| Abstract Scope |
Laser beam shaping can improve productivity and process stability in laser-based powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M). However, the influence of numerically optimized, computer-generated beam profiles on the manufacturing of volumetric parts remains largely unexplored. This study investigates three beam profiles for PBF-LB/M of IN718, targeting a brick-like melt-pool cross-section, a homogeneous temperature field, and a Gaussian-like melt-pool cross-section with limited peak temperature. Cube specimens were manufactured using varied laser power, scan speed, and hatch distance. Relative density was determined by Archimedean density measurements, and melt-pool geometry was evaluated by metallographic cross-section analysis. The investigated beam profiles achieve relative densities > 99.5 %, increase the build rate by up to 300 %, and thereby enlarge the process window compared with a Gaussian reference process. The results demonstrate the potential of computer-generated beam profiles for high-productivity PBF-LB/M of IN718, while revealing remaining challenges related to top-surface waviness and geometrical accuracy. |