Study on the Microstructure and Properties of Laser-arc Hybrid Additive Manufacturing of Aluminum Alloys

doi:10.3901/JME.2025.10.152

Abstract

Abstract: The quality control and microstructural evolution during the laser-arc hybrid additive manufacturing process are notably more complex than in conventional welding procedures. To clarify the influence of scanning speed on the forming quality, microstructure, and microhardness of high-strength aluminum alloys in laser-arc hybrid additive manufacturing, thin-walled additive components were produced using the laser and cold metal transfer and plus(CMT-P) arc technology, focusing on 2024 high-strength aluminum alloys. The influence of scanning speed on the forming quality, microstructure evolution and microhardness of thin-walled components was studied. The results reveal that a judicious adjustment of scanning speed can significantly enhance the forming accuracy of thin-walled additive components while reducing the extent of spattering throughout the manufacturing process. All the samples show a periodic light-dark layered structure, and the grain structure shows a gradient evolution along the deposition direction. The bottom region is a columnar crystal with directional growth, the top region is composed of coarse columnar grains and equiaxed grains； Furthermore, the microhardness trends along the build direction from bottom to top of the additive specimens remain consistent across different scanning speeds, with the microhardness in the stabilized region of the additive specimens being 80%-85% of that of the substrate, maintained between 90-115 HV_0.98N.

Key words: additive manufacturing, high-strength aluminum alloy, forming quality, microstructure, microhardness

CLC Number:

TG455
TG146

HE Shiwei, ZHU Lina, ZHANG Zhiqiang, Kang Jiajie. Study on the Microstructure and Properties of Laser-arc Hybrid Additive Manufacturing of Aluminum Alloys[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2025, 61(10): 152-163.

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