Abstract Scope |
Electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3) is a wire-fed directed energy deposition additive manufacturing process that emphasizes a high deposition rate in order to manufacture large parts. EBF3 offers the capability to additively manufacture large-scale structural components in remote space environments. Despite its promise, the relationships between processing parameters, microstructure, and mechanical properties of material produced by EBF3 are not well understood. This work was undertaken to characterize the microstructure of as-deposited Ti-6Al-4V as well as its mechanical properties with respect to anisotropy and inhomogeneity. The microstructure was characterized using a variety of techniques, including electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction. Nanoindentation was performed to elucidate the effects of microstructural inhomogeneities. On the bulk-scale, the mechanical properties were characterized using tensile tests, shear tests, and 3-D DIC strain mapping. |