Machining stability improvement in LPBF printed components through stiffening by crystallographic texture control

Abstract

The quality requirements of functional parts manufactured by the laser powder bed fusion imply post-processing machining operations. These components include thin walls, hollow and complex shapes that can lead to machining instability. This paper presents a strategy to exploit the inherent crystallographic effect as a tool for stiffening and improving machining stability by considering the orientation of machining bending loads and the crystalline orientation distribution. Three samples were manufactured under the same LPBF parameters but different crystallographic orientations. The results show that the optimal crystalline direction increases static and dynamic stiffness and stability, reducing machining chatter risks.