Influence of Process Parameters On Microstructure and Properties of 3D Printed Metals
Influence of Process Parameters On Microstructure and Properties of 3D Printed Metals
Process Parameters
on Microstructure
and Properties of
3D Printed Metals
[Date]
Student Name:
Supervisor name:
Table of Contents
Figures List......................................................................................................................................2
Tables List.......................................................................................................................................3
1. Background..............................................................................................................................4
2. Aims and objectives.................................................................................................................6
3. Research questions...................................................................................................................7
4. Literature Review....................................................................................................................8
4.1. Types.................................................................................................................................8
4.1.1. Selective Laser Melting.............................................................................................8
4.1.2. Direct Metal Laser Sintering.....................................................................................9
4.1.3. Electron Beam Melting............................................................................................11
4.1.4. Other technologies...................................................................................................12
4.2. Influencing parameters....................................................................................................15
4.2.1. Temperature.............................................................................................................15
4.2.2. Print Speed...............................................................................................................16
4.2.3. Layer Thickness.......................................................................................................17
5. Methodology..........................................................................................................................20
5.1. Theoretical comprehension.............................................................................................20
5.2. Material Selection...........................................................................................................20
5.3. Printing Setup..................................................................................................................20
5.4. Microstructural Analysis.................................................................................................21
5.5. Optical Microscopy.........................................................................................................21
5.6. Results analysis and discussions.....................................................................................21
5.7. Conclusions and recommendations.................................................................................21
References......................................................................................................................................22
Figures List
Figure 1-1. 3D printing stages (Gao et al., 2018)............................................................................4
Figure 4-1. Metal 3D printing using SLM technology (Rifai et al., 2021)......................................9
Figure 4-2. Metal 3D printing using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (Marrey et al., 2019).............11
Figure 4-3. Metal 3D printing using Electron Beam Melting (Omiyale and Farayibi, 2020).......12
Figure 4-4. Metal 3D printing using binder jetting (Min et al., 2021)..........................................13
Figure 4-5. Metal 3D printing using Metal Fused Filament Fabrication (Razavykia et al., 2020).
.......................................................................................................................................................14
Figure 4-6. Effect of the printing on the void shape, distribution, and porosity (Wang et al.,
2021)..............................................................................................................................................16
Figure 4-7. Effect of increasing layer thickness on the microstructure (Rońda et al., 2022)........18
Tables List
Table 1-1. 3D printing stages description and main challenges (Gao et al., 2018).........................4
Table 1-2. Applications of 3D printing in metals (Buchanan and Gardner, 2019) and (Nirish and
Rajendra, 2020)................................................................................................................................5
1. Background
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), is a process of creating three-
dimensional objects layer by layer from a. Unlike traditional subtractive manufacturing methods
that involve cutting, drilling, or machining materials to obtain the desired shape, 3D printing
builds up the object by adding material layer upon layer. This technology allows for the
production of complex and intricate geometries that may be challenging to achieve using
conventional manufacturing techniques (Gao et al., 2018).
Table 1-1. 3D printing stages description and main challenges (Gao et al., 2018).
Table 1-2. Applications of 3D printing in metals (Buchanan and Gardner, 2019) and (Nirish and Rajendra, 2020).
1. To carry out a literature review on the 3D printed metals including their types, parameters
influence the effectiveness of the process, applications and challenges in addition to
reviewing related studies that concerned regarding the researched point.
2. To create a simple 3D model preparing to be 3D printed.
3. To select a group of influencing parameters such as temperature, print speed, layer
thickness.
4. To 3D print the prepared model several times and changing the process parameters.
5. To investigate the process parameters’ effect using X-ray and SEM on the microstructure
and resultant properties of the printed metal.
6. To outline the concluded points and setting recommendations for the future scientific
works.
3. Research questions
1. How does varying printing temperature influence the microstructure and mechanical
properties of 3D printed metals?
2. What is the correlation between print speed and the resulting microstructure and hardness
of 3D printed metals?
3. How does the layer thickness during 3D printing affect the grain size and tensile strength
of the printed metal?
4. To what extent do different printing parameters contribute to the formation of defects,
such as porosity or inclusions, in 3D printed metals?
5. How do variations in printing parameters impact the crystallographic structure of 3D
printed metals, as observed through X-ray diffraction (XRD)?
6. What is the relationship between printing temperature and the thermal conductivity of 3D
printed metals?
7. How do different printing parameters influence the surface morphology and
microstructural features, as observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM)?
8. What role do printing parameters play in determining the corrosion resistance of 3D
printed metals?
