Abstract:
Additive manufacturing can be used to produce complex and custom geometries, consolidating different
parts into one, which in turn reduces the required number of assemblies and allows distributed
manufacturing with short lead times. Defects, such as porosity and surface roughness, associated with
parts manufactured by laser powder bed fusion, can severely limit industrial application. The effect these
defects have on corrosion and hence long-term structural integrity must also be taken into consideration.
The aim of this paper is to report on the characterization of porosity in samples produced by laser
powder bed fusion, with the differences in porosity induced by changes in the process parameters. The
alloy used in this investigation is AlSi10Mg, which is widely used in the aerospace and automotive
industries. The sample characteristics, obtained by X-ray tomography, are reported. The design and
production of additively manufactured parts can be improved when these defects are better understood.
