Vibration characteristics of 17-4PH metal material extrusion thin plates

Purpose The purpose of this study is to set up the theoretical model for predicting the vibration characteristics of 17-4PH metal material extrusion (MME) green and sintered parts, as well as carry out the experimental validation and sensitivity analysis. Design/methodology/approach Theoretical models of the inherent characteristic and vibration response of MME green and sintered plates were first established based on the finite element method. The corresponding plate samples were fabricated in four different build directions, and modal tests were then conducted to determine their inherent characteristics and vibration responses. Through the comparison between theoretical and experimental results, the proposed theoretical model was validated. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis was conducted on the proposed model to explore the effect of elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio and density on the vibration characteristics. In addition, the relationship between the vibration characteristics of green and sintered parts was explored. Findings It was indicated that the model could accurately predict the vibration characteristics of both MME green and sintered plates. The build direction affected the elastic modulus of the samples and thereby influenced its vibration performance. Plates built along the edge direction exhibited the best vibration performance. For sintered parts, increasing the elastic modulus or Poisson’s ratio increased their natural frequency but reduced the vibration response. Both the natural frequency and vibration response were decreased with the increasing density. In addition, the better the vibration performance of the green samples, the better the corresponding sintered ones. The orthotropic anisotropy characteristics of sintered parts are significantly reduced compared with green ones. Research limitations/implications Future research can be focused on using the proposed model to investigate the effect of processing and technical parameters on the MME parts’ vibration characteristics. Practical implications This study shows theoretical basis and technical insight into improving the vibration characteristics of the MME parts. Originality/value There are few existing studies on MME dynamics, and this paper bridges the gap in the characterization of MME vibrations. Reliable theoretical models have been proposed to provide theoretical basis and principle to reveal the vibration characteristics of MME parts.