9. How does the variation in layer thickness affect the fatigue resistance and crack
propagation behavior of 3D printed metals under cyclic loading conditions?
10. To what extent do different printing parameters affect the overall mechanical and thermal
properties of 3D printed metal composites (e.g., metal matrix composites or reinforced
structures)?
4. Literature Review
The 3D printing process involves creating 3D objects layer by layer from a digital model. The
3D printing process passes through different stages that are presented as follows (Gupta, 2017):
4.1. Types
Many varieties of 3D printing mechanisms have been invented by scientists that are compatible
with various use and manufacturing volumes. The technologies include:
1. Permits for the development of sophisticated geometries that would not have been
achieved by the conventional approaches
2. The technology used is highly precise that allows for the manufacturing of resilient and
detailed components
3. The process optimizes on material use, since particular components are only melted and
fused that contributes to low waste generation
The mentioned merits make the SLM an implementable approach since lightweight and detailed
metal structures are essential especially in the aviation and medical sectors. This technology
similarly has its drawbacks as follows
1. The process entails additional process such as machining and surface works that may lead
to additional cost of production and increased time of production
2. The initial capital investment of the SLM system is high, this makes the system to be
capital intensive especially for large volumes manufacturing.
3. The sophisticated nature of the system limited she printing of particular materials or
detailed designs, however this can be addressed by determining the suitable amounts of
metal powder particles.
4. The complex cooling procedures of the material may compromise its microstructures and
mechanical features. (Rifai et al., 2021).
Figure 4-2. Metal 3D printing using SLM technology (Rifai et al., 2021).
1.it is capable of creating detailed and sophisticated metal components that are of high precision.
2. the sintering procedures allows for the manufacturing of parts with recommended mechanical
features.
4. Models and final use parts can be developed through this procedure in a very short period of
time.
1. Additional process after production such as finishing leads to increase cost of production
as well as increase the sophistication processes.
2. the initial investment of DMLS machines and raw materials are high, this makes it more
appropriate for applications where the advantages of 3D printing like rapid prototyping
surpass the related costs.
3. The type of DMLS infrastructure limited the size of printed materials since the overhangs
and unsupported parameter may be difficult to print correctly (Marrey et al., 2019).
Figure 4-3. Metal 3D printing using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (Marrey et al., 2019).
1. The requirements for the EBM system such as the high vacuum and electron beam gun
are sophisticated and not affordable
2. Materials processed require finishing and paintings so as to meet the usage requirements,
this is an additional cost.
3. EBM process consume a lot of time since its build speed is slower as compared to several
other 3D printing systems.
4. He high energy electron beam may develop thermal stress in the material causing an
impact on the material micro structures as well as leaving residual stresses.
The threshold size can be restricted as a result of electron beam features, affecting the screening
of tiny details in the printed material. Also, overhangs and uninstalled parameters may have a
problem in the printing procedure (Omiyale and Farayibi, 2020).
Figure 4-4. Metal 3D printing using Electron Beam Melting (Omiyale and Farayibi, 2020).
Figure 4-5. Metal 3D printing using binder jetting (Min et al., 2021).
Metal Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is an advanced technique frequently used for formation
of plastics, where a filament made of metal powder id]s combined with a polymer binder is
extrudes in layers to develop a 3D material. As per the printing procedures in place, the green
section goes through a dibinding process to remove the polymer binder that thereafter goes
through a sintering process to fuse metal powder. The approach provides accessibility and cost
effectiveness merits by capitalizing on the knowledge of FFF approach which is affordable as
compared to the material 3D printing methodologies, it also enables the manufacturing of large
and complex configurations which make the process more seamless in comparisons to other
metal printing approaches. Despite the merit this approach holds the technology has a set of
drawbacks:
1. They have sophisticated process such as debinding prior to sintering because of the
polymer bind used, this may alternatively affect the quality of the final object
2. The features of the material tend to be compromised due to the procedures used in the
melting technology
3. The use of polymer binders makes the green sections to be fragile, this hinders the
achievement of fine and high resolution detail. However, the selection of metal powder
may be cumbersome due to the needs for efficient extrusion processes (Razavykia et al.,
2020).
Figure 4-6. Metal 3D printing using Metal Fused Filament Fabrication (Razavykia et al., 2020).
