Effect of scanning strategies on microstructure and wear behavior of Inconel 718 fabricated by selective laser melting

Abstract To study the effect of the rotating angle on microstructure and wear properties of Inconel 718 alloy manufactured by selective laser melting (SLM) technology, parts were fabricated with two different scanning strategies (67°, 90°). The results revealed that the Inconel 718 produced by SLM with a 67° rotating angle exhibits higher surface roughness and a distinct cubic texture {100} <001>. Additionally, rotation angle of 90° will enhance grain coarsening and weaken texture strength. The influence of rotation angles on the hardness of SLMed Inconel 718 is negligible at room temperature. The wear resistance of SLMed Inconel 718 is superior at high temperatures compared to room temperature. The wear mechanisms of SLMed Inconel 718 at room temperature and high temperature are primarily governed by abrasive wear and adhesive wear, and oxidation wear, respectively. The favorable wear properties observed at the 67° rotating angle can be attributed mainly to the fine cellular structure and the triboxide layer.