Two-body abrasive wear behaviour of AlSi12Mg alloy components fabricated through selective laser melting

Selective Laser Melting (SLM) enables fabrication of AlSi12Mg components with complex geometries and high dimensional accuracy; however, defects such as surface irregularities, porosity, and microstructural heterogeneity degrade performance. This study investigates the combined effects of heat treatment (HT), grinding (G), and ultrasonic-assisted magnetic abrasive finishing (UAMAF) on surface integrity, microstructure, corrosion, and wear behavior. The HT+G + UAMAF condition reduced surface roughness by 97.7% compared to the as-built state, though microhardness decreased from 129.3 HV to 80.49 HV due to silicon spheroidization and coarsening. XRD confirmed stable α-Al, Si, and Mg2Si phases with increased crystallite size, while SEM–EDAX showed improved surface morphology and reduced oxides. Tribological results indicated a significant reduction of 69.6% in coefficient of friction and 68.6% reduction in wear rate, attributed to enhanced load-bearing capacity and formation of a stable protective tribolayer, shifting wear from severe adhesive–abrasive to mild oxidative mechanisms. Although heat treatment increased micro-galvanic effects, hybrid finishing reduced corrosion rates by over 90% by minimizing defects and enhancing passive film stability. The present work provides a systematic investigation of the combined influence of heat treatment, grinding, and UAMAF on SLMed AlSi12Mg, corelating surface integrity, corrosion behaviour, and abrasive wear performance under identical processing conditions.