Sample Preparation for TC4 Titanium Alloy by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) Additive Manufacturing
Following the fabrication of TC4 titanium alloy components using Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technology, metallographic analysis serves as the core method for evaluating internal quality and performance potential. Through systematic microscopic examination, key microstructural features that determine component performance can be precisely characterized: the morphology and overlapping condition of melt pools directly affect relative density; the size and orientation of fine columnar or equiaxed grains, along with the distribution of α'/α+β phases, collectively determine the material's strength, toughness, and fatigue resistance; meanwhile, the analysis effectively identifies defects such as gas pores and lack of fusion.
Therefore, in-depth metallographic analysis is not only the final inspection of the printed results, but also an indispensable key step in scientifically interpreting performance data and reversely optimizing process parameters (e.g., laser power, scanning speed) to ensure the reliability of component performance.
The grinding and polishing procedure using the Alpha610 automatic grinder/polisher is as follows:
● P400 SiC abrasive paper + water
● POS + 9μm PD-WT
● YS-JP + 1μm PD-WT
● ZN-JP + 50nm SO-A439
