An investigation on the effect of high-productivity parameters on the quality of Ti6Al4V parts produced by DED

Titanium alloys have gained significant prominence across diverse sectors such as aerospace, biomedical, and motorsport, primarily due to their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, superior corrosion resistance, and inherent toughness. Among these, Ti6Al4V remains the most widely used, offering a versatile balance of properties. While Direct Energy Deposition (DED) offers considerable capability for fabricating large and intricate metallic parts, ensuring consistent quality in complex Ti6Al4V components under high-productivity conditions presents a significant challenge. For this reason, this work aims to investigate the impact of high-productivity parameters on the quality of Ti6Al4V components produced via DED using the Borealis system installed at IRIS s.r.l. The study specifically explored two distinct sets of process parameters: a scanning speed of 1200 mm/min and 1500 mm/min both at a laser power of 2400 W, maintaining constant values for layer height, rotation speed, and overlap. The produced samples underwent comprehensive characterization. Internal defects were quantified via X-ray tomography, while metallographic inspection revealed microstructural features. Mechanical properties were assessed through microhardness measurements and tensile tests. A key aspect of this study involved comparing these results with data obtained from components produced under standard productivity conditions. The analysis revealed that while both high-productivity parameter sets yielded acceptable porosity levels, lower scanning speeds resulted in improved overall density and microstructure. This research thus provides valuable insights into optimizing DED process parameters to achieve a reliable balance between enhanced productivity and the desired material integrity for critical applications.