About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium (SFF Symp 2026)
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| Symposium
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2026 Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium (SFF Symp 2026)
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| Presentation Title |
Melt pool morphology-driven microstructures in laser powder blown directed energy deposition via variable beam shaping |
| Author(s) |
Jack Dale, Adriana Eres Castellanos, James Zuback, Carelyn Campbell, Amy Clarke, Samantha Webster |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Jack Dale |
| Abstract Scope |
Laser powder blown directed energy deposition (DED-LB) is a disruptive additive manufacturing technology capable of building large volume metal parts at scale. Critical to part performance is microstructural development during deposition. The local solidification environment, moderated by laser characteristics, affects resultant microstructures. Variable beam shaping (VBS) mixes static beams shapes into a single output and has the potential to expand upon the benefits already seen with static shaping. A limited understanding of the technology’s effects on microstructure hampers wider application of variable shaping in DED-LB systems. The present work used nLight’s AFX-1200 laser to deposit single-tracks of Inconel 625 under seven variable shaping modes and two power levels. A transition between build-direction and scan-direction grain orientations is displayed. Coupled with solidification modelling, a laser modulated, melt pool morphology-driven mechanism is proposed. In industrially-relevant multilayer builds, this mechanism shows VBS to be a potentially efficacious method to control microstructures in DED-LB. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Undecided |