Optimization of metal additive printing parameters in selective laser melting of Ti6Al4V parts

This study provides an analysis of additive manufacturing process, particularly on selective laser melting process for the Ti6Al4V alloy through numerical simulations. Its primary goal is to optimize the process parameters which are: laser power, scan speed, scan width, and layer thickness, to enhance the quality of the produced parts. A full factorial experimental design was established, to evaluate the impact of each parameter on total distortion, effective stress, Z-Distortion which is the vertical deformation along the build axis and angle α which is the part’s upward curling angle after support removal, calculated using Z-Distortion. The results indicate that laser power and scan speed significantly affect effective stress and overall distortion, while layer thickness has a minor impact, and scan width appears to have negligible influence on the outcomes. The optimal parameters identified are: 160 W laser power, 1200 mm/s scan speed, 30 μm layer thickness, and 120 μm scan width. These configurations achieved an effective stress of 749 MPa, a total distortion of 62 μm, a Z distortion of 46 μm, and an angle α of 0.26°. In conclusion, the study highlights the importance of optimizing SLM parameters to improve part quality and performance, providing valuable insights for future applications in these potential fields.