Analysis of post-processing influence on the geometrical and dimensional accuracy of selective laser melting parts
ISSN: 1355-2546
Article publication date: 13 October 2020
Issue publication date: 28 November 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyze the effect of the different common post-processes on the geometrical and dimensional accuracy of selective laser melting (SLM) parts.
Design/methodology/approach
An artefact has been designed including cubic features formed by planar surfaces orientated according to the machine axes, covering all the X-Y area of the working space. The artefact has been analyzed both geometrically (flatness, parallelism) and dimensionally (sizes, distances) from coordinate measuring machine measurement results at three stages, namely, as-built, after sand-blasting and after stress-relieving heat treatment.
Findings
Results from the SLM machine used in this study lead to smaller parts than the nominal ones. This effect depends on the direction of the evaluated dimension of the parts, i.e. X, Y or Z direction and is differently affected by the sandblasting post-process (average erosion ratio of 68, 54 and 9 µm, respectively), being practically unaltered by the HT applied after.
Originality/value
This paper shows the influence, from a geometric and dimensional point of view, of two of the most common post-processes used after producing SLM parts, such as sand-blasting and stress-relieving heat treatment, that have not been considered in previous research.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank to two student grants awarded by the University Institute of Industrial Technology of Asturias (IUTA, ref. SV-18-GIJON-1–06) and by the Young researcher mobility program of SIF (Manufacturing Engineering Spanish Society). Then, also, to the financial support provided by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (project DPI2017-89840-R, through FEDER-ERDF funds) and by the Junta de Castilla y León (project LE027P17-FEDER funds).
Citation
Cuesta, E., Alvarez, B.J., Zapico, P. and Giganto, S. (2020), "Analysis of post-processing influence on the geometrical and dimensional accuracy of selective laser melting parts", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 26 No. 10, pp. 1713-1722. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-02-2020-0042
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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