Reinforcements made by AM in sheet metal formed lightweight components with critical function

Purpose and goal:

The goal is to evaluate automated laser-wire AM for lightweight details in the nickel-based superalloy Haynes 282. Analysis of the material´s resulting properties and how they differ from properties of the base material has been carried out. The tests show that Procada´s control system is able to keep the process stable despite, for example, large deformations of the base plate (deliberately provoked in one of the test cases).

However, in-homogeneity has been identified in the test rods which show that an even narrower process window is required for better material properties. Expected results and effects:

The results show that the mechanical properties of the built material differ from the properties of the base plate. Tensile strength, hardening and yield strength deviate and the properties spread depending on the placement of the test bar in the AM-processed geometries. The deformation also occurs non-homogeneously under tensile load, which differs from the sheet material where the elongation takes place homogeneously in the measuring area up to the breaking point.

This indicates an in-homogeneity in the resulting properties and the possible presence of defects in the material. Approach and implementation:

The project has been carried out according to the detailed project plan with planning of suitable geometry, instrumentation for temperature measurement and AM test, development of test rod geometries and implementation of material characterization and analysis of results. Initially, it was planned to also perform CT scans to study the presence of microdefects. This was not accommodated within the project but will be implemented in the closely linked LIGHTer project ExFab.