Comparative study on the tribological properties of direct metal laser sintered and conventionally manufactured Ti6Al4V alloys

The tribological behaviors of direct metal laser sintered materials should be further studied, as it is important to know their wear properties before use. In this research, the tribological properties of Ti6Al4V samples produced by conventional (rolling) and additive manufacturing methods using different production parameters were compared. The results revealed that production parameters strongly influence the hardness and wear resistance of additive manufacturing parts. Among the selected test parameters, keeping the energy density between 40-50 J/mm3 to produce a Ti6Al4V sample ensures that the hardness values are at the same level as those of the rolled one.