"How to gain more experience in process development for L-PBF machines?"
I think there are several steps that need to be considered to gain more experience in process development. Anyway, I would like to summarize some of my past experiences here.
Most of us started polishing cubes in university to find a suitable parameter for a new tailored material. Somehow, that was a first step to understand how to start process development. Even though we only prepared cubes in the lab, we developed an initial understanding of the microstructures and density that could be achieved.
In the next phase, we got some initial confidence in our first DOE (design of experiment) by using process preparation software. I still remember my first series of experiments at the university where I was able to adjust the process parameters. It was based on a titanium alloy for the aerospace market. Cubes, tensile bars, and surface specimens were printed to determine the resulting material properties. Heat treatment was also performed, as this is necessary to reduce residual stress in the material. That is why I love Additive Manufacturing so much, it provides an overview of the entire process chain directly from the beginning of your journey in that technology.
What are your experiences? Have you had your initial experiences in the lab as well? I look forward to your feedback.
Sneak peak of the next post:
After developing hatch parameters, you move on to contour and overhang. Those are the first steps where you go from low to medium, because overhang areas are one of the most critical areas in process development...
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