SHENYANG: Scientists have overcome the challenge of poor fatigue properties in 3D-printed materials by introducing a groundbreaking approach to craft an anti-fatigue titanium alloy through near void-free 3D printing.
Published in the esteemed academic journal Nature, the study reveals that the potential of 3D printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), was previously hindered by the subpar fatigue performance induced by microvoids during the printing process.
Led by Prof. Zhang Zhefeng and Prof. Zhang Zhenjun from the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the research team managed to produce an almost void-free Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy.
This innovative technique, known as the Naet-Additive Manufacturing Process, involves hot-isostatic pressing to eradicate microvoids and subsequent high-temperature-short-time heat treatment to refine the AM microstructure, resulting in a titanium alloy with fine martensite lath and nearly void-free properties.
Technology