4.2.1. Temperature
Temperatures control is crucial in attaining the expected balance between performance and the
level of quality of the printed object, the degree of hotness in the 3D printing procedures of
materials play a key role in ensuring the general efficiency of the printed object, temperature
impacts different aspects such as material processing, layer alignment and the general printing
rate. Inappropriate temperate levels can result in low material flow that consequently affects the
correctness of the printed layers and may cause errors, temperatures affect the material
processing features in the 3D process, appropriate temperatures level are crucial in ensuring that
the material is of the right viscosity for a seamless extrusion. Similarly, use of high temperatures
may lead to issues like over melting that may lower the configuration accuracy of the printed
object (Guessasma et al., 2020).
The temperatures used is very important in determining the metallurgical features of the end
printed object, heating and cooling cycles of the 3D object printing goes through modifications.
The speed of cooling is influenced by temperatures in its surroundings, the formation processes,
grain sizes and the amount of errors in the material, maximum control of temperatures is
important in attaining the required features like fine grain sizes and uniformity. Use of wrong
temperatures conditions leads to the formation of unwanted phases, increase porosity and the
development of defects like crevices. Temperature variations affect the thermal stress in the
material that can later affect the microstructure and the mechanical features of the printed
material (Wang et al., 2021).
Void shape:
At 190°C, the voids are mostly elongated and elliptical, with some smaller, circular
voids.
At 220°C, the voids are more circular and evenly distributed.
At 250°C, the voids are again more elongated and elliptical, but they are also larger and
widely distributed.
Void space distribution:
The histograms show the distribution of void areas for each printing temperature.
At 190°C, there is a wider range of void sizes, with a peak at around 4850 µm².
At 220°C, the void sizes are more concentrated around 3059 µm².
At 250°C, the pore sizes are more spread out with a peak of around 2858 µm².
Porosity:
The bar chart shows the porosity of the printed materials for each printing temperature.
At 190°C, the porosity is highest, at 6.3%.
At 220°C, the porosity is lowest, at 4.0%.
At 250°C, the porosity is intermediate, at 4.6%.
Figure 4-7. Effect of the printing on the void shape, distribution, and porosity (Wang et al., 2021).
Figure 4-8. Effect of increasing layer thickness on the microstructure (Rońda et al., 2022).
(Naveed, 2020) examine the impacts of process factors on metal features and microstructural
modifications of 3D printed samples via Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), the investigation
employed five carious raster inclinations to make 3D sections using polylactic acid (PLA) as the
thermoplastic material.an investigation on the tensile strength of the printed sections was done to
provide important insights on the optimal raster position for manufacturing of parts with string
tensile features. The microstructural investigations were done by the used scanning electron
microscopy (SEM) to determine material failure behaviours and modes as well as defects in the
3D sections. The research detects the best raster direction for placing the layers of 3D printing
material during the FDM process, it similarly detected defects at the microstructure level that
have notable effects on mechanical features of 3D printed sections.
(Murugan et al., 2018) analysed the mechanical properties of 3D printing infrastructures under
the impacts of many structural parameters like direction of building, thickness of layers,
microstructures density and the printing rate. The publish also focused on analysing and
maximizing the effect of such parameters on the tensile integrity and printing periods. The
research fabricated samples using the Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) material with various blends of
procedures and parameters as per Taguchi's approach. Past research on the effect of structures
direction were undertaken by modifying the y-axis orientation of the sample, mechanical features
of the samples were examined via impact, tensile strength as well as thermal stresses as per the
set standards like the TS EN ISO 179-1 as well as ASTM D638-1. The preliminary studies
confirmed that a model built using a y-axis orientation of 45 degrees yields better mechanical
properties. The influence of the build parameters on the tensile strength, Young's modulus, and
printing time were analysed and optimised.
5. Methodology
Regarding to the research aim that tends to Study how different printing parameters (like
temperature, print speed, layer thickness) affect the microstructure and resultant properties of the
printed metal, the decision was taken to follow such approaches that are presented in the
following figure:
Theoretical
Material Selection Printing Setup
comprehension
Conclusions and
recommendations
Gao, Yang & Li, Borui & Wang, Wei & Xu, Wenyao & Zhou, Chi & Jin, Zhanpeng. (2018).
Watching and Safeguarding Your 3D Printer: Online Process Monitoring Against Cyber-
Physical Attacks. Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous
Technologies. 2. 1-27. 10.1145/3264918.
Gong, Haijun & Crater, Cameron & Ordonez, Ana & Ward, Craig & Waller, Madison & Ginn,
Charles. (2018). Material Properties and Shrinkage of 3D Printing Parts using Ultrafuse Stainless
Steel 316LX Filament. MATEC Web of Conferences. 249. 01001.
10.1051/matecconf/201824901001.
