Government
National Science Foundation2002840
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Science
Argonne National LaboratoryDE-AC02-06CH11357, DE-NA0002839
Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies

    Keywords

    • Additive manufacturing
    • High-speed imaging
    • Laser powder bed fusion
    • Spatter
    • Synchrotron x-ray

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