Effect of additive manufacturing SLM process on the shape quality of Ti6Al4V surface texture

The work aimed to explore the influence of additive manufacturing SLM process on the shape quality of actual shape size and morphology of Ti6Al4V surface texture prepared by “one-step” method. Ti6Al4V titanium alloy samples with different theorical diameters and depths of surface textures were prepared by 3D metal printer under SLM technology. The shape quality of pit texture of titanium alloys were observed and analyzed. The results showed that for the pit textures, there were some incomplete melting titanium alloy powder particles at the edge and the bottom, which increased with the increasing of the texture diameter and depth. With the increase of theorical texture depth, the actual diameter and average diameter error of D400 pit texture increased first and then decreased, with the minimum average diameter error of 2.08%. And the average diameter error of D800 pit texture showed a downward trend, with the minimum average diameter error of 2.84%. Meanwhile, with the increase of theorical texture depth, the average depth error of D400 pit texture gradually decreased, with the minimum average depth error of 2.23%. But the average shape error in depth for D800 pit texture was larger than that in diameter. As a result, it was proved that Ti6Al4V titanium alloy with surface pit texture prepared by one-step method of 3D printing was feasible. Furthermore, the shape quality of actual pit textures in the diameter direction was better than that in the depth direction.