A method for predicting melted surface area of AlSi10Mg using SLM technology with low laser power

Abstract Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology, particularly the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) method, is a non-traditional machining technique that offers numerous outstanding advantages in the current context. It enables the the manufacturing of metallic components with high accuracy and complex geometry while reducing processing time compared to conventional machining methods. This study utilizes an SLM printer model to fabricate products using AlSi10Mg aluminum alloy, aiming to investigate the influence of three main parameters - laser power P, scanning speed v, and hatch spacing h, influencing the melted surface area S. The experiment design follows the Full Factorial Design (FFD) method with three factors at two levels. The samples were photographed using an optical microscope to calculate the proportion of the melted area, with the achieved result of about 80%. Analysis results indicate that laser power is the primary factor affecting the melted area, while scanning speed has a negligible effect. A linear regression model was developed from the obtained data to predict the melted surface area, contributing to the optimization and advancement of metal SLM 3D printing technology, especially under low-budget conditions.