Characterization of Laser Formed Superalloys

This work investigates the effect of processing parameters on the microstructure and composition of Ni-base alloys produced by laser forming, an additive technique also known as direct metal deposition. The parameters assessed in the study include powder flow rate, traverse speed, laser power, and spot size. In all experiments, a melt pool diameter of 0.3 mm was maintained. The results show that laser formed alloys are similar in structure to conventional wrought alloys with additional peaks formed as a result of the oxidation of active alloying elements. The complex compounds observed on the surface of the laser formed samples disappeared after polishing. Paper includes a German-language abstract.