Response surface methodology for parameter development of alloy UNS N09946 processed with laser powder bed fusion

Purpose The adoption of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) as an additive manufacturing technique has been slow in the oil and gas (O&G) industry because of the uncertainty regarding material performance and the lack of suitable materials. The high investment and time required for LPBF development also discourage adoption. This study aims to address these concerns by developing a parameter set for a relevant material using a systematic approach to optimize the density of the printed parts with reduced experimental effort. Design/methodology/approach First, an industry-relevant Ni-based superalloy, UNS N09946, was gas-atomized to produce a powder. The powder was fully characterized to ensure successful printing. Next, a processing parameter set tailored for achieving full density was developed for UNS N09946 using a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach based on the volumetric energy density equation. Findings A model was created using Response Surface Methodology that relates laser power, scan speed and hatch distance to efficiently identify successful parameter combinations, thus reducing the number of specimens necessary for the successful manufacturing of UNS N09946 using LPBF. A part density of 99.9% was achieved using this method. Originality/value This study applies an existing experimental design method to a never-before-printed material. The reduced experimental effort through this method and lessons learned from the gas atomization process can be directly applied to other materials in and outside the O&G industry to further the adoption of LPBF as a serious manufacturing technology.