A study of the relationship between thermal expansion and residual stresses in selective laser melting of Ti-6Al-4V

Selective laser melting of Ti-6Al-4V is associated with residual stress generation, thermal expansion, and metallurgical changes due to high heating and cooling rates. These manufacturing flaws affect the microstructure and mechanical properties of the parts produced. In this work, process mapping is presented for producing Ti-6Al-4V using the selective laser melting process. Combinations of process parameters that lead to stable melting are …