Guessasma, Sofiane & Belhabib, Sofiane & Nouri, Hedi. (2020). Effect of printing temperature
on microstructure, thermal behavior and tensile properties of 3D printed nylon using fused
deposition modeling. Journal of Applied Polymer Science. 138. 50162. 10.1002/app.50162.
Kanyilmaz, Alper & Demir, Ali Gökhan & Chierici, Martina & Berto, Filippo & Gardner, Leroy
& Kandukuri, Sastry & Kassabian, Paul & Kinoshita, Takuya & Laurenti, Andrea & Paoletti,
Ingrid & Du Plessis, Anton & Razavi, Nima. (2021). Role of Metal 3D Printing to Increase
Quality and Resource-efficiency in the Construction Sector. Additive Manufacturing. 50.
102541. 10.1016/j.addma.2021.102541.
Loskot, Jan & Jezbera, Daniel & Loskot, Roman & Bušovský, Damián & Barylski, Adrian &
Glowka, Karsten & Duda, Piotr & Aniołek, Krzysztof & Voglová, Kateřina & Zubko, Maciej.
(2023). Influence of print speed on the microstructure, morphology, and mechanical properties of
3D-printed PETG products. Polymer Testing. 123. 108055.
10.1016/j.polymertesting.2023.108055.
Marrey, Mallikharjun & Malekipour, Ehsan & El-Mounayri, Hazim & Faierson, Eric. (2019). A
Framework for Optimizing Process Parameters in Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) Process Using
Artificial Neural Network (ANN). Procedia Manufacturing. 34. 10.1016/j.promfg.2019.06.214.
Min, Kyung-Sung & Park, Kwang-Min & Lee, Bong-Chun & Roh, Youngsook. (2021). Chloride
Diffusion by Build Orientation of Cementitious Material-Based Binder Jetting 3D Printing
Mortar. Materials. 14. 7452. 10.3390/ma14237452.
Murugan, Ramu & Mitilesh, R.N. & Singamneni, S.. (2018). Influence of process parameters on
the mechanical behaviour and processing time of 3D printing. International Journal of Modern
Manufacturing Technologies. 10. 69-75.
Naveed, Nida. (2020). Investigate the effects of process parameters on material properties and
microstructural changes of 3D-printed specimens using fused deposition modelling (FDM).
Materials Technology. 36. 1-14. 10.1080/10667857.2020.1758475.
Nirish, Mudda & Rajendra, Raka. (2020). Suitability of metal additive manufacturing processes
for part topology optimization – A comparative study. Materials Today: Proceedings. 27.
10.1016/j.matpr.2020.03.275.
Omiyale, Babatunde & Farayibi, P. K.. (2020). Additive manufacturing in the oil and gas
industries. Analecta Technica Szegedinensia. 14. 9-18. 10.14232/analecta.2020.1.9-18.
Razavykia, Abbas & Brusa, Eugenio & Delprete, Cristiana & Yavari, Reza. (2020). An
Overview of Additive Manufacturing Technologies—A Review to Technical Synthesis in
Numerical Study of Selective Laser Melting. Materials. 13. 10.3390/ma13173895.
Rifai, Aaqil & Houshyar, Shadi & Fox, Kate. (2021). Progress towards 3D-printing diamond for
medical implants: A review. Annals of 3D Printed Medicine. 1. 100002.
10.1016/j.stlm.2020.100002.
Rońda, Natalia & Grzelak, Krzysztof & Polanski, Marek & Dworecka-Wójcik, Julita. (2022).
The Influence of Layer Thickness on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of M300
Maraging Steel Additively Manufactured by LENS® Technology. Materials. 15. 603.
10.3390/ma15020603.
Selema, Ahmed & Ibrahim, Mohamed & Sergeant, Peter. (2022). Metal Additive Manufacturing
for Electrical Machines: Technology Review and Latest Advancements. Energies. 15.
10.3390/en15031076.
Shubham, Pritish & Sikidar, Arnab & Chand, Teg. (2016). The Influence of Layer Thickness on
Mechanical Properties of the 3D Printed ABS Polymer by Fused Deposition Modeling. Key
Engineering Materials. 706. 63-67. 10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.706.63.
Wang, Kui & Cai, Ruijun & Zhang, Zejun & Liu, Jinlong & Ahzi, Said & Peng, Yong & Rao,
Yanni. (2021). Compressive behaviors of 3D printed polypropylene-based composites at low and
high strain rates. Polymer Testing. 103. 107321. 10.1016/j.polymertesting.2021.107321.