Mechanical properties evaluation of nickel-based superalloy metal matrix composites with different reinforcement materials fabricated by selective laser melting

• Main Author: Syed Naufal Syed Hafiz
• Other Authors: Zhou Wei
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2020
• Subjects: Engineering::Mechanical engineering; Engineering::Manufacturing
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/139439
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is becoming a popular manufacturing option in the recent years due to its technology being able to reduce manufacturing lead times significantly and capable of putting new and more complex designs on the market in a shorter time resulting in the market demands being met quicker compared to traditional manufacturing. AM comprises of several categories and each vary in their method of layer manufacturing such as VAT Photopolymerization, Material Jetting, Binder Jetting, Material Extrusion, Powder Bed Fusion, Sheet Lamination and Directed Energy Deposition. Each category of the AM processes will differ depending on the material and machine technology used. Among them, Selective Laser Melting (SLM) part of Powder Bed Fusion, has been specifically chosen for this project due to it being able produce high quality and complex metallic parts with excellent mechanical properties at a low cost. This technique will be used to fabricate Inconel 718 (IN718), which is a nickel-based super alloy that is high in yield and tensile strength and able to withstand high temperatures of up to 705°C. By adding different materials into the IN718 matrix, different composites were fabricated using SLM and their characteristics were compared. A systematic study was carried out to obtain the hardness, tensile strength, densification and microstructure of the fabricated composites to establish a relationship between the structures and the mechanical properties. It is found that Titanium Carbide to be a compatible reinforcement material that enhances the mechanical properties of the metal matrix composite.